One of the first things I learned to veganize was chocolate cake for my husband—who has a sweet tooth—and this Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Frosting is a recipe I developed for him this year. In lieu of filling this space with SEO driving drivel, here’s a short little snippet I wrote about him the other day:
At some point, I grew so disenchanted with “real life,” I slipped into that blue-grey space between everyday and the skeins of Frank O’Hara’s grit without thinking. I’d crawl out of bed at 3 in the morning and sit on our couch with Daisy pressed against my outer thigh, her rhythmic breathing still easy and hypnotic. We had floor to ceiling windows in our living room and I always marveled at how rapidly daylight–grim or blushing–would steal over the hardwood floors. I think I dreamt then, even while wide awake, of a different life, of Central Park and her as yet untested womb and thawing ice rink, the lurid glow and buzz of a neon sign wheezing through the thickest parts of darkness, and a fire-escape dangling from the eaves like a gypsy’s earrings. I was in love with a man from New York, then, but in retrospect, I think I fell in love with New York. All the promise it trembled with, the future caked into the curbs and sewer grates and the smell of autonomy underlying the decay of last night’s regret.
These days, my life with A has made it almost impossible to slip into the blue-grey space again. A loves the color red and my day-to-day is plastered over with primary colors leaving little room for shadows and day dream. No, not leaving little room, but bearing no need for day dreams… The union between my computer screen and reality reminds me of our trips to New York, including our first one. When we were still on unsure footing and I wondered whether I could ever grow to be the woman he thought I was as he slid a bagel across the counter at Isadora’s.
Last night, while walking his mother to her car, I turned around and lifted my hand in his direction, “I’ll wait for you,” I said, sweetly, as the streetlamps cast a halo around us. He took my fingers, and I wondered, then, whether this would be one of those things he would remember loving me for when the lights flickered and night yawned beyond what we could bear.
In conclusion, you should make this Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Jam Frosting, because it is good Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Jam Frosting and you will like this Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Jam Frosting.
Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Jam Frosting
Ingredients
Ingredients for cake
- 3 1/2 cups self rising flour sifted
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 cups plant milk
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 1 1/3 cup vegan butter partially melted
- 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
Ingredients for frosting
- 1 1/2 cups vegan butter
- 1 cup vegan cream cheese
- 1/2 cup strawberry preserves
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon vegan pink food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and line 3 7” round cake pans with parchment.
- Mix vinegar with plant milk and set aside until it curdles
- In a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. In stand mixer, add plant milk + vinegar mixture, together with vanilla extract and butter and mix on low until well combined.
- Slowly add dry ingredients and continue mixing on medium low speed until no dry ingredients remain.
- Measure cake batter out evenly into three cake pans (I used a scale) and tap them gently to pop air bubbles before placing them on the center rack of your oven.
- Bake for ~28 minutes until the sides are pulling away from the edge of the cake pans and the centers spring back to the touch.
- Remove from oven and allow cakes to cool completely before frosting.
- For frosting, make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature. Add sugar to stand mixer with paddle attachment.
- Drop in butter, cream cheese, and jam and begin mixing on medium high until thick and creamy.
- Add teensy drops of food coloring (I use a toothpick) until you achieve desired color.
