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).
My husband told me this is the BEST cake I’ve ever made. My non Vegan friends couldn’t believe it was vegan
So good!
I love to hear that!
Can you use a different type of flour?
It depends on the flour. You could sub a gluten free all purpose flour, perhaps whole wheat pastry flour.. Almond flour will not work, and I wouldn’t suggest using whole wheat flour because it will taste very dense and whole wheat-y.
I made this tonight and it is so delicious- my daughter loved it! Super moist, medium density.
I’m so glad to hear that!
Hi I’m looking forward to making this cake this week. Would like to make it oil free… if I sub the oil with more applesauce do you think it would work?
I’m not sure, it might be ok. But you will have trouble making the frosting oil free.
EPIC, MOIST AND DELICIOUS!!!!! My crowd of omnivores LOVED it, including the birthday girl!
So glad to hear that!
Made this yesterday…so yummy! I substituted applesauce for 2 flax eggs and it worked perfectly. I only had one 9 inch tin so had to wait for the first half of the mixture to bake before baking the second. If you’re doing this, I recommend halving the above ingredients and making the batter twice instead of letting half the mixture sit while the first half bakes. I recommend doing this as the second half came out a little more gooey than cakey (still delicious lol) but this would not have happened if it didn’t have to sit for 40 minutes before using. So yummy, can’t wait to bake again with two 9inch tins!!! Thanks Nora 🙂 xx
You’re welcome! Glad it was yummy!
Omg I can’t believe how delicious this cake was. It was everything you describe it as. Super easy to make. I will definitely make it again in the future. Thanks for such as easy to follow recipe.
I do have one question though? I ended up with extra frosting. How do I make a little bit less?
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! You could cut the frosting ingredients in half if you like a lightly frosted cake, no problem.
I LOVE this recipe, its so moist and dark, this is my second time making it but am wondering if it works as a cup cake batter? Many thanks for this fantastic recipe!
Just saw cup cake note under the recipe 😛
Hi,
Just made this cake. It was absolutely great! All my non vegan friends and family loved it. Very moist, great flavor. I used Dutch processed cocoa and Nuttelex brand vegan butter for the frosting and it tasted surprisingly good!
Glad it was good!
Can this recipe be used with vegan smart balance instead of the butter you listed?
Yes it can.
Love this! Thank you.
Is the frosting freezable? We have a bunch left over (husband and I are minimalists in the frosting department, lol). I’d love to use it for the next cake.
Yes, it freezes very well. I’m so glad you liked it!
What can I sub for coconut oil? Vegetable oil?
Thanks
Yes vegetable oil is fine to use.
Hi there, what could I use as a substitute for the applesauce? thank you! 🙂
Oh wait, I just saw that you suggested 2 flax eggs to someone else instead of applesauce. Excited to make it! Going to try now 🙂
Would you store this countertop or in the fridge?
How long would it keep? If I wanted to make it the day before?
I keep it on the countertop if I know it will be eaten quickly (within a day or two). It will keep longer in the refrigerator, more like 3-4 days.
This recipe ROCKS! The cake is super moist and the frosting delicious! The recipient of this Birthday Cake asked me if it was really Vegan, that’s how good this recipe is!
I added Medaglia D’Oro instant espresso powder to the cake and frosting to intensify the chocolate flavors. For the cake I dissolved 2T in the 1c boiling water you add at the end of mixing. I dissolved 1 heaping tablespoon in 1/4c warm almond milk and let it cool to room temperature before adding to the frosting mixture.
Baked in a 9 x 13 pan, total baking time about 45 minutes or so.
Thanks Nora for making this delicious recipe available!!
You’re welcome! Glad it was a hit!
This looks amazing! Can I substitute another nondairy milk? I have flax milk and oat milk in the fridge. Thanks in advance!
Absolutely, that is no problem. Enjoy!
This was my first attempt at vegan baking (for my boyfriend’s birthday). I was sceptical of vegan cake recipes as a massive cake fan and non-vegan myself, but this cake was amazing!! Thank you so much Nora for your clever recipe. The cake was genuinely excellent (because of the recipe, not any particular skill on my part), vegan or not. I am a big fan!! My boyfriend is too 🙂
That’s so great to hear! Thanks for the comment.
I made this cake today for my son’s birthday. It was delicious,,! I would definitely recommend this recipe!
Thanks so much!
Hi Nora!
I made this and it was amazing but it tasted like bread. Did I do something wrong or is that how it’s meant to taste?
Hi there! Nope, the cake should not taste like bread, so something went wrong here. It tastes like the best chocolate cake you’ve ever had. Did you make any substitutions, or do anything differently? Did yours look like the video and photos?
Thanks! I used sunflower oil and I might have not used enough applesauce. I’m only 11 and I’m still learning. ?
That’s awesome, keep it up! 🙂
My husband is the cake baker in the family, but I couldn’t ask him to bake his own birthday cake. We’ve been together for 26 years and I’ve never even considered baking a cake for him. But…”The Rona” has forced me to forgo my usual plan of buying vegan goodies from Whole Foods or a local vegan eatery. I saw this recipe and saved it. I was so stressed out about baking but I’ll say overall it turned out great. A little “heavier/brownie like” than I would have preferred. We made the peanut butter version of the frosting and that made it amazing. Day 2 and it’s even better. G Th banks for a recipe that made. Me. The non-baker look good.
So glad it was good!
This is truly the best vegan cake I’ve had vegan and not! I’ve been vegan for 4 years now and have used this cake to show people that vegan doesn’t have to taste bad! Everyone who has had it says it’s the best cake they’ve ever eaten and constantly ask for it now! Thanks for all the great recipes?
You’re welcome, and thanks for the great comment!
My vegan son will eat the entire cake by himself. I have made at least a dozen and they get better with my experience. I change the frosting with peanut butter frosting and it is soooooooo good. Just follow the directions. I noticed that my cakes came out flatter when I spoon gently into the pan. I love this recipe. PS don’t tell meat eaters it’s vegan.
I’m so glad you love the cake, thank you!
Would this work in a 9×13 pan? Also, we have tried several of your recipes and have loved every single one. I am newly vegan and so grateful I discovered you. They have allowed my husband to accept this shift a little better : ) Thank you!
Yes, it can be made in a 9 x 13 inch pan, no problem. It will just need to bake a bit longer, like 40-45 minutes or so. I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes and it’s been helpful, yay!
Hi Nora!
I made this cake last night and was so pleasantly surprised at the result. I followed the recipe to a T, and only had 1 9-inch cake pan so I baked the cake using only that since we’re in quarantine. Since I used just the 1 9-inch cake pan, I also left the cake in the oven for a bit longer and periodically checked on it using a toothpick. Towards the end of the baking time, the cake had rose to a nice height. When I took it out to cool, it had fallen a lot flatter. Like I said, I followed the directions to a T besides using 2 9-inch cake pans. Could that be the reason why it fell flat?
The reason it didn’t work out was because you baked it all in one 9 inch pan. That’s just too much cake batter for that size pan! If it’s the only one you have, I would suggest either cutting the recipe in half, or bake two layers in the same pan, in two different batches.
The best cake ever, vegan or otherwise! It has become a staple for EVERYONE’s birthday all year long.
I’m about to dive in once again, but we only have one cake round… If I add the boiling water and only cook half of it, will the second half still be okay to go into the oven 30-40min later?
Thanks in advance!
Thank you, I’m so glad you like the cake! I think it will be okay to do that. I haven’t tried it myself, but it should work especially if it’s the only option. Good luck!
I really want to make this recipe! If I substitute the applesauce with a flaxseed “egg”, do you think it will still come out the same?
I think it would be fine, yes. Just a tiny bit different. I would use 2 flax eggs (2 tbs ground flax + 5 tbs water).
My boyfriend, and co worker family loved it! My friend’s birthday is tomorrow and isn’t a fan of chocolate cake- if I remove the cocoa will it just be a plain white cake? I looked on your site but didn’t see a vanilla or yellow cake recipe. I loved this one so much!!!!
It actually does not work to remove the chocolate, I have tested it. 🙂 I have a vanilla cake recipe I highly recommend instead. Thanks!