Four-layer vegan Oreo chocolate cake

For special occasions, you need an over-the-top extravagant cake to take centre stage at the celebrations, and this four-layered vegan Oreo chocolate cake is a real showstopper! The filling and topping uses aquafaba to give it a light, fluffy texture, so if you’re not familiar with this miraculous ingredient check out our guide here. 

Four-layer vegan Oreo chocolate cake

Recipe by Richard Church (www.richardchurchphoto.com)

Serves up to 12 | Prep time: Approx. 1 hour | Cooking time: Approx 90 minutes, plus cooling and setting time

Ingredients

For the chocolate sponge:

• 600g unrefined sugar
• 600g vegan margarine, plus extra for greasing
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 50ml cold water
• 500g self-raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 100g cocoa powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 100ml plant-based milk (I used oat)
• 150g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

For the chocolate filling and topping:

• 1 can chickpea water (aquafaba)
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 2 tbsp unrefined sugar
• 200g Oreos (I used Oreo thins)
• 200ml vegan cream
• 200g dark chocolate, melted
• 80g vegan margarine, room temperature

Additional topping (if required):

• 200g dark chocolate, melted
• 100g vegan margarine, at room temperature
• 50ml vegan cream
• Approx 32 Oreo Thins to put on top of the cake

Method

1. Preheat the oven to gas 5/190C/375F and grease and line with baking paper either 2 or 4 lose-bottomed cake tins, approximately 8 inches (20cm) in diameter.
2. To make the sponge layers, put the margarine and sugar into a large mixing bowl and cream together using an electric whisk, until the mixture is light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
3. Put the chia seeds into a small bowl and add the 50ml of cold water. Stir together and leave for 10 minutes, until you get a gloopy mixture.
4. In the meantime, add the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder to the sugar and butter mix and stir until fully combined. Add the vanilla extract, the plant-based milk and the chia seed mix and stir thoroughly. Now add the chocolate pieces and stir again, then divide the mixture into 4 and put a quarter of it into each lined cake tin. If you are using 4 tins, then you can fill them all straight away. If you are using two tins, then just use half the mixture for now. You will only be cooking two cakes at a time anyway.
5. Place two of the cakes in the middle of the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until risen and cooked through. Allow the cooked cakes to cool for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack.
6. Now either grease and line the same cake tins, or use two new ones. Divide the remaining half of the mixture between those tins and bake in the oven again for the same amount of time.