The Cake That Never Fails

To make up for not giving you a new recipe yesterday, I give you a new one today! Enjoy!

 This is the cake that never fails.

It doesn't crumble.

It rises high.

It is rich and decadent even though I cut the fat in half

It makes a good impression on everyone who tries it.

I made us one over Christmas to eat. I made the Cake That Doesn't Fail and frosted with with vegan buttercream and topped it with toasted coconut and chopped pecans.

Oh my days, it was good. I have adapted it from a recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant cookbook which you can read here: http://moosewoodcooks.com/2013/11/six-minute-vegan-chocolate-cake/

My version is lower in sugar and fat and still tastes amazing. I also am too clumsy to mix it all in the pan, but i do mix the vinegar in after the batter is in the pan. 

Don't be freaked out by the use of vinegar. The vinegar mixed with baking soda goes all "volcano science experiment" on your ass and caused a gas reaction--hence the high rise. 

And don't worry about the coffee--you can't taste it. It just gives the cake a deep, mocha quality. 

If you are a coffee drinker, then just stow away some in the fridge as you need 1 cup cold coffee for the cake. If you don't drink it, then do what i do the night before--use a heaping TB instant decaf and mix with boiling water and in a jar and put in the fridge over night. 

The Cake That Never Fails

You need:

1 1/2 cups flour, if using GF flour add 1 tsp xanthan gum

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp custard powder mix (or 1 tsp vanilla essence) 

1 tsp baking SODA

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup Tate and Lyle sugar with stevia--or 1 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil plus 1/4 cup unsweetened soy yogurt (or use 1/2 cup oil)

1 cup cold brewed coffee

2 TB balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat your oven to 190C/375F and grease an 8 x 8 square pan.

2. Sift your dry ingredients together in a bowl. 

3. In another bowl whisk the coffee, oil and yogurt. But NOT the vinegar yet. 

4. When the oven has preheated, then add your wet to your dry and spoon it into your greased pan.

5. Add the 2 TB vinegar and quickly stir to mix and smooth out the batter. Pop it in the oven.

6. Bake it for 25-30 minutes.

7. Top with icing or glaze or a dust of icing sugar. it's all good. 

This cake comes out perfect every time. Which is pretty bloody amazing for gluten free. If you don't need to use GF flour, then do it with regular flour and I still bet you'll be impressed. 

It is the sort of cake i serve to non-vegans who think a cake must have butter and eggs to qualify as a cake.

This cake sets the record straight.

Go and make it now! (or at least, after you've had your coffee!)