The Simple Vegan

Chocolate Coconut Cake

So I officially suck at Vegan MoFo this year. I just moved into a new apartment and I don’t have internet yet and I’m working like a mad woman and I’m just full of excuses. I am spending the day baking 150 cupcakes and a wedding cake for a wedding next weekend and I just don’t have the time to be creative today. SO-here is a cake. A delicious chocolate cake with creamy coconut filling. It’s not festive but you can’t eat pumpkin everyday…

For the cake: 

• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 1 t salt
• 2 t baking soda
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• 1 T vanilla extract
• 2/3 c canola oil
• 2 c cold water
• 2 T white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350F. Line and grease two 8 inch round cake tins.

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder.  Create a well (push all the dry ingredients against the sides of the bowl so there is a small hole in the bowl) and add the vanilla, oil, and water.  Mix until just combined.  Stir in the vinegar and pour into prepared cake tins.  Bake for 30 minutes, or until a knife or toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely.

For the frosting:

• 1/4 c margarine
• 1/4 c shortening
• 1/3 c cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 c confectioner’s sugar
• 1 t vanilla
• 1 T nondairy milk

Beat the margarine and shortening until completely combined.  Add the cocoa powder and beat until mixed.  Add the sugar in 1/2 cup batches.  Beat for 3 minutes.  Add the vanilla and the milk and beat for 5-7 minutes or until the frosting is light and fluffy.  Add more sugar if the frosting is really dense.  

For the coconut cream: 

• 1 aseptic package of silken tofu
• 1 c coconut milk
• 3/4 c flaked or shredded coconut
• 1/3 c sugar
• 4 T cornstarch
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 t vanilla extract 

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan.  Cook on medium heat until the mixture starts to boil. Reduce to simmer 5-7 minutes until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool. Stir occasionally. 

Assembly: 

Using a pastry bag pipe frosting around the top edge of one layer of cake.  Fill the inside of the ring with about half of the coconut cream mixture.  Top with the second layer of cake.  Frost the sides of the cake with the chocolate buttercream and pipe a ring around the top edge of the second layer. Fill in the ring with the remaining coconut cream.  Toast about 1/2 cup of coconut so that it’s golden brown and sprinkle it on top of the cake as pictured above.  Keep the cake refrigerated.  Serves 12-15. 

Chocolate Coconut Cake

This recipe is for when plain old chocolate cake just won’t cut it.  Chocolate cake filled with coconut custard and topped with fudge buttercream and toasted coconut. It’s true, this is a high maintenance cake, but I promise it’s worth it. I used the chocolate cake recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking, it’s by far the simplest chocolate cake recipe ever, but feel free to use your favorite.  

Cake: 

• 1 1/2 c flour
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1/2 t salt
• 1 t baking soda
• 1/4 c cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 t vanilla extract
• 1/3 c canola oil
• 1 T apple cider vinegar 
• 1 c water 

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk so everything is evenly distributed.  Create a well in the middle.  Pour the wet ingredients into the well and then stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.  

Pour into a greased 9-inch round cake pan.  Bake for 30 minutes.  

*I cut this one cake into two layers, but if you want more cake double the recipe.

Custard: 

• 1 1/2 c coconut milk
• 2 T cornstarch
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 t margarine

Combine the coconut milk, cornstarch, sugar and vanilla extract in a small saucepan. Whisk really well to avoid clumps of cornstarch.  Bring the mixture to a boil and let simmer for 5-7 minutes.  You should see the mixture thickening over time.  Remove from heat and stir in the margarine until it melts.  Let cool about 10-15 minutes and then transfer to the refrigerator to set at least an hour.  

Fudge Buttercream: 

• 1/2 c vegan margarine, room temperature
• 3 c confectioner’s sugar
• 1/3 c cocoa powder
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 T soymilk

Using an electric mixer add 1/2 c of confectioner’s sugar to the margarine at a time and beat.  Add the cocoa powder, beat to combine.  Slowly add the vanilla extract and the soymilk.  If the frosting is too thick, add a little more soymilk.  Beat on high for about 3 minutes to add volume to the frosting.  

Assembly: 

Cut the cooled chocolate cake layer into two equal halves.  Pipe (if you don’t have a pastry bag and frosting tips cut the corner off of a plastic baggie or fold parchment paper into a cone) the fudge buttercream around the top edge of the cake.  This holds the coconut custard in place.  Spoon the custard inside the frosting ring and spread out evenly.  Place the second half of the cake on top and frost.  Pipe the edges and sprinkle toasted coconut on top (toast the coconut for 5 minutes in a dry pan over medium heat, stirring frequently).  

YIELDS: 8 slices PREP TIME: 30 minutes hands-on, 1 hr for cooling BAKE TIME: 30 minutes 

Banana Split Cake

I’m not sure if you’re ready for this one. I am still quite impressed with how good my cake looked and how good my cake tasted. Despite how impressive it is, it’s quite simple and there is really no reason to be impressed at all. It involves a banana cake filled with gooey pineapple filling and fluffy buttercream, topped with dark chocolate ganache, more buttercream, maraschino cherries and roasted peanuts. I guess that does sound impressive.  If you have a good chunk of time and are craving a sweet treat, this is your project, whoever you are. It took me about 2 hours total between the cake and all of the accessories plus the cooling and baking time. 

Cake: 

• 4 cups flour
• 1 T baking soda
• 1 t salt
• 2 c sugar
• 1/2 c oil
• 8 ripe bananas
• 1/2 c water
• 2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line the bottom of two circular cake pans.  Sift dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt). Set aside. Using an electric mixer, blend the sugar, oil, bananas, water and vanilla. Once combined add the dry ingredients in batches until batter is well incorporated.  Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans and bake for 45-50 minutes. The cakes will be a golden brown color and a knife should come out clean when poked into the center. Place on cooling racks and after 30-45 minutes remove the cakes from the pans by inverting them onto cooling racks. At this point it’s okay to speed up the cooling process by placing the cakes in the refrigerator. 

Pineapple Filling: 

• 1 cup canned pineapple chunks (with juice)
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 T cornstarch 
• 1/2 t vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer for about 5 minutes. You will notice the mixture start to thicken. Remove from heat and let cool, it will continue to thicken as it cools.  Set aside. 

Buttercream: 

• 1/4 c vegan margarine (I use earth balance sticks) 
• 2 1/2 c confectionary sugar 
• 2 t nondairy milk
• 1 t vanilla extract 

Using an electric mixer, blend the margarine until it is softened and creamy. Add the sugar in 1/2 cup batches. Add the vanilla extract. Add the milk one teaspoon at a time while the mixer is running. Turn up the speeds on the mixer in between additions to incorporate air and allow the mixture to get fluffy. Taste test. Does it need more sugar or more milk? If it needs more sugar it will be too dense and have a very buttery taste. If it needs more milk it will be too thick, only add one more teaspoon.  Mix for about 3 to 5 more minutes. Cover with a damp paper towel and leave at room temperature until ready to use.  

Dark Chocolate Ganache: 

• 1 dark chocolate candy bar (vegan of course) 
• 1/4 cup nondairy milk
• 1 T agave 

In a small saucepan bring the milk to a boil. This won’t take very long, as you are only boiling 1/4  cup of liquid. Add the chocolate bar - break it into chunks before. Remove from heat and stir until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the agave.  Set aside, at room temperature.  

Assembly: 

Take one cake and put it on a plate. Using a piping bag, or a zip lock bag with a corner cut out, pipe buttercream around the edge. Pour the pineapple filling in between. Place the second cake on top. Pour the chocolate ganache on top. Start in the middle, it should naturally disperse towards the edges, but since the cake doesn’t bake with perfect symmetry you may have to redirect some of it. At this point I placed my cake in the fridge to let the ganache harden a little bit before applying the buttercream on top. After about 10 minutes or so you should be ready to go. Pipe circular bits of buttercream around the edge of the cake, this denotes the serving size, so be thinking about how many slices you want to get out of this cake before this part. I got 10 huge slices, 12 would be more reasonable. Place a cherry on top of each buttercream mound and stick peanuts around the edges of the mound. Now you’re ready to indulge.

Possible Variations:

• Make one cake (so halve the cake recipe) and cut it in half, that way you get every flavor component into each bite. 
• Add a layer of chocolate ganache in between the two cakes, under the pineapple and buttercream filling. 
• Sprinkle peanuts all over the top right after pouring the ganache. 
• Be creative!