Chocolate Cake With Coffee Ganache

What better way to say "I Love You" then chocolate cake? Especially if your loved one doesn't do Dairy or eggs!  I was surprised by this cake because I expected it to taste different somehow but it tastes exactly like a regular chocolate cake!  You can't tell a difference AT ALL!  I promise you, I consider myself to be somewhat of a chocolate expert. 

You are witnessing the reason my weight loss has slowed tremendously this month.  This darn cake!  It's so moist and chocolaty.  The apricot preserves on top and then the ganache are more then I can take.  I simply must get rid of it.  So I'll probably just eat the whole thing while watching the Olympics. :)

If your Valentines Day plans call for chocolate this year, you should consider this cake.  The cake is delicious and the apricot and chocolate ganache is such a perfect taste combination.  I just love it. 

Oh, and if you don't like coffee don't worry.  I don't drink coffee and I still love this cake.  The coffee just makes the chocolate taste even better.  Not a strong coffee flavor at all, can't taste it at all in the cake and only slightly in the ganache. 

Chocolate Cake With Coffee Ganache

Recipe from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau page 146

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 3/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1/2 cup black coffee or espresso
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 Tbsp white distilled vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For Glaze

• 1 cup apricot preserves or jam
• 2 Tbsp water

For Ganache

• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 3 Tbsp confectioners sugar
• 2 Tbsp black coffee or espresso
• 2 Tbsp non-dairy, non-hydrogenated butter (such as Earth Balance)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Spray an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan, or a springform pan with cooking spray and set aside. 
3. Sift the flour, sugar, salt, soda and cocoa in a large bowl.  Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. 
4. Mix the milk, coffee, oil, vinegar and vanilla together and then pour into the well you made. 
5. Mix the ingredients together until smooth. 
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes. 
7. Let cool completely. 
8. For the glaze: Use a small sauce pan to bring the preserves and water to a slow boil and let cook until the preserves are thickened and cling to the spoon.  This took me about 5-10 minutes. 
9. Meanwhile start the ganache by combining the ingredients and putting them in a double boiler over medium-low heat to slowly melt and combine.  Stir often. 
10. Pour the warm preserve glaze over the top of the cake and use a knife to spread it around over the top. 
11. Next slowly pour the ganache over the top of the preserves, use an off set spatula to spread it around over the top.  
12. Serve the cake immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.