Chocolate Birthday Cake with "Buttercream" Icing

For my family, August is the month of multiple birthdays. So, I've made 6 batches of this recipe during the past month, for birthday party cupcakes, and birthday cakes.  I love that this recipe does not require an egg-substitute.  Instead, balsamic vinegar and baking soda make the cake (or cupcake) light, fluffy, and delectable.  I also love that it is chocolaty, because I LOVE chocolate, and chocolate is vegan!

The icing is yummy as well.  I like to make my icing a bit thick, so that it holds its shape for decorating.  If you find that the frosting is too thin, you can always add more powdered sugar.  If it is too thick, add a tiny amount of soy milk until it is just right.

Combined together, this cake and icing make for the perfect birthday treat.  I hope you and your family enjoy them too.

(While preparing to write up the recipes for this blog, I learned that a dash is 1/8 of a teaspoon, a pinch is 1/16 teaspoon, and a smidgen is 1/32 of a teaspoon.  Good to know)

Cake Ingredients:
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup powdered cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 dash cinnamon (~1/8 of a teaspoon)
1 smidgen ground cayenne pepper (~1/32 of a teaspoon, or 1/4 of 1/8 of a teaspoon)
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions:
1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2.  Combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cayenne) into a mixing bowl.
3.  In a separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients (water, oil, vinegar, vanilla)
4.  Pour the wet ingredients into the middle of the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until smooth (not too much).
5.  For cupcakes - fill baking cups 3/4 of the way full and bake ~15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (makes 15 cupcakes).  For cake - grease a pan with vegan margarine or line with parchment paper and bake ~35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean (makes a round 7.5" diameter and 1.75" high cake).  Times may vary depending on cake pan/size.

















Icing Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegan margarine, softened but not melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
1.  Wait until cupcakes or cake have completely cooled.
2.  Combine the margarine and 1 and 1/2 cups of powdered sugar in a mixing bowl.  Use a fork to mash/mix the margarine into the sugar, until it becomes frosting.
3.  Stir the vanilla into the frosting.
4.  Slowly mix the last 1/2 cup of powdered sugar into the frosting.
5.  Frost the cake or cupcakes immediately after mixing.


The cake recipe was adapted from a recipe by 'Sue' at allrecipes.com.  Original recipe can be found here.