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If you’ve been looking for an easy Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe that’s extra moist, tender, tall and fluffy, and loaded with intense chocolate flavor, this simple recipe is a must-bake! Pair it with our Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for the best rich chocolate cake ever.
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When it’s time to celebrate life’s most happy milestones, you can’t go wrong with a thick slice of cake! Earlier this year, we celebrated Sweet Simple Vegan’s 10th birthday with the ultimate Vegan Vanilla Cake and Homemade Vegan Buttercream Frosting. It was such a hit that we wanted to develop a vegan chocolate cake recipe for our fellow chocolate lovers.
This vegan cake recipe checks all the boxes. It’s a vegan dessert recipe that’s easy enough for most beginner bakers, made using simple pantry staples, and includes easy-to-follow instructions that will answer all of your vegan cake-baking questions! It’s simply the best chocolate cake recipe!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Flour: This cake recipe can be made with plain flour or cake flour. We find cake flour to yield a lighter, more tender crumbed cake, but all-purpose flour is also great.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar or white sugar is best. To ensure your sugar is certified vegan, opt for organic sugar. We love the brand Wholesome Sweet.
- Cocoa: Any unsweetened cocoa powder will work, but we recommend Dutch-processed cocoa powder because it provides the most consistent, mild flavor in baked goods. It’s also naturally richer and darker in color, leading to a rich chocolate brown cake.
- Leavening agents: Baking powder and baking soda help the cake layers rise and become as light and fluffy as possible.
- Non-dairy milk: Any plain, non-dairy milk of choice works well. If you are nut-free, opt for soy milk, oat milk, or coconut milk, if possible.
- Brewed coffee: Adding coffee to a chocolate dessert enhances the flavor by intensifying the natural richness of the chocolate. Feel free to use a strong cup of brewed coffee or add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder to 1 cup of boiling water.
- Oil: Adds necessary moisture while keeping the flavor of the cake neutral. We recommend using vegetable oil, canola oil, or avocado oil over oils such as coconut oil. If you are using coconut oil, make sure all of your wet ingredients are room temperature, or the oil will harden in the cake batter and yield and oily cake.
- Apple cider vinegar: The acidity in the apple cider vinegar reacts with the baking soda and helps the cake layers rise as they bake.
- Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla enhances the chocolate’s flavor and adds depth of flavor to the overall cake.
For complete recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to the complete recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- 7 to 8″ round cake pans (2)
- Wire rack (for cooling)
- Offset spatula (for frosting)
- Cake turntable (optional, but can be very useful when frosting the outside of a cake)
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350F, then prepare two 8″ cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and parchment paper.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Combine the non-dairy milk, coffee, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add wet to dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients. Whisk together until combined.
- Bake. Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely. Allow the cakes to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pans. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting them with our Homemade Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. Enjoy!
Tips for Cake Decorating
If you’re new to making tiered cakes from scratch, these quick tips will make the process fun and easy.
- Level the cake layers. To ensure your cake tiers stack evenly, it’s important to trip the very top layer of the cake using a serrated knife. This will create an even surface and prevent the layers from leaning.
- Use a crumb coat. Between each cake layer apply a thin layer of Vegan Chocolate Buttercream (also known as a crumb coat). This will help the layers stick together and ensure a smooth, even layer for stacking.
- Keep your ingredients cool. If you find the cake difficult to frost, your ingredients are likely too warm. Pop the cake layer and frosting in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes or until firm to the touch again.
If you’d like a visual aid, we recommend this Cake Decorating for Beginners tutorial. It will teach you how to Frost a Cake step by step!
How to Store and Freeze Cake Layers
Baking this delicious cake in advance of a celebration? You have a few options!
If you plan to assemble your cake within a few days, allow the cake layers to cool completely on a wire rack, then wrap each individual layer tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To store cake layers for a longer term, bake and cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. This added protection will help protect the cake layers from freezer burn. Place the cake layers in a freezer bag, if possible, then seal tightly. Freeze for up to 3 months.
When ready to frost and serve, thaw the desired number of cake layers in the refrigerator.
Recipe FAQs
To bake this cake into a sheet cake, halve the recipe and bake in a greased 9×13 baking dish for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
We have not yet tested a gluten-free version of this cake recipe. If you want to experiment, try replacing the flour with a gluten-free blend such as Bob’s Red Mill. If you try it and have good results, leave a comment below to share with other readers!
Oil is an essential ingredient in making this fluffy cake, but if you want oil-free recipes, browse our Oil-Free Vegan Recipes. We have hundreds of recipes for you to try!
It is best to freeze cake layers and vegan chocolate frosting separately, then frost the day of serving.
More Vegan Cake Recipes YOu MAy Enjoy:
Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you make this recipe. We love to see your photos!
Print
Moist Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Diet: Vegan
Description
If you’ve been looking for an easy Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe that’s extra moist, tender, tall and fluffy, and loaded with intense chocolate flavor, this simple recipe is a must-bake! Pair it with our Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting for the best rich chocolate cake of all time.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (80g) dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
- 1 cup brewed coffee (or boiling water with 1 tsp espresso powder)
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350F, then prepare two 8″ cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and parchment paper.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Combine the non-dairy milk, coffee, vegetable oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a separate large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add wet to dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients. Whisk together until combined.
- Bake. Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely. Allow the cakes to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing from the pans. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting with our Homemade Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting. Enjoy!
Notes
- Sheet cake: To bake this cake into a sheet cake, halve the recipe and bake in a greased 9×13 baking dish for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Refrigerating: If you plan to assemble your cake within a few days, allow the cake layers to cool completely on a wire rack, then wrap each individual layer tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: It is best to freeze cake layers and vegan chocolate frosting separately, then frost the day of serving. Bake and cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. This added protection will help protect the cake layers from freezer burn. Place the cake layers in a freezer bag, if possible, then seal tightly. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to frost and serve, thaw the desired number of cake layers in the refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
Chocolate doesn’t judge, chocolate understands. It is ALWAYS a good deal!!!