Very Best Vegan Chocolate Cake

Prep: Let the vegan butter, dairy-free yogurt, and soy milk come to room temperature for several hours. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment and grease the sides.

Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. For best results, measure the flour with a digital scale. Or spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level off (don't scoop directly from the bag).

Reverse Cream the Butter: Add the softened vegan butter to the dry ingredients and beat with a hand mixer until the mixture looks like sand. If there are any large chunks of butter, use your fingers to break them apart and continue mixing.

Bloom the Cocoa: In a large glass measuring cup (or a medium bowl), mix 1 cup of the hot soy milk and instant espresso. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until thick and smooth.

Mix Batter: Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the bloomed cocoa mixture, the remaining 1 cup of soy milk, oil, yogurt and vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed with hand mixers for about 1 minute until mostly smooth.

Bake the Cake: Divide the batter evenly between the pans (about 725g per pan), tap to release air bubbles, and bake for 36-39 minutes. The top should spring back at the touch and the edges should be pulling away slightly from the sides. I baked mine for ~37 mins. but the time will depend on your specific oven.

Cool and Frost: Cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out and let cool completely before frosting, slicing, and serving.Optional: Brush the cooled cake layers with the warm brown sugar chocolate cake soak in the notes below for even more moisture and flavor.