Chocolate Cake to Live For

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Oil the sides and bottom of a 9-inch cake pan and line the bottom with a parchment circle or paper cut to fit. Do not oil the paper. Whisk, measure and sift together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a medium mixing bowl. Place the oil in a medium mixing bowl. Add the non-dairy milk, maple syrup, vanilla, vinegar and chocolate extract (if using), whisking to blend completely. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the parchment lined pan. Rotate the pan to level the batter and tap it lightly on the counter to get rid of some of the air bubbles. The batter will be thin.

Transfer the cake to the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 28 to 30 minutes or until the top of the cake is set, the sides have started to pull away from the pan and a tester or wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. Remove from the oven and set the pan on a wire cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes. Run a thin spatula around the sides of the cake to release the sides from the pan. Invert the layer onto the wire rack, remove the pan and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Invert again to place the cake, top up, on the wire rack and allow to cool completely. When cool, slide a cardboard circle or a flat plate underneath. Cover the cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well-chilled before glazing. Prepare the Bittersweet Ganache Glaze. To glaze the cake, place it on an icing rack set over a parchment-lined baking pan. Pour slightly less than 1 cup of the ganache into a measuring cup with a spout. Center the cup over the cake and pour the glaze onto the center of the cake. Coax the glaze to the edges and down the sides by tilting the baking sheet or use an icing spatula. Then, use a spatula to spread the glaze onto the sides. Allow the glaze to set undisturbed for 15 minutes. Then transfer to the refrigerator for 10 minutes to allow the glaze to set completely. Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Refill the measuring cup with another scant cup of the glaze and add another coating of the glaze as directed above. This time, do not try to move the glaze around with the spatula after it has been applied. Doing so will mar the finish. Extra glaze can be drizzled freeform on the top of the cake to add interest or to hide any blemishes. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator and allow the glaze to set for at least 30 minutes before serving.