Miso Chocolate Fudge Cake
I’ll be honest… I don’t like chocolate cake. I would choose another lifeless Hinge date or even a deli chocolate chip muffin before I pick up a slice of chocolate cake.
Here are the qualities of the many chocolate cakes that have burned the reputable cake flavor: a lack of depth of flavor, dry and crumbly texture, and a chocolate frosting that tastes like the love child between fondant and an entire sugar cube.
With that being said, I was on a mission to make a chocolate cake for the girlies who were, fortunately, on the same boat as I am (was?). This Miso Chocolate Fudge Cake is the marriage between a chewy brownie and a moist celebratory cake. Each slice has a slight savoriness to it that tones down the sweetness that can be overpowering after an entire slice of decadence.
This is the perfect cake to whip up for a dinner party, a picnic, or even a birthday (shocker). Enjoy!!
Miso Chocolate Fudge Cake
Makes: about 8 to 10 servings
Time: about 50 minutes, plus cooling time
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon espresso powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup oat milk, substitute with non-dairy milk of choice
1/3 cup coconut oil, substitute with melted (vegan) butter
2-ounces dark chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons sweet white miso paste
1 cup granulated sugar
Miso-Hazelnut Chocolate Ganache (see notes)
Miso-Hazelnut Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (see notes)
Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Note: If you are using a dark cake pan, reduce heat to 325 as darker pans absorb more heat than light-colored ones. Grease a 9-inch cake pan with butter/coconut oil and dust with cocoa powder. Set aside.
In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set aside.
Make your "vegan buttermilk by mixing together the oat milk and apple cider vinegar until combined and set aside while you prepare the rest of your wet ingredients. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the coconut oil for about 45 seconds or until melted. Add your chopped dark chocolate into the coconut oil and whisk until combined. Add the miso and whisk once more until incorporated.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and “buttermilk” until the sugar has slightly dissolved. Add the melted chocolate-coconut oil-miso mixture to the sugar and “buttermilk”; whisk until combined. Add the vanilla extract and whisk once more.
Using a sieve, sift the dry ingredients into the wet. Mix the ingredients together until just combined (preferably using a wooden spoon), about 2 minutes. The mixture should be just a bit thicker than your typical runny cake batter.
Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes on the middle rack or until a clean toothpick comes out (mostly) clean when inserted in the middle of the cake. It is okay if the cake is slightly underdone in the center (you’ll know if the toothpick seems a tad wet when inserted in the middle) because the cake will continue to bake partially in the pan as it cools.
Let the cake cool for about an hour on the counter and then flip onto a cooling rack to cool some more.
While the cake cools, prepare your Miso Hazlenut Chocolate Ganache and/or Miso Hazelnut Buttercream Frosting (see notes)
Frost the cake, garnish with chocolate shavings, chopped hazelnuts, and flaky sea salt.
Dive in!
NOTES
I am an advocate for finding flair in all parts of life. And in my humble opinion, what makes or breaks a cake is the frosting it is adorned with. Below, I’ve listed two stellar options that you can dress your cake with (both use miso, obviously, because flair comes in all shapes, sizes, and flavors).
Miso-Hazelnut Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
2-ounces Hu Kitchen’s Hazelnut Butter Chocolate Bar
substitute with 2-ounces chopped dark chocolate and 1/4 teaspoon hazelnut extract (or almond/vanilla extract)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon white miso paste
1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar, options
Directions
In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the coconut oil for about 30 seconds or until melted. Add your chopped dark chocolate or hazelnut butter chocolate bar and stir until melted.
Using a whisk, stir in the hazelnut (or almond/vanilla) extract, miso paste, and confectioners sugar (if a sweeter topping is desired) until incorporated.
Let rest on the counter for 1 to 2 hours or until thickened.
Pour onto the cake and smooth the surface using an off-set spatula. Cover with a lid and let the cake rest for another 1 to 2 hours.
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Miso-Hazelnut Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
2-ounces Hu Kitchen’s Hazelnut Butter Chocolate Bar
substitute with 2-ounces chopped dark chocolate and 1/4 teaspoon hazelnut extract (or almond/vanilla extract)
1/4 cup oat milk
2 tablespoons white miso paste
4-ounces (1/2 cup) softened unsalted (vegan) butter
1/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon hazelnut extract, substitute with vanilla or almond extract
Directions
In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the oat milk, for about 45 seconds, until hot (being careful to not scorch it). Whisk in the chocolate bar (or chopped chocolate) and miso until incorporated and smooth. Set aside.
In a large bowl and using a handheld mixer on the lowest setting, beat the softened butter and confectioner’s sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the melted chocolate and beat for 1 minute until incorporated into the frosting. Add the hazelnut extract and beat for 30 seconds until incorporated.
Let the frosting rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Frost once the cake has cooled.