This chocolate-lovers cake from chef Sandi Sumaylo of Greens Restaurant is dark, dense, and, believe it or not, vegan. Make it for Easter dinner or someone’s upcoming birthday. You can tell them that in March, Twitter’s Biz Stone (a vegan) made his birthday wishes over the cake topped with candles.

Makes 1 cake

1 cup hot water                                   

½ cup cocoa powder                       

1 cup soymilk                                      

½ cup maple syrup                                   

½ cup rice bran oil                                   

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar           

1 tablespoon vanilla                                      

1 cup cake flour                                   

1 cup all purpose flour                                   

½ cup maple sugar                                   

1 tablespoon baking powder                       

1 tablespoon baking soda                                   

1 teaspoon salt                                               

1.  In a large bowl, combine hot water and cocoa powder. Whisk until cocoa powder has dissolved

2.  Add soymilk, maple syrup, rice bran oil, champagne vinegar, and vanilla, and whisk well. 

3.  In another bowl, sift dry ingredients and add to wet

4. Whisk dry and wet ingredients together until combined.

5.  Pour batter into parchment-lined springform pans

6. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, when cake feels springy and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

7.  Let cool, de-pan, and chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

8.  Cut top off cake to even out, and cut into two layers to frost.

Frosting

4 ounces vegan butter                                   

1 ¼ cup soymilk                                      

1 cup organic powdered sugar           

½ teaspoon vanilla                                      

8 ounces vegan chocolate chips           

1.   In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, bring vegan butter, soymilk, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a simmer, whisking at all times so that soymilk does not burn on the bottom of the pot.

2.  Remove from heat and add chocolate. Whisk until chocolate melts. Let cool until it is warm to the touch.

3. Place in a food processor, and let it run until the frosting is smooth and shiny

4. To assemble, place cake on a rack over a sheetpan. Spread 1/3 of the frosting in between the cake layers, pour remaining frosting over top layer, and let it pour over sides. Let it set in refrigerator or at room temperature before cutting.