wan bigfala chocolate cake

so, my nine months on the tropical island has nearly come to an end. my workplace put on a little lunch to say goodbye and thanks, and there was a slightly awkward gift giving ceremony that i was very prepared for but unsure of what to give in return. the options here are limited, and i work with 20+ people and individual presents would have been hard and oh so anti-collectivist.

so instead i decided give my thanks with food. everytime there’s a celebration or ceremony at my workplace here a cake is ordered from a local caterer. the cakes are always white white fluffy (gross) vanilla cakes with a ridiculous amoutn in butter/margarine/oil icing. i really can’t eat them but force myself to most times.

so i had the cake order cancelled and made my standard issue vegan chocolate cake (a la mooswood) instead. i tripled the recipe and cooked it in the biggest lasagna tin i’ve ever seen.

i iced the cake with a orange dark chocolate melted with grapefruit juice concoction – so shiny and glisteny. and decorated the cake island style with hibiscus and leaves form the garden. the cake served so many people and was devoured with delight.

moosewood’s deep chocolate vegan cake
1.5 cups flour (wholemeal is good here too) (or half and half)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda (aka bicarb soda)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cold water or chilled brewed coffee
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
preheat oven to 180 celcius
line a pan with paper (square, round) or oil it. this is important – it has to be ready to go quickly!

in a bowl sift all the dry ingredients. sifting makes for a nicer less lumpy cake

in another bowl whisk the oil, coffee and vanilla
put the wet things into the dry things and mix well until smooth

add the vinegar to the mixture and stir through. the baking soda with react with the vinegar and leave pale swirls in the batter. without wasting any time, pour the batter into the prepared baking tin

bake for 25-30 minutes