Chocolate and blueberry cake
A vegan cake rich with chocolate flavour, blueberries and a chocolate glaze
Κέικ σοκολάτας με μύρτιλα. If you were raised in a traditional Greek home then there are a few things that you know to be true. Family is more important than anything. Family is also a term used generously; obviously your parents, your siblings and your grandparents are family, but so is your cousin’s cousin on their father’s side to whom you have no blood relation. You also know that food is almost as important as family – what you eat, how you eat it, and who you eat it with are questions which inform who you are as a person, and they are full of meaning and significance.
Another important food related question has to do with when you eat something, or rather – when you don’t. For many Greeks, meal planning is dictated by fasting rules set out by the Orthodox church. So, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year there is to be no eggs, dairy, meat or fish. As well, there are 4 longer fasting periods during the year when these same rules (and more) apply for weeks. (If you would like to learn more about these fasts, you can consult our free downloadable Lenten Meal Plans such as this one).
Growing up this meant that if a special event happened to fall on a fasting day, there were limits on what could be served on the celebratory table. Imagine your 10th birthday landing on a Friday. Your friends, both Greek and non-Greek are over, as are your cousins, and you’re all wearing paper party hats. Everyone who doesn’t know better is looking forward to cake. And then, you all gather around the marble-topped living room table so that you can blow the candles out on your birthday halva.
WE THINK YOU’D REALLY LIKE THIS CAKE AS WELL: GREEK YOGOURT CAKE WITH LEMON
Fortunately, many years and tears later, our mother expanded her repertoire of lenten desserts. A cake is lenten if it contains no dairy and no eggs (and no steak…but that’s usually not an issue). And so she began making a chocolate cake that she learned from a lady at church. It was delicious, and over time she made it even more so. She started adding to it – sometimes nuts, sometimes chocolate chips, sometimes raisins and sometimes she added blueberries – our favourite!
Helpful hints
What is the difference between fresh and frozen blueberries in baking?
Our mom and dad don’t remember eating blueberries while in Greece, but here in Canada it is one of their favourite fruits. Better than candy, they say – and they are so right. It’s no wonder then that our mom started to incorporate blueberries in this wonderful chocolate cake.
You can use either frozen or fresh blueberries here, although we prefer the frozen variety for the following reasons:
- They are easy to store and you don’t have to worry about them remaining fresh
- They are easy to find, year round
- They hold their shape better when being mixed into the batter
- They are delicious to snack on when they are frozen 🙂
If you do use fresh blueberries just be mindful that the total baking time may be less than what we indicate in the recipe.
How do I know when my cake is baked?
Baking times for desserts are really meant to be a good guide; so. much depends on your oven and even the pan that you use. The best way to test that a cake is done is to stick a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean (except for a few dry crumbs), then it is ready. Any wet batter on the toothpick means that the cake needs to bake a bit longer.
If your cake is still not cooked but the top has browned simply cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
Do I need to add the glaze?
No, you don’t. Our mother actually rarely topped this cake with anything more than some icing sugar. We do like the glaze however because it gives an extra layer of chocolate deliciousness, and there is nothing wrong with that!
Looking for more lenten desserts? Check these out:
Things you might need: Loaf pan; Parchment paper; Electric mixer
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Chocolate and blueberry cake
Equipment
- Electric mixer, optional
- 9 x 5 inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup (225 grams) all purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
- 1/3 cup (40 grams) cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon for coating blueberries
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup (80 mL) vegetable oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla powder or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 cup (250 mL) water room temperature
- 1 cup (150 grams) frozen blueberries
- vegetable spray or oil for coating loaf pan
For the glaze
- 1 cup (175 grams) vegan chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease your loaf pan with a thin layer or spray of vegetable oil and then line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer whisk together the 1 1/2 cups of flour; 1 cup of sugar; 1/3 cup of cocoa powder; 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp vanilla powder (if that is what you are using). Whisk together to combine well.
- Next add to the flour mixture the 1/3 cup of vegetable oil; 1 tsp white vinegar and 1 cup of room temperature water (and if you are using vanilla extract, add that in now, 1 tsp).
- Using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer, mix all of the ingredients together until well combined.
- Toss your 1 cup frozen blueberries with the 1 tablespoon of reserved cocoa powder until well coated.
- Gently fold the blueberries into your cake batter using a rubber spatula.
- Pour your batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth out the top with your rubber spatula.
- Bake your cake in the middle rack of your oven for 55 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of your cake comes out clean.
- When your cake is ready, allow it to cool for 5 minutes in the loaf pan until transferring it out onto a cooling rack.
- Once your cake is completely cooled, prepare your glaze. Melt the 1 cup vegan chocolate chips, and 2 tbsp coconut oil using a double boiler and once melted and smooth, pour the glaze over the loaf pan.
- Decorate the top of your cake with fresh blueberries if desired.
- Enjoy!
This looks lovely!
Thank you so much Dorothy! We hope you give it a try and love it 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie
Made two of these cakes today. Haven’t tried them because they were treats for my 2 vegan sons, But they are at the most 2 inches high. Followed all the directions and I am a seasoned baker. Why does yours look so much bigger than mine? Thank you
LLS
Hi Louise. There are a couple of things that we can think which would have caused this issue. The first would be the size of your pan; we made our cake in a standard size loaf pan (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inches). Otherwise, it could be that your baking soda had expired. Because the baking soda is the only leavening agent here, activated by the added vinegar, if it is not fresh it won’t do the job of raising the cake. An easy way to be sure that your baking soda is good to bake with would be to combine about a teaspoon of baking soda in a bowl with a splash of vinegar – it should fizz heavily. If it fizzes only a little bit (or not at all) then the baking soda has gone bad. Hope that helps!
We just made this tonight and it was delicious! Our daughter who is vegan said she might have preferred the glaze be made with something other than coconut oil, so the flavors didn’t conflict. It’s a definite winner in our book!!
Amazing Sophia! Thanks so much for letting us know that you tried and loved our cake. For sure, the glaze can be made with something other than coconut oil – we have tried it with vegetable oil and it works out fine. We prefer the coconut oil however due to the texture of the glaze, but it’s all good because…melted chocolate!! We hope you find more to love here at Mia Kouppa (we’ve got lots of vegan recipes your daughter, and others, may enjoy)! xoxo Helen & Billie
Hi,
Can i use Apple Cider Vinegar?
Hi May. Yes, that substitution should be fine. You really only need the vinegar to activate the baking soda – you don’t taste it. Have fun baking our cake, and let us know how you enjoy it 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie
how much more or less time when the berries are fresh?
Hi Anastasia, Sorry for the delay in responding to you! The cooking time shouldn’t alter too much actually. Check your cake with a toothpick and when it comes out clean it is done! Hope you love it! xoxo Helen & Billie
Would it be possible to blend the mix with the kind of blender you use to make smoothies?
Hi Oliver! We haven’t tried that so can’t be 100% certain, but in theory it would work just fine. Try not to over blend / mix so that you don’t affect the gluten in the flour. Happy baking! xox Helen & Billie
Not necessary for the chocolate chips to be vegan, I assume?
Nope, unless you want to keep the cake vegan. Otherwise, any chocolate chips will do! xoxo Helen & Billie
I made this last night, it’s easy to make and tastes really nice. Thanks for the recipe!😁
So happy to hear that! Glad you loved our recipe 🙂 xoxo Helen & Billie