The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake- A quick and easy recipe, made in 1 bowl! This really is the best chocolate cake ever, vegan or otherwise. It’s super moist, rich and full of chocolate. 

slice of vegan chocolate cake on a plate

My birthday was a few weeks ago, so what did I do? I asked my mom to watch all 3 kids for a few hours so I could create and photograph the BEST EVER Vegan Chocolate Cake. Pretty great birthday if you ask me! 😉

For some reason, every time I get a vegan piece of cake out (such as at Whole Foods or elsewhere), I am disappointed. The frosting is usually yummy, but the cake part is either 1. strange tasting OR 2. super dry, not moist at all. Seriously disappointing.

I’ve also made a few of the vegan chocolate cake recipes out there, but even those weren’t quite moist enough or perfect enough for my taste. So I did a little thinking and experimenting and I finally came up with the best, most perfectly moist and delicious vegan chocolate cake recipe!

vegan chocolate cake with a slice taken out of it

The frosting is a mouthwatering, ultra rich chocolate buttercream. I recommend using earth balance vegan buttery sticks, I haven’t found another brand that tastes quite as good.

If you are looking for a lighter alternative, check out this Chocolate Cake with Cashew Vanilla Frosting. There is nothing “light” about this Chocolate Cake! It is a full on indulgent recipe. And I’m okay with that.

 

 

vegan chocolate frosting in a bowl with a whisk

What is the secret to a super moist vegan chocolate cake?

A couple of things make this cake super moist. The applesauce helps (don’t worry, you can’t taste it). But the BIG secret is to add a cup of boiling hot water to the cake batter right before baking. It makes such a difference!

The batter will appear runny when you add it, but don’t worry, that is completely correct and exactly what it should be like. It results in the most moist, delicious chocolate cake I’ve ever tasted!

vegan chocolate cake frosted close up

If you are craving a chocolate fix about now, or are new to being vegan and miss good tasting cake, give this recipe a try! It’s easy to make and hard to mess it up.

OR if you are wanting to try something other than chocolate, give this Vegan Lemon Cake a go! It’s one of my most popular dessert recipes, and impresses people every time I make it.

slice of vegan chocolate cake with a fork taking a bite.

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Recipe inspired by Add A Pinch.

slice of vegan chocolate cake with a fork taking a bite.
4.96 stars (1680 ratings)

The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake

The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake- A quick and easy recipe, made in 1 bowl! This really is the best chocolate cake ever, vegan or otherwise. It's super moist, rich and full of chocolate. 
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 16 servings

Ingredients 
 

Chocolate Cake

  • 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup canola oil OR melted coconut oil
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • 1 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 cups vegan butter, softened baking sticks preferred
  • 4-5 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

Instructions 

For the Chocolate Cake

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease two 9-inch cake pans. I also line them with parchment rounds and lightly flour for easy removal of the cakes later.
  • Measure 1 cup unsweetened almond milk and add the tablespoon of vinegar to it. Stir slightly and set aside to curdle.
  • In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk well to combine.
  • Now add the oil, applesauce, vanilla and almond milk/vinegar mixture. Mix on medium speed with a hand mixer (or stand mixer with the paddle attachment) until well combined. 
  • Lower the speed and carefully pour in the boiling water, continuing to mix into the cake batter until combined. The batter will seem very runny at this point; that is how it should be, trust me!
  • Divide the batter evenly between your cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. After 10 minutes of cooling in the pan, carefully remove the cakes from the pans and let cool completely before frosting.

For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

  • Add the cocoa powder to a large bowl (I just wipe out the cake bowl and use it for the frosting). Whisk well to remove any clumps.
  • Add the softened vegan butter and mix with a hand mixer until creamed and well combined.
  • Add half of the powdered sugar and half of the almond milk, and mix until combined. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Mix starting on low, and turn to high. Mix until fluffy and combined.
  • If the frosting seems too dry, add more milk, a tablespoon or two at a time. If the frosting seems too wet and doesn't hold it's shape, add more powdered sugar until it thickens up. 
  • Frost the cake using an icing spatula or just a butter knife.

Video

Notes

  1. For cupcakes, fill liners half full and bake for 20-25 minutes. The whole recipe will yield approximately 24 cupcakes.
  2. Double the recipe to make a 4 layer cake, or cut in half to make a 1 layer round cake. You can also make a bundt cake, simply bake for 45 minutes. Or a 9 x 13 inch cake, baking for about 35-40 minutes.
  3. Don't like a lot of frosting? Cut the frosting ingredients in half. The recipe as written makes enough for thick layers of frosting.
  4. Nut allergy? You may substitute soy milk or another milk for the almond milk, any non-dairy milk will work here.
  5. No applesauce? Substitute 2 flax eggs (2 tbs ground flax + 5 tbs water), whipped aquafaba or another egg replacer such as Bob's Red Mill (2 eggs worth). 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 408mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Nora Taylor
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!
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Comments

  1. Hello!!! First of all, im Sorry for my bad english, i love your recipe!! Thanks you so much for sharing, I have a question, can I put nuts on top of the buttercream or they will fall? Can I decorate with shorts pieces of nuts on the base? Thanks you!! 

    1. I’ve never tried it, so I’m really not sure. The frosting can’t really be made without vegan butter, so you’d have to go without or find an oil free frosting you like.

  2. Delicious, One of the best cakes I’ve ever tasted. It was perfect for my dads birthday since it’s vegan. 🙂

  3. This is truly the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made! I only bake cake about 3 times per year as requested for special events/birthdays, and in 15 vegan years, this is the first chocolate cake we’ve all loved! The cake is perfectly moist and the icing is just the perfect sweetness and easy to work with! Thank you for this lovely recipe, we will absolutely come back to it anytime we are craving chocolate cake! ❤️

  4. I made this cake for my husband’s birthday this weekend and it turned out incredible! So rich and chocolatey yet light and moist! I topped it with your Vanilla Frosting and it was divine. I had already made your Vanilla Cake for his birthday last year which was also delicious! I can’t wait to try your Coconut Cake and Lemon Cake next!! Thank you for this wonderful recipe 🙂 

    1. Hi Nadia. Happy birthday to your husband! I’m glad the cake was wonderful! Thank you for sharing your comments!

  5. This is hands down the best cake I’ve ever made, vegan or otherwise! My non vegan family members absolutely loved it too.

  6. I made this for a birthday cake for a my in laws who are not vegan. Had they not known it was vegan they would have never thought it was vegan. This is the best chocolate cake I have ever had and they said the same.

  7. Hi Nora!
    I’ve tried your cake and it’s superb!
    Now I want to make it with regular butter because I only have that one in the fridge… can I do so?
    What would happened if I substitute the vegan butter with a regular one?
    Thank you!
    Vittoria

    1. Hi Vittoria, I’m so glad you are enjoying the cake! Regular butter will work the same for the frosting. Thanks!

  8. The best chocolate cake recipe I’ve ever tried, vegan or otherwise, and I’ve worked as a professional baker. Absolutely delicious, fudgy perfection that never fails!

  9. The best I have ever made!! Thank you so much! Made this for my daughter’s birthday and it was a complete success. 

  10. This Chocolate Cake is so delicious. I did cut back on the powdered sugar. Just three cups. Only and it was so good. Thank you !!!

    1. I’m afraid cake flour would be too fragile for this particular recipe, which is already super moist, fluffy and soft. For other cakes, I recommend it!

  11. This is, as the title suggests, the best vegan chocolate cake ever, i discovered it 2-3 years ago, made it for my moms bday and have made it many times since!!
    I came back to it today, just to reminisce, as i just moved out of my parents house and i don’t have an oven in my student house..

    As soon as i get the opportunity im making it again:)

    Love from The Netherlands!

    1. Hi Sophia from the Netherlands! Thank you for reaching out with your wonderful comments! It’s so fun! Good luck in your new space. I hope you get to make the cake again soon!

  12. Sorry if this has been asked before, I couldn’t find unsweetened apple sauce should I reduce my sugar, and would you know how much by?

    1. Hi Matt,

      I made my own unsweetened apple sauce and it’s the easiest thing and turned out perfect!

      8-10 Granny Smith apples (depending on size)

      1 1/5 Cups Water

      1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

      This quantity gave me 4 x 3/4 cups, when I made 4 x 8″ size cakes of Nora’s recipe 🙂

  13.  I have never had a better chocolate cake recipe.  Even pre-vegan life.  So light, moist and delicious. The frosting is amazing.  I halved the frosting recipe and it was the perfect amount for a 2 layer 8” ( i used in place of 9”) cake.  I have said it before, but Nora you are a genius in the kitchen.  TY

    1. Hi Veronica. I’m glad you enjoyed the cake! You could try using a gluten free mix, that generally works quite well. Thank you for sharing!

    1. It’s in the instructions. You simply add a little apple cider vinegar to the almond milk. You can also use another milk, such as soy.

  14. I am a terrible baker and my 3yo daughter really wanted to make a cake today. This was the first recipe I found that didn’t require a trip to the shop and holy shit this is the greatest cake I’ve ever made! I halved the icing cos it seemed like a lot and what a perfect result. Thank you so very much x

  15. This is a winner! I’ve tried my hand at a few vegan chocolate cake recipes, and they never turn out quite right – they always miss the buttery taste & tend to be a little dry or they fall apart. Some taste OK but you can’t adequately frost them. This one hit every mark! Taste, consistency, firmness & oh so moist! Everyone loved it & I can’t wait to make it again. Thank you for sharing!

  16. Hi Nora

    I want to try this cake but don’t have any apple cider vinegar. Is there anything I can use instead without compromising the flavour?

    Thanks

    1. I have left it out before and it was fine, but you could replace it with lemon juice or even white vinegar. Enjoy!

  17. Hi this is a such a yummy vegan chocolate cake recipe and I always use it but I’m just curious if you got the recipe from Purdy’s Chocolate website and you’re trying to pass it as your own… :/

    1. Hi there! I developed this recipe from several egg and dairy filled cake recipes until it was just right, and I posted this 3 1/2 years ago now. I’ve never heard of Purdy’s but I’d love to see the recipe. Since I posted the recipe I have seen other websites nearly copy my own word for word, unfortunately.

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