Easy Vegan Chocolate Almond Cake

A really easy vegan chocolate and almond cake that is sure to win the approval of those who have little tolerance for eggfree cakes. The cake is a slightly dense one, which makes it a great naked cake to eat at tea time with a casual dusting of icing sugar or cocoa (or both!). But top it with a ganache, throw on some toasted or caramelized nuts, add a little edible bling, and you have a party cake that everyone will fall for.

Easy Vegan Chocolate Almond Cake Recipe

Ingredients for the cake:

• 1 and 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/4 cup soft brown sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 1 and 1/2 cups unflavoured soy milk
• 1/3 cup chopped (pure, not compound) dark chocolate or chocolate pellets (I used a 53 % Callebaut)
• 1/4 cup unflavoured vegetable oil (I used rice bran)
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar or synthetic white vinegar
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla paste
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Ingredients for the decoration:

• 1 cup chopped (pure, not compound) dark chocolate or chocolate pellets
• 1/4 cup unflavoured soy milk
• Flaked almonds
• Edible glitter

Method:

1. Toast the flaked almonds in a pan over very low heat. Alternatively, leave them in an oven at about 100 degrees centigrade for 10-15 minutes until uniformly toasted.
2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake tin with parchment.
3. Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl (flour, ground almonds, cocoa, coffee, sugar, baking soda, salt). Whisk together to combine. Set aside.
4. Place the chocolate and the soy milk in a bowl and microwave for 30-50 seconds (stopping every 30 seconds to mix and to ensure that the chocolate does not split). When smooth and combined, add the maple syrup, oil and vanilla and mix well.
5. And the wet ingredients to the dry and combine using a spatula, ensuring there are no lumps.
6. Now, quickly add the vinegar and fold well, ensuring the effervescence gets uniformly distributed. This is what will make the cake light.
7. Immediately pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30-40 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
8. Invert the cake on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
9. Brush the cake lightly with a simple sugar and coffee syrup if you want it extra moist and to get rid of loose crumbs.
10. Make the ganache by simply microwaving the chocolate and the soy milk together for 20-40 seconds, stopping and mixing every few seconds). Mix to achieve a smooth and glossy ganache.
11. Pour the ganache all over the cake and its sides. Use an offset spatula to create patterns in the ganache, if liked. Decorate with the toasted almonds and edible glitter.

Recipe by Saee Koranne-Khandekar