Gluten-Free, Vegan, Oil-Free Chocolate Layer Cake - Yes, It's Actually Good!

As I've recently mentioned extensively, I've been busy learning how to cook and bake for someone who doesn't want any added oil in their food. They're also vegan, gluten-free, and allergic to almonds. Add in my soy allergy, and this is a whole ridiculous can of specialty-baking worms. But it was a special occasion, and I wanted to make sure that he got to have his birthday cake and eat it too. So I turned to three of my trustiest sources: my Forks Over Knives Cookbook for an oil-free cake recipe, Gluten-Free Goddess for a tried-and-true gluten-free flour blend, and my trusty repertoire of cooking tips picked up from years of watching Food Network.

This recipe took a few tries to get right, and is a bit more finicky than my usual go-to gluten-free/vegan mocha cake recipe. I initially made this new recipe in cupcake form, and while the cupcakes turned out ok, the outsides were a bit tough and separated from the insides. The second time round, when I was baking the cake pictured above, I tweaked the flour blend (originally I'd used a store-bought GF flour mix) and was more careful with the melted chocolate to make sure it didn't seize. This turned out much better. The recipe as written makes for quite a flat cake, though, so for prettier presentation (and to feed more people), I turned it into a layer cake. Add a strawberry vanilla filling and sugar-and-oil-free fudgy frosting, and I had myself a cake that was popular with even the non-diet-restricted party goers. Plus, it looks pretty damn gorgeous, if I do say so myself!

Safe-for-All-Comers Double Chocolate Cake

Note: recipe as written makes ~12 cupcakes, or one half of a layer cake. (I only have one cake pan, so I made the recipes up separately.)

2 oz unsweetened bakers chocolate

1 cup vegan milk substitute (see note)

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

2/3 cup sugar (see note)

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1+ tsp vanilla

1 cup gluten-free flour blend (see notes)

1/3 cup cocoa powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Notes

1. I used coconut beverage because I was restricted by both soy and almond allergies, but ideally I would recommend using a lower-fat vegan milk substitute.
2. I used brown sugar, because it's what I had. If feeding guests with refined sugar issues, a better sweetener option would be Sucanut or another whole cane sugar product is a better option. If you don't have sugar restrictions, any type of sugar is fine.
3. I used the following gluten-free flour blend. I made a double batch and stored the extra in the freezer for future recipes.

1 cup sorghum flour

1 cup potato starch

1/3 cup buckwheat flour

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

Method

Melt the chocolate until most of the chocolate is melted, using a double boiler (a glass/pyrex/metal bowl over a pot of simmering water), or in the microwave (if you don't have heatproof bowls, like me). Stir until the chocolate finishes melting.

Meanwhile, heat milk to room temperature or slightly warmer. Add the vinegar and let sit til curdled, if applicable. (Note: soy and almond milk both change consistency when the vinegar is added. Rice and coconut milk don't. This is normal.)

Add the milk/vinegar combination to the chocolate, slowly, whisking as you go. The chocolate will probably seize a little (i.e. form small solid chunks of chocolate), but the goal is to keep the chocolate as liquid as possible while adding the milk mixture. Add in the sugar, applesauce, and vanilla, and mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, sift or whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the dry to the wet ingredients one half at a time (or all at once, if you're forgetful like me), and beat until fairly smooth.

If making cupcakes: line your muffin tins with muffin liners, and fill each cup 3/4 full. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes at 350°F, until a toothpick comes out clean.

If making a layer cake: greasing the pan will somewhat defeat the purpose of making an oil-free cake, so line the bottom and sides of a round springform pan with parchment paper. You can use small dabs of honey to stick the parchment paper to the sides of the pan. Bake for ~20 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean.

Strawberry Vanilla Filling

By far the easiest cake filling I have ever made, and also one of the tastiest. Using a blender or food processor, blend strawberries until liquid, and add in maple syrup and vanilla extract to taste.

To assemble the layer cake: level the top off one of the two cakes, to make sure it's flat. Cover with strawberry syrup to about a 1/2" from the edge on all sides. Place the second cake on top. Cover the whole cake with fudgy frosting, and add chopped berries or other decorations, as you wish.