Vegan Gâteau au Chocolat

Ingredients

• 140 g pastry flour or plain flour
• 20 g almonds, finely ground
• 20 g hazelnuts, finely ground
• 60 g unsweetened cacao powder
• 50 g cacao butter
• 50 g neutral vegetable oil
• 200 g unsweetened plant milk, such as soya milk
• 170 g maple syrup
• 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking powder

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and line a small cake tin with baking paper.
2. Melt the cacao butter gently in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water or in short microwave intervals. Leave it to cool slightly.
3. Combine the flour, ground almonds, ground hazelnuts, cacao powder and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted cacao butter, vegetable oil, plant milk, maple syrup, orange zest and vanilla extract.
5. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
6. Mix only until the batter is smooth and no pockets of dry flour remain.
7. Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and smooth the surface.
8. Bake at 160°C for approximately 50 minutes, until the cake is set and a skewer inserted near the centre emerges with only a few moist crumbs.
9. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
10. Remove it carefully and leave it on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.