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    Home » Cakes and Cupcakes

    Dairy Free Chocolate Cake

    Published: Aug 15, 2019 Updated: Mar 29, 2022 by Alison Andrews This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe
    Dairy Free Chocolate Cake

    Fudgy, moist and beautifully textured dairy free chocolate cake. Perfect as a 2 or 3-layer cake smothered in vegan chocolate buttercream. 

    Dairy free chocolate cake on a white cake stand.

    This dairy free chocolate cake is three layers of awesome! Or two layers if you like, and it can be done in 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans so it’s flexible and versatile but most importantly, it’s utterly delicious. 

    It’s made with homemade dairy free buttermilk – made by mixing lemon juice with soy milk or almond milk – and it’s next level moist, loaded with chocolate flavor and just an all round winner.

    Of course this cake is dairy free but it’s also eggless because really, you don’t need eggs to make this cake amazing. It is undetectably dairy-free and egg-free, i.e. no one will guess and everyone will think you’re awesome for baking this cake!

    Slice of dairy free chocolate cake on a cake lifter.

    How To Make Dairy Free 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.

    • It’s so easy to make this chocolate cake, you are going to totally love it. 
    • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and spray three 8-inch cake pans for a three layer cake, or two 9-inch cake pans for a two layer cake, with non-stick spray and line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper. Set aside. 
    • Then sift all purpose flour and unsweetened cocoa powder into a mixing bowl and add sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix together. 
    Two photo collage showing dry ingredients added to a mixing bowl and mixed.
    • Prepare dairy free buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a measuring jug and then adding soy milk or almond milk up to the 1 cup (240ml) line and letting it curdle.
    • Add the dairy free buttermilk, oil, applesauce and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl and mix it into a thick batter.
    • Add in 1 cup of hot coffee and whisk it in briefly with a hand whisk. 
    • The batter will be thin once the hot coffee is mixed in, and this is how it’s supposed to be for this recipe. 
    Batter for chocolate cake in a mixing bowl.
    • Divide the batter evenly between your prepared cake pans and then bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean. 
    Two photo collage showing chocolate cake in 3 cake pans before and after baking.
    • Let the cakes cool for a few minutes in the pans before transferring to wire cooling racks to cool completely before frosting. 
    Chocolate cake layers on a wire cooling rack.

    Frosting & Decorating

    The frosting is a delicious vegan chocolate buttercream frosting. It’s silky smooth and glides onto the cake like velvety perfection. 

    Sprinkle dark chocolate shavings over the top and you have a gorgeous dairy free cake. 

    Three layer dairy free chocolate cake with naked sides on a white cake stand.

    Ingredient Notes

    Dairy free buttermilk. This creates a deliciously moist crumb. The acid from the lemon juice in the buttermilk also reacts with the baking soda to give the cake rise. You can use either soy milk or almond milk to make it, but soy milk tends to give better (richer) results. Other non-dairy milks like coconut milk, oat milk, cashew milk etc may not curdle with the addition of the lemon juice, but can still be used in this recipe if that is what you have on hand.

    Canola oil. You can use canola oil or switch it for any vegetable oil. If you want to use coconut oil then make sure it’s melted first. Coconut oil does tend to result in a denser texture.

    Applesauce? You can use flax eggs instead of applesauce if you prefer, you would use two flax eggs to replace the applesauce in this recipe. 

    Hot coffee. This just enhances the chocolate flavor of the cake. If you don’t want to use coffee then you can just use hot water instead. 

    Slice of dairy free chocolate cake on a cake lifter.

    Recipe FAQ

    Can I make this into cupcakes? Yes, this will make 18-24 cupcakes. If you’re looking for a gorgeous cupcake recipe that makes a perfect 12 cupcakes, then check out our classic vegan chocolate cupcakes recipe. 

    Can you make this cake gluten free? You can switch the regular flour for a gluten free all purpose baking blend. Or check out our vegan gluten free chocolate cake.

    Slice of dairy free chocolate cake on a white plate.

    Storing and Freezing

    Store your dairy free chocolate cake covered at room temperature where it will stay good for 3-4 days. You can also keep it covered in the fridge where it will stay fresh for up to 7 days. 

    It’s also freezer friendly for up to 3 months! Thaw it in the fridge overnight when you’re ready for it. 

    Slice of dairy free chocolate cake on a white plate.

    More Delicious Chocolate Cake Recipes

    • Vegan German Chocolate Cake – the coconut pecan filling will blow your mind!
    • Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Cake – you’ll never know there is zucchini in here!
    • Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake – the easiest recipe!
    • The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake – probably tied with this one for the ‘best’ cake award.
    • Vegan Chocolate Fudge Cake – dreamy!
    • Vegan Oreo Cake – this one you’ve got to see! 
    Slice of dairy free chocolate cake on a white plate with a fork.

    Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

    Dairy free chocolate cake on a white cake stand.

    Dairy Free Chocolate Cake

    Fudgy, moist and beautifully textured dairy free chocolate cake. Perfect as a 2 or 3-layer cake smothered in vegan chocolate buttercream.
    4.95 from 18 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Cakes, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Vegan
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 312kcal
    Author: Alison Andrews

    Ingredients

    For the Chocolate Cake:

    • 2 cups All Purpose Flour (250g)
    • ¾ cup Cocoa Powder (63g) Unsweetened
    • 2 cups White Granulated Sugar (400g)
    • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
    • 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
    • 1 teaspoon Salt
    • 1 cup Dairy Free Buttermilk (240ml) 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice + Soy Milk or Almond Milk up to the 1 cup line
    • ½ cup Canola Oil (120ml) or Vegetable Oil
    • 6 Tablespoons Applesauce
    • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
    • 1 cup Hot Coffee (240ml)

    For the Frosting:

    • 1 Recipe Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare three 8-inch cake pans or two 9-inch cake pans* by spraying with non-stick spray and lining the bottoms with circles of parchment paper. Set aside.
    • Sift the all purpose flour and unsweetened cocoa powder into a mixing bowl and add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix together.
    • Prepare the dairy free buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to a measuring jug and then adding soy milk or almond milk up to the 1 cup (240ml) line and letting it curdle.
    • Add the dairy free buttermilk to the mixing bowl along with the canola oil, applesauce and vanilla extract and mix into a thick batter.
    • Add in 1 cup of hot coffee and whisk it in with a hand whisk. The batter will be thin and this is correct.
    • Divide the batter evenly between the 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 cakes cool in the cake pans for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
    • Frost with vegan chocolate buttercream frosting and decorate with vegan chocolate shavings (optional).

    Notes

    1. Flour. Weigh your flour for accuracy or make sure you measure it correctly using the spoon and level method. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. 
    2. Dairy Free Buttermilk – is ideally made with lemon juice + soy milk or almond milk. Other non-dairy milks like coconut milk, cashew milk, oat milk etc may not curdle when mixed with lemon juice but can still be used if this is what you have on hand. 
    3. Applesauce. The applesauce can be switched for 2 flax eggs (6 Tablespoons of Ground Flaxseed Meal mixed with 6 Tablespoons of hot water).
    4. Coffee. You can either use filter coffee or just add 1 teaspoon of instant coffee to a cup of boiling hot water. If you want to omit the coffee altogether then you can just use a cup of hot water.
    5. Cake pans. This cake is very versatile, you can make it in three 8-inch cake pans OR two 8-inch cake pans, if you’re doing two 8-inch pans the cake layers will just be thicker. You may need an extra 5 mins baking time if you’re doing it in two 8-inch pans. If you’re making it in 9-inch cake pans then make it in two layers.
    6. Storing. Store leftover cake covered at room temperature for 3-4 days or covered in the fridge for 7 days.
    7. Nutritional information is for the cake only, the nutritional info for the frosting is listed on the frosting recipe page.
    8. Recipe adapted from Ina Garten.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 54.3g | Protein: 3.8g | Fat: 10.3g | Saturated Fat: 1.2g | Sodium: 471mg | Fiber: 2.7g | Sugar: 34.2g
    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @lovingitvegan on Instagram and hashtag #lovingitvegan
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    About the Author

    Hi I'm Alison Andrews, I'm the voice and cook behind Loving It Vegan. I love making delicious vegan food and creating vegan versions of all your old favorites, so that you’ll never feel like you’re missing out. Find out more about me here.

    Loving It Vegan is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This site may contain some of these links to Amazon.com. If you make a purchase through one of those links, Loving It Vegan will receive a small commission from the purchase at no additional cost to you.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Mary Morse says

      January 02, 2023 at 4:14 pm

      I had never made a Dairy Free cake before and I was pleasantly surprised with this one. Very moist and delicious. Had several people request the recipe.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        January 03, 2023 at 10:39 am

        Awesome! Thanks Mary!

        Reply
    2. Julie says

      June 18, 2022 at 11:16 pm

      This cake is delicious! I have made it 4 times now but use 6 inch pans and would love a bit of guidance with baking time. It seems as if I had to add about 25 minutes to cook it through. The icing is also the best!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        June 20, 2022 at 2:11 pm

        Hi Julie, yes for 6-inch cake pans the layers would be very deep so that’s why the baking time would be so much more. I would halve the recipe for a two layer 6-inch cake. Or make it as a four layer 6-inch cake with the recipe as is, and then the baking time would be around 20-25 minutes.

        Reply
    3. Sarah says

      February 14, 2022 at 6:12 pm

      This is hands down the BEST chocolate cake I’ve ever had. I am not vegan or dairy-free so I’m not accustomed to making things dairy-free, but one of my good friends is vegan so I decided to make this cake for her. It is amazing. I’ve since made it five times. Did I mention I found this recipe a month ago? It is that good. I’m planning on making it again this weekend for my parents. It obviously now my go-to chocolate cake recipe. I will say, I read the comments and one person said not to skip the coffee in the icing – they were right! It really just sets it over the edge. Delicious. 10/10 recommend.5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 17, 2022 at 12:39 pm

        Thanks so much for the great comment and review Sarah! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Ali says

      November 10, 2021 at 9:30 am

      Do you know if the cake without buttercream freezes well? Hoping to make it in advance for a birthday at the weekend! This is one of my favourite chocolate cake recipes, absolutely delicious!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        November 10, 2021 at 10:46 am

        So glad you like the recipe Ali! It does freeze very well so you can definitely do that. All the best! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Katie says

      October 27, 2021 at 12:13 pm

      Can this be made in a 9×13 pan?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        October 27, 2021 at 12:40 pm

        Yes it can. Baking time will be 35-40 minutes.

        Reply
    6. Maxine says

      September 16, 2021 at 9:32 am

      Hi, can this be covered in fondant icing for a birthday cake at all? Thankyou!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        September 16, 2021 at 12:01 pm

        Yes, I haven’t used fondant myself, but I have heard from other readers that our cakes do hold up well for fondant.

        Reply
    7. Bri says

      March 14, 2021 at 10:34 pm

      This recipe is UNREAL good!!! My family (skeptic on vegan recipes) were raving about this all day after we ate it. Super easy and really yummy!!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 15, 2021 at 11:16 am

        Thanks so much Bri!

        Reply
    8. the_osiris says

      March 09, 2021 at 3:19 pm

      Can I use 2 normal eggs instead of applesauce as I’m allergic to apples and ok with eating eggs.

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        March 10, 2021 at 9:52 am

        Sure, 2 eggs would work fine, or you can also use 2 flax eggs.

        Reply
    9. Melissa Johnson says

      February 18, 2021 at 1:01 am

      Has anyone tried this with gluten free flour? It sounds like such a moist recipe! Wondering if it would work! I’m dairy free, but my sons are gluten free!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 18, 2021 at 10:31 am

        Hi Melissa, yes it works great with gluten free flour so long as it’s a gluten free all purpose blend. 🙂

        Reply
      • Jean says

        March 19, 2021 at 2:18 am

        Love. This. Cake. Would like to try as cupcakes. Can you advise the quantity and cook time?

        Reply
        • Alison Andrews says

          March 19, 2021 at 10:30 am

          It makes 18-24 cupcakes. Bake time would be 20-22 minutes.

          Reply
    10. Lauren says

      February 12, 2021 at 1:03 am

      I would like to make this for a breastfeeding mama who is off both dairy and soy – could I use almond milk instead? Will it “buttermilk” up with lemon in the same way?

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        February 12, 2021 at 10:20 am

        Hi Lauren, yes almond milk works great for buttermilk as well and curdles perfectly.

        Reply
    11. Marie says

      October 07, 2020 at 9:19 pm

      Hello! Could I put some raspberry filling in the middle or do you think it will compromise the cake texture? Thanks!!

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        October 08, 2020 at 9:55 am

        I think you could!

        Reply
    12. Lauren says

      September 14, 2020 at 10:24 pm

      Made this into a two layer 9 in cake and let me tell you what! No one knew this was dairy free and it was so decadent and moist (yes I used that word..lol) The chocolate icing is divine and I can’t wait to experiment with fruit inside and on top!5 stars

      Reply
      • Alison Andrews says

        September 15, 2020 at 9:38 am

        Awesome Lauren! So happy to hear that. Thanks a million!

        Reply
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