Vegan Strawberry Ganache Cake Donuts

The ganache is a messy delicious time and those strawberry "sprinkles" add that perfect hit of tartness and color, but the star of the show is the chocolate cake base. It's so ridiculously easy!

The ultimate goal is a whole layered cake, so after my cookie cake, these little beauties are the next step...I got this! Also couldn't call myself a baker if I didn't use these heart-shaped pans so close to Valentine's Day, right?!

I've been in the lab (aka my little kitchen) playing around with various vegan ways to get lift in cakes. Aquafaba is the ultimate magical ingredient, but can be a little stressful and takes forever to whip, so I figured out this trick of using baking soda and vinegar's natural chemical reaction. These two are a match made in baking heaven!! hehe!

Ingredients

Makes 20-24 mini donuts

Chocolate Cake Donut

6 OZ - Unbleached Flour
1 OZ- Cocoa Powder
6 OZ- Organic Cane Sugar (all organic sugar is vegan!)
1/2 Teaspoon- Baking Soda
1/2 Teaspoon- Sea Salt
1/2 Cup- Almond Oil (or other veggie oil of choice)
1/4 Cup- Strong brewed Coffee or Espresso
1/2 Cup- Filtered Water
1 Tablespoons- Apple Cider Vinegar

Chocolate Ganache

4 OZ- Vegan Chocolate of choice (I find semi-sweet works well as a topping)
1/4 Cup- Boiling Filtered Water

Crushed dried strawberries as topping

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F.  Sift together the flour, cocoa, sugar, salt and baking soda in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, add the water, coffee, vinegar and oil.
3. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl holding the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth and no streaks of flour are visible.
4. Pour the batter into the mini donut pan about 3/4 of the way filled. 
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Right before serving make the ganache topping. This sauce hardens as it sits, so it's best to make right before serving or re-heat if made ahead of time.
7. Chop the chocolate and place in a heat-proof bowl. Cover with boiling water and let sit for a couple minutes, covered. Whisk until smooth.
8. Dip cooled donuts into the ganache or drizzle on top.
9. Crumble the dried strawberries as garnish.
10. Enjoy!