Cake Squares covered in Chocolate (Vegan)

Ingredients:

Cake:

1 1/2 Cup unbleached flour

1/2 Cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 Tsp baking soda

1 Flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax seed + 3 Tbsp water)

1 Cup vegetable milk (soy o almond)

1/3 Cup vegetal, refined coconut or vegan butter

1 Tsp Apple cider vinegar

2 Tsp vanilla extract

Fillings and cover:

1/2 Cup raspberry preserve

1/2 Cup coconut caramel or dates sauce

300 gr Vegan chocolate for covering.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven at 320 F. and prepare a rectangular or squared baking mold (7″ x 5″ or 8″ x 8″) lining it with parchment paper.
• Get ready your flax egg with flax meal and water, and reserve.
• Mix the cup of milk with the apple cider vinegar and let it sit for about 5 minutes, do not panic if you see lumps.
• In a mixing bowl sift and combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Reserve.
• In a another bowl combine the sugar, oil or vegan butter and vanilla extract with your hand mixer for about 3 minutes.
• While you are beating, add the flax egg. It will form a thick paste, but refrain adding more water, just keep beating for about 4 minutes. This will allows  the sugar dissolve and ad more air in to the mixture.
• Start adding milk and the flour mix alternating small batches, at least 3 times and ending with the last batch of liquid. This will give you a nice, smooth batter.
• Pour the batter on your pre-lined mold and bring to the preheated oven for 40 minutes. At that point you can check if it is done using the wooden stick method.
• Let it cool completely, which could takes about 1 hour +, depending on the temperature in your place.
• Once the cake is completely cold, cut it in 12 equal rectangles, and then horizontally.
• Meanwhile you can prepare the fillings: you can make you own fruit reduction (like I did for the “corn meal porridge“) or just using a store bough one.
• Use the filling of you choice to generously spread over both sides. Do not press them hard when you close the cakes, to let the filling stay inside, and remove any excess on the sides.

Doing a coconut caramel sauce:

This sauce is very simple and easy to make. Is a stage before you get actual caramel paste with coconut cream. This is made with whole coconut milk, therefore it will be hard to reduce it until you get a caramel, but it will gives you a sweet and tasty sauce, “porridge like” in consistency that makes your cake moist inside.

1 Can coconut milk (that includes the cream)

4 Tbsp maple syrup

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1/4 Tsp vanilla extract

• Pour all the ingredients on a small sauce pan at medium low heat and mix constantly to dissolve the sugar.
• Once the sugar start boiling, reduce the heat to simmer and keep stirring until you reduce the milk in about 60%.This could take 30 to 40 minutes depending on the heat you use, if you put it hotter it will reduce faster, but your have to keep stirring constantly to avoid burning it or overflowing.
• Let it cool, better if you bring it to the fridge. Once the sauce is cold it will get a more thick consistency.

Covering in chocolate:

• You’ll need 2 bowls: one to pour hot water on it and the other to melt the chocolate, letting rest on the hot water for a few minutes.
• Once you see the chocolate start melting, use a spatula to stir it, and you’ll notice that in a few seconds is all melted.
• Submerge the rectangles top side down, and with the help of your spatula spread melted chocolate on the sides, covering the whole cake and filling.
• Leave the bottom part of the cake uncovered in order to get it out of the bowl: put one finger on the bottom and with the spatula lift the top side from the bowl.
• Let it rest on a plate and once you finish covering them all, bring to the fridge for 15 minutes to make the chocolate get hard.