Contributed by: Pastry Chef Fran Costigan
Vegan Chocolate Ganache Cake
This rich and moist chocolate cake is a sure winner! No one will know that it also happens to be vegan-friendly.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
2 1/2 C All-purpose flour
2 C Sugar
1 t Salt
2/3 C Cocoa powder
2 t Baking soda
2 C Coffee (or water)
2/3 C Vegetable oil
2 t Vanilla extract
2 t Vinegar (apple cider or distilled white vinegar)
For the ganache:
3/4 lb Bittersweet chocolate (12 OZ or approx. 2 C) min. 54% cocoa mass
1 C Full-fat coconut milk
Directions:
- Making the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (175°C).
- Prepare two 9″ × 2″ -inch non-stick cake pans by spraying them with non-stick spray and then lightly coating them with cocoa powder.
- *Note: This cake can easily be halved, if desired.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk until evenly combined.
- Combine the coffee, oil and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk vigorously to evenly combine.
- Add the vinegar and stir to blend well.
- Spoon an equal portion of the batter into each of the prepared baking pans.
- Immediately transfer to the preheated oven.
- Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Remove from the oven and place onto a wire cooling rack for about 10 to 15 minutes or until cooled slightly.
- Invert the cakes out onto the cooling rack, remove the pans and let cool completely before icing.
- Making the Ganache:
- While the cake layers are cooling, make the ganache.
- Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place it into a heat-proof bowl.
- Place the coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil.
- Immediately pour the hot milk over the chocolate, making sure that the it fully covers the chocolate.
- If necessary, shake the bowl a bit to distribute the milk over the chocolate.
- Allow to sit for a few minutes and then whisk for a couple of minutes or until very smooth.
- Set aside while the cakes finish cooling.
- Decorating the Cake:
- To assemble the cake, whisk the ganache.
- *Note: It is best to ice the cake while the ganache is still soft and somewhat runny. Alternatively, the ganache can be cooled a bit longer, for about 30 minutes or so, and then it can be whipped to incorporate air into it. It can then be piped onto the cake using a pastry bag. This is good to do when using this ganache as a frosting for baked goods such as cupcakes.
- If the ganache has firmed up a bit too much for icing, you can either vigorously whisk it or briefly place over simmering water to make it a bit more pliable.
- If your cakes have baked into a dome shape, slice a bit off of the dome to make an even top.
- Using an offset spatula, begin icing the cake by placing a large dollop of ganache in the center and spread it around evenly.
- Carefully place the second cake on top, crumb-side down.
- If desired, you can do a crumb coat, but it’s not absolutely necessary for this cake.
- To finish decorating, ice the top and sides of the cake with the remaining ganache and serve.
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Chef’s Notes
- If doing a crumb coat, be sure you don’t refrigerate the bottom layer for more than a minute or two before putting on the second layer; otherwise, it will be too cold and the ganache might solidify. This cake is great even when made a day in advance; just be sure to let it come to room temperature before serving. Cake boards are sold in specialty baking shops, but you can easily make your own. Just cut out a sturdy piece of cardboard in the size you need and neatly cover it completely with foil.
- For a step-by-step instructional video on how to decorate the cake, watch the last step of this Chocolate Cake recipe. Note that the video recipe shown is not a vegan-friendly recipe, so just go to the last step.
