This Vegan Chocolate Cake is so good that you won't even notice it's vegan! This chocolate birthday cake is super moist, yet still light and fluffy. The deep chocolate flavor comes from the balance of coffee, vanilla and cocoa powder in the batter. Yes, you can still have a rich chocolate cake even if you're baking without eggs or milk.
This is the BEST Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe
As someone who has been baking for many years, I do a lot of A-B testing. I'll make the same recipe side by side with one small thing altered in the B version of the recipe. I have been A-B testing cake batters for years.
I've always leaned towards cakes and cupcakes made with oil, because oil makes the final cake more moist and fluffy. Upon first bite, butter might have the best flavor, but as a cake sits, the butter solidifies and the cake texture alters significantly.
So, I made the switch to a vegan cake batter, and I have never looked back. The first thing I mastered was a vegan chocolate cake!
The best thing about this cake is that it is so easy to change the size because the recipe proportions are so simple to scale up or down!
Chocolate Vegan Cake size options
Since Valentine's Day is just around the corner, I want to make a vegan chocolate cake! I'm really great about making vegan cakes, but when it comes time to frost said vegan cake, I struggle without buttercream or ganache. Usually, I just opt for my vegan brownies in that case.
Speaking of, did you know my vegan chocolate cupcakes are naturally made without animal products because I fully believe in a moist fluffy cupcake made with oil and leavened with a small amount of vinegar? And furthermore, I love using peanut butter as a butter replacement in frosting. That recipe is just perfect, but I'm digressing. We're here to talk about this vegan chocolate cake recipe.
We have options with this cake! The recipe below is for the petite cake on the right that serves 2-4 people. It's a one layer cake that we slice in half and layer with vegan chocolate buttercream, and then decorate. However, you can double the recipe for a larger cake--it doubles exactly as written!
On the left is single layer 9" cake that serves 8-10 made by doubling the recipe below, but feel fee to quadruple the recipe below and get two 9-inch layer cakes.
If you double the recipe, you can also bake it in a 9" bread loaf pan with mini chocolate chips--no frosting needed!
I hope all of the options for cake sizes make sense to you--if not, ask below! If you're looking for a vegan vanilla birthday cake, I have that, too.
Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe ingredients
For this cake, you will need:
- Flour. We’re using all-purpose regular flour today, not pastry flour and not cake flour.
- Sugar. Granulated sugar might not be vegan, so check your label.
- Cocoa Powder. We need unsweetened regular cocoa powder for the cake and the frosting. For a darker color frosting, you can use special dark cocoa powder.
- Baking Soda. Baking soda will react with the vinegar in the cake batter to make a light and fluffy cake. Yes, this recipe only contains baking soda and no baking powder.
- Oil. You can use any oil without a flavor, such as canola, grapeseed or safflower oil.
- Vanilla Extract. Vanilla always rounds out the flavor of chocolate, do not skip!
- Vinegar. Because we’re making a vegan chocolate cake, it doesn’t have any acidic dairy products to create the rise and lift in the cake. So, we will use a very small amount of apple cider vinegar to bring acidity to the batter. It is such a small amount--one-half teaspoon, and I promise your cake will not taste like vinegar! But, it will be very fluffy and light.
- Coffee. Most chocolate cake recipes call for warm water, but why use water when you can use freshly brewed hot coffee? Coffee amplifies the flavor of chocolate.
- Plant-Based Butter. For the vegan chocolate buttercream frosting, use one stick of plant-based butter.
- Powdered Sugar. We only need powdered sugar for the frosting.
How to make Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350, and spray a 6" cake pan with 2" sides with cooking spray, and then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the wet ingredients: oil, vanilla, vinegar, and coffee.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, and stir to combine.
- Slowly pour the coffee mixture into the bowl while whisking. Whisk until the cake batter is mostly lump-free, but try not to mix too much and make a dense cake batter.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake on the center rack of the oven for 32-34 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- While the cake cools, make the frosting: beat together the softened 'butter' with the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of coffee. Add the remaining coffee if needed to bring it together.
- Once the cake is cool, slice it in half horizontally. Place the bottom of the cake on a plate, and scoop ⅓ of the frosting on top. Spread the frosting almost to the edges. Place the remaining cake layer on top, and frost with the remaining frosting. If desired, portion some frosting into a bag fitted with an open star tip and decorate the cake with buttercream roses and sprinkles.
How to store Egg Free Chocolate Cake
The best way to store a frosted cake is at room temperature for one day in an air-tight container. Beyond one day, move it to the fridge for up to 3 days. If you want to freeze cake, slice it, lay it flat on a small paper plate, double wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
Best Vegan Chocolate Cake FAQs
Do vegan cakes taste different?
If your recipe is great (like this one is), your vegan cake will taste identical to a regular cake.
Why is vegan cake so dense?
My recipe below creates a light and fluffy cake. If another recipe creates a dense cake, make sure that you didn’t over-mix the ingredients, because this can activate the gluten in the flour and make a dense cake. Measure your ingredients properly, and do not over-bake.
Is vegan cake more healthy?
Cake is still cake because calories are still calories, no matter where the ingredients are sourced from. Vegan cakes can be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol because they do not contain egg yolks or dairy ingredients, however.
Egg Free Chocolate Cake
Vegan chocolate cake for two made in a 6" cake pan; recipe doubles for a single layer 9" cake pan. Or, quadruple the recipe for a 2 layer 9" cake. Can also double the recipe below and bake it in a 9" bread loaf pan.
Ingredients
For the vegan chocolate cake:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar*
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ tablespoons canola oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon vinegar
- ½ cup hot coffee
For the vegan chocolate buttercream:
- 1 stick plant-based butter substitute, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- splash of hot coffee to bring it together
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350, and place an oven rack in the center position of the oven.
- Spray one 6" cake pan with 2" sides with cooking spray, and then line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and spray again.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the oil, vanilla, vinegar, and coffee.
- Slowly pour the coffee mixture into the bowl while whisking. Whisk until the cake batter is mostly lump-free, but try not to mix too much and make a dense cake batter.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake on the center rack of the oven for 32-34 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- While the cake cools, make the frosting: beat together the softened 'butter' with the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of coffee. Add the remaining coffee if needed to bring it together.
- Once the cake is cool, slice it in half horizontally. Place the bottom of the cake on a plate, and scoop ⅓ of the frosting on top. Spread the frosting almost to the edges. Place the remaining cake layer on top, and frost with the remaining frosting. If desired, portion some frosting into a bag fitted with an open star tip and decorate the cake with buttercream roses and sprinkles.
Notes
*My vegan husband tells me that pure white granulated sugar isn't vegan, thanks to the bone char process. I can't really comment on the validity of this or not, so use natural cane sugar if this concerns you.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 665Total Fat: 33gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 763mgCarbohydrates: 90gFiber: 3gSugar: 66gProtein: 5g
Iris says
I would love to make this, but am wondering if I can freeze this or if it is possible to keep this 'fresh' for a week? A friend of mine is vegan and we celebrate two birthdays on a holiday, a week apart. I basically want to make this cake once in advance and use it twice. What advice could you give me?
Christina Lane says
Totally! Make the chocolate cake (without the frosting), and freeze it in a single layer. Defrost in the fridge overnight. make the frosting the day-of. If you need to make the frosting ahead of time, go ahead and put it on the cake, and then refrigerate. Then, leave the cake at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving to soften. Happy Birthday to you and your friend!!
Beth E. says
I made this cake today for Valentine's Day with Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, some instant espresso since I don't drink coffee, and Earth Balance spread for the buttercream. It turned out perfectly! It was very rich and moist. I'm looking forward to trying the white cake next.
Cynthia says
Hello,
I came across your blog and found your incredible chocolate cake recipe. I absolutely loved it and so did members of the staff where I work.
Not being a coffee lover, ever, I used hot water instead. The cake came out light, fluffy, and had just enough chocolate flavor. I frosted it with whipped cream cheese icing too. The combination rocked!
I'm not a vegan, but prefer to bake without eggs. They tend to go bad before all are eaten or used.
Thanks again for sharing this recipe!
annupamaa says
Can I bake this in a 6 inch pan which is taker than 2 inches ? Would it work ?
Alpa says
Can I use sunflower oil or palm oil instead of canola oil?
Kat says
How do you think this cake would do in 4 inch pans? I was thinking of making a mini cake but only have 4 inch pans!
CG says
Hi! I love your recipes! However, I just wanted to ask, are the calories for the whole cake? Or per portion?
Thank you!
Christina Lane says
Anytime the calories seem high, it's probably because the app is calculating the entire cake. I don't have much control over the app, I'm sorry!
doris says
I make a cake for 9x13 or 2 8 or 9 in round pan with the water not coffee in it. I put peanut butter frosting on top of it and its real good
Tracey says
I made this cake with whole wheat flour, coconut oil and monk fruit sweetener (wow lol, I know, I changed a lot of things) and it worked (surprisingly).
Mandira Ravindranath says
Christina, do you use a conventional oven for your cakes or a fan-forced one? I recently switched ovens and have an option for the fan mode, but find the cake cooking too fast and getting hard on the exterior. Do you recommend baking without the fan mode?
Ter says
Just wanted to pass on this tip about vegan sugar with NO bone char…. Try Zulka sugar…. It’s unfined,no GMO and absolutely delicious! Available in most grocery stores and extremely reasonable. Sam’s Club has it for 6.47 for a 10 pound bag. It’s the best!!!!!!