Super easy chocolate cake for Mother’s day

I express my emotions through cooking and food. It is therapeutic, offers room for creativity, and it is rewarding to see my husband licking the plate clean when I’ve found a new delicious combination of flavors.

Becoming a mother has been one of the most impactful moments of my life, and to have all four of my children with me on that day is a great reminder of what the word MOTHER means – it is love in its purest form and why Mother’s Day has always been very dear to me.

For this year’s Mother’s Day, I want to pay homage to my mother and share a piece of my childhood with you in the form of the most delicious and easy-to-make chocolate cake. My recommendation is, that all the dads and kids get together in the kitchen on the morning of Mother’s Day, enjoy the delight of baking, and give Mom a worry-free, chocolate-filled day to relish.

SUPER EASY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Cake base
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup soy milk or other vegan milk
2 cups sugar, (400g)
2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, (60g)
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water + 1 tbsp instant coffee mixed in until dissolved or 1 cup espresso coffee (stir these together right before you need it so it’s still hot)

Grease and flour two 9” cake pans and line with parchment paper. It’s essential so that the cake doesn’t stick. If making an 8″ cake, check the notes. Heat oven to 350°F/180°C. In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar and the soy milk together and stir to combine. It will curdle. Set aside.

Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add milk mixture, oil and vanilla and the coffee water. Beat with an electric whisk on medium speed for about 2 minutes until everything is just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir one more time to ensure everything is incorporated.

Pour the batter equally into the cake pans and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in the pan on a wire rack before removing from the pan and to the wire rack to cool completely.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE FROSTING

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
2 1/2 cups to 3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk (+ 1 tablespoon extra if needed)

Add the cocoa powder, vegan butter, 2 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt and half the vegan milk to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer. Start mixing it together at slow speed, gradually increasing speed until it’s very thick and smooth. Add the 1/2 cup of the extra powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired thickness and consistency. If needed, add in the other half of the milk about 1 tablespoon at a time.