As part of SFoodie's interview with Annie Somerville, chef of Greens Restaurant, we asked her for a recipe to share with readers (read part one of our Q&A here and part two here). Exemplifying her claim to use the ideas and skills of the talented staff around her, Somerville chose to share a recipe from pastry chef Sandi Sumaylo. Somerville noted, "The great thing about this cake is that it's delicious whether you're vegan or not," which seems to have been the ticket to much of Green's success. The cake is delicious with coffee but it's also incredible with a glass of red wine. You choose.
For the Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup hot water
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup rice bran oil, or another neutral-flavored oil
1 tablespoon Champagne or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup maple sugar (available at any natural-foods market)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit. In a large bowl, combine hot water and cocoa powder, and whisk until cocoa powder has dissolved. Add soy milk, maple syrup, oil, vinegar, and vanilla to mixture, and whisk well.
In a medium-sized bowl, sift or stir dry ingredients together. Add dry mixture to wet mixture, and whisk ingredients together until combined. Pour into a 10-inch parchment-lined springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, until the center of the cake springs back when touched and a metal skewer, inserted near the center, comes out of the batter clean.
Let cool, remove from the pan, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Cut top off cake to even out, and cut in half to frost.
For the Frosting
Ingredients:
4 oz. vegan butter
1 1/4 cup soy milk
1 cup powdered sugar, preferably organic
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 oz. vegan chocolate chips
Directions:
In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine vegan butter, soy milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla, and bring to a simmer, whisking at all times so that the soy milk does not burn on the bottom of the pot.
Remove from the heat, and add chocolate chips, whisking until the chocolate melts. Let the frosting cool until it is warm to the touch. Place in a food processor and turn it on. Let the machine run until the frosting is smooth and shiny.
To assemble the cake, place cake on a rack over a sheetpan. Spread one third of the frosting on one half of the cake. Place the other half on top, and pour the remaining two-thirds of the frosting over the top, letting it spill over the sides. Let the cake set in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a while before cutting.
