How to make the perfect Vegan Chocolate Cake

Anne Falgate, owner of Cupcake & Co, on Upper St Giles in Norwich, gives the recipe for an indulgent ‘Vegan Chocolate Cardamom Cake’.

She said: “Here is my favourite chocolate cake. It's so easy to make and while it is suitable for vegans, it tastes so good, anyone can enjoy it.”

Anne Falgate owner of Cupcake & Co. (Image: Ella Wilkinson)

Ingredients

• 490ml soya milk

• 10ml cider vinegar

• 300g caster sugar

• 160ml melted coconut oil

• 2tsp vanilla extract

• 1tsp almond extract

• 80g cocoa powder

• 160g plain flour

• 100g ground hazelnuts

• 1.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 5 tsp salt

• 8 cardamom pods (bruise them and release the black seeds, discarding the shells)

• 3 x 20cm cake pans

For the frosting

• 750g icing sugar, sifted

• 150g cocoa powder

• 300g vegetable fat

• 150ml soya (or any plant based) milk

Method

1. Pre heat oven to 190C
2. Grease the baking pans and line the base with non-stick baking parchment.
3. Add cider vinegar to the soya milk and set aside.
4. Grind the cardamom pods using a pestle and mortar
5. In a large bowl mix together flour, ground hazelnuts, cocoa, cardamom, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
6. In another bowl combine the sugar, oil and extracts.
7. Add this mix, along with the soya milk, to the dry ingredients stirring gently until a lumpy batter is formed. Don’t over beat or your cake won’t rise.
8. Knock the mixing bowl on the work surface to knock out some of the air bubbles.
9. Divide the mixture between the three baking pans.
10. Bake for 25 minutes or until just firm.
11. Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
12. While the cakes cool completely, make the frosting; in a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the icing sugar, vegetable fat, cocoa and soya milk until smooth and fluffy.
13. Use this frosting to fill and cover the cake, using a palette knife (or go wild with your piping if you're feeling fancy).

Anne Falgate, owner of Cupcake & Co, on Upper St Giles in Norwich, gives the recipe for an indulgent ‘Vegan Chocolate Cardamom Cake’. (Image: Anne Falgate)