Khapli wheat dairy-free chocolate cake is made with a minimally processed ancient grain that has been cultivated in the Indian subcontinent for over 10,000 years. Swapping khapli wheat for refined flour will make a difference in the areas of rise, taste, and batter. This cake is perfect for the health-conscious baker who wants to sneak more protein, fibre and nutrients into their occasional indulgences. Add Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta to your pantry and use it to add more fibre, protein, iron and vitamin B1 to cakes, pastries, and bread.
Khapli atta has a lower GI index than whole wheat flour, which gives you a more stable blood sugar response after eating. But when baking, its gluten might pose problems as it is weaker than modern wheat, which works in favour of cakes. Khapli wheat, because of its lower gluten, might also produce the tender, shorter crumb that is needed for such cakes. Khapli atta also needs better understanding, including needing more rest time, especially for doughs; using oil instead of butter; and, for a non-dairy version, using the best substitute for buttermilk or milk, which is coconut milk.
Coconut milk’s natural fat compensates for the missing butter and adds richness and body to the crumb of the chocolate cake. A tablespoon of apple cider vinegar stirred into the coconut milk, before being added to the batter, makes a good plant-based buttermilk substitute. Boiling water or hot-brewed coffee is added at the very end to bring out the cocoa's flavour. Khapli atta's bran content will make it brown faster, so keep a close watch during baking.
Ingredients
UNITSIngredients
1½ cupsAashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta (For the cake)
½ cupUnsweetened cocoa powder
1 tspBaking soda
½ tspBaking powder
½ tspSalt
1 cupGranulated sugar or coconut sugar
1 cupThick coconut milk
1 tbspApple cider vinegar
½ cupNeutral oil (sunflower, refined coconut, or canola)
If using flax eggs, mix ground flaxseed with water, stir well, and set aside for 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix the apple cider vinegar into the coconut milk and set aside.
Description - Step 2
Step 2: Mix dry ingredients
In a mixing bowl, sieve the khapli atta, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the sieved dry ingredients well, then add the sugar and mix again.
Description - Step 3
Step 3: Mix wet ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk the curdled coconut milk mixture, oil, vanilla extract, and eggs (or flax eggs). Whisk until smooth.
Description - Step 4
Step 4: Combine and rest the batter
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold with a spatula until just combined. Then pour in the hot water or hot coffee and fold in quickly. The batter will be thin and pourable. Let it rest for 5 minutes at room temperature before pouring into the pan.
Description - Step 5
Step 5: Bake
Pour the rested batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 180°C for 40-45 minutes. Check from the 38-minute mark, as khapli atta's bran content might cause the surface to darken faster than refined flour, so do not rely on colour alone as a fully baked indicator. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs; not wet batter. If the surface is darkening too quickly, loosely tent with foil from the 30-minute mark. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack.
Description - Step 6
Step 6: Make the frosting
Add the dairy-free chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Heat the coconut milk in a small saucepan until it just begins to simmer; do not boil. Pour the hot coconut milk over the chocolate chips and let sit for 2 minutes without stirring. Stir slowly from the centre outward until the chocolate is fully melted and the ganache is smooth and glossy. Add the coconut oil and a pinch of salt and stir in. Let it cool at room temperature until it thickens to a spreadable consistency, approximately 20-30 minutes.
Description - Step 7
Step 7: Frost and serve
Once the cake is completely cool, transfer it to a serving plate. Pour or spread the ganache frosting over the top, allowing it to drip naturally over the sides for a relaxed, rustic finish. Allow the frosting to set for 15 minutes before slicing.
Rich, moist chocolate cake is widely considered the best. Cakes made with cocoa powder, oil and coffee deliver deep chocolate flavour, a tender crumb and lasting moisture for birthdays and celebrations.
Chocolate cake typically contains flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs, oil or butter, milk or plant milk, vanilla and hot coffee or water.
Chocolate cake is an occasional treat because it is typically high in sugar and calories. Recipes using wholegrain flour and less sugar can improve nutrition while retaining rich chocolate flavour.
Use oil instead of butter, bloom cocoa with hot coffee or water, avoid overbaking and measure ingredients accurately. These techniques produce a tender, moist cake with deeper chocolate flavour.