Rich, chocolatey, and nothing went to landfill!
Here is a delicious alternative to artificially flavored birthday cakes from the store. This vegan recipe is a winner with all chocolate lovers, and is super moist and rich! The recipe below is designed to make a single layer cake, but if you want more layers, by all means! I’ll include how to buy these ingredients without plastic!
Pre-heat oven to 350°F
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic unbleached white flour (bulk aisle)
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder (bulk aisle)
- 1 tsp baking soda (bulk aisle)
- 1 tsp salt (bulk aisle)
- 1 1/2 cup organic sugar (bulk aisle)
- 1/2 cup applesauce (or one 1/2 cup of a ripe banana works, too!) (glass, or make your own)
- 1/2 cup oil (canola, vegetable, even almond butter works) (glass)
- 1 1/2 tbsp pure vanilla extract (refill or glass)
- 1 1/2 cups water (luke warm) (tap)
Optional:
Top with chocolate chips – two handfuls 😉
Instructions
In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: sugar, oil, applesauce, water, and vanilla until blended. Next, combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until blended – but do not over mix!
Let the cake rest at room temperature and sit in the refrigerator overnight. In a way, this cake is like lasagna, it is better the next day. It’s just more flavorful and richer.
Frosting (optional)
For a quick vanilla or chocolate frosting recipe, here’s a vegan solution:
- 3 and 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar (bulk aisle)
- 3 Tbsps Vegan Butter (wax paper or make your own) I like Miyoko’s vegan butter
- 4 Tbsps of milk alternative (glass, cardboard or make your own)
- 2 Tsp Vanilla Extract (refill, or glass)
Chocolate Frosting:
To make this a chocolate frosting, add 4 Tbspn of cocoa powder!
Mix ingredients together in a metal bowl using an electric mixer, starting low and increasing the speed gradually until you get a nice thick frosting consistency.
Zero Waste California 
3 comments