Dark Chocolate Cake with Coffee Filling

I’ve been told that this is the best cake I’ve ever made. That comes as a pretty big compliment since I’ve made many cakes in my lifetime, most of which were pretty yummy. This chocolate cake is light and moist in texture and rich and decadent in taste. I made the coffee filling a little lighter by adding a bit more rice milk and I left the chocolate frosting pretty thick, but I could still easily frost the cake.

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 cup cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder

1½  tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup sour rice milk

½ cup olive oil

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp coffee extract

1 cup boiling water

3 oz dark chocolate (melted in the boiling water)

·      Preheat the oven to 350°F

·      Grease and flour three 9-inch cake pans

·      Combine and whisk flour four, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.

·      Combine sour milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla and coffee extracts.

·      Make a well in the flour mixture.

·      Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture.

·      Mix together on medium speed.

·      Reduce the speed and slowly add the boiling water/melted chocolate mixture to the cake batter.

·      Mix on high for 1 minute.

·      Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.

·      Bake for 30-35 minutes (toothpick should come out clean).

·      Cool for 10 minutes.

·      Turn out on to a wire rack and cool completely.

·      Frost

Occasionally taste the frosting as you add the sugar. If you like your frosting less sweet, then add less confectioners’ sugar If you want it more sweet then add more sugar.

1 stick Fleischmann’s Unsalted Margarine sticks

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 tsp coffee extract (or to taste)

3-5 tbsp rice milk (until the desired consistency)

·      Combine the margarine, confectioners’ sugar, extracts and 3 tbsp rice milk in a mixing bowl.

·      Pulse the mixer on low until enough of the sugar is incorporated so that it doesn’t fly everywhere.*

·      Turn mixer on medium to medium-high.

·      Scrap downs sides as needed.

·      Add more rice milk 1 tbsp at a time until it’s at the desired consistency.

3 sticks of Earth Balance

6-8 cups of confectioners’ sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup cocoa powder

7-8 tbsp rice milk.

·      Combine the margarine, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and 6 tbsp rice milk in a mixing bowl.

·      Pulse the mixer on low until enough of the sugar is incorporated so that it doesn’t fly everywhere.*

·      Turn mixer on medium to medium-high.

·      Scrap downs sides as needed.

·      Add more rice milk 1 tbsp at a time until it’s at the desired consistency.

*Place a towel over the mixer and pulse the mixer on low until enough of the confectioners’ sugar is incorporated in the Earth Balance. Tap the towel and then remove it. This helps to greatly reduce confectioners’ sugar flying everywhere.