–CAKE–
1 c Water
1 c Honey
1/2 c Applesauce
1 ts Vanilla
1 ts Vinegar
2 c Wholewheat pastry flour or
— unbleached white flour
3/4 c Cocoa powder
1 tb Baking powder
1 ts Baking soda
-SYRUP-
1/2 c Water
1/4 c Honey
2 Thin lemon or orange slices
1/3 c Kirsch
-ICING-
3/4 c Raw cashews
3/4 c Water
2 ts Vanilla
1/2 c Honey
10 oz Firm tofu
3 oz Semi-sweet chocolate, melted
16 oz Jar pitted cherries, drained
CAKE: Preheat oven to 350F. Combine liquid ingredients in a large
bowl & whisk well. Sift dry ingredients together & whisk into liquid
mixture. Pour into greased & floured 9″ cake tin & bake for 35
minutes or until springy.
Cool cake completely & remove from pan. With a serrated knife, cut
cake horizontally to make 3 thin layers.
SYRUP: Combine first 3 ingredients in a small pot & boil for 3
minutes. Let cool & then add kirsch.
ICING: In a blender, combine cashews, water & vanilla. Blend till
smooth & creamy. Add honey & tofu & blend again. Set aside 2 c for
the vanilla icing to go on top & sides of cake. To the rest of the
mixture, add melted chocolate & 3 tb of syrup. Blend till smooth.
Chill both icings before using.
TO ASSEMBLE: Carefully remove the top two layers of cake. Brush some
syrup onto bottom layer & spread half of chocolate icing over it.
Place the middle cake layer on top & brush with syrup & icing. Put
down a layer of cherries & dot with a little vanilla icing to help
the top layer stick. Place the top layer on the cherries & brush
again with syrup. Frost top & sides with vanilla icing. Decorate
with cherries & pipe rosettes if desired.
Chill several hours before serving. The cake can be kept covered if
not being served till the following day. However, the frosting may
discolour after about 3 days.
“Vegetarian Times” December, 1993
Yields
12 servings