Vegan Chocolate Cake

SERVES 12

● Plain flour

● 400g caster sugar

● 80g cocoa powder

● 80g bicarbonate of soda ● 1tsp salt

● 300ml cold water

● 150ml vegetable oil ● 2tbsp white vinegar ● 160ml orange juice

STEP 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/160fan/gas mark 4. Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8inch loose-bottomed sandwich tins

STEP 2 In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Mix gently to combine.

STEP 3 In a large jug, mix the cold water, oil, white vinegar, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla and liqueur.

STEP 4 Add the wet to the dry ingredients and mix well to make a fairly liquid batter.

STEP 5 Divide the batter between the tins and bake in your preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

STEP 6 When the cake is cooked allow it to cool completely in the tins.

● Zest of 2 oranges

● 1tsp Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract

● 40ml Cointreau (or water) ● 250g vegan chocolate

● 225g full-fat coconut milk (from a can)

● 1tbsp sweet orange marmalade ● 2 orange slices

● 3 chocolate chunks

STEP 7 To make the ganache, chop the chocolate finely and put into a large bowl. Heat the coconut milk in a saucepan until it’s just starting to bubble then pour over the chocolate, stirring continuously. The chocolate will melt into a smooth ganache. Put the ganache aside for a few hours until it becomes firm enough to fill and ice the cake.

STEP 8 When you are ready to ice the cake, release the cakes from their tins, and spread a little of the marmalade onto the bottom cake. Top with some of the ganache. Place the second cake on top and spread ganache on the top of the second cake. You can decorate with orange slices, zest or chocolate chunks.

● Recipe from Nielsen-Massey