Loved by vegans and non-vegans alike, this rich chocolate cake is the one I usually make for birthdays. Serve it plain, drizzled with Hot Fudge, or frosted with Vegan Chocolate Mousse.
Yield: 8 servings
1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 tablespoons flaxseeds
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips* or 5.3-ounce dark chocolate (70 or 72%) broken into 1-inch pieces (1 ½ cups)
3/4 cup vanilla soymilk
* Fair Traded chocolate is strongly suggested.
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch cake or loaf pan and set aside.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Place the flaxseeds in a blender and grind to a powder. Add the juice, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla, and blend well.
4. Heat the chocolate chips and soymilk in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly about 3 minutes, or until the chocolate melts.
5. Add the melted chocolate and flaxseed mixture to the flour mixture and stir well to form a smooth batter.
6. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Let the cake cool 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve plain or frosted.
For a Change…
Omit the soymilk and use 1 ¼ cups juice. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a skillet over low flame stirring constantly.
Also, you can substitute other flours. If you like, use all spelt flour and substract 25% liquid from the recipe above. Or if you want to add more calcium and iron and use some teff flour, you may substitute up to 25% teff flour for the whole wheat pastry flour. Either way, this cake will please everyone.
