Name: Chocolate Mud Cake
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients: MELT; 120 g vegetarian shortening ((You can use Spectrum Naturals Shortening or Crisco or Copha)); 57 g cacao butter (melted); 125 g high quality dark dutch cocoa powder (the darker the better); 2 tbs coffee powder; MIX; 125 ml chickpea water (1-2 cans should be enough); 125 ml soy milk mixed with 1 tbs white vinegar to thicken; 2 tbs high quality vanilla bean paste; SIEVE; 300 g all purpose plain flour or low protein plain cake flour (low protein flour always gives better results); 440 g caster sugar; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp sea salt; 250 ml boiling water; GANACHE FILLING (Go here for ganache recipe: https://sarakidd.com/recipe/vegan-chocolate-ganache/)

Ingredients

Scale

MELT
120 g vegetarian shortening ((You can use Spectrum Naturals Shortening or Crisco or Copha))
57 g cacao butter (melted)
125 g high quality dark dutch cocoa powder (the darker the better)
2 tbs coffee powder
MIX
125 ml chickpea water (1–2 cans should be enough)
125 ml soy milk mixed with 1 tbs white vinegar to thicken
2 tbs high quality vanilla bean paste
SIEVE
300 g all purpose plain flour or low protein plain cake flour (low protein flour always gives better results)
440 g caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
250 ml boiling water
GANACHE FILLING (Go here for ganache recipe: https://sarakidd.com/recipe/vegan-chocolate-ganache/)

Instructions

Preheat conventional oven 160°C/320F
Grease 2 x 6IN cake tins and line with baking strips (see here)
Melt shortening, + cocoa butter in small pot on stove, then take off heat and add cocoa powder and coffee, stir until smooth, let cool until warm
In a blender add shortening mix + VOR/chickpea water + vanilla + milk/vinegar, blend together on low until completely combined and smooth
In bowl of stand mixer with a paddle attachment, sieve flour + sugar + baking powder + salt and stir until evenly mixed
Add all liquids to this bowl and mix on very low speed till combined
Slowly trickle in boiling water along the side of the bowl while still mixing on very low speed
Once water is mixed, scrape down the sides, mix again on low for a few seconds
Divide between tins, tap tins on bench to release air bubbles, bake 70 – 80 mins, check with a toothpick through centre, if it comes out clean it’s ready
Cool in tin for 10 minutes, then flip on cake rake
Make ganache filling and ice once cake is cold

Notes

This is an excellent cake and will keep in the fridge for a week if sealed with ganache/fondant or it will freeze for a month
You can use buttercream instead of ganache but be aware it’s a very heavy cake so your buttercream needs to be strong
This is a great cake for carving with very little crumbs

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Category: Birthday, Cake, Chocolate, Wedding Cake
Cuisine: Dessert

Keywords: dairy free, egg free, vegan, vegan baking, vegan cake, vegan chocolate, vegan ganache