Vegan Chocolate Cake with Silky Vegan Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Introduction: Indulge in the rich, velvety goodness of this Vegan Chocolate Cake with Vegan Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Perfect for any occasion, from birthdays to celebrations or simply satisfying your sweet cravings, this cake is a true masterpiece of vegan baking. With layers of moist chocolate cake draped in luscious chocolate buttercream, each bite is a symphony of flavors and textures that will leave you longing for more. Join us as we dive into the art of creating this irresistible dessert, step by step.
Ingredients: Vegan Chocolate Cake Layers:
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (such as Earth’s Own Oat Milk)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups (340 grams) white sugar
- 2/3 cup (120ML) vegetable or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- 1 cup hot coffee
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Vegan Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- 1 cup aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup vegan butter, softened
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup melted chocolate
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
Instructions:
Chocolate Cake Layers:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare three six-inch or two eight or nine-inch cake pans by lightly greasing them and lining the base with parchment paper.
- Create vegan buttermilk by mixing non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar in a medium bowl. Let it sit for five minutes.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In the vegan buttermilk mixture, add sugar, oil, and vanilla, whisking to combine.
- If blooming your cocoa powder, combine it with one cup of hot coffee and let it rest for 2 minutes before adding to the remaining wet ingredients.
- Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and beat until smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream:
- In a saucepan, combine aquafaba and white sugar, and bring to a boil. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and let it cool.
- In a stand mixer with whisk attachment, whip the cooled aquafaba and sugar mixture until thick and glossy with firm peaks, about 5 minutes.
- Combine cream of tartar with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and gradually add to the whipped aquafaba meringue. Then add the remaining powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time.
- Gradually add vegan butter and vegetable shortening while continuing to whip.
- Mix in vanilla extract, melted chocolate, and cocoa powder until smooth and creamy.
Assembly:
- Place the first cake layer on a cake board, top side up.
- Spread a generous layer of buttercream over the cake layer.
- Add the second cake layer, top side down, and cover the entire cake with buttercream.
- Optionally, apply a thin layer of buttercream around the cake for a crumb coat, then refrigerate or freeze to set.
- Once the crumb coat is set, frost the cake with the remaining buttercream and decorate as desired.
Conclusion: With its heavenly combination of moist chocolate cake and decadent chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream, this Vegan Chocolate Cake is a true showstopper. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or new to vegan desserts, this recipe is guaranteed to impress. So, gather your ingredients, unleash your creativity, and prepare to indulge in a slice of pure chocolate bliss.
Vegan Chocolate Cake with Vegan Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Ingredients
Vegan Chocolate Cake Layers
1 cup non-dairy milk I use Earth’s Own Oat Milk
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups 340 grams white sugar
2/3 cup 120ML vegetable or canola oil
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 cup hot coffee
2/3 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Vegan Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream
1 cup aquafaba liquid from a can of chickpeas
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup vegan butter softened
1 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup melted chocolate
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
Instructions
Chocolate Cake Layers
Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease three six inch or two eight or nine inch cake pans and cover the base with a circle of parchment paper.
Make vegan buttermilk in a medium bowl by stirring together non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside for five minutes.
In a large bowl (or bowl of a stand mixer) sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk until combined.
In the vegan buttermilk mixture add sugar, oil and vanilla, whisking to combine.
If blooming your cocoa powder combine it with one cup of hot coffee and let rest for 2 minutes before adding to remaining wet ingredients.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients beating with a hand mixer or stand mixer with whisk attachment until smooth.
Divide cake batter evenly to the prepared cake pans, smoothing out the tops and bake for 30-45 mins. Time will vary depending on your oven and what size of pans you choose to use. I always like rotate the pans at around the 25 minute mark. I will use a toothpick to check the cakes doneness – minimal crumbs stick to a toothpick after you insert it into the centre of the cake.
Place pans on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully before decorating.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream
Combine the aquafaba and white sugar in a sauce pot and bring to a full boil. Cook for 3-5 minutes allowing the sugar to completely dissolve, remove from heat and cool completely.
Using a stand mixer with whisk attachment add the cooled aquafaba and sugar mixture whip on high speed until it is thick and glossy and has firm peaks, about 5 minutes.
Combine cream of tartar with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and add one teaspoon of this mixture at a time to the whipped aquafaba meringue. Once added add remaining cup of powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time.
Add vegan butter and vegetable shortening bit by bit while continuing to whip.
Add the vanilla followed by the melted chocolate and cocoa powder.
Assembly
In the center of the cake board, place the first cake layer top side up.
Spread buttercream over the cake layer.
Place cake layer, top side down and cover cake in buttercream.
Perform a ‘crumb coat’ if you choose by applying a thin layer of buttercream around the cake and place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes to set the crumb coat.
Once the crumb coat is set, frost the cake with remaining buttercream and decorate to your liking.