Vegan Chocolate Cake

Every cake baker needs a good chocolate cake recipe. One that can be wiped up and made for a birthday, celebration or just because you fancy a chocolate cake on the table. This chocolate cake is vegan as it has no eggs in it and uses dairy-free spread. To get that 'puffed up' effect that comes of using eggs in cake baking a bit of chemistry is used instead. The oat milk reacts with the cider vinegar and then with the bicarbonate of soda. By adding vegan chocolate (I use Sainsbury's own brand) to the 'buttercream' it gives a rich and fudgy texture.

I've made this cake several times now for bake sales and been told by vegans it's the best chocolate cake they have ever eaten. Non-vegans can't believe it is a vegan recipe – I'm not quite sure what they were expecting! All I know is Master JibberJabber loves it and it's one of his favourite cakes.

Equipment: 2 x 8in (20cm) sandwich tins greased and lined, jug, large bowl, electric whisk, wire racks

Ingredients

½ pint (285ml) Oat milk

1tbsp (15ml) Cider vinegar

5oz (140g) Dairy-free spread (I use Vitalite)

10½ oz (300g) Self-raising flour

7oz (200g) Caster sugar

4tbsp (60ml) Cocoa powder

1tso (5ml) Bicarbonate of soda

Buttercream

1¼ oz (35g) Vegan dark chocolate

2½ oz (70g) Dairy-free spread

5oz (140g) Icing sugar, sifted

5tsp (25ml) Cocoa powder

1tp (5ml) Oat milk

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/Gas mark 5.

2. Measure out the oat milk in a jug and add the cider vinegar.

3. In a large bowl put all the other cake ingredients and pour over the milk mixture. Beat for a couple of minutes until well combined.

4. Transfer the mixture equally between the two prepared tins and gently level the tops.

5. Bake for 25 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool for 10 minutes and then turn out to cool completely on the wire racks.

6. To make the buttercream melt the chocolate either in a microwave or using a bain marie. Leave to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.

7. In a large bowl beat the spread and icing sugar together until it comes together.

8. Sift the cocoa powder over the top and beat again then pour over the melted chocolate and oat milk.

9. Beat well until it has a smooth and spreadable consistency.

10. Spread half on top of one of the cakes and then place the other layer on top of that. Use the remaining buttercream to spread over that layer.