Totally lush...no need to say any more...
Obviously to create a vegan version use vegan chocolate.
200g/7 oz plain/all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
75g/2 3/4 oz cocoa powder
250g/9 oz dark brown sugar
75g/2 3/4 oz vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Pinch salt
60ml/2 fl oz cold water
Frosting:
100g/3 1/2 oz coconut or vegetable oil
65g/2 oz dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
200g/7 oz dark chocolate, broken into chunks
375ml/12. 6 fl oz just boiled water
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Grease a 20cm/8" found springform cake tin and line with baking parchment.
Mix together the flour, bicarbonate soda, salt and cocoa together.
In a separate bowl mix together the sugar, just boiled water, oil and vinegar.
Combine the dry ingredients with the wet and mix until combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin (it is quite a wet batter).
Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes.
Cool in the tin.
For the frosting, put the oil, sugar, cocoa powder and water into a pan. Put over a medium heat until everything has melted. Don't let it boil.
Turn off the heat and drop in the chunks of chocolate.
Stir until melted.
Whisk the frosting until it becomes thick.
Leave to cool. It will thicken more as it cools down.
Once the cake is cool spread the frosting over the top and sides.
