Best Vegan Chocolate Cake (easy Recipe)

The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake made with simple ingredients in one bowl. It’s incredibly delicious, rich with chocolate flavor, and can be made gluten-free. The perfect dessert for any occasion!

For some reason, I could never imagine a world without chocolate! To me, personally, it’s always perfect – no matter which time of the day. You can have it for dessert, or just as a snack, or even for breakfast. For me, chocolate will always be something that lifts my spirits! Do you feel the same? If so, this Best Vegan Chocolate Cake is perfect for you, because is so chocolatey that it’ll definitely satisfy any chocolate cravings!

The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe

Actually, I’ve been making this recipe for years, but for some reason, I’ve never shared it on my blog. Anyways, to me, it’s just the Best Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe ever, and I’m also convinced it is definitely fail-proof, so it will never let you down. It is intensely chocolatey, rich, soft and has a creamy frosting (but it also tastes super yummy without the frosting). I‘m pretty sure no one will ever suspect it’s vegan and even healthier than other chocolate cakes because it tastes like a classic homemade chocolate cake!

Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake

To make this Vegan Chocolate Cake, all you need are just a few simple basic ingredients that you may already have on hand. You do not require eggs or any dairy ingredients, so it’s dairy-free and egg-free. A combination of baking soda, baking powder + apple cider vinegar helps the cake rise, and also keeps it delightfully fluffy. All you need to do is to combine the wet with the dry ingredients. Simply melt chocolate, mix and bake. It couldn’t be simpler.

Use your favorite baking dish

There are several things you can do with this recipe. You can bake this cake in a round tin to make a layer cake as I did, however, this recipe works just as well in a loaf pan or in cupcake and muffin pans. The only thing you should pay attention to is the baking time. For chocolate cupcakes or muffins, it only takes about 15 minutes. A chocolate loaf, however, takes about 50 minutes. I always recommend doing a cake test during baking to check if the cake is done. Baking for too long is not good either because it dries out the cake.

Chocolate Cream Frosting

I like this cake best when it’s topped with a fluffy and creamy chocolate mousse and rich chocolate ganache, but you can also top it just with the ganache, or enjoy the cake how it is. When serving, you can decorate it with healthy berries, cherries or other fruits of choice. By the way, if you make this cake without the frosting, it also tastes delicious when you add some vegan chocolate chips on top and then serve your piece with a big scoop of vegan ice cream, dairy-free yogurt, or whipped coconut cream on top.

Anyways, this vegan chocolate cake tastes totally delicious! It is:

• Dairy-free
• Soy-free
• Egg-free
• Quick and Easy to make
• Fail-Proof
• Rich in Chocolate flavor
• Frosted with Chocolate Cream
• Can be made Gluten-free
• Can be turned into Cupcakes, Muffins
• Also, perfect to make a loaf
• My Best Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe

Want more Chocolate Cake Recipes?

If you want to try more tasty chocolate cake recipes, you can check out my

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
• Raspberry Chocolate Cake
• Black Forest Cake
• Best Vegan Brownies
• Chocolate Banana Bread
• Vegan Chocolate Mousse
• Best Chocolate Cheesecake

If you try this Best Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe, please leave me a comment below letting me know how you like it! And if you take a picture of your yummy Cake and share it on Instagram, please make sure to tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka , so I won’t miss your post! 😊

Best Vegan Chocolate Cake

The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake is made with simple ingredients in one bowl. It’s incredibly delicious, rich with chocolate flavor and can be made gluten-free. The perfect dessert for any occasion!

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Cake, Dessert, Torte

Keyword: Cake, Chocolate, Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Ganache, Chocolate Mousse, Layer Cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 2 8-inch cakes

Author: Bianca Zapatka

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake:

• 1 cup non-dairy milk 240ml
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
• 2 cups all-purpose flour 240g, or gluten-free flour*
• 1 cup cocoa powder 120g
• 1 1/2 cups sugar 300g, or to taste
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-2 tsp instant coffee granules optional
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup neutral oil
• 1/2 cup apple sauce 120g, or 2 (flax)eggs (*see recipe notes)

Chocolate Frosting

• 1 cup non-dairy whipping cream or full-fat coconut milk, 240ml
• 12 oz non-dairy bittersweet chocolate chopped (I used 60% cocoa)
• 2-4 tbsp maple syrup or powdered sugar

Chocolate Mousse Filling (optional)

• 1/3 cup non-dairy whipping cream 80ml, room temperature
• 2 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup of the chocolate frosting 80ml

Instructions

(step-by-step pictures are in my blogpost)

Chocolate Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch (2x20cm) cake pans.
• Stir the apple cider vinegar into the non-dairy milk and set aside to curdle into vegan buttermilk.
• Sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl and mix to combine.
• Stir the coffee granules, if using, and vanilla extract into the boiling water.
• Pour the vegan buttermilk, oil and hot water mixture over the flour mixture. Also, add the apple sauce and stir with a spatula or handheld mixer on low speed just until combined and no large lumps remain (please do not overmix). (Adjust sugar to your desired taste).
• Fill the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. (If you want a moist chocolate cake, make sure not to overbake it.)
• Remove from oven and let cool completely. (Optionally, you can place the cakes in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight, as they will be easier to work with when well chilled.)

Frosting

• In a small pot, heat the coconut milk until just boiling (or microwave for about 2 minutes).
• Pour it over the chopped chocolate and stir until the chocolate is melted.
• Reserve about 1/4 cup of the chocolate frosting (to use in the chocolate mousse filling). Let cool remaining frosting until thickened into a spreadable frosting.

Chocolate Mousse

• Stir the reserved 1/3 cup of the frosting into the non-dairy whipping cream until you have a smooth chocolate cream. Then place in the fridge to cool.
• When the chocolate cream is well chilled, you can beat it with a hand mixer until fluffy and creamy. Also, add the powdered sugar while beating.

Assemble the Cake

• Place one cooled cake on a serving plate. Spread the chocolate mousse filling over the cake. Then top with the next cake, and spread the chocolate frosting all over your cake (top and sides).
• Decorate with fresh fruits if you like and enjoy! 😊

Notes

• To make this cake gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free flour blend 1:1.
• Instead of apple sauce, you can use 2 flax-eggs (stir 2 tbsp flax meal into 6 tbsp hot water. Set aside for 5 minutes until jelly), or use 2 regular eggs if you're not vegan.
• If you want to make cupcakes or muffins with this recipe, bake for approx. 25 minutes.
• You can freeze the un-frosted cake for up to 1 month. Just make sure to wrap each cake layer in a double layer of foil before putting into a ziplock freezer bag.
• I used this non-dairy whipping cream for the mousse because it gets perfectly creamy and stiff but coconut cream will do too.
• If making this cake without the chocolate mousse and chocolate frosting, you can top it just with vegan chocolate chips or enjoy the cake as it is.
• Please read my blog post for additional Information about this recipe.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @biancazapatka or tag #biancazapatka!

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