When I was a kid... I would have been about 11 or 12... my family and I vacationed at the Outer Banks in North Carolina. It was also around this time that I fancied myself as being from about 7 different countries/regions of the world. I was a New Yorker, a Puerto Rican, a southerner, a Brit, and my personal favorite, an Australian. (I once convinced a man doing work on our home that I was, indeed, from Melbourne. It's still a source of pride and accomplishment.) So one night on vacation we all go out to dinner to this seafood buffet place. Now, remember when I said I hated mushrooms? Seafood takes this dislike to another level. Just the thought of it activates my gag reflex. That texture.. it's enough to put me in a cold sweat, and I wasn't not alone in my dislike for seafood. My mom and my sister weren't too keen on the googly-eyed entrees either.Needless to say, it was a rough dinner, but the crowning savior was the dessert bar. Oh, the dessert bar. That shining beacon of comfort. (yeah, I eat my feelings! what's it to you?!) So my sister and I survive the cracking and lip smacking ordeal that is dinner, and head to the dessert bar. I lead the way, Aussie accent in tow, and line up for some serious fat kid feasting. To my delight, they have chocolate cake, so naturally, I want to share this excitement with my sister. Thinking she's right behind me, I turn to her, and in my best Aussie, exclaim, "Look, Sarah, they have chocolate cake!" Imagine my surprise when I discover that is not Sarah behind me, but rather a startled, middle-aged woman staring at me like I had tourettes. I don't remember exactly what happened after that. I think I eeked out a smile, and muttered something like "they have chocolate cake..." while staring intensely at the serving utensils. And surely, I still got my piece of pre-sliced comfort.
This cake here is the Moosewood version that I raved about in my last post. It's 100% chocolate gooey-goodness. I call it the cake brownie. It's fudgey like a brownie, but still thick and airy like a cake. Oh, and it has frosting. I'm going to work on making it into cupcakes and filling them with cream because I think that'd be like a hostess cupcake.. but fudgier (i.e. out of control yum). What is really great about this recipe is that you can stir everything up directly in your pan, so you don't have 8 bowls to wash when you're done, and the frosting can be made in a glass measuring cup, so that's super simple too. Plus, you Chem nerds will rejoice when you pour in the apple cider vinegar and it reacts with the baking soda. It's pretty cool. (Why didn't we ever do THAT in lab instead of watching a bunsen burner for an hour?)
You should make this recipe. You won't regret it. You just might regret it if there is more than just you in the room when it comes time to eat it.
Moosewood's Vegan Chocolate Cake
Cake:
1 ½ cups unbleached white flour
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 cup cold water or coffee (I used water)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
In an 8x8 square pan, or a 9-inch round pan, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and sugar. In a measuring cup (like a glass pyrex), mix together the oil, water and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients in the pan and mix the batter with a fork or small whisk.
When the batter is smooth, add the vinegar and stir quickly. There will be pale swirls in the batter as the baking soda and vinegar react. Stir just until the vinegar is evenly distributed throughout the batter.
In a 375 degree oven, bake 25-30 minutes (I think it's taken me more like 30-35 - just check with a toothpick), and set aside to cool.
Chocolate Glaze:
½ pound semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 cup hot water (but I used hot almond milk instead)
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a glass pyrex or microwave safe bowl, melt your chocolate. Once melted, add the water/milk and vanilla and stir until smooth. Pour evenly over the cooled cake, and refrigerate the glazed cake at least 30 minutes before serving. The glaze will firm up and be more chocolate ganache-y like.
Enjoy!
Oh, come on Ann. Ain't nothin' better than a plate full of red and crunchy insect-cousins, still with their heads, just waiting to jump your gullet!
I personally ate the piece of cake in the photo and can attest to it's yumminess! In English or Aussie...Great Chocolate Cake!