Vegan Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups All Purpose Flour ((375g))
• 1 cup Cocoa Powder ((86g) Unsweetened)
• 1 cup White Granulated Sugar ((200g))
• 1 cup Light Brown Sugar ((200g))
• 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Instant Espresso Powder (Optional)
• 2 cups Vegan Buttermilk ((480ml) 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice + Soy Milk up to the 2 cup line)
• 1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
• 3/4 cup Canola Oil ((180ml) or Vegetable Oil)
• 6 Tablespoons Applesauce
• 4 ounces Vegan Chocolate ((113g) Melted and Cooled)
• 3/4 cup Vegan Butter ((170g))
• 4 cups Powdered Sugar ((480g))
• 1 cup Cocoa Powder ((86g) Unsweetened)
• 6 Tablespoons Soy Milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 4 ounces Vegan Chocolate ((113g) Melted and Cooled)
• 2 ounces Vegan Chocolate (Melted and Drizzled)
• Chocolate Shavings

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Cake: ---

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick spray.

3. 3

   Sift all purpose flour and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl. Add white granulated sugar, light brown sugar, baking soda, salt and instant espresso powder. Mix together.

4. 4

   Prepare your vegan buttermilk by adding 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to a measuring jug and then adding soy milk up to the 2 cup line (480ml).

5. 5

   Add vegan buttermilk, vanilla extract, canola oil and applesauce and mix it into a batter.

6. 6

   Add melted and cooled vegan chocolate and fold it into the batter.

7. 7

   Divide the batter evenly between two 9-inch round cake pans (sprayed with non-stick spray and lined with circles of parchment paper along the bottoms).

8. 8

   Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.

9. 9

   Let the cakes cool in the cake pans for a few minutes and then transfer them to wire cooling racks to cool completely.

10. 10

    --- Frosting: ---

11. 11

    Add vegan butter to the bowl of your stand mixer and beat until smooth.

12. 12

    Sift in powdered sugar and cocoa powder, add soy milk and beat until fluffy and smooth.

13. 13

    Add melted and cooled vegan chocolate and mix in.

14. 14

    Your frosting should be thick and fudgy but still spreadable. If it's too thick, mix in more soy milk, a tiny bit at a time until you reach a spreadable consistency.

15. 15

    When the cakes have cooled completely, frost them with chocolate fudge frosting.

16. 16

    Decorate with drizzles of melted vegan chocolate topped with chocolate shavings.