Coffee Cake

• 1½ Cups Strong Brewed Coffee, Cooled
• ½ Cup Plain Non-Dairy Milk
• 1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Teaspoons Instant Coffee Granules
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• ½ Cup Canola Oil
• 1 ⅓ Cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 1½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
• ¾ Teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ Teaspoon Salt
• ¼ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 13 × 9-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, whisk together the coffee, soymilk, vinegar, coffee granules, vanilla, oil, and sugar. Whisk to dissolve the coffee granules and set aside. Take out a second bowl and sift both flours into it, along with the baking powder and soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir to distribute the dry goods throughout, and then pour the wet ingredients on top of the dry. Mix until just combined, ignoring any stray lumps to prevent overmixing, and pour the batter into your prepared pan. Smooth down the top with your spatula, and bake for 28–34 minutes, until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.

Meanwhile, pull out your food processor or blender to get started on the custard. Drain out as much excess liquid from the tofu as possible, and then thoroughly purée both until entirely smooth. Add in the sugar, vanilla, and peppermint extract, and pulse to combine. Place the chopped chocolate and soymilk in a microwave-safe dish, and heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring well after each minute, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Pour the chocolate into the tofu mixture and purée for another minute, scraping down the sides as needed to ensure that the custard is homogeneous. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill. It will become thicker as it sits in the fridge.

When your cake is baked and cooled, cut it into small cubes. Arrange some of the cubes on the bottom of a 2-quart trifle dish into one even layer, and then spread a layer of the chocolate custard on top. Sprinkle a handful of the crushed candy canes and chocolate on top. Repeat this process until all components have been used up.