Darth Vader Double Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free, Vegan)

I want to share two things with you today.

The second thing is this cake:

As you can see, this cake is beautiful and chocolatey and shaped remotely like Darth Vader. It is also product of my super awesome gluten-free/vegan recipe that I've muscled together. I know how my vegan buds and celiac dudes crave a good cake, but aren't often able to find one. That's the shittiest. So here is a easy cake, just for you!

And for the people who eat wheat and/or butter, you're invited to the cake party too! Seriously, just think of this one as the easiest, most delicious cake ever. Gluten-free/vegan or not.

Anyways, that was the second thing. Here's the first thing:

This picture was taken by an ECCC minion. Yay them!

Your eyes are not deceiving you. That is a male Slave Leia. We like to call him Prince Leia (he was inspired by this great cosplayer over here). And next to him is Lady Han Solo, being all scruffy-lookin' and the like.

These are this year's cosplay. You might remember our first year's costumes. And then last summer's. But these ones we're really proud of because of the amount of new skills. Sewing, casting with latex and resin,  working with wonderflex and plastic, modelling with clay - we did it all. If you're interested in our cosplay, we do post pictures in both our facebook, and tumblr, so go check that crap out.

Okay, let's get back to the second thing.

Make this goddamn Vader cake. It is delicious.

Double Chocolate Cake (Vegan and Gluten Free)
adapted from Joy the Baker
Makes one 8" cake (or Vader-shaped cake)

2 1/4 cup gluten free flour mix (make sure it's a one-to-one mix. Or, if you don't care about gluten, just use regular ol' flour)
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup coffee or dairy free milk (whichever you got on hand, really)
1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teapoons vanilla extract
1/2 cocoa nibs or bittersweet chocolate chunks

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil your pan, line the bottom with parchment paper (this is important for later) then set it aside.

2) Pour all your liquids (coffee or milk, oil, and vanilla) into a medium bowl and whisk until everything is fully incorporated. In a larger bowl, whisk together your flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir it together with a wooden spoon. No need to worry about over-mixing - that's the beauty with gluten-free flour! Add the cocoa nibs/chocolate chunks when the batter has come together. If it seems to dry for you (depending on your gf flour mix, it'll act differently), you can give it a glug or two of your coffee/milk to smooth it out.

3) Pour the batter into your pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until your cake tester comes out clean. Gluten free cakes should not be left in the pan to cool - this will make them all gummy. Flip that pan and take that cake out as soon as possible (and that's why you have that parchment paper bottom - it will help greatly. Let the cake cool before frosting.

Tofu fudge frosting (seriously, you'll be eating this stuff with a spoon)
12 oz bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
1 package (about 12 oz) of firm silken tofu
1/4 cup non-dairy milk
2 Tablespoons agave or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1) In your food process, chop up the tofu until it's smooth. While it's processing, melt the chocolate over a double boiler. Spoon the melted chocolate into food processor with the tofu. Continue to process while adding the milk, syrup, and extract. Mix until everything is combined. Slop on your cake like a boss.