Vegan Chocolate Cake

Learn how to bake a deliciously moist vegan chocolate cake that everyone will enjoy, with this simple recipe. 

Enjoy a touch of indulgence with this decadent vegan chocolate cake. A rich, dairy-free chocolate ganache between three layers of moist and fluffy cake smothered in a vegan chocolate frosting. You can even try it with vanilla frosting for a unique twist.

The cake has a delectably sweet flavor and a light, moist texture without egg or butter. It will be welcomed by all, vegan or not. 

This recipe is straightforward enough for even the most novice baker. It uses simple, inexpensive ingredients that are common and easy to come by. Whether you are baking for a special occasion, a birthday cake or as a homemade dessert, this cake is a perfect choice.

Key Ingredient Notes

• A combination of cake flour and all-purpose flour (plain) – the combination gives the cake a nice balance of lightness from the cake flour and structure from the all-purpose flour. Especially when making eggless cake layers. You can use only all-purpose flour or cake flour but try not to over-mix the batter and develop the gluten too much. The cake would become dense.
• Light brown sugar – it has a richer flavor which is perfect for chocolate cake. However, if you only have granulated sugar, that’s fine as well. You can also use half brown and half white sugar.
• Soy milk (hot) – hot liquids help to “bloom” the cocoa powder, bringing out a richer chocolatey flavor. Other plant-based milk could be used as a substitute, such as oat or cashew milk.
• Unsweetened applesauce or plain vegan yogurt – egg replacer. Also adds moisture to the cake.
• Vanilla – enhances the chocolate flavor. Try adding almond extract for even more richness.
• Instant coffee (or espresso powder) – enhances the chocolatey flavor without the coffee taste. Just a small amount does the trick.
• Vinegar – to transform the plant-based milk into buttermilk which when combined with the baking soda, helps the cake to rise.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the cake layers:

1. If you’re using cake strips, which I highly recommend for moist, even cakes, place them in a bowl of water to soak. Butter the cake pans and lightly dust with cocoa powder. Preheat the oven to 340°F/175°C.

2. Add the sugar to a bowl before sifting in the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together heated soy milk and instant coffee. Add the remaining wet ingredients and mix to combine. 

3. Mix the bowl of dry ingredients whilst gradually adding the wet ingredients, until the batter is smooth. 

4. Distribute the cake batter evenly between the cake pans. Remove the cake strips from the water and squeeze out any excess. Wrap around the pans. Place the pans on a tray if you have one.

5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes with cake strips or about 20 to 25 minutes without. A skewer or toothpick inserted should come out almost clean or with bits of cake sticking to it to limit the risk of overbaking. Cool completely in the pans.

Make the ganache filling:

• Heat the soy milk until very hot.
• Place the chocolate chips and vanilla in a bowl and pour in the soy milk. Stir until the chocolate is fully melted and the ganache is smooth. Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until firm.

Make the frosting:

• Add vegan butter to a bowl and sift in the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Mix until combined.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy, gradually adding more soy milk as necessary.

Assembling the cake:

1. Dab a small amount of frosting onto your cake board or plate and then place the first layer atop this.
2. Spread half of the ganache filling onto the first layer before adding the second layer. Repeat with the other half of the ganache between the second and third layers. 
3. Apply a thin layer of frosting on the top and side of the cake to crumb coat and chill for 1 hour in the fridge. Spread the remaining frosting onto the cake, smooth and decorate.

For extra decoration, I melted about 180g/6oz dairy-free dark compound chocolate. Some was dripped on half the chilled cake and the remainder was used to make a chocolate sail. Use melted chocolate to help secure the sail.

It may be difficult to find dairy-free compound chocolate in grocery stores but you can use baking chocolate as well. However, you will have to learn how to temper chocolate so that it can hold its shape when making the sail.

Key tips

• When assembling the cake, crumb coating with a thin layer of frosting and refrigerating prior to final frosting application is an important step.
  Not only does the crumb coat seal in the moisture within the cake, preventing a dry sponge, but it also results in a better finish.
  This thin layer of frosting will act as a barrier, containing any crumbs within this layer, ensuring your frosting is free of crumbs and imperfections. 
• Do not overmix the cake batter. Overmixing can negatively impact the structure and texture of the cake, leading to a dense, chewy sponge. It could also result in a crumbly, unstable cake.
• Do not over-bake the cakes. It’s ok if the skewer comes out with crumbs stuck to it but it shouldn’t be a wet batter. It will continue baking for a few minutes after being pulled from the oven.
• To make cakes extra moist, you can brush the sponge with simple syrup. Too much syrup can cause the cake to fall apart, so it is essential to add no more than a tablespoon of syrup to each layer.
  To make simple syrup, combine equal parts sugar and water. Bring to a boil in the microwave or on the stovetop until the sugar is dissolved. Cool completely before brushing cakes.

Storage

• Store in a sealed plastic container or tin in a cool place or at room temperature for up to 5 days. 
• In hot weather, it may be necessary to keep it in the fridge to prevent melting. Refrigeration can cause a cake to dry out, so it may be wise to wrap the cake in cling film or plastic wrap to counter this. 
• The frosting acts as a barrier to moisture and air. If you have cut the cake, or are just storing slices, be aware that the cake will be more prone to drying out or turning stale.
• For more detailed tips check out How To Store Cakes.

FAQs 

How do I prevent vegan cake from being too dense? 

To create a moist, fluffy cake it is important not to overmix the cake batter as this will affect the texture and density. 

If too much air is lost, it can cause the cake to go flat and become denser. Sifting in the flour can help to capture more air, as can using an electric or stand mixer.

Another potential cause of a dense vegan cake is not preheating the oven to the correct temperature. Ensure your cake pans are prepared too, to minimize the time between mixing and baking. 

Is a vegan cake healthier than a regular chocolate cake? 

A vegan cake may contain fewer saturated fats than a regular chocolate cake, but it still is not considered ‘healthy’ as similar quantities of fat and sugar are used.

More chocolate dessert recipes

• Vegan Oreo Cake
• Vegan Black Forest Cake
• Vegan Chocolate Tart
• Vegan Chocolate Pecan Pie
• Vegan Chocolate Crinkle Cookies