Vegan Chocolate Cake

Photo by Stephanie Staton

Ingredients

Cake

• 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 3 T. cocoa or carob powder
• 1 tsp. instant coffee crystals (optional)
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 T. white vinegar

Chocolate Cream Frosting

• 1 tsp. instant coffee crystals (optional)
• 2 to 4 T. water
• 2 T. margarine, softened
• 1⅓ cups confectioner’s sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preparation

Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cocoa powder, and mix thoroughly with fork. Make well in center of dry ingredients.

If using coffee crystals, stir them into cold water. Pour water, vanilla, oil and vinegar into dry ingredients and mix thoroughly with a fork.

Pour batter into a 9- by 9-inch pan and bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool completely before icing with Chocolate Cream Frosting.

Frosting
If using instant coffee, dissolve crystals in 2 tablespoons water.

In small bowl, cream margarine. Blend in sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and enough water to achieve thick but spreadable consistency.

Serves 9.

Recipe courtesy Nan Sweeney, Lexington, Ky.

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