Chocolate Strawberry Cake
by Rachel Zorn Kindermann (@rkindermann)Don’t believe plant-based desserts can be delectable? Guess again. This fully vegan chocolate and strawberry cake is as rich as it is delicious. You’ll use plant-based butter, milk, and cream cheese to achieve the same creaminess and flavor you’d normally achieve from the dairy versions. You’ll also use a mixture of flax seeds and water to mimic the cohesion usually achieved with eggs to make your cake even healthier!
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1cupall-purpose flour
- 1cuporganic cane sugar
- 6tbspDutch process cocoa powder, plus some to dust the pans
- 1/2tspbaking powder
- 3/4tspkosher salt
- 1tbspwhite wine vinegar
- 1cupalmond milk
- 1/2cupvegetable oil
- 2tspvanilla extract
- 2tbspground flax seeds mixed in 6 tbsp water
- 1 1/2cupsstrawberries, divided
- 1/2cupvegan chocolate chips
For the icing
- 1cupplant-based butter, room temperature
- 4ozplant-based cream cheese
- 1 1/2cupspowdered sugar
- 1cupDutch process cocoa powder
- strawberries for decoration (optional)
Method
To make the cake sponges
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Start by greasing two 8 or 9 inch cake pans with the plant-based butter. Dust them with some cocoa powder. (You can also use parchment paper here is you’re used to doing things that way).
Using a cup measure or small bowl, place one tbsp of white wine vinegar, then add 1 cup of almond milk over that. Let rest for at least 5 minutes. (This concoction mimics buttermilk). This would also be a good time to mix your ground flax seeds with the water.
In a large bowl, mix your flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together. Mix thoroughly. Then add the vegetable oil, milk and vinegar mixture, ground flax seed mixture, and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly, just until everything is incorporated and looking smooth.
Next take a cups-worth of sliced strawberries and place in a small bowl. Reserve the rest of the strawberries. Using an immersion blender, blend the strawberries until you have a smooth strawberry sauce.
Put half of the juice in your cake batter along with the vegan chocolate chips. Mix into the batter. Reserve the remaining strawberry juice.
Place an equal amount of batter in both prepared cake tins, smoothing the batter over with a spatula or spoon to assure it’s level. Place in the oven and bake for 27 - 32 minutes. When you reach the 25 minute mark, take a toothpick and place in the center of each sponge to make sure it comes out clean. If it comes out gooey, keep in the oven for longer.
Once they’re done, carefully take out of the oven and let the sponges sit in the tins for 10 - 15 minutes before turning out on wire racks to cool completely.
To make the icing
Place your plant-based butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder in the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl. (I highly recommend either a stand mixer or hand-held electric mixer to do this.)
Mix over medium speed until the mixture becomes the consistency of icing.
For assembly
Place one layer of the cake on the platter you intend to serve it on. Start to spread your icing on top of the sponge, being careful to reserve enough for the top layer and sides of the cake.
Once you’ve covered the top, take out the reserved pureed strawberries and spread over the icing, but leaving some space along the edges so it doesn’t spill over.
Take your reserved strawberries and dice them fine. Put on top of the pureed strawberry.
Then carefully place the second sponge on top and ice the tops and side with the remaining icing.
Decorate the top with any remaining strawberries if so desired.
Tips & Tricks
You might be reading the ingredients recipe below and think… ‘Seriously? Flax seeds?’ Trust me: this works. But if flax seeds aren’t easy to find, there are some other options:
- Use 6 tbsp of aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas). It won't change the flavor, but will act as a binder, which is what you need.
- Use 4 tbsp of either arrowroot powder or cornstarch with 6 tbsp of water.
This recipe is doable with any plant-based butter, milk, and cream cheese. What I recommend are plant-based alternatives I’ve used and that have worked well. You can use whatever your heart desires.
If making this vegan isn’t a priority for you, then feel free to use the dairy versions and/or 2 eggs instead of the flax seed and water mixture.
I opted for strawberries in this recipe since they’re fresh and delicious this time of year. But this recipe could easily be used with raspberries or another fruit of your choosing.
Rachel Zorn Kindermann
(@rkindermann)
I'm a plant-based eater and food writer dedicated to making cooking and plant-based eating approachable and fun! I'm the creator of Samosas and Mimosa... Read More