Chocolate Cake. Period.

Remember the scene from the movie Matilda, based on the children's classic by Roald Dahl? The one where the evil headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, punishes a kid by forcing him to eat an enormous chocolate cake in one sitting? If you ever saw this film as a kid, I'm sure you're rolling your eyes right now and muttering, "Duh. Of course I remember."


Now, remember--despite the fact that the scene was supposed to be gross--how delicious that cake looked? As a child, I didn't even like cake. But when I saw that colossal confection, my mouth watered.

Today I am pleased to share with you a recipe that was inspired by that iconic depiction of decadent deliciousness. Apparently, there is a Roald Dahl cookbook where you can find a more official recipe for "Bruce Bogtrotter's Cake," but my version, which I formulated several years ago, just happens to be vegan. It is also rich, moist, and basically everything the perfect chocolate cake is meant to be.

The Perfect Chocolate Cake (which just happens to be vegan)

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cocoa powder
  
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 (6 oz.) container plain soy yogurt, plain or vanilla (I use Whole Soy & Co.)
• 1 cup soy milk or rice milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1 cup hot water
• chocolate frosting (recipe below)

Method

1. Lightly grease two 9-inch round spring-form cake pans. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Sift all dry ingredients into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the soy yogurt, soy milk, oil, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk vigorously until there are no clumps and the batter is smooth.

3. Boil some water. Measure out 1 cup and slowly pour it into the batter as you stir. The batter will be thin.

4. Pour equal amounts into the two cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

5. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.


Vegan Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan margarine
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
  
• 1/3 cup soy milk
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Melt margarine in a saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until completely blended.

2. Remove from heat. Alternately add powdered sugar and soy milk, until completely incorporated. Mix in vanilla extract.

3. If a creamier frosting is desired, add a teensy bit more soy milk.

4. Frost cake and enjoy immediately. Fresh frosting is the best frosting.

Friends, enjoy! And pour yourself a tall glass of soy milk: you're gonna need it.