Chocolate Orange Spelt Cake with Double Chocolate Biscuit Truffles
I was so pleased to be asked to enter the Bake Me Vegan competition and was sent a box of goodies to work with. My Chocolate Sponge Cake is hugely popular so I thought why don't I adapt the recipe and add an orange twist.
Servings 8 slices
Equipment
- two loose bottomed baking tins 7-8" diameter
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 400 ml unsweetened soya milk Soya is important as high protein and the vinegar/juice makes it curdle. This makes buttermilk which binds the sponge and makes it very moist.
- 200 ml aquafaba I used OGGs
- 2 tbsp milled chia/flaxseed mill in your food processor
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- pinch of pink or sea salt
- 350 g spelt flour I used Doves Farm organic
- 8 drops orange drops I used Holy Lama Spice Drops
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 200 ml vegetable oil
- 130 g coconut sugar Or use caster if you prefer
- 50 g cacao powder
Frosting
- 450 g icing sugar
- 5 tbsp cacao powder
- 8 drops orange oil I used Holy Lama Spice Drops
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 50 g vegan butter/spread
- 5-6 tbsp plant milk I used Rebel Kitchen Whole
- zest from one orange
Double Chocolate Biscuit Truffles
- 100 g biscuits I used Doves Farm wholemeal digestive biscuits
- 2 tbsp coconut oil liquid form
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp chocolate drops I used Moo Free white chocolate
- 2 tbsp cacao powder
Instructions
- Sponge Cake
- Preheat oven to 180C/356FMix the milk, aquafaba and vinegar and set aside for 10 minutes. The vinegar/juice curdles the milk making buttermilk. Buttermilk gives a creamy texture and it a great binder.In a large bowl mix the flour, chia seeds, salt, baking powder, soda, sugar and cacao. Once combined pour in the buttermilk, oil, orange drops and vanilla. Using a large spoon or hand whisk mix until you have a thick batter. If the batter is too thick add a dash more milk. Set aside for ten minutes for the chia seeds to soak up some of the liquid. Mix again and pour into two lined/greased 7/8" cake tins. I weigh the cakes to make sure there is exactly the same amount in each tin. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.Let the cakes rest on a wire rack for 10 minutes before tipping out. Allow to cool fully before frosting the cake. This can take up to an hour to cool.
Frosting
- Add all the ingredients to a bowl and whisk until you have a thick frosting. If it's too thick add 1 tbsp of milk and whisk again.Place the cooled sponge on a large plate and slice off the top to give a level finish. Using a cake knife or spatula spread the frosting in the centre right up to the edges. Place the second sponge on top (like a sandwich) and again level by slicing any excess sponge off. Cover the top with the rest of the frosting and spread over the top then around the edges.
Double Chocolate Biscuit Truffles
- Add the biscuits to a blender and blend until you have fine crumbs. If you don't have a blender place in a food bag, seal and bash with a rolling pin to crush the biscuits.Add the oil, orange drops, maple syrup, cacao and chocolate drops. Mix with a spoon and let sit for 5 minutes. This helps the crumbs absorb the liquid.Spoon out about 1 tbsp of the mix and roll into a ball with your hands.Add to the top of the cake as decoration.
- The cake will keep for 5 days in the fridge wrapped in film or foil. Serve at room temperature.
