Chocolate-Coconut Cake

So...I know it's been a while since I did a blog post, and I apologize.  But I promise you, the wait was worth it because this recipe's a total keeper.  In fact, I even got to hear the words every vegan really hopes to hear from an omnivorous friend:  "I think this may be the best chocolate cake I've ever had, vegan or otherwise."  So yeah.  Life accomplished.  Thanks Alyssa!  But in all seriousness, part of the reason this cake is so wonderful is because of the places it reminds me of.  For example, when I first made this cake for my friends here in Norway, we were in the Lofoten Islands, a group of islands off the west coast of northern Norway, and we were staying in the coziest little red fisherman's cabin I've ever seen in my life.  And this was the view out my bedroom window: 

Photo cred to the wonderful Marissa Hojnacke!

So, if you can imagine spending four days north of the Arctic Circle, surrounded by mountains that literally rise straight out of the sea and curled up next to a wood stove with some fantastic people, then you can begin to imagine how wonderful this cake is.  

The Lofoten Islands, for anyone who's interested, happen to be one of the highlights of my semester here in Norway so far.  If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend a trip - it was a little fussy getting there, but well worth the effort.  After taking the train from Bø to Oslo, we then had to fly from Oslo to Bodø before taking a three-hour ferry out to Moskenes and befriending a helpful fellow American who drove us the 8 kilometers to our home away from home in Hamnøy.  But, again, definitely worth it.  We spent a day exploring Lofoten's famed white sand beaches, complete with sandcastles and, unbelievably, swimming - the water was beyond cold, but the pictures of all of us in bathing suits, mittens, and scarves are priceless.  We also were fortunate enough to see the Northern Lights on our trip - the first time I've ever seen them in person!    

Of course, we also ate a fair amount of delectable food while we were staying there (chocolate cake included), so all in all Lofoten was a definite success.  However, the other reason this cake recipe is near and dear to my heart is because I learned it this past summer while working at one of the most incredible, happy places I have ever had the pleasure of being - Willamette University's Zena Farm.  This is a recipe from the coordinator of the Summer Session in Sustainable Agriculture, Dr. Jennifer Johns, and was featured in our end-of-the-program gift to each other: a collection of all of our favorite recipes from the summer.  In the cookbook that this recipe is originally from, it is referred to as "Six-Minute Chocolate Cake," which is something of a misnomer because it takes longer than six minutes to cook.  But I suppose "Thirty-Minute Chocolate Cake" doesn't have the same ring to it...

If this looks like my kitchen in Bø to anyone, that's because it is - I've already made the cake again!

Six-Minute Chocolate Cake (a la Zena Farm):

1 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup cold water

2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp vinegar

This recipe is called "Six-Minute" Chocolate Cake because it really is that simple:

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F

2.  Mix everything together except the vinegar in a 8"x8" pan.  Stir in vinegar just before baking.

3.  Bake for 30-35 minutes*

*I made a double recipe in a 9"x13" pan, which worked great, but you'll want to double the baking time

Super Simple Coconut Sauce:

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

1 cup full-fat coconut milk

1 tsp vanilla

1.  Refrigerate a can of coconut milk for a couple of hours.  Take it out of the refrigerator and scrape off the thick, creamy solids that will have formed on the top until you have roughly a cup.  

2.  Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to keep from burning the sugar

3.  Add the vanilla and the coconut milk and simmer for at least 10 minutes

4.  Let cool for at least 20 minutes, preferable in the refrigerator

5.  When the cake is ready, drizzle the sauce liberally over each slice for a super moist, super tasty treat!