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In the Oven: Hippie Cake

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Unprecedented in the Baked world until now, we’ve venturing into vegan territory with a chocolate cake. Posting date is April 24!

Hippie Cake
Author: Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito
Serves: 1 8-inch (20-cm) single-layer cake • about 10 servings
Ingredients
  • For the Vegan ChocolateCake
  • 2 ounces (55 g) vegan dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (150 ml) olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup (240 ml) almost boiling water
  • 1¼ cups (250 g) vegan granulated sugar
  • 1½ cups (170 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (40 g) unsweetened dark cocoa powder, such as Valrhona
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • For the Almond Butter Frosting
  • 1¼ to 1¾ cups (140 to 200 g) vegan confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • ½ cup (130 g) almond butter (ideally without any added sugar, with or without flaxseeds)
  • 2 ounces (55 g) vegan butter, such as Earth Balance, softened
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons (30 to 60 ml) almond milk, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Make the Vegan Chocolate Cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Lightly spray the bottom and sides of an 8-inch (20-cm) round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper and lightly spray the top of the parchment.
  3. Place the chocolate, olive oil, and vinegar in a large bowl. Add the hot water, let stand 1 minute, and whisk until the chocolate is completely melted; whisk for an additional minute to release extreme heat. Add the sugar and whisk to combine. Set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda until well combined.
  5. Gently fold half of the dry ingredients into the wet. Add the remaining half of the dry ingredients and continue to fold until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 28 to 32 minutes.
  6. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes. Turn the cake out onto the rack, remove the parchment, and let cool completely. You can also pop the cake in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to firm up, so the cake cuts cleanly and precisely.
Make the Almond Butter Frosting
  1. Place 1¼ cups (140 g) confectioners’ sugar, the almond butter, vegan butter, 2 tablespoons almond milk, the vanilla paste, and salt in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until the frosting comes together and is shiny and smooth. If you prefer a slightly looser frosting, add 1 to 2 additional tablespoons almond milk; if you prefer a thicker frosting, add up to ½ cup (55 g) more confectioners’ sugar.
  2. Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting into an even layer on only the top of the cake. Refrigerate the cake for about 10 minutes to set the frosting.
Notes
[i]How to store: [/i]The cake can keep, tightly covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days.