Deep Dark Chocolate Cake with Salted Dark Chocolate Buttercream Icing

Forget the roses this Valentine’s Day and give chocolate.

As in Deep Dark Chocolate Cake with Salted Dark Chocolate Buttercream Icing.

Homemade says that you put thought into your gift idea. Plus, everyone (well most everyone) LOVES chocolate. And this cake is LOADED with chocolate.

It’s also easy to make and is deliciously moist. No dry chocolate cake here.

The recipe for this Deep Dark Chocolate Cake is adapted from the depression day cake recipes when they didn’t use eggs or butter in the cake batter, which is actually perfect for all the vegan chocolate cake lovers. No animal products!

I’ve also included the vegan ingredients for the Salted Dark Chocolate Buttercream Icing, so you can make the complete cake including icing.

And I realize a good many of you don’t like coffee in your cakes. I’m one of those people. But don’t leave it out of this recipe. The coffee actually enhances and deepens the chocolate taste into a deep dark chocolate. It’s delicious.

Now, if you are watching your salt intake, feel free to leave the salt out of the icing. I enjoy the flavor of sea salt and dark chocolate, but it’s good as just chocolate as well. And the recipe makes enough that there’s leftover to use for other things (hint, hint)!

I also love that this Deep Dark Chocolate Cake is a one bowl recipe. Use the bowl to make the cake, then clean and reuse for the icing. It really is one of the easiest chocolate cakes I’ve made and one of the most delicious.

So now that we know what you’re making for that special someone in your life, you can worry about making that special playlist or whatever it is you’re doing this year.

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone.

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake (Vegan)

heidi medina

The perfect deep dark chocolate cake. Uses one bowl, no eggs or milk, and espresso coffee to deepen the chocolate flavor with no hint of coffee.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings 10 slices

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 ¾ cup sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups hot water
¾ cup sunflower oil or vegetable oil of your choice
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 Tbsp. espresso coffee granules
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare 2 round baking pans or 1 large rectangle baking pan by greasing with oil and lining the bottom with parchment paper. Lightly oil the parchment paper. Set prepared pans aside until needed.
Combine flours, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Add the hot water, oil, vinegar, coffee granules and vanilla. Stir together until mixed well.
Pour batter into the prepared pans, dividing equally if using 2 pans. Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to finish cooling.
Cool completely before icing with your choice of icing.

Notes

Excellent cake for pairing with my Salted Dark Chocolate Buttercream Icing (not vegan).

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Salted Dark Chocolate Buttercream Icing

heidi medina

A deep deliciously creamy Salted Dark Chocolate Buttercream Icing.

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Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings 3 cups

Ingredients

½ cup unsalted butter or vegetable margarine melted
½ cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
⅓ to ⅔ cup milk or almond milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. sea salt

Instructions

Using a stand or hand mixer, add melted butter or margine and cocoa powder to a large bowl, mixing well.
Start adding powdered sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with splashes of milk, mixing well after each addition.
Continue adding powdered sugar and milk until you use all the sugar and reach desired consistency.
Mix in vanilla and salt.
Use icing immediately or store, covered, in the fridge until needed.
To use after fridge use: allow icing to come back to room temperature or place in microwave for 5 to 10 seconds, stirring well.