poopiebitch.com – a vegan food blog

Some of you may already know that I enjoy cake. Not just eating it – but also making it, decorating it and, most importantly, sharing it. I’ve been making cakes for years, and over that time I developed a few recipes of my own. When I decided to become vegan, I learned pretty quickly that I had to to change the way I thought about cake. Butter and cows milk had to be replaced, eggs were no longer an option. Ultimately, I was surprised with how easy it was to veganize the recipes that had always relied on those ingredients.

My Chocolate Sour Cream Cake was the first cake recipe I turned from the dark side over to cruelty-free. I think it tastes even better now, but then I am a little partial. There are a few steps, making it a little more involved than some simple chocolate cake recipes out there, but the rich, super-moist result is well worth the effort… if I do say so myself.

It's awesome topped with espresso-flavored icing.

Chocolate ‘Sour Cream’ Cake

• 4oz unsweetened chocolate 
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth Balance or other vegan margarine
• 1 cup hot water 
• 2 cups cake flour (or 1¾ cups all purpose flour plus ¼ cup cornstarch)
• 2 cups sugar
• ¼ tsp salt 
• 8oz tub Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream or other vegan sour cream substitute
• 1 tsp vanilla 
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• 6oz container plain or vanilla soy yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 8” round cake pans, or line two cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. Melt chocolate in the microwave or double boiler until smooth and set aside. Combine margarine and hot water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Immediately remove from heat and whisk in melted chocolate. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt. Pour chocolate mixture into flour mixture all at once, blend well. Mix in vegan sour cream, vanilla and baking soda, stirring well. Add yogurt and mix just until combined. 
4. Pour into pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center of one of the cakes comes out clean. Two 8” cakes will take about 25-30 minutes, cupcakes will take about 20-25 minutes.
5. Let cool for a few minutes in pans, then turn out onto racks and cool completely.

Makes two 8” layers or about 24 standard cupcakes.