Chocolate Cake with Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

For the Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1¾ cups white sugar

• ¾ cup unsweetened vegan cocoa powder

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1½ teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

• ½ cup vegan butter, melted, or melted coconut oil

• ⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup boiling water

For the Vegan Chocolate Buttercream

• 2½ cups icing sugar

• 1 cup unsweetened vegan cocoa powder

• 1 cup vegan butter, softened

• ¼ cup unsweetened almond or soy milk

To Decorate

• Strawberries

• Grated dark chocolate

Method:

Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius & oil a cake tin.

2. In a small bowl add 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk mixed with 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar. Set aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 & 3/4 cups white sugar, 3/4 cup vegan cocoa powder, 2 tsps baking powder, 1 & 1/2 tsp baking soda & 1 tsp salt. Whisk ingredients well.

4. Introduce 1/2 cup of vegan butter (or melted coconut oil), 2/3 cup of unsweetened apple sauce & 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract.

5. Mix in the almond milk & vinegar mixture & beat with an electric mixer.

6. Lower the speed & carefully pour in 1 cup of boiling water. The batter will be runny but don’t worry, it’s exactly as it is meant to be!

7. Pour the batter into the cake tin & bake for 40-45 mins and then allow to cool.

For the Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1. In a large mixing bowl add 2 & 1/2 cups of icing sugar, 1 cup of vegan cocoa powder, 1 cup of softened vegan butter, 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk.

2. Whip with an electric beater until creamy & fluffy. Frost your cake and decorate with dark chocolate and starwberries!