This Nigella Vegan Chocolate Cake with Espresso Icing is made with plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, fine sea salt, instant espresso powder, cocoa powder, soft dark brown sugar, coconut oil, cider vinegar, hot water, coconut butter, and dark chocolate. This delicious Chocolate Cake recipe creates a tasty dessert that takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 10 people.
Ingredients Needed:
For the Cake:
- 225g plain flour
- 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1½ tsp instant espresso powder
- 75g cocoa powder
- 300g soft dark brown sugar
- 90ml (75g) coconut oil or flavourless vegetable oil (such as sunflower oil)
- 1½ tsp cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 375ml hot water (from a recently boiled kettle)
- 1 tbsp edible rose petals (optional)
- 1 tbsp chopped pistachios (optional)
For the Icing:
- 75g coconut butter (not the same as coconut oil)
- 50g soft dark brown sugar
- 1½ tsp instant espresso powder
- 1½ tbsp cocoa powder
- 150g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
- 60ml cold water
How To Cook Vegan Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat the oven and prepare the icing: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Place a baking sheet inside the oven. For the icing, add the coconut butter, sugar, espresso powder, cocoa, and 60ml cold water to a heavy-based pan. Bring to the boil, ensuring everything dissolves, then remove from heat. Add the finely chopped chocolate and swirl the pan to submerge. Let it sit for a minute, then whisk until glossy. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare the cake tin: Line the base of a 20cm springform cake tin with baking parchment. Ensure it’s leakproof, as the batter will be very wet.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, espresso powder, and cocoa. Use a fork to mix evenly.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, coconut oil, vinegar, and 375ml hot water until the oil has melted. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir well until smooth.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes. Check at the 30-minute mark – the cake should come away from the edges, and a tester should come out clean except for a few crumbs.
- Cool the cake: Transfer the tin to a wire rack and leave the cake to cool in the tin.
- Apply the icing: Stir the icing to ensure it has the right consistency – runny enough to pour, but thick enough to stay on top. Unmould the cake, pour the icing over it, and use a spatula to spread it to the edges if needed.
- Decorate and serve: Optionally, sprinkle with rose petals and chopped pistachios. Let the icing set for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Recipe Tips
- Use a leakproof cake tin: The batter is very wet, so it’s important to use a springform tin that won’t leak, or you’ll lose some of the mixture and create a mess in your oven.
- Make sure the water is hot: When mixing the wet ingredients, use freshly boiled water. This helps the coconut oil melt quickly and combines everything smoothly.
- Don’t overbake the cake: This is a fudgy cake, so check it early. You want it to be just cooked, with a few crumbs sticking to the cake tester. Overbaking will make it dry.
- Whisk the icing while it cools: Stir the icing regularly as it cools to keep it smooth and prevent any lumps from forming.
- Decorate the cake before the icing sets: If you’re using rose petals or pistachios, sprinkle them on while the icing is still wet, so they stick properly.
How To Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Let leftover vegan chocolate cake cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: After cooling, wrap leftover vegan chocolate cake in cling film and foil. Freeze it for up to 3 months. To thaw, leave it in the fridge overnight, and it’s ready to serve.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 slice (based on 12 servings)
- Calories: 384
- Total Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Cholesterol: 0mg (vegan)
- Sodium: 350mg
- Potassium: 190mg
- Total Carbohydrate: 44g
- Dietary Fiber: 4g
- Sugars: 30g
- Protein: 5g
Try More Nigella Recipe:
- Nigella Black Forest Cake
- Nigella Vegan Gingerbread Cake
- Nigella Chocolate Mousse Cake
- Nigella Vegan Lemon Polenta Cake
- Nigella Venetian Carrot Cake
Nigella Vegan Chocolate Cake
Description
This Nigella Vegan Chocolate Cake with Espresso Icing is made with plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, fine sea salt, instant espresso powder, cocoa powder, soft dark brown sugar, coconut oil, cider vinegar, hot water, coconut butter, and dark chocolate. This delicious Chocolate Cake recipe creates a tasty dessert that takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes to prepare and can serve up to 10 people.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
For the Icing:
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the icing: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Place a baking sheet inside the oven. For the icing, add the coconut butter, sugar, espresso powder, cocoa, and 60ml cold water to a heavy-based pan. Bring to the boil, ensuring everything dissolves, then remove from heat. Add the finely chopped chocolate and swirl the pan to submerge. Let it sit for a minute, then whisk until glossy. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
- Prepare the cake tin: Line the base of a 20cm springform cake tin with baking parchment. Ensure it’s leakproof, as the batter will be very wet.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, espresso powder, and cocoa. Use a fork to mix evenly.
- Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes. Check at the 30-minute mark – the cake should come away from the edges, and a tester should come out clean except for a few crumbs.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the sugar, coconut oil, vinegar, and 375ml hot water until the oil has melted. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and stir well until smooth.
- Cool the cake: Transfer the tin to a wire rack and leave the cake to cool in the tin.
- Apply the icing: Stir the icing to ensure it has the right consistency – runny enough to pour, but thick enough to stay on top. Unmould the cake, pour the icing over it, and use a spatula to spread it to the edges if needed.
- Decorate and serve: Optionally, sprinkle with rose petals and chopped pistachios. Let the icing set for 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use a leakproof cake tin: The batter is very wet, so it’s important to use a springform tin that won’t leak, or you’ll lose some of the mixture and create a mess in your oven.
- Make sure the water is hot: When mixing the wet ingredients, use freshly boiled water. This helps the coconut oil melt quickly and combines everything smoothly.
- Don’t overbake the cake: This is a fudgy cake, so check it early. You want it to be just cooked, with a few crumbs sticking to the cake tester. Overbaking will make it dry.
- Whisk the icing while it cools: Stir the icing regularly as it cools to keep it smooth and prevent any lumps from forming.
- Decorate the cake before the icing sets: If you’re using rose petals or pistachios, sprinkle them on while the icing is still wet, so they stick properly.
Nigella Vegan Chocolate Cake