Chocolate Chestnut Cake
This really is the most delicious autumnal cake and it makes a fabulous alternative Christmas cake for those, like my second born, who don’t like the traditional fruit cake.
Decorate it with a sprinkling of icing sugar, coat it with chocolatey vegan buttercream or leave it in all its naked glory as I have done.
That undulating, rocky surface hides a dense, deeply chocolately, almost brownie, like centre.
The combination of 85% cocoa chocolate and maple syrup emphasises flavour over sweetness while the chestnut chunks add gorgeous chewy texture.
It is, of course, dairy and egg free and totally vegan. As with most of my vegan baking I use vegan buttermilk to replace the eggs in this cake.
Soya milk (or a plant based milk of your choice) is combined with a little lightly flavoured cider vinegar and left to curdle, resulting in that magic ingredient – vegan buttermilk.
The reaction between the buttermilk and bicarbonate of soda replicates the job an egg does in conventional baking.
How To Bake Chestnut Cake
This is a simple vegan bake. Melt chocolate, sugar, vegan butter, vanilla and maple syrup together, slowly over a gentle heat.
Once they have combined add roughly chopped chestnuts and cook gently for five minutes.
Leave the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes until it is just warm.
While the mixture is cooling make the vegan buttermilk. Combine cider vinegar with soya milk and leave it to stand for a few minutes until curds form.
Weigh out the self raising flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
If you have the sort of scales which you can reset between each addition you may end up with a beautiful volcano like I did!
Sift this volcanic beauty into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in the cooled melted chestnut mixture and stir well to combine.
Spoon it all into a prepared cake tin and bake. Once it is in the oven, your kitchen will smell like a chocolaterie!
Serving Suggestions
I’ve already drawn your attention to the delights of a tiny slice with coffee or wine but you might also like:
- Fresh raspberries or a strained raspberry coulis – or both!
- A scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream.
- A drizzle of vegan cream.
- A dollop of coconut cream.
More Chestnut Recipes
If, like me, you can’t resist chestnuts you might also like these recipes!
- Vegan Mushroom Pie with Ale and Chestnuts
- Pappardelle with Squash, Chestnuts, Mushrooms and Sage
- Simple Chestnut Soup
- Vegan Sausage Rolls
- Chestnut and Cashew Nut Roast
More Vegan Bakes
Whether you are craving flapjack, cupcakes, biscuits, brownies or celebration cakes check out my vegan baking collection for inspiration!
Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook,Twitter and Instagram where I share recipe ideas, links to vegan events and articles and where I natter on about my favourite subject – vegan food
Chocolate Chestnut Cake
Ingredients
- 325 g self raising flour
- 50 g cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 100 g 85% cocoa dark chocolate
- 180 g cooked, vacuum packed chestnuts roughly chopped
- 150 g vegan butter or margarine
- 150 g soft light brown sugar
- 100 ml maple syrup
- 200 ml soya milk
- 2 tsp cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Grease and line a 23cm/9 inch loose bottomed cake tin.
- Melt chocolate, sugar, vegan butter, vanilla and maple syrup together, slowly over a gentle heat until sugar has dissolved.
- Add roughly chopped chestnuts and cook gently for five minutes.
- Leave the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes until it is just warm.
- Combine cider vinegar with soya milk and leave it to stand for a few minutes until curds form.
- Sift the self raising flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre.
- Pour in the cooled melted chestnut mixture and the milk mixture and stir well to combine.
- Spoon it all into the prepared cake tin and bake in the preheated oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until browned on top and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Nutritional information is only an approximate guideline. Calculations will vary according to the ingredients you use and your cooking methods.
Directions didnt tell me when to use the soya milk and cider vinegar mixture
I’m so sorry! Thanks for pointing that out, I have edited the recipe to include the information.