220g/7oz plain flour
200g/7oz caster sugar (I use granulated and it works fine)
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
half a teaspoon of salt
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
250ml/8 fl oz water
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Centigrade/Gas 4.
2. Lightly grease a 13 x 23 cm loaf tin or 20 cm round tin (I line my tin with baking parchment).
3. Sieve together the flour, sugar, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
4. Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar and water.
5. Mix together until smooth.
6. Pour into cake tin and bake for 45 minutes (until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean). (I usually have to leave my cake in, covered in foil to prevent burning, for an extra few minutes).
7. Remove from oven and leave to cool.
Icing:
100g/4 oz icing sugar (You can make more, depending how much icing you would like in the middle of the cake - the proportion is half spread to icing sugar)
50g/ 2oz vegan spread
2 - 3 teaspoons cocoa powder (depending how chocolatey you would like the icing)
a tiny drop of vanilla extract
Method:
1. Mix the spread in a bowl to soften it.
2. Sieve the icing sugar and cocoa powder into the bowl.
3. Mix together until smooth.
4. Add the vanilla extract to taste.
Split the cake if you are having icing in the middle and spread half of the icing. Place the top half of the cake onto the base and spread the remaining icing on the top. Slice and enjoy!
