The best vegan chocolate cake topped with the richest silkiest vegan chocolate buttercream frosting. Perfectly moist and totally decadent.
I can’t get enough of vegan chocolate cake. It’s definitely a favorite.
And I got all arrogant with this one and called it ‘the best vegan chocolate cake’ you know, as you do.
It’s mega-chocolatey, wonderfully moist, and supremely simple using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Crazy simple with a spectacular outcome.
And the frosting – oh my word – the frosting.
It’s the silkiest creamiest vegan buttercream I have ever made. And paired with this two-layer decadent dream cake and topped with chocolate shavings you’ll make every chocolate lover a very happy camper with this cake.
I have already tested this cake on some non-vegans who had no idea that it was a vegan cake and they were freaking out over it. Now that’s what I like to see.
Cake Pan Sizes
What I love about this cake is that it’s a 9 inch two layer beauty that can also be made in 8 inch pans.
And since I get a lot of questions from readers asking for different size cake recipes, I was thrilled to discover that this is an either/or situation for 8 or 9 inch pans with absolutely no other adjustments.
If you make it in 9-inch cake pans, as we did for this photoshoot, it is totally gorgeous. If you make it in 8-inch cake pans, it’s just taller but every bit as gorgeous.
How To Make the Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
You will find full instructions and measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a summary of the process to go along with the process photos.
- This is a simple 10-ingredient recipe that takes very little time to prepare.
- Sift the all purpose flour and cocoa powder (unsweetened) into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, baking soda and salt.
- Make up some vegan buttermilk by adding some lemon juice to a measuring jug and then pouring in soy milk, or almond milk, and letting it curdle into vegan buttermilk.
- Add the vegan buttermilk to the mixing bowl and some vanilla, vegetable oil, vinegar and applesauce and mix in. Use a hand whisk briefly to get rid of any big lumps.
- Spray two 9-inch (or you can use 8-inch) baking pans with non-stick spray and then line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and then bake for 30-minutes. Let the cakes cool for a few minutes in the cake pans and then transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
That Vegan Chocolate Buttercream!
The frosting is an ultra rich vegan chocolate buttercream. It’s only 6-ingredients and ridiculously simple to make, but it’s extremely impressive.
You can just add all the ingredients – vegan butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla and non-dairy milk to a mixing bowl and then use your stand mixer to whisk it into a smooth and creamy vegan chocolate buttercream.
It makes quite a lot of frosting, but as you can see from the photos, probably the perfect amount really.
Unless of course you’re not a fan of frosting in which case, I don’t even know what to do with you?
Only joking. If you’re not a frosting fan, this is a cake that can be served plain or with just a sprinkle of powdered sugar or with some vegan whipped cream.
When the cakes are completely cool, spread on the frosting.
And decorate with vegan chocolate shavings.
Just a note that if you’re making this as an 8-inch layer cake, then it’s almost too much frosting. So you might want to reduce a little bit, or just have it on extra thick, which is what I did when I tested this for 8-inch pans.
Ingredient Tips
Vegan buttermilk. This creates a super moist and tender crumb. It’s a little more moist than the average sponge cake, but not overly so. It’s rich and decadent and exactly how you want it to be. I prefer soy milk for making vegan buttermilk because it’s thicker and richer. Almond milk is more watery, but you can use almond milk if you can’t use soy.
Take a look at our vegan buttermilk post which also features a video where you can see the difference in texture between vegan buttermilk made with soy milk vs almond milk. Coconut milk won’t curdle but can be used in a pinch.
Canola oil. I use oil rather than vegan butter in most of my cakes and I really love the result. For this cake I used canola oil, but I have also tested this with my other, rather unusual favorite, which is extra virgin olive oil. You can also use vegetable oil. If you want to use coconut oil then make sure it’s melted first.
Applesauce. This creates moisture without needing to use more oil and is also an ‘egg replacement’ of sorts.
Flour. Regular all purpose flour is my flour of choice for this cake. I recommend you weigh it for the best accuracy. Flour measures are tricky, and even for experienced bakers using the spoon and level method (the correct method when using cup measures for flour) it is possible to get it a bit wrong. And baking is very precise and can be a little unforgiving in that respect.
Cocoa Powder. I use natural unsweetened cocoa powder. This works great in the cake and the frosting.
Recipe FAQ
Applesauce! But I don’t find ‘egg replacements’ to be crucial in vegan baking, though I do use them for flavor/moisture. Really it’s more the vinegar/baking soda combination that is crucial in this cake. The applesauce is more for moisture than anything else.
You can use 1 ½ flax eggs. So you would mix 1 ½ Tablespoons of ground flaxseed meal with 4 ½ Tablespoons hot water and let that sit until it becomes thick and gloopy.
The vinegar reacts with the baking soda and helps the cake to rise. I used distilled white vinegar, but you can use apple cider vinegar too, they are interchangeable.
Sure, you can try this with a gluten-free all purpose flour blend, in the same quantity as the regular flour.
This recipe as is will make 18-24 cupcakes. If you want to make a perfect batch of 12 cupcakes though then check out our classic vegan chocolate cupcakes recipe.
Storing and Freezing
This cake will keep covered at room temperature for 3-4 days and in the fridge for up to 7 days. It is definitely at its best in terms of taste and texture the day of baking and the following day.
Unfortunately, you can’t make the batter in advance and let that sit in the fridge for a few days as that can cause the cake to not rise. It’s a make and bake immediately situation but the cake itself does last a fair while.
You can also freeze this cake, either frosted or unfrosted, for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge when you’re ready for it.
This Is The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake Because:
- It’s wonderfully moist! Yes, I keep saying it but it really is.
- It’s extremely chocolatey. The chocolate flavor really pops.
- It’s so rich and decadent. You’ll be super satisfied after a slice of this.
- It’s really quick and easy. The hardest part about this cake is having the patience to wait for the layers to cool so you can frost it and eat it!
- Vegans and non-vegans are mad about this cake! Tried and tested and definitely true.
- It can be made in 8-inch or 9-inch pans! I have tried it both ways and it worked great. The photos are of the 9-inch cake, but 8-inch works perfectly as well the cake is just taller.
- The vegan chocolate buttercream is totally divine. It’s really the perfect topping for this cake, oh and don’t forget the chocolate shavings!
More Vegan Cakes
- Vegan Lemon Cake
- Vegan Vanilla Cake
- Vegan White Cake
- Vegan Carrot Cake
- Vegan Apple Cake
- Vegan Red Velvet Cake
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Cake:
- 2 ¼ cups All Purpose Flour (281g)
- ¾ cup Cocoa Powder (63g) Unsweetened
- 1 ½ cups White Granulated Sugar (300g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ cups Vegan Buttermilk (360ml) 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice + soy milk up to the 1 ½ cup line*
- 3 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Distilled White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
- 5 Tablespoons Applesauce
For the Vegan Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1 ¼ cups Vegan Butter (284g)
- 3 ½ cups Powdered Sugar (420g)
- ¾ cup Cocoa Powder (63g) Unsweetened
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1-2 Tablespoons Soy Milk or other non-dairy milk*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray two 9-inch* baking pans with non-stick spray and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment paper. Set aside.
- Sift the flour and the cocoa powder into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, baking soda and salt.
- Prepare the vegan buttermilk by adding 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice to a measuring jug and then adding soy milk up to the 1 ½ cup (360ml) line. Leave it for a minute to curdle.
- Add the vegan buttermilk, vanilla, oil, vinegar and applesauce and mix in. Use a hand whisk briefly to remove any large lumps. Don't overmix.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
- Let the cake layers cool for a few minutes and then remove them from the cake pans and transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare your frosting by adding your vegan butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla and 1 Tablespoon soy milk to the bowl your stand mixer. Start off at slow speed and gradually increase speed until your frosting is thick and smooth. If it's too thick, add the remaining soy milk until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Frost the cooled cakes and decorate with chocolate shavings.
Video
Notes
- You can also use almond milk to make vegan buttermilk.
- This cake works in both 9-inch pans (as in these photos) or 8-inch pans. If you use 8-inch pans you just get a taller cake, everything else remains the same for the cake.
- If you make this cake for 8-inch pans then the frosting may be too much. You could reduce the frosting recipe slightly, or just have it as a thicker frosting than what you see in these photos. Leftover frosting can also be frozen.
- This cake will keep covered at room temperature for 3-4 days and in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Nutritional information includes everything, frosting, chocolate shavings, all of it!
Val says
Any changes if I would like to make it as cupcakes?
Thanks.
Alison Andrews says
Hi Val, this recipe would make between 18 and 24 cupcakes and the only change would be to bake them for around 25 minutes. You can also check out our classic vegan chocolate cupcakes. 🙂
Emily says
I have spent over a year-and-a-half trying to find the perfect recipe for cake for my egg allergic daughter and I finally found it! I just made these as cupcakes and they’re perfect. We aren’t vegan, so I just used regular buttermilk and they were amazing. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen my 4 year old eat an entire cupcake. Thank you thank you!! Are there any other cake recipes you recommend? I could really use some go to for white or yellow and lemon cake. Or anything else really! I’m so excited
Alison Andrews says
Hi Emily! Sooo happy you loved the recipe! We have loads of cake recipes! Check out our vegan white cake or vegan vanilla cake and our vegan lemon cake! 🙂
Lorraine says
This cake was amazing! I’m not vegan but made it for a friend who is. I didn’t have applesauce and substituted bananas instead. I halved the recipe and made two 6” layers. This was as good as, if not better than my regular chocolate cake and that recipe gets rave reviews from everyone. I will be making it again.
Alison Andrews says
Wonderful! So happy to hear that Lorraine, thanks for sharing! 🙂
Kemi Taiwo says
This was absolutely amazing!!! It tasted sooooooo good!!! I received so many compliments. I followed the recipe exactly but split it between three 6 inch tins. It made a lovely tall top layer to my 2 tier cake. I also baked with a baking belt to encourage the layers to bake flatter. I paired it with a vegan vanilla buttercream. Your title is correct! It is the best vegan chocolate cake ever!!! In fact its the best chocolate cake ever!
Alison Andrews says
Yay! I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks so much for the wonderful review. 🙂
Michelle says
Hi! ????
I made your recipe and it turned out super well! I love the cake, but the frosting is a little to sweet for my taste even though I already cut down on the sugar. I also put some raspberry puree between the layers to balance out the sweetness ????
Thanks for sharing the recipe, I‘ll definitely make the cake again! Next time we might just eat it without the frosting because it was super moist and tasty by itself 🙂
Greetings from Germany ???????? ????
Alison Andrews says
Hi Michelle, so happy you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Christine Logan says
Hi Alison,I am wondering if I could use no oil and maybe some coconut cream instead? I have two vegans in my home but my husband dislikes a cake with oil so I always feel torn between them.Can you help me?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Christine, I don’t think anyone would know there is oil in it, it’s just a moist cake. 🙂 You could try using applesauce instead though, I’m not at all sure about coconut cream, but also worth a try if you want to!
Phil says
This cake turned out perfect the first time I tried it with 9″ pans. Any suggestions for how to modify it for making a 12″x18″ half sheet cake? I know you have a chocolate sheet cake recipe too but I love this one and the recipes differ a bit so ideally would use this recipe. Any suggestions would be appreciated, thank you!
Alison Andrews says
Hi Phil! So glad you like the recipe! I’m not sure it would need to be modified, it might just work! I would try it as is and just cut the baking time to about 20 minutes and see how it goes. All the best! 🙂
Alison Sizemore says
This cake is DELICIOUS!!! I couldn’t believe how moist and easy it was to make. One question…can the frosting be frozen to use later?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Alison! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for the wonderful rating. Yes the frosting can be frozen! Just let it thaw in the fridge when you want to use it again. 🙂
Faith says
Hi, can I make this chocolate cake recipe in half sheet size?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Faith, yes that would be fine. It will bake for a shorter time though, maybe 20 mins. You can also check out our recipe for vegan chocolate sheet cake. 🙂
Carolyn says
I want to let you know that your recipes work beautifully with King Arthur Baking Gluten Free Baking Mix. (Order from amazon as it’s hit or miss finding in stores) I omit any leavening from your recipe as the mix already has it, otherwise I follow the recipe without changes. Thank you!!! You’ve made our gluten free and dairy free lives easier when our little ones’ birthdays roll around!
Alison Andrews says
That’s great to know! Thanks so much for sharing Carolyn. And so happy the recipes have been working out great for you, thanks for the wonderful review. xo
Anjie says
Hi Alison
This cake recipe is beautiful, however mine came out a little gluey in the centre. I made it in 8″ pans and after 30 mins I tested it and the middle was still wet so I put it back for a further 10 mins. Can you let me know where I went wrong. It tasted really delicious though. Btw your vegan chocolate cupcake recipe is amazing! It was so light and fluffy. I wanted the chocolate cake to be the same. Please let me know where I went wrong.
Alison Andrews says
Hi Anjie! Was it still a little wet in the middle even after the extra baking time? So glad it still tasted delicious! This recipe really should be the same in texture as the cupcakes, so I’m not really sure what might’ve happened. If you have any other info to give me then I can try and troubleshoot it a little more.
Miike says
Hi Alison,
This recipe is gorgeous, but please can you tell me what I did wrong for my two cakes to sink a bit in the middle? Could it be my oven?
Alison Andrews says
Hi there! Sorry to hear they sunk in the middle! The most common reasons for this are that the oven door was opened before the cakes had properly set, or that the batter sat for too long before going in the oven. The other reason can be if you accidentally used too much raising agent (baking soda in this case). I hope this helps! I’m sure it will still taste great. 🙂
Iddy says
The name of this cake should be changed to the best chocolate cake – vegan or not. It was SO moist and soft. My husband isn’t dairy free like me and he said it was the best chocolate cake he’s ever had. And after 3 days I was actually HOPING the cake had gone bad so that I could just throw it out (we were feeling guilty for eating it) and it was still delicious and fresh. Hands down, amazing.
Alison Andrews says
Thank you so much Iddy! This comment made my day. xoxo
Idolka Salgueiro says
Hi! Quick question. For the applesauce do I use unsweetened or regular?
Thank you for your time!
Alison Andrews says
Hi there, I usually use unsweetened, but any applesauce is going to work fine here. 🙂
Kanel landres says
This was so good. I used Apple cider vinegar because I can’t stand the smell of white vinegar but other than that it was perfect, not too sweet or buttery.
I also only cooked it for about 20 minutes and it was great.
Alison Andrews says
So glad to hear it was a success! Thanks so much for the great review. 🙂