Espresso Chocolate Cake

45 mins for prep

Snack

Average

$4 / serving

{"autoplay":"true","autoplay_speed":"3000","speed":"300","arrows":"true","dots":"true","rtl":"false"}

Coffee and chocolate lovers, hear me out! What if I told you that I created the PERFECT espresso and chocolate cake to satisfy your cravings??? Today we are back with a crazy delicious cake that will elevate your dessert game!

This espresso and chocolate cake is NEXT LEVEL. It is incredibly moist, thanks to the olive oil and espresso shots. It is lightly sweetened with maple syrup. It also has this deep chocolate taste we all love, thanks to an incredible chocolate ganache poured on top of the cake. The plus? It is plant-based! Sounds too good to be true? Try it and share your thoughts with me.

How to make the perfect plant-based cake?

You are not dreaming. This espresso and chocolate cake is plant-based. No animal products were used in the making of this fantastic cake. But, baking without eggs, milk and butter can be tricky. My secrets to making the best moist vegan cake are the following:

Use olive oil for the fat,
Replace dairy milk with a plant-based alternative (I prefer using oat milk),
Make a flax seeds egg to replace eggs.

Finally, watch out for your ratios of dry vs. wet ingredients. I was looking for a moist and soft crumbs finish for this espresso and chocolate cake. For every 1.5 cups of dry ingredients, I used a cup of the wet mixture. This assures that the batter forms soft crumbs and that the cake is moist.

Is cacao powder healthy?

Aaaah…cocoa powder! Who doesn’t love it? Packed with flavors, it is also the ultimate superfood! Cocoa powder is rich in magnesium, iron, zinc, and antioxidants. ½ cup of cocoa powder contains 204.7mg of magnesium, covering 59% of the recommended daily dose. Magnesium is an essential mineral. Indeed, it is crucial to convert food into energy, ensuring protein synthesis. Cocoa powder is also packed with anti-inflammatory antioxidants such as polyphenols and flavanols.

To summarize, YES, this cake is indulgent while being incredibly tasty, plant-based, and packed with minerals and antioxidants supporting your health. Let’s dig in!

Ingredients

Cake

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cacao powder
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp ground flaxseeds
2 shots of espresso
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup plant-based milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cacao powder
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 cup cashew, soaked

Toppings

1 cup walnuts, crushed

Method

Cake

Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
Grease a round cake pan.
In a bowl combine flax seeds with 2 tbsp of warm water. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cacao, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture. Add the milk, maple syrup, olive oil, and 1 tbsp of flaxseed egg. Add the espresso shots and vanilla extract.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Chocolate Ganache

In a blender, mix the soaked cashew with 2 tbsp of water until smooth and creamy.
In a saucepan on medium-high heat, drizzle olive oil and maple syrup. Heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cacao powder. Mix well.
Add the cashew cream. Mix.
Pour the chocolate sauce on top of the cake.
Sprinkle walnuts on top.