Vegan chocolate cake

              Preparation time                                                Cooking time                                   Serves

        less than 30 mins                                   30 mins to 1 hour                   Serves 10

This nutty vegan chocolate cake is rich, moist and delicious. The peanut butter and maple syrup chocolate frosting can be used on other cakes (or just eaten from the bowl).

For this recipe you will need 2 x 20cm/8in cake tins.

Each serving provides 553 kcal, 12g protein, 56g carbohydrate (of which 37g sugars), 30g fat (of which 7g saturates), 4g fibre and 0.7g salt.

Ingredients

For the chocolate cake

200g/7oz plain flour

200g/7oz caster sugar

40g/1½oz cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

pinch of salt

200ml/7fl oz almond milk

2 tsp cider vinegar

100ml/3½fl oz sunflower oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g/3½oz smooth peanut butter

For the frosting

150g/5½oz smooth peanut butter

40g/1½oz cocoa powder

6 tbsp maple syrup

6 tbsp almond milk

50g/1¾oz dairy-free margarine

50g/1¾oz icing sugar

To decorate

50g/1¾oz salted peanuts, roughly chopped

50g/1¾oz vegan dark chocolate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line the base of each cake tin with a circle of baking paper.
2. Sift the flour, caster sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl.
3. Measure the almond milk into a jug, add the cider vinegar and mix to combine – the milk will thicken. Add the oil and vanilla extract.
4. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, pour in the oil and milk mixture, add the peanut butter and whisk to combine. Continue mixing until smooth.
5. Divide the cake mixture evenly between the prepared tins and level with the back of a spoon.
6. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the cakes have risen and a wooden skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
7. Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 3–4 minutes and then carefully turn out onto a wire rack and leave until cold.
8. Meanwhile prepare the frosting. Tip all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat until smooth.
9. Place one cake on a serving plate and spread the top with half the frosting. Top with the second cake layer and spread the remaining frosting over the top, spreading it smoothly with a palette knife.
10. Scatter with roughly chopped peanuts and dark chocolate shavings to serve.

Recipe Tips

For best results, choose a dairy-free spread that has a high fat and low water content.