Chocolate Devil’s Food Cake with Pumpkin (vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free)

Chocolate Devil’s Food Cake with Pumpkin (vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free)

Chocolate cake is magical, isn’t it?

But the thought of re-making it with a hidden veggie makes it more so. Here, I decided to add pumpkin to see what it would do for the texture.

As it turns out, pumpkin is a wondrous ingredient to put into chocolate cake. Like beets, it adds incredible moisture and texture. And nutrition.

Pumpkin: Why is it Healthy for You?

Adding pumpkin to baked goods is useful because no matter whether cooked or raw, pumpkin is loaded with the antioxidant beta-carotene, which is one of the plant carotenoids converted to Vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A is essential for healthy, glowing skin, strong eyesight, and our immune system. Pumpkin also adds Vitamin A, anti-oxidants, both of which support skin and eyesight, and it is packed with immunity-boosting nutrients.
Here, I frosted the cake with a frosting that is an old family recipe, soft and creamy, like pillowy fudge.

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Chocolate Devil's Food Cake with Pumpkin (vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free)

Author Dee Dine

Ingredients

Small Bowl

• 3/4 cups plant milk
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cups organic cane sugar
• 1/4 cups pumpkin I used organic bpa-free canned but you can use fresh I'm sure!
• 1/3 cup light olive oil
• 2 tsp vanilla

Large Bowl

• 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cacao powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder Be sure to use a brand that is aluminum-free or else your cake will taste like metal
• 1/4 tsp salt

Frosting

• 2/3 cup vegan butter
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 3 oz dark chocolate bar
• 2 tsp vanilla paste
• 2-3 tbsp plant milk optional

Instructions

Prep

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Rub butter on inside of 3 (8-inch) cake pans to make a triple-layer cake or 2 (8-inch) cake pans for double layer cake.
3. Dust with cacao powder, shake out the excess and set aside.
4. Mix the almond milk and vinegar in a large mixing bowl, and let set for a few minutes to activate.

Make the Cake

1. Mix up small bowl first. Add the ACV-activated plant milk, sugar, pumpkin puree, oil, and vanilla. Stir until combined.

2. Mix up large bowl next. Add in flour, cacao, soda, powder (aluminum-free), and salt.
3. Dry blend with a hand-mixer or spoon to thoroughly break up cacao clumps and combine mixture thoroughly.
4. Add the small bowl (wet) to the large bowl (dry), and hand blend or stir until mixture is just creamy - avoid over blending.
5. Divide batter evenly between your 3 cake pans (for triple layers) or 2 cake pans for double layer cake.
6. Bake 25 minutes, or until a test comes out clean. Cool before removing from pan.

Make Frosting

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a pan that is sitting in boiling water. Don't let water touch chocolate mixture.
2. Put the sugar into a large bowl, and pour the melted chocolate mixture on top. Add vanilla and hand-mix, adding in a tbsp or two of milk or more until your frosting is creamy and spreadable.
3. Frost cooled cake!