Vegan Death by Chocolate Cake

Directions

• Chocolate Cake
• Whisk all dry ingredients except for the sugar together and set aside.
• Whisk the vinegar into the milk and set aside to curdle for a few
  minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl add the sugar, curdled milk, oil, applesauce and vanilla and mix well using a hand or stand mixer. Add the dry ingredients and mix to combine about 2 minutes. Add the boiling water last and mix well until combined. Mixture will be somewhat thin and glossy.
• Prepare three 8 inch, two 9 inch pans or a sheet cake pan by buttering them well then flouring and tapping out excess flour. If you really want to make sure cakes will release with no issues, cut our circles of parchment paper by placing the pan on a piece then tracing the outline with a pencil then cutting out inside of the cut line. This will account for the width of the pan and remove any pencil line. Butter the pan, add the parchment round then butter again and flour.
• Preheat oven to 350°. Pour batter evenly into each pan and tap pans hard on a solid surface (like your counter) a few times to force any air bubbles to come to the surface. This will ensure an even crumb once baked.
• Bake for 24-30 minutes for 8 inch pans, 27-35 minutes for 9 inch and 35-40 minutes for a large sheet cake. Use a cake tester or toothpick to test for doneness. It should come out clean and the cake should bounce back when tapped lightly on the top. If using a convection oven, your baking time might be reduced by up to 5 minutes. Don’t keep opening the oven door to check but use the light in the oven to see where you’re at. Once you’ve reached the minimum baking time, you can start checking for doneness. Cool cakes completely then frost. If your cakes aren’t perfectly flat, you can trim the domed tops by using a serrated knife or plain unscented dental floss you can pull across the top to level them.
• Rich Chocolate Frosting
• *Please note that to completely frost three 8 inch layers, you will need to double this recipe. The regular quantity should be sufficient for two 9 inch layers or to top a sheet cake.
• Mix butter and shortening together using a hand or stand mixer in a large bowl until fluffy about a minute.
• Melt chocolate carefully using a double boiler or the microwave. When using the microwave, it’s always best to stop before it’s completely melted and finish melting by stirring it together outside of the microwave. You’ll most likely be using a glass bowl so that retains heat and will continue to melt the chocolate. Microwave strengths vary so cook this in 30 second intervals. If your chocolate seizes up, you’ve over cooked it and unfortunately there’s no way to bring it back.
• Add the melted chocolate and vanilla to the bowl and mix for a minute or two making sure to scrape down the sides occasionally.
• Using a small strainer, sift the confectioners sugar and cocoa over the chocolate mixture. Mix well for a few minutes scraping down the sides. If mixture seems too thick, add milk or cream one tablespoon at a time until it’s thick and glossy. It needs structure to support the cake layers so don’t make it too thin.
• Assembling the Cake
• I usually frost the layers in between first then apply a crumb coat. A crumb coat is a thin layer of frosting on the outside and top of the cake so when you frost it fully, it will be easier and look better. After you complete the crumb coat, refrigerate the cake for about a half hour before completing the frosting. If you prefer to skip this step or are making a sheet cake, frost away!
• Another tip when frosting is that I place pieces of wax paper underneath on the serving plate before frosting. This prevents stray icing or crumbs from soiling the plate and you can remove them once the cake is completely frosted.
• If decorating the cake, add toppings before the frosting sets. You can add sprinkles, chocolate curls, nuts or coconut. The options are endless!