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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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Recipe inspired by Add A Pinch.
The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
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
- For cupcakes, fill liners half full and bake for 20-25 minutes. The whole recipe will yield approximately 24 cupcakes.
- 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.
- Don't like a lot of frosting? Cut the frosting ingredients in half. The recipe as written makes enough for thick layers of frosting.
- Nut allergy? You may substitute soy milk or another milk for the almond milk, any non-dairy milk will work here.
- 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).
Hi,
I am baking this chocolate cake to post out to a family member.
Does it need to be kept refrigerated once baked?
And how long can it be kept for after baking?
Thanks 🙂
It doesn’t need to be refrigerated, no. But make sure your vegan butter is not too melty when you make the frosting, or you may need to refrigerate it. You want a thick frosting, if that makes sense. The cake will keep for 3-4 days, as long as you cover the cut parts with plastic wrap in between enjoying it. Hope that helps!
Best of all vegan cakes I have ever made. Added 1 tsp of espresso powder.
Thank you, Toni!
I started making this cake and realized I didn’t have any almond milk left! I ended up using some canned coconut cream I had in the cupboard. Since it was pretty thick I just omitted the vinegar. Idk if this logic makes sense but I just went with it.
The cake still turned out delicious! The cream made it super fudgey and moist. Borderline too moist actually. Since I had some leftover coconut cream I just made chocolate ganache instead of frosting.
It was delicious but I also can’t wait to try it again with the ACTUAL listed ingredients lol.
Hi Sharon. I’m glad your ingredients worked into a delicious cake! Let me know how your next one goes! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for this recipe — tastes great and looks just like the picture. No more dry cake.
This is my go to base cake …then I can modify to any flavor / style .
Thank you
I’ve made a lot of chocolate cakes and this is my favourite. I play around with some things (mainly sugar/apple sauce/oil to change the sweetness) but this recipe is just AMAZING! ugh. I adore this cake. I’m about to make my millionth one today for my birthday. Thank u Nora!
Hello bday girl! Happy birthday to you! I’m glad you’re loving the cake! Thank you very much for sharing!
This cake definitely lives up to it’s name! It’s easy, and, by far, the best chocolate cake, and frosting that I have ever had!!
Thank you, Lisa! I’m so glad you love the cake! Thank you for sharing!
Super tasty! Can’t even tell it’s plan based 🙂
Thank you, Hania!
I have never left a review for a recipe before but OMG! This is the best chocolate cake, vegan or otherwise. My family has thoroughly enjoyed this cake all week long. Not one bit will go uneaten. Thank you so much! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Hi Nicole. I appreciate you taking your time to share your review! I’m really glad your family loves the cake! Thank you for using my recipes, and happy cooking!
Love this cake. Made it for my non-vegan husband’s birthday and it was a big hit! Making it tonight for my daughter’s birthday. Very clear recipe and very easy to make
Hi Kathryn. Happy birthday to your daughter! I’m glad the cake is a hit! I appreciate your comments! Thank you!
I am a vegetarian and I was wondering if its ok if I use regular milk. Does that work?
I’m sure it won’t make a difference in the end result. Thanks!
Amazing!!
I baked in a 9×13 pan and made two rectangle 4 layer cakes from it.
Instead of the buttercream I made chocolate coconut whipcream frosting with a vegan chocolate ganache.
Was very, very tasty!!
Looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
Thank you :).
Hi Tania. I’m glad you enjoyed the cake! Thank you for using my recipes! I look forward to hearing how they turn out for you! Happy cooking!
Has anyone tried making this recipe using almond flour or another flour alternative?
Hi there! People have definitely tried using almond flour but without success, almond flour will not work. You’ll end up with a bubbling mess. A gluten free flour mix does work however! I have used King Arthur Flour and Bob’s Red Mill with success.
Hello! I recently became a vegan, but one of my preferred things to do. Is bake.
I know that veganism is being more supported now but i was still worried i wasn’t going to find anything.
Then i found this recipe!!! It looks absolutely delicious and it does not actually require many ingredients!
I have nog tried it yet but my Birthday is coming up so im going to make if then. Thank you so much for sharing this worderful recipe ☺️?
Hi Maya. I also really enjoy baking! I hope you enjoy this cake. Let me know how it turns out for you! Happy birthday!
Hello what else can I use instead of apple sauce? And how much of it 🙂
You could probably use vegan yogurt, mashed banana or maybe a few flax eggs (2 tbs ground flax + 5 tbs).
Best chocolate cake ever. Everybody loves it thank you for sharing
Hi Janis. Thank you!
Love it!!! Thank you for always shared yours récipes! I husband birthday is this Sunday and I want to surprise him with a cake but he loves Oreos, can I put oreos in the cream? How much for this recipe? Thank you very much
Of course, thank you! Sure, you could put some crushed up oreos in the frosting if you’d like. I’m not sure how much exactly, maybe a cup or so? Hope he loves it!
I have made this cake as an Oreo ice cream cake and it’s DELISH! I mix vegan vanilla ice cream (1 pint) with crushed oreos and spread between two round layers. I then make a cool whip frosting with vegan cool whip, cream cheese, vanilla and maple syrup. I spread that on top and sprinkle with crushed oreos! Family LOVES IT!!!
Hi Zakiya. Your cake sounds fun and delicious! Thank you for using my recipe, and for taking your time to share!
Hi Nora, is it possible to bake and freeze the cake ahead of time, and put together/frost on the day it’s needed? Want to make this for my sons first birthday but don’t want to leave it last minute – hard to get anything done on time with the kiddo running around!
Hi Vicky! Yes, you can frost the cake ahead of time, then frost the day of. Just make sure to wrap the cakes well before freezing (and let them cool all the way before putting them in the freezer). Hope that helps!
thank you! how far in advance can the frosting itself be made? will it keep in the fridge overnight if I make it the night before?
Overnight is fine, just let it warm up a little at room temperature before spreading, as it will thicken a lot when cold. 3-4 days would probably be fine if needed.
Made this for my Dads birthday, didn’t even say it was vegan and he LOVED it !! So did I. The best cake I’ve ever made.
Hi Jess. I’m glad your dad loved his birthday cake! Thank you!
I’ve made this several times. I sub coffee for the boiling water and add chocolate chips. I skip the icing. Cool it in 2 bunt pans. Really good!
Hi Lisa. I’m glad you enjoy the cake! Thank you!
Hi Nora, absolutely love this recipe! Do you think it would be possible to make them in mini Dutch ovens?
It probably would, but I haven’t tried it. Glad you love the cake!
Hi Nora,
I made this once and it was delicious but I don’t remember if I used natural cocoa powder or dutch processed. What do you suggest/use?
I usually use natural cocoa powder, but dutch processed does work as well, it just makes the cake and frosting very dark. Thank you!
Hey Nora!
I just made this cake in cupcake form, and they sank in the middle! I am an avid non-vegan baker and never had cupcakes sink, so this issue is new to me in addition to never having made vegan cake before! I made them for some friends with allergies.
I did have to sub GF and used Red Mill Egg Replacement instead on the recommendation of my friend (because of the GF flour). Any suggestions on what to do to make them not sink?
Hi Ari! Likely the reason is due to your substitutions, as I have never tested both using gluten free flour and a different egg replacement. Gluten free flour should work quite well, but they may sink more with it, I’m not sure. You could try adding a little extra gf flour, or maybe less hot water since the gf flour you used is making them more fragile. What kind of gf flour did you use? I have made the cake with King Arthur and Bob’s Red Mill brand with good results. You could also try my chocolate cupcakes recipe, which is similar but a little more sturdy for cupcakes. Hope that helps!
Thanks for responding!
I used Red Mill GF flour. I did find the cupcake recipe after this comment, and have been testing it all morning! I read through comments and saw your recommendation for an extra 1/4 cup flour, which I tried first. They didn’t sink! But they were a tad dry. I made another batch without the additional 1/4 cup flour and they sank juuuuust a touch. I feel like an extra 1/8 cup flour is the sweet spot! Lol I’m determined to get this right!!
It sounds like 1/8th of a cup might be perfect! I don’t really mind if my cupcakes sink a little in the middle, I just fill them with frosting anyhow. 🙂
Recipe sounds delicious but I thought granulated sugar wasn’t considered vegan. I’m new to vegan baking and want to make sure I understand. Thank you!
Sometimes white sugar is processed using animal bones, so that would not be vegan, but many sugars are just fine. To be safe, buy organic sugar, which is never processed with animal bones, from what I understand. You can also do some research on brands and figure out which sugar is vegan friendly. In other parts of the world, sugar is always vegan, so it really just depends. Hope that helps!
OMG!!!! 2 vegans in our family has driven me to tailor my own recipes and search for new ones. My Mom’s birthday sent me on a search for a vegan cake recipes. Admittedly I did not have high expectations only hoping that it would be good enough to satisfy everyone and not face unwanted criticism. This recipe DID NOT DISAPPOINT! I think this is the BEST chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten! My grandmother would make chocolate cake and what I remember most was the frosting. I would later learn it was the addition of coffee that made it stand out. So I took a leap of faith and mixed instant espresso into the almond milk before adding it to this frosting recipe. Instantly I was brought back to my Grandmothers kitchen! The coffee cuts the sweetness of the frosting. I grew up eating this before I would ever know it was coffee I was tasting. To my surprise after my mother tasted the cake she shared her own story that it was actually her Grandfather’s recipe that my Grandmother would make. I had no idea that this recipe would not only impress everyone that tasted it but also spark such a special food memory for myself but most importantly my Mother! Thank you so very much! This will now be my go to dessert recipe!
Hi Michele. I’m glad the cake was loved by all! Thank you for sharing such a special memory story! How wonderful!