Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake (Nega Maluca)
Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake (a.k.a. Bolo Nega Maluca) is a popular Brazilian cake made without milk and butter. Instead, it calls for boiling water and oil respectively, making a moist cake that is topped with a velvety chocolate sauce.
Servings 18 slices
Calories412.3 kcal
Cost $ 0.50 per slice
Equipment
- 1 rectangular cake pan
- 1 whisker
- 2 bowls
- 1 oven
Ingredients
For the chocolate cake:
- 1 cup water
- 1¼ cups 100% Dutch cocoa powder do NOT use natural cocoa powder which is an acidic ingredient; otherwise you'd have a flat cake with a bitter flavor. But if you only have natural cocoa powder at home, you can replace the same amount of Dutch cocoa powder with natural cocoa powder or 100% unsweetened cocoa powder, and then replace 1 tablespoon baking powder with 1 teaspoon of baking soda.
- 1½ cups white granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable oil or any other neutral-tasting oil such as canola
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour for a gluten-free chocolate cake, replace the flour with 2 cups of gluten-free all-purpose flour combined with 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
For the chocolate sauce (topping):
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter dairy-free, or coconut oil
- 6 ounces dairy-free dark chocolate coarsely chopped
- 3 cup powdered sugar or confectionery’s sugar
- 6 Tablespoons boiling water
To decorate:
- Dairy-free chocolate sprinkles NOT too much – Use just enough to partially cover the top of the cake and still see the chocolate sauce
Instructions
- For the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease a 9x11-inch (20x30 cm) rectangular cake pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter and line with parchment paper, overlapping the edges. Reserve!
- NOTE: The butter or cooking spray will serve as glue for the parchment paper. Make sure to line the paper nicely and have it overlap the edges of the pan to make it easy to remove the cake after baking and cooling.
- Boil the water! Then place the cocoa powder into a large bowl and pour the boiled water in, whisking until homogeneous to 'bloom' the chocolate.
- Then add the sugar and whisk well. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking just enough to combine. Do NOT overbeat!
- Add the oil and vanilla. Stir well and then sift the dry ingredients (salt, flour, and baking powder) over the mixture, incorporating gently until forming a homogeneous batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, beating the pan gently over the counter to even the batter into the pan. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the pan to a rack and let the cake cool.
- Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate sauce for the topping: Combine the butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted. (Be careful not to overheat the chocolate as it could seize.) Alternatively, put the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on medium for about 2 minutes. Stir and continue to heat for about 20 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals, until the chocolate and butter are melted and smooth.
- Sift the confectioners' sugar into a small bowl.
- Whisk the sifted confectioners' sugar into the melted butter and chocolate. Beat the mixture, adding small amounts of boiling water until thinned as desired. If you happen to find it too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more hot water. TIP: I like mine thick enough to hold onto the cake top and just pour a little on the sides.
- Slowly drizzle the chocolate glaze over your cooled cake. If desired, use a spatula to evenly distribute. How long the glaze will take to harden will depend on both the temperature of the glaze and the room.
- Once the sauce cools, it will harden. Slice the cake evenly (about 18 slices), making clean cuts. TIP: For slicing the cake nicely, make sure to wipe your knife with hot water and a clean towel right before every cut. Sprinkle the chocolate sprinkles on top and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- If the chocolate sauce stands too long before use, it will thicken. Keep it covered with plastic wrap if you are not using it right away. If it thickens, put it over the heat to thin it out again.
- To be on the safe side, you can melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl using a double boiler setup. Once melted, proceed with adding the sugar and then the boiling water to the bowl to make the chocolate sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 412.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 55.7g | Protein: 4.5g | Fat: 21.7g | Saturated Fat: 7.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11.7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 46.4mg | Sodium: 18.6mg | Potassium: 189.5mg | Fiber: 3.5g | Sugar: 39.6g | Vitamin A: 169.4IU | Calcium: 46.2mg | Iron: 1.8mg
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