Ganache Glazed Chocolate Cake to Live For

The name for this cake dates back over twenty years to the day I was sure I had cracked the code for the perfect chocolate cake that was also vegan. I invited three friends over (non-vegan, as it happened) to taste the cake with me. After a big forkful each, we stopped, looked at each other, and said almost in unison, “Now this is a cake worth living for!” At least that is how I remember it. Since then, this has become my signature cake and remains the one most discussed, requested, Google-searched, praised, and served of all my cakes. A “tinkerer” by nature, I have changed little bits of the recipe over the years, using a little less nondairy milk and substituting mild extra-virgin olive oil for the organic canola oil. 

Double the recipe when you want a layer cake.

Makes one (9-Inch / 23-Cm) Torte; 8 to 10 Servings

Vegan Chocolate Cake to Live For

Fran Costigan

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Course Dessert

Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

 

For Cake

• 1 recipe Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache Glaze see recipe
• 1/2 cup / 70 grams organic whole wheat pastry flour see notes for gluten-free variation
• 1/2 cup / 64 grams organic all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons / 31 grams Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup / 50 grams organic granulated sugar lightly in a food processor
• 1 teaspoon / 5 grams aluminum-free baking powder
• 1 teaspoon / 5 grams baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon / 2.5 grams fine sea salt
• 1/4 cup / 60 ml mild tasting extra-virgin olive oil or organic neutral vegetable oil, such as sunflower
• 1 /2 cup / 120 ml pure maple syrup Grade A dark
• 3 /4 cup plus 2 tablespoons / 210 ml oat almond or soymilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons / 7.5 ml pure vanilla extract
• 1 /2 teaspoon chocolate extract optional but recommended
• 1 teaspoonFor / 5 ml apple cider vinegar

Instructions

 

Instructions For Cake

• 1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 ̊F / 180 ̊C. Oil the sides and bottom of a 9x3inch round pan and line the bottom with a parchment circle or paper cut to fit. Do not oil the paper.

  2. Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Add the pastry flour, all-purpose flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the strainer and stir with a whisk to sift the ingredients into the bowl. (If any small bits remain in the strainer, add them to the mixture in the bowl.) Whisk to aerate the mixture.

  3. Whisk the oil, maple syrup, nondairy milk, vanilla, chocolate extract (if using), and vinegar in a separate medium bowl until completely combined. Immediately pour into the dry mixture and whisk until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into pan. Rotate the pan to level the batter and tap it lightly on the counter to get rid of some of the air bubbles.

  4. Bake the cake on the center rack for 28 to 32 minutes, or until the top of the cake is set, the sides have started to pull away from the pan, and a wooden toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

  5. Cool the cake pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a thin spatula around the sides of the cake to release the sides of the cake from the pan. Invert the layer onto the rack, remove the pan, and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Invert again, top side up on the rack, to cool completely. When the cake is completely cool, slide a (greaseproof) cardboard underneath. Cover the cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold before glazing.

Glaze The Cake

• Place the cake on an icing rack set over a parchment-lined baking pan.
• Pour 1 cup of the Ganache Glaze into a measuring cup with a spout. Center the cup over the cake and pour the glaze onto center of the cake. Coax the glaze to the edges and down the sides by tilting the baking sheet or using an icing spatula. Use the spatula to spread the glaze onto the sides.
• Allow the glaze to set undisturbed for 15 minutes, then refrigerate the cake for 10 minutes.
• Refill the measuring cup with another scant cup of the glaze and add another coating. This time, don’t try to move the glaze around with the spatula after it has been applied. Doing so will mar the finish.
• Still, extra glaze drizzled freeform on the cake looks great and hides any problems. Refrigerate to set the glaze.

Notes

Serving:

For the neatest slices, cut the cake while it is cold, but serve it at room temperature. 

Gluten-Free Variation:

Gluten-Free Chocolate Torte to Live For:

Replace the pastry and all-purpose flours with 1 cup of all-purpose gluten-free baking mix. (I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour)

If your gluten-free mix does not contain xanthan or guar gum, add 3 ⁄8 teaspoon xanthan or guar to the dry ingredients. Bake for 25 to 27 minutes.

Keyword chocolate, chocolate ganache, vegan chocolate cake

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Recipes from Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy-Free Desserts, Running Press, by Fran Costigan