Author: Fudgy, rich, moist, and decadent, this Vegan Chocolate Cake is a fan favorite for a reason! With hundreds of rave reviews, it bakes up perfectly every time, no one will ever guess it's vegan. Made with simple pantry ingredients and easy steps, you just mix, pour, and bake.
Many readers even say it reminds them of the Bruce Bogtrotter cake from Matilda - rich, indulgent, and unapologetically chocolatey.
FEATURED COMMENT:
This is hands down the best cake I've ever made, vegan or otherwise. I've made it so many times and no one can ever tell it's vegan. It's moist, chocolatey, not too sweet, and the perfect thing for any celebration. People are constantly ask me for the recipe, we love it! - Ivy ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
After years of perfecting and tweaking, I can confidently say this is the best vegan chocolate cake recipe... actually, the best chocolate cake recipe, vegan or not! And if you don't believe me, scroll down and read the reviews! It's moist, fluffy, and fudgy, full of rich chocolate flavor, with the most delightful vegan chocolate buttercream. And the best part is, it's so easy to make too. All of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store so it's a cinch to whip up for parties, birthday cakes, holidays, or any time you have chocolate cravings.
Why This Vegan Chocolate Cake Always Impresses
- Bakery-style vibes: The cake bakes up soft, fluffy, and moist, but it's also sturdy enough for layering and frosting without getting crumbly.
- Big chocolate flavor: Dutch-process cocoa gives the cake and frosting a dark, intense flavor.
- Easy, no-fuss method: Simple ingredients, simple steps, and no complicated techniques required. Just mix the batter and bake!
- Perfect for celebrations: If you've never made a layer cake before, don't stress! I promise this vegan chocolate cake recipe delivers beautiful, delicious results that are sure to impress.
Ingredients for Vegan Chocolate Cake
- All-purpose flour - For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum.
- White sugar - Sweetens the cake and helps keep the crumb soft and moist.
- Cocoa powder - I recommend Dutch-process cocoa for a darker color and smoother, richer chocolate flavor, but natural cocoa powder will also work.
- Baking powder & baking soda - Work together to give the cake lift.
- Salt - To enhance the flavor.
- Plant-based milk - Soy or oat milk work best because they add richness and structure, but any unsweetened plant-based milk will work in a pinch.
- Light oil - Like canola or vegetable oil.
- Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice - Reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise and stay fluffy. You won't taste it.
- Vanilla extract - Enhances and rounds out the chocolate flavor.
- Chocolate buttercream - Made with firm vegan butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and plant-based milk. You can also use my Vegan Vanilla Buttercream if you prefer.
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, leaveners, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients: Whisk the milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla in another bowl, then stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just mixed.
- Bake: Divide the batter into pans and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.
- Frosting: Beat the vegan butter, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla until fluffy, thinning with milk as needed.
- Start assembling: Carefully remove the cakes from the pans. Place one layer on a serving plate and frost the top.
- Finish: Add the second layer and frost the rest. Chill briefly to set the frosting if it feels soft.
Tips and Variations
- Don't overmix: Mix just until combined. A few small lumps are totally normal and will bake out. Mixing too much will affect the rise and texture of your finished cake.
- For thicker frosting: If your vegan butter is very soft, swap half of it with vegetable shortening for better structure for spreading and piping.
- Cupcakes: If you're looking for cupcakes, try my Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes, same rich chocolate flavor, but designed specifically for cupcake form.
Serving Suggestions
- Garnish with fresh berries or shaved vegan chocolate to fancy it up.
- Add sprinkles to your vegan chocolate cake for some festive fun.
- Serve with a scoop of Vegan Vanilla Ice Cream.
- Plate it with raspberry sauce for a restaurant-style dessert.
- And if you're celebrating a birthday, don't forget the candles!
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store the frosted vegan chocolate cake covered in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days.
- Freezer: You can also freeze the whole cake, slices, or unfrosted layers for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving. See the recipe card for full instructions.
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Vegan Chocolate Cake (Rich & Moist)
Fudgy, rich, moist, and decadent, this Vegan Chocolate Cake is a fan favorite for a reason! With hundreds of rave reviews, it bakes up perfectly every time, no one will ever guess it's vegan. Made with simple grocery-store ingredients and easy steps, you just mix, pour, and bake. Many readers say it's like the Bruce Bogtrotter’s cake from Matilda!
Servings: (makes one 2-layer 8" or 9" round cake)
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Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups white sugar
- 1 cup cocoa powder, (Dutch-process)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 ⅔ cups plant-based milk, (soy or oat work best)
- ⅔ cups light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, (helps with rise, you can't taste it)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Vegan Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 cup firm vegan butter, (or ½ cup vegan butter + ½ cup vegetable shortening, see notes)
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 - 2 tablespoons plant-based milk, (as needed)
Instructions
- Prep the pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly grease two 8" or 9" round cake pans, then line the bottoms with parchment circles.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the plant-based milk, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.
- Combine: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Some small lumps are totally fine. Overmixing can cause a dense cake so keep a light hand.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool fully in the pans before frosting.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the vegan butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla and continue mixing until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, beat in plant-based milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it's perfectly fluffy and spreadable.
- Frost: Make sure the cakes are completely cool so the frosting doesn't melt. Run a knife around the edges of the pans, flip the cakes out, and peel off the parchment. Place one cake on a serving plate and spread ⅓ of the buttercream over the top. Add the second cake layer and frost the top (and sides if desired). Chill the cake briefly if your frosting feels soft.
- Serve: Store in the fridge or a cool place until serving. The cake will stay fresh for 5-7 days in the fridge.
Notes
Firm Vegan Butter: Some vegan butters/margarines are soft and spreadable, which is great for toast but not ideal for frosting as they can make it loose or melty. Use a firm vegan butter made for baking (it should say so on the package). If yours is on the softer side, you can swap ½ cup of the butter for ½ cup vegetable shortening to give the frosting more structure for piping and spreading.
Cupcakes: If you’re looking for cupcakes, try my Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes, same rich chocolate flavor, but designed specifically for cupcake form.
Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum (such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1). If your blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum, add ¼ teaspoon for better structure. The cake may be slightly more delicate, but many readers have reported great results, it will still be moist, rich, and delicious.
Freezing: This cake freezes beautifully, either fully assembled or in separate components. To freeze the whole cake (or slices), chill it for 20–30 minutes to firm the frosting, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. To freeze unfrosted layers, wrap each cooled layer well and freeze. The frosting can be frozen separately in an airtight container. Everything keeps for up to 2 months. Thaw cake or slices in the fridge overnight (or at room temp for slices), and bring frosting back to room temperature before re-whipping and using.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (recipe makes 16 servings) | Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 2g | Sodium: 272mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 42g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 2mg
Kat says
Can I substitute vegetable shortening with coconut oil for the frosting?
Sam Turnbull says
Coconut oil melts at room temperature so if you do be careful as the frosting may melt.
Arielle says
How is it vegan? If you're using vegetable shortening, isnt that lard?
Mary McGrory says
They are completely different products and vegetable shortening is completely vegan - this recipe is absolutely delicious and really simple to make too.
Jack says
Hence the word “vegetable “ in vegetable shortening
Sam Turnbull says
Vegetable shortening and lard are two different ingredients. Vegetable shortening is made from plants, lard is made from animals.
Tina says
Can I use a 9x13 pan instead? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Sure! The baking time will be longer so keep an eye on it and do the toothpick test.
Christine says
Hi! Does the recipe change for an altitude of 4300 ft?
Moi says
This recipe looks amazing! I'm going to make it for my birthday 🙂 Just wondering though if I can substitute the white sugar for brown sugar?
Thanks! x
Sam Turnbull says
Brown sugar holds more moisture so it might mess up the cake texture a bit. I would stick with white. Enjoy!
Maya says
HI Sam,
It says to see notes regarding the vegan shortening but there's nothing on that in the notes. Can I make the cake without shortening?
Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Maya! Oh yes, sorry about that. I removed the notes as it was talking about a brand of shortening I liked which no longer exists. The shortening is for the frosting and is not in the cake. Enjoy!
Alyssia says
Is the time still as followed for cupcakes?
Sam Turnbull says
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes 🙂
Hesh says
This is the first cake I attempted since going vegan and it was perfect. I changed the icing to a vegan version of my favourite mocha oreo buttercream and it paired beautifully. Everyone loved it. Thank you so much <3
Sam Turnbull says
Amazing!! Thrilled you enjoyed it, Hesh 🙂
Ivy says
I was wondering whether I could substitute all purpose flour with self raising flour. Looking forward to try this recipe
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Ivy, here's an article you may find helpful for this. Enjoy!
Jenny says
I just discovered your channel!!Great looking reciepes! So I ordered your cookbook and it should be here any day!
Have you ever thought about doing reciepes for vegan dog treats and food (And cats)? ........
Thanks for the great reciepes!
Sam Turnbull says
Thanks for your support, Jenny! I have two dog treat recipes already actually. Here and here. 🙂
Janice says
I just made this for my son's birthday and using the vanilla frosting. It was really good and total hit with everyone!! It was moist and fluffy! This will def be my go to recipe in the future
Sam Turnbull says
Awesome! So happy everyone enjoyed it, Janice 🙂
Lariza says
Hi Sam, I made this cake yesterday and it is moist and delicious. I used 1 1/2 cups of sugar only and I baked it in a round cake pan. Perfect!
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Burns Wattie says
Looking for a vegan chocolate cake recipe, I fixed on this one. I could tell you have worked at getting it all right, and as a fellow blogger I definitely appreciated your story of how you became a chocoholic. The one thing I did was I made all the measurements in grams (any recipe worth its salt gets this treatment from me) and I used coconut oil, my usual go to oil for vegan baked goods.
Sam Turnbull says
Great! Be careful when substituting coconut oil as it is solid at room temperature which means it will make the cake a little heavier and denser. Enjoy!
Desirea says
If I’m using a wilton dinosaur pan would i use the exact recipe or half it? I want to make for my sons birthday this weekend. So excited!!
Sam Turnbull says
I have no idea how big that pan is but the cake batter should fill the pan to about 2/3rds full. Enjoy!
Janice says
I want to make this for my son's birthday - but want a taller cake. Should I double up the recipe if I want 3 layers?
Sam Turnbull says
This recipe makes two layers, so if you want to make 3 layers, just change the number by the servings from 2 to 3 and it will adjust all of the measurements for you. Enjoy!
Janice says
Oh yes, I see it now! thank you for your quick response! also one other question - does it make a difference if you use the tub earth balance spread vs the stick? I'm having trouble finding the stick here. I've also seen the becel vegan margarine, can that be used to substitute the stick?
Sam Turnbull says
My go-to for baking is always Earth Balance in the tub but any vegan butter should work fine. Enjoy!
Cecilia says
This is my favorite vegan chocolate cake recipe I added fresh raspberries on top and it was a hit! Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So very happy you loved it so much, Cecilia 🙂
Sara says
I'm going to bake this cake but I have a question:
- Is it fine to use unsweetened cashew milk instead of soy or almond milk?
Super excited to give this a try!!! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Absolutely! Enjoy the cake, Sara 🙂
Elaine B Clark says
I made this for my daughter's birthday, and it was a huge hit! Thanks for posting! It is moist and delicious!
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Stephanie says
I have read all of these rave reviews and loved your vanilla cake but this one didn’t work out for me for some reason. It wasn’t dry but it wasn’t moist either. The cake was slightly dense and didn’t really have much flavor. I am assuming it was a problem with either my flour (100% white whole wheat-says it can be used as all purpose flour in all baking) and the Trader Joe’s unsweetened cocoa I used. The cocoa wasn’t Dutch processed but I use it in other things and it is ok. Do you have any ideas?
Sam Turnbull says
My guess is that it was the flour. Even though the whole wheat flour may work in this recipe, whole wheat is always more absorbent so it would make the cake dryer. So that's my guess. Hope that helps!
Agnes says
Can this be made into cupcakes and then frozen?
Thank you
Sam Turnbull says
Yep! I would freeze the cupcakes and frosting separately, then thaw and frost. Enjoy!
Maria says
I am new to your blog and this is the second recipe I have made, both recipes were loved by vegans and non-vegans (I made the chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and then this cake). Everyone raved about both, especially that this cake was so moist!! Thanks for sharing easy, delicious recipes!! It is easy to think that when you turn vegan, you give up some comfort foods, but this blog is proof that you don't have to! Or that the recipes to cook now that I am vegan are hard and complex, and use hard to find ingredients, which again isn't necessarily the case! Yay!! I am looking to order your Fuss Free book soon! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Welcome, Maria! Oh yes, I believe anything can be veganized and taste just as good if not better than the original! No flavours or textures need to be sacrificed. Thrilled you are enjoying the recipes so much, and I know you will love Fuss-Free Vegan too 🙂
Kim says
How many minutes do I have to bake for cupcakes? And do you think the recipe for chocolate frosting will be enough to frost 24 cupcakes?
Sam Turnbull says
20 - 25 minutes and it will be enough for a light frosting if you want more frosting than cake you might want to double it. Haha. Enjoy!