German Chocolate Cake

Never thought I’d be able to veganize a German chocolate cake, complete with a nutty, caramel sauce, but I did!

My husband and I participate in a monthly “Game Night” with family and friends. One member provides the main course, another provides snacks, and I chose to prepare a dessert. There are few to no vegan dessert options at the market, so I decided to prepare something special that everyone would enjoy. I’m the only vegan in the group and am often questioned about the foods I eat, so I really wanted to create a dessert that would WOW the skeptics of a WFPB (whole food, plant-based) lifestyle. With the elimination of milk, butter, and eggs, this recipe remains quite decadent; it shows just how delicious plant-based foods can be. What’s not to like about desserts! Well, by researching multiple dessert websites, combining various ingredients, replacing dairy with non-dairy substitutes, I was able to produce a rich, beautiful cake. Those in attendance were shocked that this dessert was actually vegan. Enjoy….

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 cup cool water

12 Tbsp. coconut oil

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 9-inch cake pans.

1. Shift dry ingredients into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer.

2. In a large glass measuring cup combine water, oil, juice, and vanilla.

3. Add liquids to bowl with dry ingredients and gently stir until there are no lumps. If using stand mixer, set to low and stir until combined.

4. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

5. After 10 minutes, remove from pan and cool on wire rack before frosting.

Chocolate Frosting:

2 cup powdered sugar

4 Tbsp. soften vegan butter

2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

1 tsp. vanilla

6 tsp. non-dairy milk

Combine powdered sugar, softened butter, cocoa powder in a mixing bowl. With mixer on lower, beat until combined. While mixer is running, add vanilla and milk, 2 tsp. at a time. If fronting is too thin, add more powdered sugar until a spreadable consistency is achieved.

German Chocolate Cake Filling:

1/4 cup vegan butter Pinch of salt (1/8 tsp.)

1/2 cup light brown sugar 1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup coconut milk 1 cup flaked coconut

1 Tbsp. cornstarch + 1 1/2 tsp. 1/2 cup chopped pecans

In a medium saucepan, combine vegan butter, light brown sugar, and coconut milk. Stir to combine until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the cornstarch and vanilla. Add coconut flakes and pecans, stirring until combined. Set aside to cool.

Assembling cake: Create a rim of chocolate frosting on the bottom layer. This will create a seal once the top layer is added. Spread the pecan and coconut filling over the exposed cake. Place the top layer on top pressing down to seal, so the cake does not slip. Continue to frost the top and sides with the chocolate frosting. If there is remaining pecan and coconut frosting, spread over a small area in the middle of the top layer. Decorate with whole pecans.