Vegan Chocolate Orange Cake

Ingredients

• 450 g Self raising flour
• 300 g Caster sugar
• 50 g Cocoa powder
• 2 tsp Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
• 1 Orange (zest only)
• 450 ml Dairy free milk (I use oat milk)
• 150 ml Vegetable oil
• 2 tsp Cider vinegar
• 3 tsp Orange extract
• 300 g Dairy free butter block (I used Flora Plant unsalted)
• 525 g Icing sugar
• 75 g Cocoa powder
• 3 tsp Orange extract
• 3-4 tbsp Dairy free milk
• Buttermilk Choccy Orange
• Orange zest

Instructions

1. 1

   Pre-heat your oven to 160C Fan/180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, and grease and line two 8" cake tins (that are at least 2" deep)

2. 2

   In a mixing bowl, stir together the caster sugar, self raising flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder

3. 3

   Add the orange zest and mix in it

4. 4

   In another mixing bowl or large jug, whisk together the vegetable oil, dairy free milk, orange extract and cider vinegar

5. 5

   Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, and pour in the oil and milk mixture, whisk them together gently with a hand whisk until smooth

6. 6

   Divide the mixture between the tins, use scales for accuracy if you like

7. 7

   Bake them for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave them to fully cool either in the tins or remove from the tin and place on cooling racks

8. 8

   To make the buttercream, mix the dairy free block butter on it's own for a few minutes. Then add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, orange extract and dairy free milk, and mix until smooth. For best results, use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or a handheld electric mixer. If the buttercream is too stiff, you can add a little more dairy free milk

9. 9

   If the cakes have domed on top, you can level them off with a cake leveller or a knife

10. 10

    Put one of the sponges on your plate or cake stand and pipe or spread some of the buttercream onto it

11. 11

    Add the other sponge on top and pipe or spread the remaining buttercream on top

12. 12

    Decorate with the choccy orange pieces and orange zest

13. 13

    Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in a cool place for 2-3 days