You can use your favorite vegan chocolate cake recipe. I went with the beloved vegan Wacky Cake recipe since it's quick, easy, and delicious.
Cake recipe from About.com
Makes an 8 x 8-inch cake
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking pan.
- Into a large bowl, sit together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk together the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until moistened.
- Fold in the chocolate chips, if using. Pour batter into pan.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until it springs back when lightly touched.
- Place on a wire rack to cool before frosting.
Frosting:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least an hour (rinse well after soaking)
1/4 cup water
1 cup unsalted peanut butter
1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (or you can start with less and then adjust the sweetness to your liking)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
A dash of salt
Assembly-wise, it's up to you. If you're taking this to a potluck, you can probably just leave the cake in the pan and frost the top. Why use another dish? :) For the sake of having a fancy picture to post here, I cut out pieces of cake using a biscuit cutter (and inhaled the leftover cake pieces). Then I frosted multiple layers and topped them with quinoa crispies that I got from the bulk bins at my favorite natural foods store, Rainbow Grocery.
I didn't find the frosting to be too sweet, which was my goal. It's not as firm as a typical cake frosting, but it sure is tasty! (that was the main goal)
Enjoy! :)
1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup (or you can start with less and then adjust the sweetness to your liking)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
A dash of salt
- Blend the cashews and water in a food processor or blender until smooth.
- Add the peanut butter, agave nectar, vanilla extract, and salt.
- Continue to blend everything together until smooth.
Assembly-wise, it's up to you. If you're taking this to a potluck, you can probably just leave the cake in the pan and frost the top. Why use another dish? :) For the sake of having a fancy picture to post here, I cut out pieces of cake using a biscuit cutter (and inhaled the leftover cake pieces). Then I frosted multiple layers and topped them with quinoa crispies that I got from the bulk bins at my favorite natural foods store, Rainbow Grocery.
I didn't find the frosting to be too sweet, which was my goal. It's not as firm as a typical cake frosting, but it sure is tasty! (that was the main goal)
Enjoy! :)