Vegan Chocolate Easter Cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• 150g dairy free spread 
• 300ml oat or almond milk
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 300g self raising flour
• 200g organic cane sugar
• 4 heaped tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence

For the icing

• 200g dark chocolate buttons
• 200g dairy free spread
• 400g icing sugar
• 5 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon oat or almond milk

For the topping

• Mini vegan eggs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
2. Grease the base and sides of 2 x 20cm or 8 inch sandwich tins with dairy-free spread, then line the bases with baking parchment.
3. Put the dairy-free milk in a jug and add the vinegar – it will split/curdle.
4. Put all of the other cake ingredients into a large bowl, pour over the milk mixture and beat well until smooth.
5. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out cleanly.
6. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 mins then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

 To make the icing:

1. Put the chocolate buttons into a heatproof bowl and melt in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds. Leave the melted chocolate to cool for 5 minutes.
2. Mix the dairy-free spread and icing sugar together with a wooden spoon then sift in the cocoa powder with a pinch of salt.
3. Pour in the melted chocolate and dairy-free milk and keep mixing until smooth.

To decorate:

1. Sandwich the two cooled sponges together with half of the buttercream then pile the rest on top and down the sides.
2. Decorate with the vegan mini eggs