By Savini Gauri
We have all grown up eating simple yet classic chocolate cakes made by our grandmas or at least any close family member. I remember sitting on the countertop eagerly waiting for my grandma to give me the spatula to lick and polish off. That was the highlight of the baking process. I would sit there, licking the spatula staring at the cake while it baked and rose in the oven. This cake is ALL THINGS NOSTALGIA! It's very chocolatey, amazingly moist, and just classic and rustic looking. Can it get any better? Well YES, IT CAN! It's 100% Vegan with zero compromises on the flavour of nostalgia.
This Grandma's Chocolate Cake is dead easy to make. No icing. No frosting. Just a classic chocolate cake. It has no egg replacements and no fancy ingredients or equipment that I can't pronounce. You need to try this ASAP. And if you feel fancy you can dress it up like a regular cake with frosting and icing and all the works.
In this recipe, I have kept things extremely simple and relaxed. Nothing elaborate, just a rustic chocolate cake that is quick and easy to make with minimal effort and steps to follow. All you will need is a mixing bowl and a whisk. You will not have to make a mess in your kitchen. It's that easy.
But that doesn't mean this Vegan Grandma's Chocolate Cake is not delicious, indulgent and basically a dream chocolate cake. It's all of these things and more.
This cake works like magic. It tastes like any cake you would make using butter, milk, eggs and cream.
The best thing about this vegan chocolate cake is that it’s pretty much impossible to tell it’s vegan. It has the perfect crumb – soft, moist and decadent without being too dense or stodgy.
What ingredients do you need to make Grandma's Chocolate Cake?
Making this chocolate cake is actually very simple. As always it contains very basic ingredients:
Maida or Pastry flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
a pinch of salt (or a fancy flaked salt if you have it)
cocoa powder (unsweetened)
caster sugar or powdered sugar
vegetable or sunflower oil
dairy-free milk (almond, oats or any other option you have available)
vanilla extract or paste (optional)
white vinegar
water (at room temperature)
See? I told you we won't use any weird ingredients.
How do you make this Grandma's Chocolate Cake?
Okay, first of all, there aren't too many steps involved.
If you’re capable of mixing together a few ingredients (with a whisk, no fancy equipment needed) – you’re all set.
First up, we’ll mix together all the maida, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
In another bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, water, vinegar and dairy-free milk. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Now, add all the dry ingredients at once and whisk properly until it turns into a smooth batter. Once it becomes smooth stop whisking immediately. Do not over mix it.
Once the batter is ready, it will look like any other smooth cake batter (it will be super tempting to just go at it with a spoon, but try to resist).
Now line the base of a 6-inch baking tin. Apply some oil on the sides and lightly coat them in cocoa powder.
Then, we’ll transfer the batter into the prepared baking tin. And into the oven it goes!
Bake it in the oven for 40-45 minutes at 180ºC on the middle rack. However, every oven is different (sometimes incorrectly calibrated), I would recommend you check the doneness of your cake with the "prick test".
Simply insert a toothpick or cake tester into the middle of your cake – and it should come out clean or with a few stray crumbs attached. If it comes out slightly battered, return the cake to the oven and continue baking until the toothpick comes out clean.
But if you're like me and like the cake to be a little gooey in the centre, then simply take it out in 40 minutes.
I know I'm asking for too much. But let the cake cool on a wire rack when it comes out of the oven. Then remove from the baking tin and let it cool completely before serving. You can serve it as it is or dust some powdered sugar on top or whip up a ganache for it.
Can this Chocolate Cake be glammed up?
YES! Totally! This Grandma's Chocolate Cake recipe is very multi-purpose and dynamic. It can be eaten like a tea cake (with some sugar dusted on top) or topped with some ganache or frosting.
It can also be built into a complete layered cake with all the works. I often use this recipe to build frosted cakes. All you need to do is double the recipe. And you'll have the ideal amount to build a 6-inch cake with 4 layers of cake and frosting. Like this one below. It was made using this recipe of Grandma's Chocolate Cake.
And here you go! A yummy, easy to make vegan chocolate cake that captures the sense of nostalgia in one simple, quick and delicious cake. I hope you like this recipe as much as I do.
Happy Baking!
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Grandma's Chocolate Cake (Vegan)
We have all grown up eating simple yet classic chocolate cakes made by our grandmas or at least any close family member. I remember sitting on the countertop eagerly waiting for my grandma to give me the spatula to lick and polish off. That was the highlight of the baking process. I would sit there, licking the spatula staring at the cake while it baked and rose in the oven. This cake is ALL THINGS NOSTALGIA! It's very chocolatey, amazingly moist, and just classic and rustic looking. Can it get any better? Well YES, IT CAN! It's 100% Vegan with zero compromises on the flavour of nostalgia.
Course Dessert, Cake
Cuisine Dairy Free, Vegan, Nut-free
Prep Time 15 minutes
Bake/Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 1 6-inch cake
Ingredients
1 and 2/3 cup (200 grams) maida or all-purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup (45 grams) cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
1 cup (180 grams) caster or powdered sugar
2/3 cup (180 ml) dairy-free milk (such as almond, oat, soy milk)
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp (42 ml) neutral-tasting oil (like sunflower oil)
90 ml water (at room temperature)
1/2 tbsp vinegar
2 pinches salt
few drops vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180ºC and line the base of a 6-inch round baking tin with baking paper. Apply some oil on the sides and dust with cocoa powder.
In a bowl, whisk together maida, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.
In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, water, vinegar and dairy-free milk. Whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Now, add all the dry ingredients at once and whisk properly until it turns into a smooth batter. Once it becomes smooth stop whisking immediately. Do not over mix it.
Once the batter is ready, it will look like any other smooth cake batter (it will be super tempting to just go at it with a spoon, but try to resist).
Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin.
Bake it in the oven for 40-45 minutes at 180ºC on the middle rack. However, every oven is different (sometimes incorrectly calibrated), I would recommend you check the doneness of your cake with the "prick test".
But if you're like me and like the cake to be a little gooey in the centre, then simply take it out in 40 minutes.
Cool in the baking tin for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
