This is the little black dress of cakes. It takes a strange duck to turn down moist, tender chocolate cake and rest assured, this cake has never been stood up. Serve it with a healthy schmear of Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or some lovely Berry Sauce or, if you’re feeling decadent, a little of both.
INGREDIENTS
11/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa, sifted
2/3 cup evaporated cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup non-dairy milk of choice
1/4 cup non-dairy semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup mild vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (page 26) or Berry Sauce (page 26), to serve
Makes 6 cakes
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease six 4-ounce canning jars and place them on a rimmed baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, combine the milk and chocolate chips. Microwave in 15-second increments, stirring after each one, until the chocolate has melted and you can whisk them together. Add the oil and the vanilla to the chocolate mixture and whisk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches, whisking until just combined.
Bake for 16 to 19 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a cooling rack. Wait until completely cool before frosting with buttercream or topping with berry sauce.