Treacle chocolate cake - this indulgent vegan chocolate fudge cake is made with black treacle (or molasses) which gives it a deep, rich flavour and soft, moist texture.
Topped with a treacle chocolate fudge frosting this is the ultimate chocolate fudge cake!
This might just be my new favourite chocolate cake! The addition of black treacle may seem strange, but it really does elevate the cake to something truly special.
It does not taste overtly treacle-y, rather the treacle enhances the chocolate flavour, giving it a it deep, rich, complex, not-too-sweet flavour. And not only does the treacle enhance the flavour, but it also contributes to the cake’s irresistibly moist, soft texture.
The treacle chocolate fudge frosting is adapted from Short and Sweet by Dan Lepard, it is honestly one of the most delicious frostings I have ever tried, I could just sit and eat it by the spoonful!
All in all this is a damn good chocolate fudge cake. It may not be much of a looker, but when it tastes this good who cares if it's not the prettiest of cakes!
Ingredient Details:
Black treacle: I haven't tested this cake with molasses in place of the treacle but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Use treacle if you can get hold of it though.
Brown sugar: Dark brown soft or muscovado sugar adds a lovely treacle flavour and extra moisture. You can use light brown instead, but do go for dark if you have it.
Oil: Any neutral flavoured oil will work, I use olive.
Milk: You can use any kind you like but it should ideally be unsweetened and soy milk is best as it has the highest protein content.
Baking powder and soda: Make sure that you use both, they are not interchangeable.
Plain flour: Just regular plain (all-purpose) flour. I don't recommend swapping it for wholemeal, it will make the cake too dense.
I haven't tried making this cake gluten-free, but I suspect that it would work ok with a gluten-free flour blend plus ¼ tsp xanthan gum if the flour doesn’t already contain it.
Cocoa powder: I use dutch processed. For those of you in the UK, that is just regular cocoa powder.
Dark chocolate: I use 70% dark chocolate. Don't use anything with a higher cocoa percentage than that or it can make the frosting more likely to split.
Cornflour (cornstarch): This is used to thicken the frosting, I don't recommend swapping it for another kind of starch as that may affect the texture.
Vegan Butter: Make sure that you use a block butter rather than the spreadable kind otherwise your frosting may be too soft. I like Flora plant butter or Naturli vegan block.
How To Make Treacle Chocolate Cake:
(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)
Step 1: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl.
Step 2: Add the sugar, oil, treacle and hot milk and stir with a balloon whisk until smooth.
Step 3: Divide the batter between two lined 20 cm round cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Step 4: To make the frosting, mix the cornflour and soya milk in a pan, add the cocoa powder, brown sugar and treacle. Stir over a medium heat until it comes to the boil and thickens.
Step 5: Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, butter and vanilla extract; stir until melted and smooth, adding a splash of boiling water if needed.
Step 6: Fill and coat the cakes with the frosting.
Top Tips:
USE SCALES. As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scales rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
For the teaspoon and Tablespoon measurements, please use proper measuring spoons, not just regular spoons. A teaspoon is 5ml and a Tablespoon is 15ml.
Make sure that you don't over-beat the batter as that can make the cake tough. Just mix it until no dry lumps remain. I recommend stirring it by hand with a balloon whisk.
Hot milk is used in the batter to melt the treacle so that it incorporates properly.
The cake is ready when it is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
The cake can also be baked in a 23 x 33 cm/9 x 13 in rectangular cake tin or in three 15 cm/6 in round tins. The baking time may vary depending on the tin size so check them after 20 minutes.
Make sure that you use the frosting while it is still just warm, as it will be difficult to spread once it sets.
If the frosting does set too firm, set the bowl over a pan with a little boiling water in it. Stir it vigorously until the original glossy, creamy texture returns.
You may find that when you add the chocolate and butter to the frosting it splits and becomes greasy looking. If this happens, simply whisk in a splash of boiling hot water and it will come back together.
To make the cake easier to slice, use a hot knife and wipe it clean between cuts.
FAQ's:
Store the cake in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 5 days. If it is hot where you live store it in the fridge (covered), then allow to come up to room temperature for half an hour before serving.
I do not recommend freezing the decorated cake but the plain cake layers can be frozen. Make sure that they have cooled completely then wrap them well to avoid freezer burn and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost at room temperature.
More Vegan Chocolate Cakes:
- Vegan chocolate sheet cake
- Vegan chocolate hazelnut cake
- Vegan german chocolate cake
- Vegan chocolate raspberry mousse cake
- Easy vegan chocolate cake
- Vegan chocolate fudge cake
- Vegan chocolate banana cake
- Chocolate gingerbread cake
- Vegan chocolate courgette cake
- Vegan double chocolate muffins
- Vegan chocolate christmas cake
- Vegan chocolate yule log
If you tried this recipe let me know how it went! Rate it, leave a comment or tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess
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Treacle Chocolate Cake (Vegan)
Ingredients
Cakes:
- 280 g (2 ⅓ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 60 g (¾ cup) cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 175 g (1 scant cup) dark brown soft sugar
- 160 ml (⅔ cup) neutral oil (I use olive)
- 150 g (6 Tablespoons) black treacle (or molasses)
- 280 ml (1 cup + 3 Tablespoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy) hot
Frosting:
- 40 g (4 Tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy)
- 25 g (4 Tablespoons) cocoa powder
- 125 g (¾ cup) dark brown soft sugar
- 75 g (3 Tablespoons) black treacle (or molasses)
- 250 g (8 ½ oz) 70% dark chocolate finely chopped
- 50 g (3 ½ Tablespoons) vegan block butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- a splash boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line two 20 cm/8 in round cake tins.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl.
- Add the brown sugar, oil, treacle and hot milk and stir with a balloon whisk until smooth.
- Divide the batter between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 20 minutes then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, place the cornflour in a medium saucepan and gradually whisk in the cold milk, making sure that there are no lumps. Whisk in the cocoa pwder, dark brown sugar and treacle.
- Place the pan over a medium-low heat and whisk constantly until it comes to a boil and thickens.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, butter and vanilla extract. Stir until melted and smooth. You may find that when you add the chocolate and butter to the frosting it splits and becomes greasy looking. If this happens, simply whisk in a splash of boiling hot water and it will come back together.
- Allow the frosting to cool to barely warm and thick enough to spread.
- Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate and spread over about a third of the frosting. Place the other cake layer on top and use a palette knife to spread the rest of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Use the palette knife to give it a swirly appearance.
- Store the cake in an airtight container at cool room temperature or in the fridge.
Notes
- See post above for tips, details and step-by-step photos.
- USE SCALES. As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scales rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
- For the teaspoon and Tablespoon measurements, please use proper measuring spoons, not just regular spoons. A teaspoon is 5ml and a Tablespoon is 15ml.
- Make sure that you use the frosting while it is still just warm, as it will be difficult to spread once it sets. If the frosting does set too firm, set the bowl over a pan with a little boiling water in it. Stir it vigorously until the original glossy, creamy texture returns.
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