Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour or all purpose gluten-free flour
- 1/4 cup hazelnut flour or more all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder but the cake will be less sweet
- 1/2 cup plant milk
- 3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp brewed coffee
- 2/3 cups organic cane sugar
- 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp flaxseed + 6 Tbsp water)
- 2/3 cup beet puree or unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup vegan butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Ganache frosting
- 1 cup dark chocolate 70% cacao
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk from a can, not refrigerated, shaken
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 F
Prepare flax eggs and set aside for a few minutes
Add the baking soda and apple cider vinegar to the milk and set aside
Rub butter into one 8 inch round cake pan, and dust with cacao powder
If using beets, make beet puree by chopping into chunks and boiling for 25 minutes or until you can pierce them easily with a knife, then rinse beets cool, drain and puree smooth and add a teaspoon or two of water to smooth the texture
In a large mixing bowl, add the milk mixture plus the coffee, sugar, flax eggs, beet puree, butter, vanilla, and salt and whisk or use a hand-mixer to combine
Then add the flours and cacao powder and whisk again
Pour batter into prepared pan
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a tester in the center comes out clean with timing depending on oven variables
Cool cake in the pan for 20 minutes
Remove and allow it to cool to room temperature before frosting
If making cupcakes, fill paper cupcake liners about 2/3rds full, and bake 15 minutes or until tester comes out clean
To make frosting, warm the coconut milk in a pot or in the microwave for 60 seconds
Stir in chocolate and nut butter, and swirl until all are melted and combined
If need be, microwave the mixture another 30 seconds to finish melting process
Tips
Store frosted cake or cupcakes refrigerated for one week
The frosting does not freeze well so freeze the cake or cupcakes pre-frosted and make frosting fresh
