Our February Recipe of the Month

Death by Chocolate

The ultimate chocolate cake! Along with the chocolate sushi, this is probably the most elaborate recipe in the book, but for all chocolate junkies – I don’t hesitate to count myself as one – this will make your chocolate dreams come true.
For one 24 cm/9½ in sided square springform cake tin at least 5 cm/2 in deep (alternatively, use a 26 cm/10¼ in diameter round tin)

Difficulty ***

Preparation time: 1 hour plus 35–45 minutes baking time and at least 4½ hours resting time

For the cake batter:
300 g/1¼ cups soft vegan margarine (leave out of the refrigerator for 1 hour to soften before use)
300 g/1¼ cups sugar
40 g/1/3cup cornflour
200 ml/scant 1 cup cold soya milk
240 g/2 cups plus 2 tbsp light wheat or spelt flour
90 g/¾ cup lightly defatted cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking powder
1 large pinch salt
The seeds from 1 vanilla pod
2 tsp white wine vinegar

For the icing:
200 g/7 oz vegan dark chocolate (45–55 % cocoa solids)
90 g/7 tbsp vegan margarine

For the cream filling:
200 g/7 oz vegan dark chocolate (45–55 % cocoa solids)
200 g/1 cup natural soya yoghurt, either sweetened
or unsweetened

50 g/2 oz vegan white chocolate, grated (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line the springform cake tin with baking parchment.

For the batter, beat the margarine with the sugar in a large bowl until fluffy.

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and vanilla seeds in a bowl, and mix well. Dissolve the cornflour completely in the cold soya milk. Add the flour mixture, soya milk and vinegar to the sugar and margarine mixture and carefully mix to a smooth batter. If the batter is too dry, add a 1–3 more table-spoons of soya milk.

Pour the batter into the cake tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 35–45 minutes. Check that the cake is cooked by pricking with a wooden skewer. If it doesn’t come out clean, bake for a little longer. After baking, turn off the oven and allow the cake to rest inside with the door slightly ajar for 30–40 minutes.

In the meantime, make the icing. Slowly melt the chocolate with the margarine over a bain-marie or in the microwave. Take the cake out of the oven, but leave it in the tin. Pour the icing over the cake and spread over the top evenly. Leave to cool for a short while, and then cover the cake in the tin with alu¬minium foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (better longer).

For the cream filling, slowly melt the chocolate over a bain-marie or in the microwave. Immediately stir the chocolate into the yoghurt to obtain a smooth cream. Leave to cool.

After cooling the cake, remove the springform tin. Use a sharp knife to cut the cake into about 10 rectangular pieces, and then cut the pieces in half through the middle. Carefully take off the tops and set aside. Spread the cream over the bottoms and carefully replace the tops. Cover well with foil and refrigerate again for at least 2 hours.

Take out of the refrigerator 1 hour before serving. Decorate with grated vegan white chocolate if you like.

If this mouth-watering recipe has inspired you to try some more recipes from Vegan Chocoholic By Philip Hochuli, then head over to our giveaway page to win a copy. Alternatively, you can buy your copy HERE  + Free UK delivery.

Credit info:

Vegan Chocoholic – Cakes, Biscuits, Pies, Desserts and Quick Sweet Snacks

By PhilipHochuli  

Published by Grub Street