Fudgy, rich, moist, and decadent- this vegan chocolate cake is truly the best cake ever! No one will know it's vegan. This fan-favorite chocolate cake is made with ingredients that are easy to find at your local grocery store, just mix, pour, and bake! The perfect simple chocolate cake recipe to celebrate birthdays and holidays.
This post for vegan chocolate cake is sponsored by World Kitchen, who I love for their affordable, non-stick baking pans.
To make this vegan chocolate cake recipe, I used these baking pans. Baker's Secret are my go-to pans for baking because they are affordable and non-stick, so this cake just slid right out of the pan. Thank you Baker's Secret for sponsoring this post.
Common Questions:
What is a vegan cake made of? Flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract, just like in a regular cake. The main difference with vegan cake is that I use non-dairy milk (such as oat milk or soy milk) instead of dairy milk, and in this recipe, I use the combination of apple cider vinegar and baking soda in place of eggs.How to Make Vegan Chocolate Cake:
For the cake: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (180℃). Lightly grease two 9" or 8" round cake pans, then line the bottoms with a circle of parchment paper. In a large bowl whisk together all of the dry ingredients, then set aside.
In a second bowl whisk together all of the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't over-mix the batter, it's ok if it has lumps.
Divide the batter evenly among the prepared baking pans. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans.
To make the vegan buttercream: Add the vegan butter, vegetable shortening, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer, or to a large bowl with a hand mixer. Mix on low speed to incorporate the powdered sugar, then increase to high speed to whip the frosting for about 1 minute until fluffy. If the frosting is a bit too stiff, add 1 tablespoon of plant-based milk at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
To assemble the vegan chocolate cake: Ensure the cakes a cooled completely before frosting so that the frosting doesn't melt. Run a knife around the edges of the cake pans, and flip the pans over to remove the cakes from the pans. Peel off the parchment paper and discard. Place the first cake on your cake plate, and spread ⅓ of the buttercream on top. Place the second cake on top of the frosted cake, and spread the remaining vegan chocolate frosting on top of that cake. Decorate as desired. Store the cake in the fridge or a cool place until you are ready to serve. The cake sure keep fresh for 5 - 7 days in the fridge.This vegan chocolate cake recipe is...
- rich, fudgy, moist, and super chocolatey
- easy to make using simple ingredients
- so delicious no one will know it's vegan
More vegan chocolate recipes you might like:
Easy Vegan Brownies(click stars to vote)
Vegan Chocolate Cake
Servings: (makes a 2-layer 8" or 9" roundcake)
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Ingredients
For the 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
For the wet ingredients:
- 2 ⅔ cups plant-based milk, (such as oat or soy)
- ⅔ cups light oil, (such as canola or vegetable)
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, (or sub lemon juice)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the vegan buttercream:
- ½ cup vegan butter, (such as Earth Balance Original Buttery Spread)
- ½ cup vegetable shortening, (such as Crisco)
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 - 2 tablespoons plant-based milk, as needed (such as oat or soy)
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350℉ (180℃). Lightly grease two 9" or 8" round cake pans, then line the bottoms with a circle of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk together all of the dry ingredients, then set aside.
- In a second bowl whisk together all of the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't over-mix the batter, it's ok if it has lumps.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared baking pans. Bake in the preheated oven for abou 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans.
To make the vegan buttercream:
- Add the vegan butter, vegetable shortening, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer, or to a large bowl with a hand mixer. Mix on low speed to incorporate the powdered sugar, then increase to high speed to whip the frosting for about 1 minutes until fluffy. If the frosting is a bit too stiff, add 1 tablespoon of plant-based milk at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
To assemble the cake:
- Ensure the cakes a cooled completely before frosting so that the frosting doesn't melt. Run a knife around the edges of the cake pans, and flip the pans over to remove the cakes from the pans. Peel off the parchment paper and discard. Place the first cake on your cake plate, and spread ⅓ of the buttercream on top. Place the second cake on top of the frosted cake, and spread the remaining buttercream on top of that cake. Decorate as desired. Store the cake in the fridge or a cool place until you are ready to serve. The cake sure keep fresh for 5 - 7 days in the fridge.
Heide Nelson says
Hi! This is my favorite go to cake! I am making it again the weekend! Can I substitute cake flour for the all purpose? It is what I have on hand. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Cake flour is weaker than all-purpose so the cake might crumble. I recommend sticking to all-purpose for this recipe. Enjoy!
Alice says
Oh my god Sam this cake is unbelievable! I cooked the cakes for half an hour only so they'd be super moist. I also did some piping on top and added some green and red mistletoe icing for a christmas dinner and it was a big success! No one could believe it was vegan! I also brought your vegan pumpkin pie and they loved it too, thank you!!
Sam Turnbull says
Awww that's so amazing, Alice!!! Thrilled you enjoyed it so much 🙂
Miriam says
SO GOOD!!!! I made this for my non-vegan friend’s birthday party and everyone LOVED it!!!! Such a good chocolate flavor and not too rich!! Frosting was delicious as well!! Thanks so much for this awesome recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Miriam!
Kirra says
Hi,
Would I be able to stack this with another cake of the same type? I want a double stack cake for my son's 1st birthday and trying to find the perfect recipe.
Thanks
Sam Turnbull says
Yes, this recipe makes a 2 layer stacked cake. Enjoy!
Ella says
Great simple recipe for a crowd-pleasing, classic style chocolate cake. Delicious!
Last time I made two cakes and popped one in the freezer - defrosted it last night and it's just as good! So I've decided to make it for our wedding since it keeps so well 🙂
I'm not a big fan of frosting so usually just make a simple ganache to go with it, but think I'll try out the frosting for the wedding since I know a lot of people like it. Wish me luck 😉
Sam Turnbull says
Wow! That's amazing, Ella! Congratulations on your wedding, and I hope the cake turns out perfectly for you 🙂
Claire says
Hello! I made this yummy cake yesterday as a trial for my little nephew's birthday party! My question is can you freeze it with the frosting already added? Many thanks Sam as ever!
Sam Turnbull says
It's usually best to freeze the cakes and then the frosting separately, so I would recommend that if possible. Enjoy!
Ash says
Could I use raw sugar instead of white sugar and get the same results? Thank you
Sam Turnbull says
Baking with alternative sugars isn't my expertise, but this article should help you. 🙂
Danielle says
Can i sub out the shortening for another ingredient?
Sam Turnbull says
The vegetable shortening helps stabilize the frosting so it doesn’t melt at room temperature. If you prefer you can use all vegan butter but make sure to keep everything cold so the frosting doesn’t melt.
Eve says
Hi Sam! I’ve tried making this cake twice and both times my batter was quite thin and I had to bake the cakes for about 15 minutes longer than you recommended so that a toothpick would come out clean. The cake is absolutely delicious and I love it I’m just wondering if I’m maybe doing something wrong? Is the batter supposed to be quite thin? Thanks for all of your help and I’m such a huge fan of your recipes!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Eve! Yes it's a thin batter. If you take a look at the video in this post it will give you an idea of how the batter will look. If you are finding that it takes a little longer in your oven, it's likely that your oven just runs a little cool (it's pretty common). You can always grab yourself an oven thermometer to make sure. Enjoy!
Irene McDonald says
I made this cake about a month ago. I only had 5 people over and as it was quite large there was quite a bit leftover. I am trying to lose some weight, I decided to give it to a neighbor. He works nights and said "thanks Irene but I never eat cake, I will take it to work through". Well, he thought he would try a tiny bit then realized he had eaten the whole piece (about 1/4 Cake). Everyone thought it was delicious. Every dessert I have made from either your book or web site has been incredible!!!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww that's wonderful Irene!! So thrilled everyone enjoyed it so much 🙂
Ivonne says
Total success! I never comment on recipes but this deserved it
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you loved it so much, Ivonne 🙂
Kay says
What kind of veg shortening do you use?
Sam Turnbull says
My go to is Crisco 🙂
Jess says
Hi there,
I am going to make this amazing looking cake and am just wondering is it ok to use all dairy free butter in the topping instead of a mix of butter and veg shortening?
Thanks
Kerry Keel says
Hi.
Would this cake be ok to cover in sugar paste/rolled fondant? Want to make a duck themed cake. Thanks. X
Laura Moffett says
Hi, Just wondering if you found a vegan chocolate cake that can be covered in fondant? I'm desperately searching for one. Thank you
Sam Turnbull says
The vegetable shortening helps stabilize the frosting so it doesn't melt at room temperature. If you prefer you can use all vegan butter but make sure to keep everything cold so the frosting doesn't melt.
Sky says
I’ve made this cake several times including baking it into cupcakes and haven’t felt the need to write a review until I just read a recent rude comment. Like I said, I’ve baked this cake many times and I’ve fed it to my boyfriends co-workers who are a bunch of vegan food hating men - they all absolutely love it and request I bake it for them often. This recipe is so moist and makes the ULTIMATE cake. The title couldn’t be anymore accurate. Thank you.
Sam Turnbull says
Awww thank you so much, Sky! I very much appreciate your support and am so happy you love the recipe so much 🙂
Kerry Keel says
Hi.
Would this cake be ok to cover in sugar paste/rolled fondant? Want to make a duck themed cake. Thanks. X
Sam Turnbull says
Absolutely! Enjoy 🙂
Anna says
Hi Sam, this was possibly the worst cake I have ever tasted. To be fair, the cake itself was not terrible (it is vegan after all). However, the icing was completely inedible and I was very disappointed. I would rate this negative two stars if I could but sadly that is not possible. Overall, the cake was pretty fucking depressing bro and we had to throw it out after one slice, therefore wasting ingredients and money. Have a great day!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Anna, I'm not a bro. It's difficult to know what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you, but as this cake recipe has hundreds of rave reviews, my guess is something went a little off. Better luck next time! 🙂
Madison says
I'm sorry that this person wasn't being very nice. You're a great, cheerful person and don't deserve this negativity. Don't listen to them, and have a great day!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww thanks so much, Madison 🙂
Watson says
Anna, I don't know why you're blaming her when you're the one who made it ♀️ With all the good reviews, it seems like something you did wrong.
Denise Green says
This cake is amazing. Even my mum, who doesn't like chocolate/chocolate cake really loved it. So glad I bought the book. 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Amazing! So happy it's a hit 🙂
Natalia Kheloudni says
Hi! Very excited to make this cake! How deep should the tin be?
Sam Turnbull says
About 2 inches. Enjoy!
Angela says
My vegan friend made this for a get together & gave me some to take home. I in turn took it to work and shared it. One of my co-workers made the recipe into cupcakes with the frosting all lovely and swirly on the top - now everyone loves it & not a clue initially that it was vegan!
Thank you for all your hard work in experimenting to get the right amount of everything so that it is so delicious - its really is the best chocolate cake I've ever eaten!
Sam Turnbull says
Aww wow, that's so amazing, Angela!! I love that the recipe has been shared around 🙂
Sue says
OMG this is so good. Just made it and it is as ultimately as wonderful as it looks. I've never made good chocolate or banana cakes until I started making vegan ones - so good, go figure!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! Love it!
pipa says
Thanks homie! Made it for the 3rd time this year love it so much and it's so easy. I'm recovering from malabsobrtion issues atm and it definitely helping me get some weight back on! Lmao best vegan desert I've had especially for the cost and how easy it is 🙂 thanks sweetpea
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome 🙂
Moriaelini says
This is oddly similar to a Wacky Cake...a recipe that has probably been around since WWII. My mom used to make this all the time when I was a kid.
Sam Turnbull says
Cool I will have to look that up!
Essi says
Hi Sam! I'm planning on trying out this recipe the coming weekend for my birthday, it sure sounds amazing! What I'm wondering is if you could bake the layers together and then cut them apart after - that's how I usually roll when making layer cakes since I have a big cake pan. Do you think that would work? How would you recommend changing the baking time and temperature? Also I'm not sure if they sell apple cider vinegar in my country so I think I'll try lemon juice instead. Can you tell me if it makes the cake taste lemony? Thanks!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Essi, lemon juice would be a great sub and I don't think you will taste it too much. As for the cake pan, I would worry that the cake might not bake properly if you bake all that batter in one pan. If possible I would recommend baking in smaller pans as directed. Hope that helps!
KG says
This was by far the BEST cake I've ever had! My husband couldn't believe it was vegan (first attempt making a cake since we made the switch last year). Will be saving this forever and looking forward to trying more of your cake recipes 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
YAY!!! That's the best ever. Thanks KG 🙂
Cheryl says
Is the calorie count for the entire 2 layer cake with frosting?
Sam Turnbull says
No the calories are an estimate for one slice of cake. Enjoy!
Cheryl says
But that doesn't tell me if that's 1/8, 1/12?? How many servings in the cake?
Sam Turnbull says
18 servings (slices) per two layer cake with the frosting and all. Hope that helps!