Vegan Chocolate Cake

By Jen Whetten (Conor Cox's Mom)

Cake:
1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar

Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
4 TB vegan butter spread (or real butter if you're an omni)
2 TB soy milk (or any other milk if you're an omni)
2 TB unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, then grease an 8 X 8 square pan or dish.
2.  Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt with a whisk, making sure it is really blended together. Add the water, vanilla, oil, and vinegar, and again, mix until it's well blended. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
3.  Pour the mixture into the pan and place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean. Cool on a rack completely (about 2 hours).
4.  For the glaze, in a small saucepan, bring sugar, butter spread, soy milk, and cocoa to a boil. Stir frequently; then reduce heat to a simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir for another 5 minutes. Don't think you can leave out this step, or the sugar won't dissolve and your glaze with be grainy....and nobody likes grainy glaze, now do they...
5.  Add vanilla, stir, and immediately pour onto cake. Glaze dries quickly, so spread it immediately and add any sprinkles or topping now. Let this cool for 1 hour, if you can wait that long!