This delicious recipe comes from Colleen Patrick Goudrea's fabulous cookbook, "The Joy of Vegan Baking". With a couple changes, the cake is wonderful for a festive birthday or impressive dinner dessert.

The ingredients make one 9-inch cake or double ingredients for 9 x 13 cake pan.

• 1 1/2 cups either rice flour, spelt flour or combination of whole wheat pastry and white. (I use the latter combo.)
• 3/4 cup organic sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup oil (recipe used canola oil, but I would use either a high oleic safflower oil or instead of oil, use 1/3 cup of organic applesauce.)
• 1 T white vinegar
• 1 cup very cold water

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine dry ingredients. Create a well in the center and add the vanilla, oil or applesauce, white vinegar, and water. Mix just until combined. 

Put in cake pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Test with toothpick for doneness. Cool on rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.