EGGLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

FEW TIPS TO REMEMBER BEFORE BAKING:

Use good quality ingredients: starting with the very basic and that is to use good quality cocoa powder. The taste of chocolate in this chocolate cake depends on the type of cocoa powder you use so make sure you use a good one. My recommendation –Hershey’s or Cadbury

Also make sure your leavening agent aka baking soda in this case is new and not expired. Old baking soda will ruin the cake.

I have also used a teaspoon of instant coffee powder in this recipe but that’s optional. You may skip it, I like adding coffee as it intensifies the chocolate flavor but it’s just as good without the coffee.

Sift the dry ingredients:  For an eggless cake to have a nice crumb and lightness, you need to sift the dry ingredients. I usually sift 2 to 3 times and I suggest you do the same.

Pre-heat your oven: make sure your oven is pre-heated for at least 15 minutes before you put the cake pan in.

Don’t over-mix the cake batter: I always say, this is the worst thing that you can do to your cakes and muffins. Do not over-mix the batter. More mixing > more gluten> tough cake.

Mixing the wet ingredients well is fine but once you have combined the wet with dry ingredients, mix until just combined. In fact, a few specks of flour is okay.

Once your cake is done, let it cool down for 5 minutes in the pan and then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Shelf life : If using water shelf life is 3 – 4 days and if you’re using dairy products like milk , yoghurt or buttermilk then the shelf life is around 4 -5 days

Acetic Agent : Dont forget to add acetic agent like lime juice or apple cider vinegar with baking soda. Adding acetic agent with baking soda helps cake to rise well

Ingredients:

▶️Cake Batter:

●250 gram all purpose flour
●80 ml vegetable oil
●1/4 cup yoghurt 
●2 tbsp cocoa powder
●150 grams of sugar
●1/4 cup water
●1/2 tsp instant coffee
●1/2 tsp vanilla essence
●1/2 tsp baking powder
●1/2 tsp baking soda
●1/2 tsp lime juice
●1/4 tsp pinch of salt
●2 tsp lemon zest
●1 cup chocolate shavings

▶️Vanilla frosting :

●250 ml heavy cold whip cream
●1/2 tsp vanilla essence
●3 tbsp powdered sugar

▶️Chocolate and Coffee Frosting :

●40 ml heavy cold whip cream
●1/2 tsp instant coffee
●3 tbsp cocoa powder
●3 tsp powdered sugar

Method:

◆ In a mixing bowl, add powered sugar ,  oil , vanilla essence  and yoghurt . Whisk it well to get the thick consistency.

◆In the same mixing bowl , seive all purpose flour (maida) , cocoa powder , salt , instant coffee , baking powder , lime juice and baking soda . Seive all this together Add water and lemon zest . Now, cut and fold this batter.

◆Grease the baking tin with butter and dust maida on it . Add the cake batter and tap the tin twice . Bake this cake at 180℃ for atleast 30 mins.

◆Make sure you cool down the cake for atleast 20 – 30 mins or else you will end up in a mess.

◆Make a sugar syrup by adding granulated sugar and water in a bowl . Leave it undisturbed for atleast 1 hour .

▶️Vanilla Frosting :

◆In a mixing bowl , add whip cream , powered  sugar , vanilla  essence and beat the whip cream under ice cubes till you don’t  find peaks in it .

▶️Coffee & Chocolate Frosting :

In a mixing bowl , add whip cream , powered  sugar , instant coffee , cocoa powder and beat the whip cream under ice cubes till  you don’t  find peaks in it .

◆Divide the cake with sewing thread spool or serrated knife . Add the sugar syrup on the first layer and apply coffee and chocolate frosting  on that layer with the help of icing spatula.

◆Place the top layer of the cake that we divided.  Add sugar syrup on it and apply vanilla frosting on top and on all the sides of the cake

◆ Garnish the cake with lemon zest and chocolate shavings / grated chocolate . Set this cake for atleast 4-5 hours in the refrigerator.