Revised 2/15/19 by lenz
Elegant Chocolate Cake
1 ½ cups unbleached white flour
1/3 cup organic baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
½ cup canola oil (must be canola oil – no substitutions)
1 cup cold water or coffee
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Preheat oven to 350F. Sift together flour, baking cocoa, soda and sugar directly into a 9-inch round or 8-inch square baking pan.
In a bowl blend the oil, water or coffee and vanilla and pour into the pan. With a fork or whisk mix the batter until smooth. Add the vinegar and stir quickly. There will be pale swirls in the batter as the baking soda and vinegar react. Stir just until the vinegar is evenly distributed throughout the batter. Bake 25-30 minutes and set aside to cool.
Frosting Recommendation: Melt one quality dark chocolate bar in a bowl using a pan of water. (Do not microwave as that makes the chocolate bitter) Add a tablespoon of butter to keep chocolate soft for spreading. When cake has cooled, spread chocolate mix evenly and carefully across the top of cake.