Four years ago this month, John and I were just kids planning our wedding. We decided to give up sweets during our engagement to feel our best on our wedding day, and to more fully enjoy our dessert bar and wedding cake.
The big day finally arrived. We had been so good, not even having an ounce of sweets aside from honey and the occasional after-dinner mint. And you better believe we pigged out at the reception. I was in sweet tooth heaven.
Like most, our honeymoon was a time of sheer indulgence so when we got settled back into “real life” we hit the reset button on our diet. Sweets were out the door again.
That was, until we attended the wedding of some close friends in Portland where I met the chocolate cake that perhaps changed my life.
Yes, big words for a cake.
I’d resigned to give desserts up indefinitely. But then we show up at this wedding and it’s absolutely charming and the food is delicious and the ambience is perfect and the music is a local bluegrass band…and all at once they bring out this giant chocolate cake.
I wrangled our entire table into a discussion over whether or not this cake was worth breaking my fast for.
Unanimously, we agreed yes. I took one bite into this luxurious, velvety, rich chocolate cake, and amidst so many layers of mousse, cake and ganache my mind couldn’t comprehend what my taste buds were experiencing.
Was it worth it? Without a doubt, yes.
These days my sweet tooth still wins once in a while, but I keep it to the occasional indulgence. A donut here, a cookie there, almost always something on the healthier side of the spectrum. But especially in the last 6 months, always dairy free. And so, it was a given that I had to make my dream chocolate cake vegan style.
Friends, I’ve done just that.
As the title suggests, this cake is made in 1 bowl in under 1 hour! You can even make your buttercream frosting in the same bowl you used for the cake. Simplicity at its finest.
The ingredients are fairly simple and considerably “healthier” than most chocolate cakes.
Coconut oil replaces vegetable or canola
Oil is reduced with the addition of applesauce
Cane sugar replaces granulated sugar
And the only (vegan) “butter” is in the (vegan) “buttercream” frosting
So, what does it taste like? Just like chocolate cake should! It’s:
Tender
Fluffy
Chocolaty
Sweet
Moist
Decadent
Generously frosted
& Perfect with a glass of almond milk
If you’re like me, chocolate cake (or any cake, for that matter) deserves a giant scoop of ice cream beside it. Melty ice cream and a thick slice of heavily-frosted cake – does it get any better than that?
But for the modest cake eater, a glass of almond milk is really all you need to wash down this vegan chocolate dream. Enjoy!
Speaking of almond milk, this recipe marks the first of several recipes we’ll be sharing over the next few months featuring Blue Diamond Almond Breeze! I’ve been using Almond Breeze for years and am thrilled to bring you guys some tasty recipes featuring a product I adore so much. For more information about the integrity of this brand, see their FAQ page.
Now bring on the cake!
1-Bowl Vegan Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
CAKE
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) original unsweetened Almond Breeze Almond Milk
- 2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cups (307 g) unsweetened applesauce*
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) strong brewed coffee (or sub more almond milk)
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) melted coconut oil, or sub grape seed or canola oil
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups + 2 Tbsp (320 g) whole-wheat pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/3 cups (266 g) organic cane sugar (or sub granulated sugar)
- 1 cup (96 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
FROSTING
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp or 224 g) vegan butter, softened
- 2 1/2 - 3 cups (280-336 g) powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup (63 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (30 g) dairy-free semisweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ~1/4 cup unsweetened original Almond Breeze Almond Milk
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and lightly spray 2 8-inch round cake pans or 1 large rectangular pan with nonstick spray (see notes for cooking times for different size pans). Dust with cocoa powder, shake out the excess and set aside.
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Mix the almond milk and vinegar in a large mixing bowl, and let set for a few minutes to activate. Add the oil, coffee, vanilla extract, and applesauce and beat until foamy.
-
Add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to a sifter and slowly sift over the wet ingredients while mixing with a hand-held or standing mixer. If you don’t have a sifter, simply mix dry ingredients in another bowl and add to the wet mixture while beating. Beat until no large lumps remain. It should be creamy and pourable. Taste and adjust sweetness as needed, adding more sugar if desired (I found it plenty sweet).
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Divide batter evenly between your 2 cake pans or rectangular pan.
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Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.
-
While cooling, prepare frosting by beating together all ingredients until light and fluffy, adding the powdered sugar in small amounts until you reach your desired consistency and sweetness. If it becomes too thick, add more almond milk. If it's too thin, add more cocoa powder or powdered sugar.
-
Once the cake is cooled, frost generously with buttercream frosting, adding a thick layer between the top and bottom layers (if doing a 2-layer cake). Alternatively, omit the frosting and dust with cocoa powder.
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Serve with a scoop of dairy-free ice cream, a drizzle of chocolate, or caramel sauce, coconut whipped cream or a glass of almond milk!
Notes
*I tested butternut squash puree in the original recipe and it made it a bit too dense for my liking. Applesauce was perfect, which is why I highly recommend it over other purees.
*Double the recipe and use 4 pans for a 4-layer cake. Halve the recipe and use 1 pan for a 1-layer cake.
*Adapted from my Fudgy Vegan Beet Cupcakes
*Buttercream adapted from Martha Stewart
*Confused on how long to bake your cake when using different pans? Here's a helpful guide.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 10)
- Calories: 524
- Fat: 26g
- Saturated fat: 15g
- Carbohydrates: 74g
- Fiber: 5.1g
- Sugar: 51g
- Protein: 4.8g
This cake looks fabulously rich and delicious! I have a similar vegan chocolate cake recipe I always use and I swear it’s better than the standard chocolate cake recipe with butter and eggs.
“I swear it’s better than the standard chocolate cake recipe with butter and eggs.”
That’s the secret to vegan baking–I’ve discovered the same thing. Things just taste better without the butter & eggs (especially eggs), IMO!
Looks lovely Dana!
(& my birthday is next week…perhaps a chocolate cake is in store.)
Totally true! Early happy birthday, Janae! Enjoy this cake!
Hello there can I substitute coconut sugar for cane sugar and if so how much can I use for the recipe?
Hi Claudia! Yes, that should work!
true :D
I love this recipe ! I would like to make it again but into cupcakes…do you think it would transfer well or should I change anything other than the cooking times? Thank you!
I make them into cupcakes and they work great!
I ended up making her vegan chocolate cupcake recipe and they were a big hit as well! More “cakey” than the super moist cake but they were awesome :) Good to know for next time!!
I just made it and I’m not sure I nailed it. I made 2 cakes, they feel and look very heavy… the frosting tastes pretty good! It’s my dauther’s 2nd birthday cake and, regardless, I’m proud I made it myself :)
Thanks for sharing this great recipe, practice makes perfect xo
Help! Whenever I try to make the batter with the melted coconut oil the coconut oil solidifies as soon as I start mixing and cakes the beaters and separates from the batter! Suggestions??
Throw the bowl in the microwave and neat for 30 seconds!
I had the same problem with the oil solidifying while beating. I was using a metal bowl and a metal beater so couldn’t put them in the microwave. I used a hairdryer to blow warm air onto the batter, bowl, and beater. After a few minutes, the oil melted again. Once melted, I beat again briefly, still aiming the hairdryer at the bowl. When I made this recipe, the batter never did get foamy, but the cake turned out great.
the only coconut oil who doesn’t solidify after been battered is the coconut oil publix brand, this one will stay melted all the time unless you put it inside the fridge
That’s a great solution !
Hello there a quick question can I use coconut flour instead? If so would it be the same amount?
I put the mixing bowl on the stove–the oven is being heated to bake the cake. the bowl warms as the oven is heating. the coconut oil is being melted on a burner on the stove. I would put wet ingredients on the stove to warm as the oven heats–then, when the coconut oil is melted, they can be added to the dry ingredients. The Microwave will warm the one bowl, but I like to have all the ingredients warm without cooking them. I do a lot of cooking with coconut oil. It is pretty cold in No America so it doesn’t stay at liquid at room temp, like in the tropics. If you are using eggs for baking–I beat them up in a bowl and set them on the stove to warm as well–works fine. I can’t wait to try this recipe–but I would skip the frosting and just eat the cake!
I too use the heat from a pre-heating oven to warm ingredients, as I don’t own a microwave.
Help please!!i trireme making the recipes but the cake tastes as if it’s missing something maybe I should have put the coffee instead of more milk? Also, the buttercream does not look light and fluffy like the one in the picture.instead it looks more like a fudge
As far as the frosting, don’t use melted butter….use softened butter that has been sitting out. Makes a world of difference. Also if you have an electric mixer that will help.
I have found that it also depends on the temperature of the other ingredients so I try to be sure they are at room temp or pop in microwave for a few seconds, especially the applesauce and milk. Hope this helps.
I use room temp milk. I buy a couple of shelf stable almond milks or soy milks for this purpose. It doesn’t cool the heated oil too much.
uber eats! can’t wait to try \(^_^*)/
Dana, I’ve tried a few of your recipes without fail (ahem, especially those biscuits…..YUM). After searching various vegan recipes, this is the cake I’m going to make today for my BIG 40!!!! Thank you for yummy recipes!
do you mind sharing your recipe i would love to make it for my friends birthday coming up! :):)
Cara, I went to your site but didn’t see the chocolate cake recipe. Don’t you share it?
I need this cake in my life. :)
We all do, friend.
Hi – Just found your blog by searching for healthy granola bar recipes. :) Lot it! Question… I’ve only used coconut oil in solid form (or when I’ve needed it melted, it’s always been in the summer and the oil is already liquid). Do you measure the coconut oil in solid or liquid form? I want to make sure I get the proper measurements. Thanks! :)
This cake looks like pretty much the best. thing. ever. I love everything about it and just glancing at that ingredients list I can tell that it’s the most awesome chocolate overload ever. That buttercream!! See that little bowl of it in the background? Can I have that with a spoon? Please?
Pinning!
haha, you may. Thanks Abbie!
My birthday is April 17th. Throw some candles on that baby and I got myself a winner!
Happy early birthday friend! I’d bake you a cake any day ;D
Hi Lovely!
Can I put this in my cupcake pan? If so, should I use the same quantities? 12 cupcakes… :D
Hi Soraya! Other readers have made these into cupcakes, so scan the comments for suggestions/results. However, I would say just reduce the cooking time by half and check every few minutes thereafter for doneness. Hope that helps and good luck!
I’ve made these into cupcakes and they turned out pretty great. The recipe will make 24 cupcakes, so if you want 12, I suggest you half the recipe. Bake them for 16-18 minutes and out comes beautiful and delicious chocolate cupcakes. ;)
Yeah I’ll take ALL THE SLICES!
Great looking cake, great hand modeling.
AGREED ;D
This looks fabulous. I love your commitment to making cake healthier. I can’t wait to try this! I bet the applesauce really brings a great texture. I do love a moist slice of cake – slightly dense is incredibly appealing to me!
Cake doesn’t have to be totally terrible for you. Glad you agree, Lisa!
I made this cake for my wifes’ birthday for the first time. It came out the BOMB!! When I told a friend of ours I was making a vegan chocolate cake, she said “Who is going to eat that?” I said “All of us” (family).
When it was done, half the cake was gone within :30 minutes. The very next day it was gone. I saved a piece for another friend. Told him I made the cake and he said he had to pray first. Told him it was vegan, he almost turned his nose up at it. Asked him how was it and he said it was Really good. No more egg cake for me!!
Wonderful news! thanks for sharing, Lyle!!
This cake is happening this weekend. Oh yeah! I can’t tell you how much I love your site and your vegan recipes. I know you’re not vegan but I so appreciate non-vegans who really embrace vegan recipes with no baggage. Thank you.
Oh, thank you Sara! That means so much. I try to embrace veganism as I go, naturally. I’m not ready to dive all in yet and maybe I never will be. But experimenting and trying to eat more vegan dishes has proved super enjoyable! Plus, vegan baking? Super fun (and you never miss the eggs, butter, milk, etc.).
Just wanted to say, I went vegan in Sept. of 2017 and have gone without oil in my food since then. I’ve lost 35# and have only 9# more to go to my goal weight. It’s been GREAT losing weight without counting calories or exercising ’til I dropped (without success!!!). I haven’t missed much of the things I used to eat on an omnivores diet. I DO, however, miss my CHOCOLATE!! This recipe will change my mind about going without chocolate! I have a friend coming to Michigan from North Carolina this weekend and I want to impress my vegan friend with a wonderful cake that she can eat AND BAKE (she’s a wonderful baker and I’m sure she’d like to eat some of her goodies without guilt or going without while others ENJOY the rewards of her talents)! Thanks for your recipes.
I got your recipes by happenstance and look forward to getting MORE VEGAN recipes to enjoy and with which to WOW my vegan friends!!!! Thanks, again!
I live in a country where I can’t get Almond Breeze, can I make something similar myself or substitute it with something else?
Any non-dairy milk will do! Rice, light coconut, or soy being the best subs.
Any reason why you can’t use homemade almond milk? It’s SO easy to make, so much cheaper and completely devoid of any non-food additives.
Of course you can! If you have homemade on hand, just use that.
It’s very easy to make your own almond milk. Just soak one cup of raw almonds in water for 8-12 hours. Rinse the almonds well with water after they are soaked. Put almonds with 4 cups of water in a blender with a few dates and a teaspoon of vanilla and a pinch of salt. Blend for a few minutes. Use cheese cloth or a milk nut bag to strain the almond bits out.
That’s all you need for almond milk with out the added chemicals.
How long is it good for in the frig? (Homemade almond milk ) will it seperate?
I find it lasts about three days before it curdles, like buttermilk then, and I use it for pancakes , etc
You don’t want Blue Diamond almond milk anyway. She recommends them b/c they’re her sponsor (fair enough — gotta pay the bills somehow), but it has all kinds of fillers (like a carageenan and calcium carbonate) and the company is a BIG supporter of GMO foods.
Oh my! A chocolate cake with no eggs, buttercream without butter. All I need to do is use gluten-free baking mix instead of wheat flour, and substitute rice milk for almond milk, and my kids will be able to eat it. I will definitely try this one out (and will not make the mistake of using coconut flour this time).
Perfect! Let me know how it turns out if you give it a go!
Dit it work out?
This is in no way, shape, or form trying to offend anyone. I am just quite upset at the amount of ingredients I just wasted. I’ll have to go find someone to give this too.
Omg….I was actually browsing another recipe and found this one. It was amazing, what in the world did you do that you did not have the same experience as everyone else. I followed the recipe to the tee and it was amazing. My husband was in cloud nine, I made for his B-day.
I agree. If you’re going to post such a statement, why not share what went wrong, so we can help you figure out how to improve your baking techniques.
No way I’m sorry that the cake did not turn out well for you , buttt I’ve make it twice now ; making my own apple sauce and on the second occasion my own almond milk. All I can say that everyone who has tasted it wants more and is asking for the recipe. It’s is beyond tasty . If you throw in a handful of sour cherries into the mix wow . O
WHAT A GREAT IDEA! Do you add cherries to the mixture before baking?
Maybe…you just didn’t make it right. I’ve done this cake holding a new born and with a 4 year old blabbing at me. and turns out AWESOME everr time. with coconut milk, almond, coffee, no coffee…etc.
To be fair Iam a professional cook. went to university for cooking…so…be fair with the recipe, maybe was you. ANd btw this one doesn’t recall beans. good luck.
I know the comment I’m replying to is very old, but I was a) surprised the cake did not turn out well for anyone — I just made it for my vegan daughter’s birthday and I am a picky baker/baked goods eater and not a vegan myself yet I thought this was really very good and b) kind of taken aback by the tone. What is it with the internet that brings this out in people?
For the record: I cut the sugar down to one cup in the cake. With the (surprisingly good) frosting, that’s all you need if you like a rich cocoa/chocolate taste.
Ha! So kind. Thanks for sharing!
Perfect Cake and buns ❤️
Did it work with gluten free flour?
Yes! I would like to know this as well please! I may just try it by substituting an all purpose GF baking flour and cross my fingers to hope for the best! Lol I don’t see why it wouldn’t work since the original recipe is just reg unbleached flour as long as it’s a cup for cup even trade but I may require a bit more liquid such a milk depending on how absorbent it is. That could be added easily very slowly and lightly
Hi! We would recommend subbing the all purpose with a mix of almond meal or flour, oats or oat flour, and a gluten free flour blend + a little xanthan gum for binding. Hope that helps!
Any recommendations for the proportions of the flours?
Oh wow this looks amazing! Chocolate is always a winner :) coconut milk works well in chocolate cake too :) x
Never tried it but I’m sure it does! Thanks for the tip, Millie :D
Dana, to make this cake gluten free, would you suggest just using GF flour instead of all purpose? Are there other ingredients one needs to add if using GF flour to balance the recipe?
Hi Leah! I’d sub the all purpose with a mix of almond meal or flour, oats or oat flour, and a gluten free flour blend + a little xanthan gum for binding. Hope that helps!
Hi, is it possible to give the specific amount of each for the GF version, cause I don’t want to make a mistake by guessing the amount and the result is not good in the end…thank you in advance!!!
Your layers are perfect, Dana! Good job!
Thanks Kelly! It was a labor of love ;D
I LOVE coffee in chocolate cakes! It just adds so much depth and flavor. Now I’m torn which to make this weekend — this cake, or your previous vegan beet cupcakes! Have to bring a dessert to a baby shower, so maybe I’ll just make both and let them decide which is the most delicious :) Thanks, as always, for sharing.
Go with the cupcakes! Much easier for baby showers. Enjoy!
this is just beyond perfect!!!!
This cake looks so delicious and stunning! The layers are perfect. To die for :)
That is the most beautiful cake!
Thanks Lexi!!
my jaw just dropped!!! this cake is amazing.
Thanks Jessica!
Can almond flour be replaced to make it gluten free?
Not all almond flour, but potentially a mix. This is just a loose recommendation, but I’d sub the all purpose with a mix of almond meal or flour, oats or oat flour, and a gluten free flour blend + a little xanthan gum for binding. Hope that helps!
Thank you!
Cake that changed your life?! OMG…I need this! Also, huge props for giving up sweets during your engagement. I’m getting married in August and feel like the closer I get to the wedding day, the more celebrations that happen, the most sweets I eat, etc….you’re an inspiration to cut back! xx
Right? I realized that would happen so we just cut them out to avoid temptation. For me, it’s all or nothing. Happy engagement!
Oh my gosh. My birthday is next week and I was trying to think of something I could make for dessert but still keep it somewhat healthy. DING DING DING we have a winner! I can’t get vegan butter though so I think I’ll use coconut whipped cream instead. NOMS. I’m so excited to make this. Thank you!!
Perfect! If I wasn’t photographing this cake, I probably would’ve just served it with coconut whip and fresh berries. Excellent choice! And early happy birthday, Sophie!
I can barely even handle how good this cake looks. You are a vegan mastermind! Pinning and making ASAP!
Thanks Amanda! I take that as a massive compliment :D
I have to say I am loving all your posts lately.. also, my best friend is a vegan and she is deffinately getting this for her birthday! I was wondering though, what size pan did you use?
Holy cake. That last shot seriously captures it’s moistness. Dropping everything to make this, no lie.
DO IT ;D
The recipes you two share always have the best WOW factor! Sounds like a wonderful wedding with lots of nummy sweets (good on you two for holding out on sweets before then!). I pinned this before I even read the recipe. I so love the addition of fruit puree, cane sugar and coffee – my go to ingredients in every chocolate cake like dessert! Thanks for another great recipe!
Thanks Ceara! Fruit puree in baking is the best! It’s even better tasting (and way healthier) than oil, I think. The coffee sends it over the top. Hope you enjoy!
This looks amazing! My daughter has quite a few food allergies and making delicious desserts for her has been tricky. Could you substitute anything in for the flour? I saw you mentioned almond flour in one of the comments, but we are nut free too. Basically we are gluten free, nut free, meat-eating vegans (if that makes any sort of sense)! Can’t wait to give this cake a try!
Kate, I totally understand where you’re at. I’d recommend going heavy on the GF flour blend since you can’t compensate with almond meal. Also, some GF oat flour might help break it up. If you can do eggs, throw an egg in there for binding. If not, add xanthan gum. Hope that helps!
Now THAT is a chocolate cake. Looks amazing!!!
Thanks friend! It almost lives up to your carrot cake WOW-factor!
Love all these shots Dana! Especially the first one on the fork, and that one where you’re holding up the whole cake with your fingers. Eeek! Were there any close calls with dropping that one? I have horrible balance. This cake looks so mouthwatering and I love the addition of fruit puree!
That was all John. Fingers of steel. The poise on that guy…. ;D
Looks amazing! I’m currently on a “break from sweets” (funny that you should write about that), so this will have to wait, but I will save it for a day in [very near] future!
I have a silly question, but could not find a suitable answer from google–what is the difference between cane and granulated sugar??
Cane is basically less processed. It’s slightly darker in color and only slightly coarser in texture, making it perfect for swapping out for sugar in baking. Basically, it makes me feel better about myself when consuming mass amounts of sugar ;D
thanks! I do have cane sugar but the granules are fairly large, so I wasn’t sure if it would work the same way in baking. Thank you!
MADE IT! and it was….WONDERFUL! The frosting was my favorite (and I ate way too much of it plain, especially considering I’m on a “break from dessert”…hmmm). I made this for my students, one of which is vegan and GF, and used a GF flour mix I purchased from my local co-op. Only other substitution I made was that I used granulated sugar, and perhaps a bit more of it then the recipe called for. I’m not sure if it was the GF aspect of it, but on its own the cake was a bit “bland” (a student’s word, not mine). Not sure how to remedy this….it was still amazingly moist which I loved, and will be making it again! Thank you! This was my first vegan/gf baking experience and I can’t even tell you how happy and appreciative my vegan/gf student was.
OR….just look for the sugar that says “ORGANIC” on the package. That would be cane sugar too.
Organic cane sugar, nutritionally speaking, is no different than white sugar. It’s still white, despite the tiny amount of molasses remaining. The nutritional value is miniscule. All sugars and syrups are bad for you. The best ones have significant nutrition, so as least you’re getting some vitamins and minerals. The most nutritious sweeteners are date sugar (dried ground dates), dried fruit paste, concentrated fruit juice, and raw sugar. Your cane sugar (or “sugar in the raw” as well) is *not* raw or minimally processed. It has only a tiny amount of molasses left. Raw sugar contains all the original molasses content. You can buy it as “sucanat”, or at Indian or Mexican markets. It’s similar to dark brown sugar.
My god woman – this cake is fricking perfect.
No, your hempseed raw truffle thingies were friggin’ perfect. GIMME!
I will make this for my children, They love chocolate/cacao/cocoa/carob. Maybe will skip the frosting and just scoop ice cream on top. Yum! I always love your unique original Creativity!
Sounds like a good idea to me!
How do you do it, Dana?!
*blushing*
This is one gorgeous cake! & ready in one hour? Perfection! Looking forward to trying this soon :)
Dana! This (and all your recipes) looks amazing! I loved reading how that wedding cake inspired this masterpiece. I remember wanting to go sit in a dark corner with no one watching and eat me some dang wedding cake uninterrupted. Funny thing was the caterer dropped the middle tier on the way to the reception!!
Wha!!?? No way. Can’t believe he dropped the cake! I didn’t envy you on your wedding day. You were too busy meeting and greeting to devour that cake! Suh good. We miss you guys! But we’ll be out in Portland this summer so I’ll keep you posted!
Whoa… that is a seriously awesome looking cake! It’s my birthday in a few days… so i’m totally making myself this cake… maybe i’ll add sprinkles to make it festive :) Love your posts guys… seriously!!!
The first bite of food I had at my wedding was the cake my brand new hubby fed to me. Go figure!
Let there be (this) cake :)
Indeed! Let there (always) be cake. I need a plaque that says that ;D
Made this cake yesterday, it is amazing and gets the seal of approval from my 6 year old who is a chocolate cake connoisseur!
Daaannnaaa, my birthday is in two weeks…..do you ship? ;) I want to take a big bite out of my monitor! I love that this is a quick and simple cake. Sometimes ain’t nobody got time for making a complicated cake! :)
Haha, I wish I did! I hear the profit margins are low ;D
I am going to make this cake for my boyfriend’s birthday! looks delicious!
Let me know how it goes!!
We were planning our wedding this time 4 years ago, too. It seems like forever ago, but in the best way. we also had a dessert bar that my friends and fam still talk about…probably my proudest DIY from that day.
That said, THIS CAKE looks glorious. I mean, chocolate on chocolate is always a good idea.
WHAT? You DIY’d your own wedding DESSERT BAR? No wonder I’m obsessed with you ;D Chocolate on chocolate for the win!
Holy crap, that is one seriously amazingly gorgeous perfect cake! My mouth is pretty much salivating right now…cute! :-D I don’t know if there is anything better than a rich chocolate cake and a glass of milk.
I don’t think there is ;D Glad we’re on the same page, Stephanie!
Omg! I’m dying soooo delicious
One bowl, vegan and no complicated ingredients? That’s a winner in my book! Love the crispness of your photos!
Thanks, Molly!
Do you think this would work out with Gluten Free All Purpose Flour? Or any GF suggestions? It looks aboslutely decadent, I’d hate to miss out!
Check out the comments above! I’ve left a few suggestions. Hope that helps, Sarah!
Chocolate cake is the song of my heart! This one looks fantastic!
Back again! As I said I would, I made the cake this weekend and man, was it delicious! It was served to 4 non-vegans who loved it and devoured it. And it was super easy to make too which makes it even more great. I have a feeling this will be in the permanent rotation. THANK YOU!
Yay! So glad you all enjoyed it. thanks for sharing, Sara!
I made this cake today, and OMG it was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had! I just had to post and thank you!!
Fabulous
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it, Mary Beth!!
Hi, Dana. This cake looks wonderful. What size cake pans did you use?
8-inch round! I’ll add that to the notes.
I love all the pictures and what you did with the straws-added such a festive little touch! Can’t wait to try this amazing recipe.
I made this cake and follow all the instructions to the letter. It looked perfect and I was so happy to seve to my friend for our afternoon tea. Unfortunetelly it was not good. It was not cooked in the middle and was very heavy not soft and moist as it was suppose to be. What went wrong?
Hmm, you didn’t make any substitutions? I’ve tried it with a heartier puree and it was more dense than I prefer. But with applesauce it should’ve been fine! Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
So, I’m not even a huge chocolate fan but I made this cake yesterday with my friend and her daughter and it was AMAZING!!! VERY moist, not too sweet, and light! Hands down my favorite dessert and I’ll be making one for my birthday this year. I’m officially a chocolate convert, even had a piece for breakfast this morning. Thank you Dana for continuously offering these awesome vegan recipes!!!!
Yay! So glad you all enjoyed this, Denisio! And if you ask me, cake for breakfast is a brilliant idea ;D Cheers!
I made this cake over the weekend for a girls cooking club, substituted a different frosting recipe (one that is made with real butter, powered sugar, vanilla and espresso!) and it was delicious! The cake was great and friends have asked for the recipe. My husband was not happy there wasn’t any leftover!
Yay! SO glad you all enjoyed it, Mikal! Thanks for sharing your experience. I guess you’ll just have to make it again for your hubby ;D
I made this over the weekend… I posted a pic on Instagram… WHOA, I literally ate almost half the frosting on its own – SO Delicious!! No one knew this cake was vegan… I also used gluten free flour and it turns out INCREDIBLE! this is my new stand by cake :)
Ha! So great! SO glad you enjoyed this, Carole!
That last picture is killing me! It looks so fudgy and inviting. I also adore your photos. I’m buying your e-book as soon as I get home today :)
Yay! Thanks Katie! Let us know what you think!
Hi Dana —
This cake looks amazing. My boyfriend is gluten-free and vegan, and also can’t eat regular sugar — yet thinks he’s a low-maintenance eater, ha. :) He can eat other sweeteners, though, such as agave, honey and stevia. Would you have any suggestions to substitute the sugar?
— Valeire
Valerie, I think this is a tough one because liquid sweeteners will definitely mean the cake will require more dry ingredients to compensate. Plus, sugar usually works best in cakes texture wise. So if I were you, I’d use powdered stevia (don’t sub 1:1, obviously, since it’s much sweeter), and then add a bit more GF flour to compensate. You’re looking for a pourable batter. Just taste to make sure it’s sweet enough before you bake it off! Hope that helps!
Great, Dana; thank you!
I mean a one bowl reciepe….who -in their right mind- wouldn’t want that. Since my boyfriend always complaints about me using such a h-u-g-e pile of dishes whenever I cook/bake. This is perfect! HAHAHA ;-)
And your describtion makes my mouth water!
Love from Germany,
Elisa
What is vegan butter? Please.
I use Earth Balance brand. It’s a butter product that’s completely animal product free.
Is it the butter spread or the sticks?
Hi Gee! Either or would work!
This looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it! Would coconut butter or coconut oil work for the frosting? Would one be better than the other?
Hmm we haven’t tried either and can’t say for sure. I would try coconut butter? If you give it a try, report back!
I actually made this recipe, and the cake portion turned out great. Moist, chocolatey, and completely delicious. The icing, however, was not so delicious. Maybe my chocolate was too hot? I forgot to ‘slightly cool’ it. At any rate, the icing turned out strange looking- sort of wet, and it looked lumpy even though the texture was smooth. You can make simple glazes just with melted chocolate and a couple other ingredients, so that’s what I opted to use. Ultimately it was a delicious cake!
Thanks for sharing, Claire!
I had the same issue. What did I do? It tasted great so I still used it as the icing but now I’m worried the cake will be soggy tomorrow:(???
Do you think this could be made gluten free???
Yes! Check previous comments for modifications/suggestions.
Hello! This looks great, but I was wondering what brand of dairy-free semisweet chocolate you used? I’m kind of new to what brands would be best. Thank you!
I like Trader Joe’s for dairy-free chips. But Enjoy Life baking chips are also great!
I haven’t tried to make this cake yet, but if it tastes half as good as it looks, I’m gonna be the happiest person alive (yes, I’m that crazy about chocolate). That said, I really, REALLY hope this works, because since going vegan I haven’t had the pleasure of eating rich, delicious chocolate cake. So yeah, I’m looking forward to see how this goes. Oh, and I can’t express how thankful I am that you seem to be making more vegan dishes lately, because I really love this blog, you guys are amazing and do great work! :)
Thanks, Nanda! I’ve been eating almost entirely vegan lately, so the recipes are certainly a reflection of that. Let me know if you try this cake! Be sure to use applesauce because it’s the best puree to keep it light and fluffy. Hope that helps!
Just made this with bob red mill’s gluten free flour + 2.25 tsp xantham gum in place of the flour!! I can hardly wait for it to cooll!!!!!
I just made this gluten free by replacing the flour for bob red mill’s all purpose flour+ 2 1/4 tsp xantham gum! SO yummy! Moist and subtle sweetness…just perfect with the AMAZING icing!
Yaayyyy!!!!!!
Yay !!! A GF version to try. I can’t wait to go shopping for ingredients ?
was totally going to ask about making it gluten free, glad i searched the comments! can’t wait to try it! :)
Yay! Just made another batch myself today! Hope you enjoy it, Kristen!
This looks amaing and I will try it out. Only one question, can I substitude the cider vinegar with e.g. white wine vinegar? I live in the netherlands and it is very difficult to buy apple cider vinegar.
Also coul I substitude part of the vegan butter in the butter cream with peanut butter?
I think these subs would work!
The liquids are smelling AWESOME right now! But the coconut oil solidified as soon as I poured it into the liquid mix. =/
I’m hoping it doesn’t alter the outcome of the cake!
UPDATE: turned out rich, tender, and decadent! I tried three forkfuls and needed to stop.
I need an ice cold drink to go with this chocolatey goodness! ;)
aha, nice! Thanks for sharing, Cierraa!
Hello! Am making this tomorrow for my brothers bday, so a crowd of vegan sceptics!! Cant wait to show them how amazing the cake it.
Can I use wholemeal spelt flour instead of the flour you have specified?
Thankyou! :)
I’m not sure, but it’s worth a go! Let me know if you try it out.
The minute I saw this recipe a few weeks ago, I decided I would make it for Easter. It was a hit! So delicious and moist and chocolaty! I love your blog!
My daughter-in-law assumed it had way more oil than it really had. She was pleasantly surprised, as were the other non vegans in the family. I shared your blog with them all!!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it, Kim! This makes my day :D
Just made this cake, was sooo fudgey and delicious and went down a treat with all my non-vegan family! I followed the recipe exactly but for some reason the cake didnt rise at all :( and was rather flat. Still delicious thought, but maybe next time I’ll try increasing the baking soda/powder
Hmm, perhaps it was an issue of the baking soda/power. Everyone else’s cakes have seemed to rise quite well!
I made this on Monday for my wife’s birthday and can honestly say after waiting decades (in her case) for a decent vegan chocolate cake, this is it – in spades. It is as easy to make as you say and your description of the flavour is spot on. Very rich, chocolatey and incredibly moist – it was just as good after three days in the fridge (well there was only the two of us eating it).
Simply the best
Thanks
Thank you so much, Russell! So glad it turned out so well for you and that it made an excellent surprise for your wife’s birthday. Cheers!
Wonderful recipe!!! I made this last night with great results. I halved the frosting recipe and still had plenty left. I baked it in two parts as stated, but the first cake collapsed after taking it out of the oven (although the toothpick came out clean) and was still a little sunk. Would it be worth using an egg replacer next time? Thank you again for this recipe!!
Lucy, I’ve never used egg replacers but it’s definitely worth a go! Let me know if you give that method a try :D
Made this cake last night, can’t wait to taste it! I’m not very good in the kitchen, but we’ll see.
Any suggestions on how to keep the top layer from sliding off the bottom layer? As a quick spur of the moment solution I stuck a few tooth picks in the cake ;-).
hmm, not sure why it would slide. Was your icing too wet?
I’m not vegan but there are a number of members in my running club that are, so I decided to try this recipe so that they would have more options to choose from. I made a sheet cake instead of a layer cake since it was a larger group. It was fantastic and everyone raved about it! My daughter even asked if she could become vegan because it tasted so good :) I’ll be sharing this recipe with my friends.
This cake looks wonderful! I would have never expected it to not be Vegan. Definitely, archiving this in my bookmarks!
Just wondering if you would recommend your own GF flour mix included in your banana bread recipe. I really want to make this but don’t want to have another GF flop. Vegan /gluten free baking is tricky and sometimes a major let down.
Sure! Find the blend here.
Hi, would substituting coconut oil for the vegan margarine in the frosting prove disastrous? I want to keep the same ‘butter cream’ texture that yours has but I don’t have any vegan margarine at the moment.
Thanks!
I haven’t tried it myself, but let me know if you decide to try it! It will melt more easily than regular frosting, so just know that if it’s hot, it will probably slide off :(
Thanks Dana – I decided to stick with nuttelex (vegan margarine in Australia) to make sure i didn’t lose the buttery-ness.
Thanks for the recipe – this is the first vegan chocolate cake I have attempted and the family were very impressed!
I did have a bit of trouble cutting the top off one of the layers (to make it level for layering) because it was so moist… I wasn’t sure if it was undercooked or perhaps I did something wrong during the preparation. And it definitely didn’t look anywhere near as amazing as yours did, but overall not bad for a first attempt!
Oh. My. Gosh.
For all of you who have not tried this cake, it is fabulous!!
One of my vegan friends decided to make this cake for me for my half-birthday (since she’s going to be in college when my actual birthday comes around) and while I was a bit skeptical at first, as soon as I took a bite… well, let’s just say I went bonkers and wanted to eat it all in a day! (Don’t worry I didn’t, I just went into a food coma (: )
Thank you so much for posting this recipe!! Now I can try to make it too :o)
I made this cake on the weekend for Mother’s Day. It was awesome! All my non-vegan family members loved it. I was a bit worried because there was no sign of any reaction a few minutes after adding the vinegar to the milk and then it didn’t get at all foamy when I beat the wet ingredients, but it turned out perfectly. I used a gluten-free baking mix and made it in two 8″ pans then split each of them horizontally to make a four layer cake. The icing was soooo delicious. I finished off the left over icing last night after the rest of the family had gone to bed – yum! Thanks for the recipe :-)
As my first chocolate vegan cake…Must say it was pretty dam awesome! Its rich, moist and chocolatey. I am not a vegan however your delicious recipes may change me into one..So please keep it coming :)
Jesus God…this makes me wanna have a “cheat” day everyday! Keep up the good work. Definitely trying my hand at this recipe.
Awesome photography, too, might I add.
Thanks Rego! Let me know if you give it a go!
This cake is awesome! It’s the best I’ve ever made, vegan or not. It is so moist, rich, and flavorful. The frosting was out of this world!
Does this need to be refrigerated after making or is it safe at room temperature?
It’s fine at room temp :D
Can you sub whole wheat pastry flour for gluten free all-purpose flour?
Yes! Check the comments. Lots of people have had success making this GF.
I baked this yesterday! Silly me, I thought your 2 layer didn’t look very big so I made a 3 layer. My cake carrier wouldn’t close! Thanks so much for this simple delicious recipe. All the non – vegans were totally wowed and this tasted better than any store – bought vegan cake I’ve had to date!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Sally! So glad everyone enjoyed it.
I am stoked, I found your vegan mint brownie ice cream, and then saw the ice cream cake recipe. OMG. !!!! It’s perfect because I was just stewing over what to make for my mom’s birthday tomorrow! So I was like, perfect, mint chocolate ice cream cake is IT! Then I realized that your cake isn’t gf. I’m dairy free and gluten free and make everyone else in the family “suffer” through with me ;) I mean, if I make ice cream cake, I clearly want to eat it, haha. So I’m glad to see that others have tried gluten free versions of this cake. I’m giving it a whirl tomorrow in the ice cream cake. I’ll let you know how it all turns out! Cashews are soaking and ice cream maker is freezing :)
Oh my God!!!!!! It’s the perfect chocolate cake of my dreams..
I just made this substituting cane sugar for dextrose (powdered glucose), and it worked so well! Thanks, I will be making this again, for sure.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Nicola!
Good for vegetarian who wanted to made at home this tips gonna be great and amazing.thanks for sharing.
Hi Dana!
I made this cake yesterday and I just have to say that it was AMAZING!
I added hazelnut praline to the top as well and it was delicious!
I love all of your recipes so much, thank you! :)
Hi there i just wanted to say i made this cake today for Fathers Day and leaving do for a friend and it was absolutely incredible!!! Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe – it made everyones day and i am sure i will be making it for many occasions to come!! :-)
So great! Glad you enjoyed it, Fiona! Thanks for sharing.
p.s just wanted to add that i made this cake with gluten free flour and as i said above it was absolutely amazing!!
There is a special level of Hell reserved for people who make this cake, as truly it can only be the spawn of an unHoly union between the Devil and Betty Crocker.
I am decidedly non-vegan, not even vegetarian and my gf made this cake on Saturday. Four days later and this cake has, if anything, gotten better everyday. What Dark Sorcery is this? I can truly say this is the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten.
For those who dare dabble in this wickedness, I can only pray for your souls and your waistlines.
Cool! I am SO going to make this for Thanksgiving — I have a vegan niece and I was asked to bring “something chocolate” that’s vegan. Oh, and it has to taste great. THANKS!!!!
Hi, Just want to see what you’re sharing healthy. I will try the Vegan german chocolate cake and let you know how it turned out for me. Thanks
Ps: Do you have a recipe for banana pudding cake vegan style? Would like to try one for my mom for mothers day. Thanks again. Madonna
Can I substitute organic fat free mix for the almond breeze milk?
what kind of mix?
I made this last night- into cupcakes- and they turned out awesome. The cake was perfect. My frosting tasted awesome (like hot cocoa) but it was a little runny. Any tips on thickening it up? Maybe leave out the milk?
Thanks
Love Love Love this! I have made it as a layer cake, cupcakes, mini cupcakes and it is always amazing!
I love that I can use regular milk/rice milk or almond milk depending upon my “eaters”
Hi!
This cake is awesome! I just made it and we all love this one. It is really easy to make.
Thanks a lot for this great recipe.
Love, Tanja
So glad to hear it! Thanks for sharing, Tanja!
how much does frosting does this recipe make? want to make enough frosting for a 3 layer 10″round cake.
Do you think I could the flour for oat flour?
Hi, I’m going to be making this for my husband this week, but I have a silly question — how do I manage to frost the cake without messing up the serving tray? Thanks!
To keep the tray clean, just slip some strips of paper under your cake about an inch or so. Frost away. Then gently remove the strips of paper.
Love this cake! Do you keep this cake in the fridge, or is it safe at room temperature? I’m a newbie with the vegan butter and wasn’t sure. Thanks!
I’ve never baked a vegan cake before and I’m planning on using this recipe to make cupcakes for my son’s birthday party this weekend. I’m a bit nervous on how it’ll turn out and I have a few questions for you: 1.) Have you ever used this recipe to make cupcakes? If so, do you have any special tips to make sure they turn out? 2.) I wanted to add peppermint extract to the frosting to make a mint chocolate frosting. Is there anything in particular I should know when adding extract to a vegan frosting? Thank you for any tips!
Update :-). I made these cupcakes for my son’s birthday and they turned out great! I opted out of the mint because, well… I forgot :-). My only complaint is that I didn’t find the frosting sweet enough. I probably should have added more sugar but was afraid if messing up the recipe. I’m thinking next time I’ll add some agave to sweeten it up just a bit. Thanks for another good one!
Wow! look so awesome! I wonder if it’s possible to replace the flour by a gluten free all-purpose flour?
Say yes, pplleeaasse:)
A girl from Quebec City who love your website.
I made it with all purpose gluten free flour and it was so good!
I used pamela’s brand
hi! I just made this cake today with gluten free all purpose flour. I just added in 1/2 tsp of xantham gum like the gluten free flour bag recommended for cakes. It was delicious!!!!!!!! My parents who are neither gluten free nor vegan LOVED it and my dad asked me to make it for his birthday which is pretty incredible, as he pretty much hates vegan food.
I would totally recommend it! I also added coconut flakes into the icing- yum.
Made this for my daughter’s 17th birthday part as one of her friends is vegan and I was amazed that it is the best chocolate cake I have ever made! First time baking a vegan cake but so moist and chocolaty. Everyone loved it. I am addicted to this now as well as your granola bars!
I’ve made this cake about three times and each time it’s been gobbled by housemate (and myself!) far too quickly. I halve the recipe and make it in a rectangular slice pan with a frosting made from avocado/agave/cocoa/etc for more “everyday” eating (well, I like to tell myself this when I’m piling it into my mouth at 11pm…or 6am).
Killer recipe. Making it for the second time in cupcake form as I type (they’re in the oven). Thanks for coming up with this!
I made this cake for my family this past weekend. They totally loved it. I followed the recipe as written and it turned out great!! Thanks :)
My last vegan chocolate cake was a bit of a disaster, this one seems to be MUCH more successful, I’m off to impress my dairy avoiding boyfriend with a cake that might actually be edible!
My friend made this for upmy husband and I when when came to visit and it was so delicious! Crazy good! My daughter wants to make this into cupcakes, do you have any suggestions for us?
So glad you liked it, Deanna! I think other readers have made these into cupcakes, so scan the comments for suggestions/results. However, I would say just reduce the cooking time by half and check every few minutes thereafter for doneness. Hope that helps and good luck!
Well, I’m back to stalking. The summer is our busy season at work and I haven’t had time to experiment. I saw several of your recipes that I wanted to try, but when we were invited to a BBQ (with non Vegans) I jumped on the chance to make this cake. I’ve never made a cake from scratch, Vegan or otherwise, so I did a test run before hand. The first one tasted good, but was messy – Totally my fault! I learned a lot of general stuff about cake making on the first go. Well, the second one I made, the important one, was AMAZING. You are awesome!! Everyone loved it!
Ah, thanks Stacie! So glad you enjoyed it!! xo
Hey!! I was wondering what your thoughts were on using spelt flour instead? I really really want to make this cake :-)
Check the comments as I think other people tried it with success. I think it will work but as always, no guarantees!
Awesome cake. I did my first cake and this was the first recipe I followed. Love it Dana. You are awesome.
Thanks Sherri! :D
This is the best vegan cake I’ve ever tasted! I found your recipe a couple of weeks ago and I’ve all ready made it three times.
Thanks!!!
Sounds great. Suggest just pointing out to your readers that subbing granulated sugar and powdered sugar (if refined), disqualifies it as being vegan (processed via bone filtration). So many vegans these days confuse dairy free and egg free as sufficient for what truly vegan means. Even some vinegar is clarified with gelatin, etc.
I’ll try your recipe, as it’s similar to another I’ve used.
A great recipe :) a really not vegi feeling cake :) best i’ve tried so far. A tip is to put some big dark chokolade pieces into it.
Great point! In the US, all certified organic sugars are free of bone char, according to the USDA and the Vegetarian Resource Group. Many organic sugar packages are also labeled as vegan, in case consumers don’t realize.
True that, regarding sugar. However, sugar cannot use bone char and be qualified as “organic.” So organic sugars are safe to use for vegans.
This cake is a dream. An actual dream. It makes me wonder why I ever bothered putting dairy in chocolate cakes before I was vegan. After making my apple sauce I realised I only had about 3/4 of a cup’s worth so I sub’d some soya yogurt to make it up to the right amount. I also only had self raising flour so I used that with a teaspoon of baking soda. The cake is so spongey and fudgey, it’s like eating a fudgey cloud. I filled it with some home made vegan nutella and topped it with with some coconut oil buttercream. I’ve had rave reviews. Thank you so much, this will be my go to chocolate cake from now on and most likely the recipe i use for my wedding cake!
Just tried this cake and it had good flavor but i found mine on the overly dense side – like it didn’t bake all the way through! :( looked more like fudge than cake when i cut it. The batter looked really good before i added the applesauce (cuz i had forgotten)… do you think this would work without the applesauce?
I do! Just add more oil to compensate moisture. Hope that helps!
I would love to make this cake for my son, but he’s allergic to dairy-eggs-nuts.
Just wanted to say that I made this cake today. I’m not even going to frost it because it is wonderful on it’s own. Thank you for this recipe.
My son has several allergies, so when his birthday comes around, I have to find a suitable recipe. Would I be able to use soy milk instead of the Almond Breeze?
I hope so :)
This was a disaster. Never had a cake look like mush after 40 mins in the oven. Don’t know what went wrong.
Trina, sorry you had such trouble! Did you make any revisions to the recipe or instructions?
The only thing I did different was cook it in a bundt pan which could have been the problem. I will try again as so many others gave it such good reviews. I will use two pans next time.
I used coconut flower and thirty minutes later its bubbling like crazy! It smells really good though!
hi, I couldn ‘t find almond milk here, can I use milk instead?
I should have added, I am not a vegan ( I’m vegeterian) but came across this recipe online and with such good reviews I wanted to bake it. I hope I’ve not offended by asking about substitution with milk. thanks.
I’ve made it and the texture was very nice. The only problem I’ve found is that for me the mixture needs more salt.
Keen to try! Can you use soy milk instead? My daughter has nut & peanut allergy :( So can’t use almond milk.
Yes!
I’ve been searching for a vegan chocolate cake recipe for my wedding cake and this cake is it! I’m in love. I made a test cake and nobody even guessed it was vegan.
The frosting did really odd things and I have never before had that issue (looked so greasy and kind of separated). I just added vegan cream cheese and it was both beautiful and tasted great! Next time I may just make a spiced cream cheese frosting to go with it on for the wedding. I will never love another cake as much as I love this one. Thank you for that.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Nichole. A tip on the frosting: If you use Earth Balance (or real butter) from a tub instead of sticks, there is water added for ease of spreading. SO, when I’m baking, I always recommend the sticks! Hope that helps. Thanks for sharing!
This cake was to die for. Nobody even thought it was vegan, haha! I paired it with a vegan pumpkin buttercream, it balanced out the sweetness of that perfectly! Thanks for the amazing recipe.
Lovely! Glad you enjoyed it, Nicole!
So I totally read it as 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and now I’ve got this lovely sour concoction on my hands. EVERYONE DON’T DO IT. More sugar? Mayhaps.
I made this cake last night and it was fantastic and so much better than any traditional chocolate cake. Unfortunately in my haste to prepare it, I forgot to pick up apple sauce. Instead I substituted fresh, peach puree instead and it was amazing. Even my non vegan (yet very supportive husband) was very impressed <3
Ah, lovely! So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing your changes! Always so helpful to other readers. Cheers!
I made this cake for my hubby for Father’s Day. He thought it was “nice” and he ate almost half a loaf (I made 2 cakes in a tin loaf). My 3 year old daughter ate some, but thought it was too chocolatey and decided it was “a bit yucky” (boo!). I ate it and I thought I was a super woman!! I brought the other cake to work. My colleagues couldn’t believe it was vegan.
I will definitely make it again. Whoever says being vegan is boring, has never tasted this cake. Thanks for the recipe.
PS:
I reduced the amount of sugar to half a cup. The icing was sweet enough.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Ayu!
not only is this the first vegan cake i’ve made, it’s also THE BEST chocolate cake i’ve ever tasted!!! seriously, WOW!!! thanks so much for such delicious delight :)
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it, Annalea!
This was also my first time making a vegan chocolate cake and it was so delicious! Best chocolate cake I have ever had also! This is including non-vegan cakes! I altered the recipe to make it gluten free using a coconut flour mix and it was just as delicious :)
Seriously, thank you so much for sharing this recipe. My only question is about the frosting. Its pretty sweet. Is there a way to make it hold up nicely if making cupcakes but not adding so much powdered sugar? Your expertise is appreciated. :)
Yes! You can add enough powdered sugar to get it to the sweetness you prefer. Then add in another flavorless thickener of choice, such as arrowroot starch or a gluten free flour blend. Hope that helps!
Hi I tried the cake today. I had to bake it at higher temp of 400 F after trying for 30 mins at 350 F. The cake had risen nicely after baking at higher temp but dropped as it cooled down :( It looks so flat and hard now. I am a novice baker, where did I go wrong? The last time I tried an eggless recipe, the same thing happened. Please advise.
Archana, did you check the dates on the apple cider vinegar, baking soda and baking powder? Make sure they are fresh.
Hi,
This is my first Vegan or egg free bake….. any tips before I try???
I made this lovely cake last night for my boyfriend and it turned out so good. I halved the recipe to make a smaller cake but calculated 2 things incorrectly so I ended up putting in more coffee and less applesauce. It still turned out perfect. I find a half recipe is quite enough cake for my boyfriend and I to consume in a couple days, plus it’s just easier to make. I bought apple baby food instead of traditional applesauce which is a thinner consistency, cheaper, and less waste than a big jar of it. Also I added almond extract to the icing which gives it a nice amaretto flair. Next time I might drizzle a little rum over the cake after baking. I agree with everyone on the fact that vegan cake is so much better than cakes made with animal products! Thank you Minimalist Baker!
Don’t make the same mistake I did, I used liquid coconut oil that turned to solid after mixing with the cold milk. Have the milk room temperature at least. I set it over a pan of warm water and solved the problem. Has anyone tried making this as a bundt cake? This cake is delicious, I have made it for my twin sister and I for our birthday celebration. Very rich and moist!
Made this cake for the first time for my vegan step-daughter’s birthday cake. My non-vegan, exceptionally fussy hubby & son ate it and loved it. The finished cake was lovely and moist and (I’m pleased to say) actually looked like your pictures. The frosting is divine!!!!
One comment, however, without the frosting the actual cake had no taste at all, despite all the cocoa powder in it and the batter tasting fine – any ideas why? I followed the recipe with two changes, I didn’t include the coffee (added the extra almond milk instead) and I used GF Flour and Xanthan gum instead of normal flour.
Hmm, not sure, but glad you still liked it! Mine was quite flavorful. Sometimes gluten free flours can absorb some of the flavor. Perhaps next time add a bit more sugar and cocoa powder? Hope that helps!
I just made this, and it’s cooling right now. The batter tasted amazing so I hope to get as great a result as you did. I substituted freshly brewed espresso for the coffee, and coconut milk for the almond milk. We will see how it turns out :)
Let me know how you like it, Erika!
I tried to make a vegan cake for the first time the other day and failed miserably. My housemate described it as looking like a fried tofu. I tried twice and both times they sank. But THIS cake I just pulled out of the oven and it looks amazing! It looks moist and soft. I haven’t been able to taste it yet as I am taking it to a fundraiser tomorrow but I’ll report back as soon as I do. Thanks!!
I hope you loved it, Debbie!
Hi Dana,
I know this is terribly late but the cake was beautiful and I was asked for the recipe and it has been passed on and made another group of people very happy!
Have you tried adding berries to the batter or any other variations? I am wanting to experiment with flavours!
Ah, love that you shared the recipe! thanks Debbie! Haven’t tried any other variations but consider me on the case! cheers xoxo
Hi! I just made this cake for my son’s 4th birthday (my daughter has allergy to egg, nut and dairy) and it was a HUGE hit! To make it nut free, I subbed the almond milk for soy milk. I paired it with an avocado chocolate ‘frosting’ and it was divine. People kept asking me how it was so moist with no eggs and no milk! This is going to be my go-to chocolate cake recipe from now on! Oh and cake & pastry flour made all the difference!
Yay! So glad everyone enjoyed it, Wendy! Thanks for sharing!
Made this cake last minute for a friend’s visit. Last minute as in I barely had time to let it cool and slap the frosting on before they were there! We all enjoyed it and agreed it was a nice cake, even if the bf said it had a strange ‘healthy’ taste to it. Afterwards I put the leftovers in the fridge.
OH
MY
GOD
Overnight the cake matured into THE MOST AMAZING mud cake I have ever eaten. It 100% belongs in a posh cafe. It’s incredibly soft and dense and delicious (and I only made one layer). My advice is to make it the night before a special occasion and then gloat heartily as your friends and and family tuck in and stare at you like a baking god.
Thank you so much for the recipe!
Also due to time constraints and a lack of vegan butter, I subbed in a chocolate avocado frosting from a paleo recipe site. It was more like a ganache but it worked really well. The recipe is crazy simple too, just drop 1 ripe avocado, 1/2 a cup of cocoa powder, 1/2 a cup of maple syrup and a small pinch of salt into a food processor and pulse a few times until they’re good friends and all creamy.
*I also subbed the unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze because it was in the fridge and had to use a sugar-sweetened jar of applesauce from the supermarket but doubt either of those things mattered too much besides added sweetness.
Yay! Thanks for sharing!! So glad you liked it!
I made this cake yesterday as a birthday cake for a good friend. Myself and three carnivores concur, BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
OMG, first I have to say, I haven’t baked a cake in 20 years. My culinary skills are such that, while I can bake, I’ve kind of devolved into a combination of Lucy and The Three Stooges in the kitchen. The 15 minute, one-bowl cake took me several shopping trips and cost an extra dress and three sweaters: a day and a half to make. Didn’t realize I didn’t have a hand-held mixer. Had a little bullet thing with a whisk attachment. So, picture wiping chocolate cake batter off of multiple walls and weird places in the kitchen. It was entertaining.
I used super duper high-quality cocoa powder. Everything except my powdered sugar was of organic, good-quality ingredients.
It rose amazingly perfectly, high, smooth, pretty. The only substitution I made was Organic Coconut Sugar for cane sugar.
Honestly the taste, texture, richness, aroma, sweetness, complexity was all just fantastic!! Worth it!
Yay!! Thanks for sharing, Teresa!
I don’t have whole wheat pastry flour but I do have regular whole wheat all purpose flour…would that work or do you think I should just stick with unbleached all purpose flour? Also, can I use my own homemade almond milk?
Thanks and can’t wait to try this!
I think that would work, but no guarantees! You can definitely use your own almond milk. Good luck!
We recently discovered our daughter has an egg allergy, so I have been frantically searching for recipes to replace my tried and true standbys. This recipe takes the cake (heh). I intended to go all out vegan for the cake, but didn’t have enough almond milk, so I subbed for raw milk. This was the most deliciously most, tender and lovely egg free cake I’ve ever eaten! It was my son’s birthday cake and I made ermine frosting for it. Everyone loved it! This will be added to my rotation for sure!
Yay! So glad everyone enjoyed the cake. Thanks for sharing, Amy!
Does the taste differ greatly when you skip the coffee and add more almond milk? And do I add the same amount of almond milk as the amount of coffee?
I want to make this for my daughter’s christening, but don’t want my 3 year old having coffee!!
Yes! Just sub more almond milk or just water. Good luck!
Any one try this recipe for cupcakes? Wondering how many it would make. Appreciate any feedback!
I am a vegan and allergenic to dairy products. Recipe looks great and am sure it will taste even better; planning to try this one. Thanks
I have family coming for Thanksgiving that are vegan. Since I am the baker of the family, I was asked to make a vegan dessert. I planned on making your cake, but only issue is, they also do not eat any oil, in any form. There already is applesauce in the recipe, so what would you suggest I use to replace the oil as well? I have looked through the comments, but hadn’t seen any with any suggestions.
I’ve never had to bake without oil, but I might suggest avocado or some kind of fatty nut butter.
If I want to make this gluten free, would I be able to simply replace the wheat flour with a gluten free blend? Or would you recommend changing anything else if I do that?
Thank you for your time!
I made this cake for Thanksgiving this year, and it was a huge success! Living in the South and being vegan has many challenges, but the look on everyone’s face as they were gobbling up my cake and I told them that it was vegan was worth it! Now I’m making it again this weekend for one of my best friends birthday party. Thanks for sharing!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Leah!
Hi there. With your chocolate cake, what can I use to replace the oil and butter? I need to avoid these in cooking and was hoping you could advise me on replacements. Thanks
Hmm, not sure – maybe avocado? Haven’t tried it though – sorry!
At 70 years of age I am learning how to convert old recipes to vegan dishes since my son and his wife are now vegans after being vegetarians for all 15 years of their married lives. Today was Matt’s 39th birthday. So I made this cake and cannot begin to tell you how happy I am at how beautifully it turned out and at how delicious it is.
I followed your instructions and knew as soon as I tasted the batter it was going to be good. No need for extra sugar. For the frosting I used 4 ounces of Earth Balance and 4 ounces of butter flavored Crisco. I scalded the almond milk before adding it a bit at a time and I also used a few teaspoons of strong coffee in the frosting since I had some left from making it for the cake. It was just perfect.
Thank you for convincing me that vegan food can be this good. Old dog learning new tricks here.
This recipe is out of this world! Delicious, moist, rich, chocolately without being too sweet. I’m the only vegan in the family but today I made this cake for the 4th time because everyone keeps requesting I make it for birthdays! Sharing wonderful vegan treats with people I love warms my heart like nothing else, so thank you Dana!
Can I make this as a jelly roll? Anyone try that yet?
I made the cake twice now using one 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. It tastes great and will definitely be a staple but I am wondering why the texture on the top half of the cake is different from the bottom. Top half is a moist chocolate cake, the bottom half is fudgy, and I can clearly see a demarcation line of the texture difference when the cake is sliced. I cooked at 350 F on my 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan for an hour and the toothpick came up dry. I tried cooking for less time but it was uncooked if less than an hour. Any thoughts on what I may be doing wrong? Or would it be really better on 2 8×8 inch pans?
Tastes great though otherwise and will be a keeper!
I made this for my mum’s birthday, it was incredible! So moist, chocolatey, and mmmm delicious. I gave a piece to my friend, who fed some to her 9 year old son, he said it was the best chocolate cake he’d ever had! High praise indeed! It is quite expensive though, so will only bring it out on special occasions :)
this looks so good. my hubby love boxed chocolate cake – i wonder if he’d notice/like this better! i must try ASAP. thanks!
Just wish this was gluten-free! I have flourless recipes, but they have eggs, and are hard to make layer cakes with. Any thoughts?
Can I freeze the leftovers frosted and all? Can’t wait to make it this weekend for my husbands birthday.
Hmm, not sure but I would think yes!
This cake looks absolutely amazing and your story on it was awesome!! The temperance you have is outstanding.
I want to make this cake but I do not consume vinegar in my diet, i sub vinegar for lime juice or lemon juice, how much would you say I should use in this recipe?. Thank you soo much for all your amazing recipes!! I love them very much ❤
Hi! This is my first time ever making a cake from scratch and I need a little advice, please. The cakes turned out great, but I’m having trouble making the frosting “fluffy.” It turned out lake a pastry cake batter. Any suggestions? Thank you so much !
Usually, I love your recipes, photos, and writing. So, I’m reading this article, excited to find out how to make the delicious-looking chocolate cake, until my eyes hit this line:
” And you better believe we pigged out like fat kids at the reception. ”
Wow. I had to stop reading. Hurtful, guys.
Having been a fat kid, who was made to be deeply ashamed about her weight, I can tell you, I was extremely self conscious about eating anything around other people. Any amount a fat kid eats can get them accused of “pigging out”, whether they over-eat or not.
You do a food blog. Could you think about dropping the fat shaming?
Best,
Gax
Gax, I’m really sorry about that. I honestly didn’t even think about it when I wrote it. I’ll amend that in the post.
Thanks for the amendment, and the prompt (and sensitive) response. We can’t all be aware of everything all the time, but I deeply appreciate your understanding and changing once the situation was brought to your attention. It means a lot.
Not only will I continue to follow Minimalist Baker (on Facebook, and I also pin a lot of your recipes on Pinterest), but I will also continue recommending your blog to friends (many of mine are vegan).
Thanks!
Gax
P.S. Can’t wait to try the cake!
Absolutely! Thanks for being so kind and understanding! I sincerely apologize again! Sending hugs – Dana xoxo
My hubby has a rather large sweet tooth, but unfortunately is gluten intolerant. What changes can I make to make this recipe gluten free?
Came across your recipe since your the 2nd story of Google news when I typed in “vegan”. Good for you guys! I have made some of your recipes before. I made this recipe last night. And my best critic (my husband) says its one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve made! So thank you. And thank you from the animals.
So excited to find this recipe and made a small modification to make it a red velvet cake. Lets see how it turns out, its baking right now! Now I just need to find a frosting, but maybe I can adapt the one above minus the cocoa powder. Any suggestions?
LOVE, LOVE your website, vegan, easy. I have a cake made, and kitchen cleaned up in less than hour an hour, my husband thanks you, I’m a messy chef!
This sounded great on paper but I think that there should be an egg replacer (flax egg perhaps?) in this.. I’ve had it in the oven for well over 40-45 minutes and it hasn’t come out clean yet and I followed the recipe to the T.
Thanks for this amazing recipe! It is the best chocolate cake I have ever made. It is very easy and very forgiving. For example, I accidentally used 2 TBSP cider vinegar instead of 2 tsp. I will not make chocolate cake with eggs again…
Just tried out this cake recipe, using Williams Sonoma Cup 4 Cup (gluten free) flour with a little xanthan gum added, and coconut milk subbed for almond milk. Haven’t frosted it yet, but on its own, the cake, while it looks exactly like your pictures, has an unpleasant gummy, almost slimy texture. I thought I might not have cooked it enough so I tried another batch with a longer cooking time. Same again. Did I do something wrong?
Wait. You altered the recipe and it didn’t turn out as expected? I feel that a two star rating is a bit unfair, unless you follow the recipe exactly.
Thanks for this great recipe. My son is vegan and each year his birthday treats are a failure AND i’m a baker by trade so i fail miserably. Finally a cake that is moist AND didn’t sink in the middle. I gave some leftovers to my staff and a couple of customers who also thought it was delicious. Thanks again for this cake and in general for you fab site.
Just made this to test it for my son’s birthday. Amazing!! Followed the recipe to a T and it turned out so well. Definitely need a nice cold glass of almond milk to go with it :) Thanks for creating this!!
Made this yesterday for a friend’s birthday. It was delicious and moist! However, when I cut into it, I saw white specks within the cake. I think that may be either the milk + vinegar reacting or solidified coconut oil. Have you seen that before? I’ve baked with coconut oil before so this was new/surprising to me. Either than that, cake was amazing!!! Thanks for a fantastic recipe!
Delicious!! I cut the recipe in half and made cupcakes. They came out perfect (even though I forgot to halve the baking powder) and I will make them again, perhaps adding peppermint. Great recipe!! I didn’t have enough chocolate for the frosting, so I just left it out for a creamy vanilla.
Thanks for sharing, Sue!!
This is the first recipe I have baked vegan. It is exactly what I expect a chocolate cake to be. Moist, rich, decadent, not too sweet but not bitter. I cut the recipe in half and only made one round. I don’t like frosting so I just mixed about 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and sprinkled it on the cake. I served it with fresh strawberries and blueberries. A little plain greek yogurt with some honey mixed in. I will be dreaming about this tonight. Thank you for introducing me to vegan desserts!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Deborah!
Thank you for sharing this recipe, I am looking forward to trying it soon! I am also excited to see you are using Almond Breeze ‘milk’. It just became available here in the last 6 months and I am totally sold on it, it’s wonderful!
Oh great! It’s my favorite almond milk, too!
My 75 year old grandfather loves to bake everyone a cake for their birthday. He measures out the box and will mail you a cake wherever you live. He makes several cakes a year so he usually buys box cake mix and canned icing and it’s usually not very pleasant looking or tasting when it arrives on the other end. I am fortunate enough to live with this man during my birthday this year. I requested he not make me a “box cake”. I wouldn’t eat it because I’ve seen the icing labels and tasted them in the past. I jokingly said how about a real cake, a vegan cake. Weeks go by. My birthday was over two days ago. My grandmother calls me downstairs and the two of them sing me happy birthday with a cake. He baked this cake at 2am while I was at work. It was delish!! How sweet life is? Thanks for creating a great vegan cake that even my grandfather can create.
So kind!!! What a set of grandparents you have there. Thanks for sharing!!
Grace your story brought a tear to my eye! Sooo sweet :-)
I made this cake this weekend for my birthday dinner. It came out picture perfect! I did replaced the almond milk with soy milk since I have a food sensitivitie to almonds. I also used half whole wheat flour and half unbleached flour. Turned out great! I did notice that mine did raise higher than your photos. Everyone had seconds at midnight. :) Thanks for putting together a great vegan chocolate cake!
Great! Thanks for sharing, Georgina!!
Not sure why my last post only gave a 2 star. It was meant to be a 5 star!
Great recipe. Jut made this for a friend’s birthday and it was amazing. Rich, moist, with a crumbly, caky texture. Subbed out regular flour for Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour and it worked great. Thanks!
Great! Thanks for sharing!!
Hello,
I wanted to let you know that I made your cake with modifications to make this gluten free for my daughter’s birthday. My daughter is Coeliac and she has a friend who is vegan. The cake was a hit and altered easily to gluten free. I have also had one of the birthday attendees ask for the recipe!
thank you so much for your help – its not easy finding yummy cakes easy to bake with all those dietary requirements.
Ah, thanks Linda!! Happy birthday to your daughter!
Fantastic! This made for a really cute baby shower cake! Made it with a gluten free flour mix for a pregnant friend who was both gluten and dairy intolerant. Turns out beautifully and the guests ate it all up! My step by step picture tutorial is here: http://www.asweeterthing.com/2015/01/27/gluten-dairy-free-chocolate-cake-for-a-baby-shower/
So cool! Thanks for sharing.
I’m not sure if this makes a difference, but will substituting soy milk for almond milk still work alright? My mom is allergic and I’d like for everyone to enjoy it! Thank you.
LOVE it. Made it today for my chocolate-loving vegan daughter’s 17th birthday. Mine kind of broke in half but I repaired with frosting. No complaints, everyone thought it was super delicious :)
How can I sustitute the vega butter for frosting?? Its no easy to find vegan butter in Mexico :(
Thanks
This cake is amazing! I made this cake for a church meal, and the whole thing was gone before I could even get a small piece it! I substituted the regular flour with gluten-free flour mix and some xanthan gum, because some people are allergic to gluten. Also, some kids of my friends are intolerant to eggs, and they finally were able to taste a chocolate cake :) and I saw one of them “clean up” the plate for me.
Thank you, Dana! I look forward to your new recipes :)
I just made this cake on Friday and it got rave reviews by my non-vegan family and friends! My mom was so impressed she thought I bought it. I made the recipe as is, except I used Arrowhead Mills gluten free baking mix for the flour. The only issue I ran into was that I had to bake my cake significantly longer, about 45-50 minutes, before my toothpick came out clean. The end result was a very dense and fudgey cake, definitely not too dry. My batter was also not pourable, it was very thick. Not sure if that’s because of the gluten free flour or if the thickness of the batter is what necessitated the longer baking time, but it all worked out in the end. I used a different chocolate frosting made with cashews and then decorated the top with a sprinkling of powdered sugar, cacao nibs, and toasted pecans.
I need a dessert recipe to make for my vegan step daughter and granddaughter who will be visiting us this weekend and this sounds like it will fit the bill. I have liquid coconut oil and was wondering if there is any reason I can’t use that. If so, do I simply measure as stated in the recipe?
That should work! You might also want to try these cupcakes!
Let the cakes cool completely in the pans, otherwise they “deflate” a little when turned out hot.
This seriously turned out so perfect!!!
Thank you so much for the consistency of excellence that this blog has!!
My daughter is vegan so I always looking for new recipes to try for her. Last Labor Day we had a lot of family over and I made this cake. It was a hit and no one new it was vegan except my daughter. She was delighted. I am going to make it this week for my women’s Bible study group. Thank you for sharing.
I have never EVER before left a comment for an online recipe but I have made a few dishes by Minimalist Baker now and this cake has prompted me to post!
I made a one layer cake to the letter (halving the ingredients) and it did not disappoint, it was so moreish, me and my partner have actually managed to eat the whole thing over 24 hours! Oops. Absolutely delightful sponge, perfectly sweet and the buttercream was enough. I tasted a hint of the coffee flavour throughout but it enhanced the flavour rather than overpowered it.
Just had to praise you for the fantastic recipe. Thanks so much, Kelly x
haha! Thanks for sharing Kelly! Appreciate the time to make the recipe AND leave a comment! Love.
I made this cake for your little boy’s 5th birthday, yesterday.
Wow! It’s delectable. Beautifully moist and tasty. And yielded such a LOT of cake. This is definitely my ‘go to’ chocolate cake from here in. I added a cup of raspberries as he’s something of a berry fiend and it’s the close o Summer here in Oz. :)
Thank you SO much.
I made this cake for my little boy’s 5th birthday, yesterday.
Wow! It’s delectable. Beautifully moist and tasty. And yielded such a LOT of cake. This is definitely my ‘go to’ chocolate cake from here in. I added a cup of raspberries as he’s something of a berry fiend and it’s the close o Summer here in Oz. :)
Thank you SO much.
I’m not much of a baker, really. Nine out of ten baking experiments end in failure. When I saw the amazing pictures of this delicious cake I knew I had to make it though. This recipe dit not dissapoint! The cake was rich, gooey and fluffy and I was in heaven with the frosting. My friend claims it’s the best chocolate cake she’s ever tasted and could not believe it’s vegan. So thanks for this easy, reliant and delicious recipe!! :)
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Nora!
The cake looks very delicious. I might bake it today :)
But I have a question, is the nutrition information correct? 15 grams of saturated fats is too much for one slice :/
Still considering baking it though.
Thanks
It is correct, Norah. Feel free to use less oil if you’d like. But remember that the oil is from coconut, which is far different than other fat sources.
I made this cake earlier today for a vegan friend of mine. It was the first time I have done any vegan baking or used coconut oil. This cake turned out quite well! I really enjoyed it. It was moist and rich. I halved the almond milk in the frosting and replaced it with some cooled coffee to create a more of a mocha flavor. The frosting ended up being a little thin for my liking and I didn’t want to keep adding sugar, so I just threw it in the refrigerator before applying to the cake to stiffen it up a bit. Thank you so much for sharing a recipe that even an amateur vegan baker can succeed with!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Chelsea!
Hi, great cake! I will try it within the next days. Thanks!
I was wondering if it would affect the consistency if I used less sugar ? Should I add more of something else?
Thanks a lot for sharing .Looks amazing
It will, so I’d recommend scaling back slightly on the amount of almond milk you add. Good luck!
Hi,
I am making this for a friend’s birthday tomorrow. We will both be attending an Orthodox church service for two hours before I’ll give it to her, so will it be okay until then? The frosting won’t melt or the texture won’t go funny?
I would really appreciate a quick reply because I need to make it tonight or early tomorrow morning!
That should be fine! Just make sure it isn’t sitting in a hot place. Good luck!
I always like to try out new recipes, so decided to try making this cake gluten free, given all the rave reviews above. I do a lot of baking, and a lot of “converting” of recipes to gluten free for family, so I wasn’t particularly daunted or concerned doing this. I use a GF flour blend we have here in Australia that I can usually just directly substitute in. I added 2 tblsp of almond meal as well, plus a pinch of xanthum gum, as suggested.
I’m sorry to say the cake was an unpleasant rubbery slimy kind of texture. I had to bake it for an hour. I still don’t think it was quite done but I took it out because it looked like it was going a bit dry around the edges. It sank after I took it out. The cut surface of the cake was dense, slimy with absolutely no crumb texture at all. It was very disappointing (I’m not used to things not working!!) I ended up throwing it out :-(
I’m open to any suggestions on offer for what went wrong, or how to make this cake work as gluten free…..
I made this recipe with gluten free flour (well oats that I ground myself, so there might have been trace wheat in there). I’m not celiac or otherwise allergic, just ran out of wheat flour and got lazy.
As I’m sure you already know, gluten is important for creating sheets of denatured protein strands that capture the carbon dioxide bubbles in baked goods and impart greater resistance or ‘chew.’ Gluten, like most protein complexes, are relatively hydrophilic and bind water, retaining moisture in your baked goods as well. (I have a master’s degree in biochem, but there are also great tips in Cook’s Illustrated “How Can It Be Gluten-Free cookbook”.)
This recipe uses a simple chemistry trick with the vinegar and baking soda to release the carbon dioxide. That’s why overmixing it is so bad – if all the acetic acid finds all the sodium bicarbonate before applying heat, the CO2 will escape before baking. Cakes, unlike cookies and bread, don’t contain as much gluten, so most of the time substituting gluten-free for wheat flour should work reasonably well. In this case, I decreased the amount of total flour that I used (the final amount was about 1/4 cup less flour, wish I could be more precise). I also added the vinegar to the fruit puree alone (I used all banana) added that mixture to the oil and coffee, mixed to form a quick emulsion, then added that mixture to the dry mix. If I was to do it again, I would probably use commercial oat flour or invest in a mill – I didn’t grind up the oats as well as they should have been. My cake came out pretty spongy but there was a definite banana taste, so I just went with it and added coconut milk over the top.
Let me know if any of this helped.
Hi Mary
Thanks for the tips. I love the chemistry of baking (no degree though ;-), so fascinating how it all comes together isn’t it? Interesting that you added the vinegar to the fruit puree, not the almond milk. What does that do to the vinegar / bicarb interaction – slow it a bit? I sometimes sub banana in recipes calling for fruit puree, or a mix of apple and banana if I want it less “banana-ey”.
Did you use any milk at all in the wet ingredients, you didn’t list it in your comment, was curious to know…
I sometimes reduce the flour amount when I’m converting but it depends a bit on the recipe and the flour mix I’m using. More recently I’ve started experimenting with my own flour mix, so maybe I’ll try that in this recipe. Though I have so many gluten free vegan baking recipes now that I’m finding I’m generally doing less experimenting and just sticking to the ones I’ve got that are tried and true!
Thanks again for the advice, happy baking!
Hello there Beebs. I got an email notification about your response so I came back to clarify. I used almond milk in the cake recipe itself. I tried pouring coconut milk (the thicker canned kind) on top but that didn’t change the texture.
Yes you’re exactly right about the vinegar/baking soda reaction. I wanted to slow it down so it would gradually release carbon dioxide into the cake. Not sure how helpful it is, would be interesting to do a side-by-side comparison one day. Given the description you gave (that the cake was dense and rubbery) it sounds like a leavening issue of some kind.
Hey there! thank you for sharing this recipe, I was wondering if I were to use a 10″ cake tin, would i need to double the recipe or keep this recipe as is and use it all in the 10″ tin?
I don’t think you’d need to double it, but maybe multiply it by 1.5
woukd this work in a 9-13 pan and if so how much time would it take?
I would guess 20-28 minutes?
The best! I used recipe of the cream for my crazy cake… and idea with avocado was genius!
oops…sorry… posted on wrong page… you can delete the comment :-S
I was so excited to try this cake recipe but also nervous as we’re long time vegans but newly gluten free. It was surprisingly awesome even with gf subs!!! I used 1 1/2 cups plus 2 Tbls Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour and 1/2 cup almond meal. I used two, 9 inch round cake pans and baked for 30-35 minutes. It was moist and fudgy but not gummy. The frosting is kick ass and makes the perfect combo with the cake! Thank you for the work you do! Your recipes and beautiful pictures are inspirational :)
Dana, I thought I owed it to you to finally leaving a glowing review. I’ve made this cake at least 8 times, and I’m working on making another right now, so after this many times everyone should know this is an excellent recipe. It is my go-to cake for my 3 vegan boys. My fourth son, a carnivore, loves it so much he requested for his birthday. I think the most important part of making this recipe is just to pay attention to each step. When I cook for a crowd I’m doing a lot of tasks at once and I’ve noticed that when I multi task my cake has been a little too moist. Either way this cake has never failed me! Today I’m changing it up a bit by making mint chocolate frosting as per a request. Oh, and of course, no one would ever know it’s vegan. Thanks!
omg. THIS. It’s the best vegan chocolate cake I have ever tasted. Thank you so much for the great recipe.
Amazing recipe! Pinned!
I wonder if there is a way to make this gluten free? That would be amazing!
Try this cake instead!
Thanks so much! I’ll totally try that one!
This is an amazing recipe! Made for a baby shower and people just loved it. I doubled the cake recipe for a half sheet cake, and it was too much batter, so I got several cupcakes too which is never a bad thing. I also used cake flour, and added an extra half cup or so since its lighter. Turne out beautifully. Thanks!
I loosely followed the recipe (use my own gf flour mix) and improvised the buttercream as I didn’t have any powdered sugar and it was the best chocolate cakes I have ever had vegan or not. My question is…how do you store it? And how long does it stay good if you leave it out? I don’t like eating it cold BC the buttercream firmed up too much for my liking and the cake loses it’s soft, spongey texture that I love.
Great! To store it, you can leave it out at room temperature for up to a few days!
My husband and I are vegetarians who dabble in veganism. He works in a very masculine industry and the guys all give him a hard time about it. He had a work pot luck this week and signed up to bring dessert. We made this cake and didn’t tell them it was vegan until they had all raved that it was one of the best chocolate cakes they’d ever had.
Yay!!! totally made my day! Thanks for sharing, Erin!
This recipe should come with a TFA warning- totally freaking addicting. I always mean to share more of it than I do.
And my son loved it as his 1 year old birthday cake! He smashed it up and didn’t want to share either :).
Ha! Thanks for sharing, Brooke!
I’ve made this cake 4 times now and each time it comes out wonderful! Delicious! I brought it to work for potluck, served at the house party…i don’t use the frosting, i just cake a ganache with coconut cream and dark chocolate and it is divine! Thank you!!!!! Vegans Rule!!
So great! thanks for sharing!
I absolutely love this cake, and I’m not vegan. My mom is vegan so I made this cake for her birthday. Silly me, I left out the baking soda so it ended up being more of a brownie texture. It was still delicious and next time I will try it the correct way. I also use this frosting on other baked goods, even if they are not vegan :) I’m going to try the sugar cookies for mothers day, thank you so much :)
So great! Thanks for sharing, Danielle!
I just have to say, I made this and two other chocolate cake recipes, and had a bunch of friends taste test them with me. I used a gluten free flour mix in all of them. The people I tested them on are not vegan or gluten free. This cake was the clear favorite! I got so many comments of “Amazing!” “The best chocolate cake ever!” I then made it again for my son’s birthday party (this time used plain all-purpose flour) and got all the same raving reviews! This really is the most amazing chocolate cake EVER!!!!!!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Kelly!!
Do you think it could work with mashed ripe banana instead of applesauce? I have everything except the applesauce but I have some very ripe bananas that need to be used!
Yes, I think so! Let me know how it goes!
Hi there
I made this cake a couple of days ago for a friend’s birthday. I don’t know what I did wrong but the texture was so heavy, it was like it didn’t rise at all. It was solid and rubbery, rather unpleasant! And tips to achieve a fluffier texture?
thanks
SOphie
Hmm, not sure! Did you change anything? What kind of pan did you cook it in? Perhaps it was overmixed…
Is there a substitute for vegan butter (besides butter, of course)? Is coconut oil okay for the buttercream?
Yes! See this recipe for pointers.
Thanks, Dana! I will be making this on Monday for my pair of twin brother and sister’s birthday. Since there are two people having birthdays, they requested me for a double layer cake. This recipe would be perfect, and they both LOVE chocolate cake. I’m coming back to rate this recipe after making it. So excited…
This is the best chocolate cake! I used GF flour instead and sub the sugar with coconut sugar and OMG, honestly the most moist, dense cake. Taste is sublime. Im not a vegan but I’m sure considering it now!! Im now working my way through all of the recipes :-) Many thanks guys, Big love from Australia!!
AMAZING !!! I made this today for my vegan daughter’s 23rd birthday and we all loved it. The flavor is so spot on and the texture was to die for. I will be making this again and again and again. Thanks for a great chocolate cake !!
So great! thanks for sharing, Kathy!
Wow this looks absolutely stunning and I can’t wait to try it out. Do you think I could make this cake in muffin tins, so I get single servings instead of one huge cake?
I use ground oats instead of flour but it gave the cake a gritty texture. Next time I’ll just use wheat flour. Tastes fine though. I also poured a cup of sweetened coconut milk and rice milk over the cake in lieu of buttercream frosting. Sort of a “tres leches” redux?
Anyway, I like Blue Diamond way better than other almond milk brands. They taste more almond-y to me. Good on you for getting endorsement money from them. :-)
Hi Dana!
Thanks for this fabulous recipe. I’m going to use it for my friend’s birthday cake this week. I was wondering, though, how I could make it a chocolate-lavender cake! Any suggestions?
Thanks once again for your blog :)
Cheers!
Swati
Hmm, grind up the lavender and mix it with the flour? Or, sprinkle it on top!!
Taste is delicious, outcome wasn’t so great. The toothpick came out clean after 25 minutes, but the cake was still a jiggly consistency and fell apart when I tried flipping it out of the pan. What is the reaction that the vinegar and almond milk is supposed to create?
I made this for my sister’s birthday dinner last night and it was excellent!! I added chopped hazelnuts to the frosting and decorated the top and sides with strawberries. Thank you for a great recipe!
I used this recipe to create a mustache-shaped cake for a surprise party that my co-workers and I threw for our manager — his wife is expecting their first child: https://instagram.com/p/3mA-nQkBUi/. The cupcakes in the photo are vanilla because I wanted to add blue-colored centers, but I used the same chocolate buttercream frosting from the cake.
For the cake, I used white vinegar (instead of apple cider vinegar), espresso (instead of subbing more almond milk), melted virgin coconut oil (instead of grape seed or canola oil), unbleached all-purpose flour (instead of pastry flour), and cane sugar (instead of granulated sugar). Then I followed the recipe as is — it was easy to make this dessert, especially for someone who is new to making cakes and vegan baking like myself. I’m not vegan, but I liked how I could safely taste test the batter (yay for no raw eggs) and the ingredients are pretty simple ones that I either had on hand or can easily use again. I did follow someone’s tip of keeping the bowl of liquid ingredients on a relatively warm stove, thanks to the pre-heating oven — it’s very important to keep the coconut oil completely melted before the batter goes in the oven.
I normally don’t like chocolate cake (much too rich and sweet for me) or buttercream frosting (grocery stores give it a bad wrap), but this is definitely the best chocolate cake (and probably one of the best cakes overall) I’ve ever tasted! The cake was on the moist, fudgy side, and the sweetness level was great for my personal taste. It’s fine even without frosting! Speaking of frosting, that added some additional sweetness without being overwhelming (I used 2.5 cups of powdered sugar). Only a couple people in my office knew the desserts were vegan (including my vegan friend, who wanted the recipes afterwards), and I received so many rave reviews from this mostly omnivore crowd.
Thanks for the awesome recipe! By the way, cool website! I’m definitely curious to try out more of your recipes (the photos definitely “sell” them) and do some more vegan baking overall! :)
Awesome! thanks for sharing!!
Hi Dana, I really want to try this cake but I can’t have granulated sugar – can I swap this for something natural like agave syrup? X
I know coconut oil is all the rage these days, but I’ve been hearing that it raises LDL cholesterol (the “bad”stuff).
I am re-designating the huge jug of it in my pantry to the boudior for skin moisturizing!
Can I sub Earth-Balance Vegan “Buttery Sticks”?
Yes!
I would also like to try making cupcakes with this recipe. I’d like to freeze them. Would you recommend freezing them minus the frosting and frosting after thawing? Also, baking time-15 to 20 minutes?
I’m a relatively new vegan (4/6/15) so I’m still researching,exploring and learning!
Yes, frost after thawing from the freezer. And in general, cut back on cooking time by a 1/3 and then check for doneness from there. Best of luck!
Dana , I just landed on your page and I LOVE IT. I loveeeee this recipe, A LOT, I read it three times from top to end. desperately trying to cram the ingredients and steps into my head, will be trying this as the first vegan recipe I make. Seems difficult a bit, but I am up for the challenge. Loving loving your page!!!
wishing you the best,
Dana
x
Thanks Dana! Sweet name, btw. Let me know if you try this one!! xoxo
hahah, will be sure to keep you updated :), fingers and toes crossed all comes out perfect.
Can I make this cake with your gluten free flour?
Dana,
Amazing, amazing recipe! Not to mention this is my first vegan recipe. I actually substituted a few items though – Flax milk + protein for Almond milk, part agave for cane sugar. And Bob Mills gluten free flour. Really incredible, my taste buds were jumping with joy! [And so were my entire family’s! :) ] I’m making it again this weekend for my niece, cannot wait to see what she thinks. I’ve tried a few of your recipes in the last few months and I must say, by far, the most simplest, straightforward, and on point recipes I’ve ever tried! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Xx
Cake still not set after 40 minutes. Followed recipe exactly. What went wrong ? :-(
I made this cake today and its quite thick and gooey. Quite delicious and I would make it again, however I also had problem with the coconut oil solidifying but was OK in the end.
Is it possible to use maple syrup/brown rice syrup/honey/agave instead of sugar. As i wanna bake this for my boys 2nd birthday!
I haven’t tried it, but scan the comments to see if anyone’s had success with that. Best of luck, India!
My girlfriend and I made this cake following your recipe and it turned out PERFECT! Thank you so much! Incredibly rich, moist and delicious! The only problem I have is stopping myself from eating all of it! :D
Yay! Glad you guys enjoyed it, Ben and thanks for sharing!
Hi!
COuld you please tell me for what size of springform this is for?
Thank you
Hi :)
I would like to bake this wonderful cake tomorrow but i need your help! In the receipe you use a 8 inch round pan, i have an 8 inch square pan (20 cm x 20 cm)
how do i have to modify the receipe?
I don’t think so – should work fine!
I do not know how is possible in your ricepe have kind of orange color cream,my is black and realy you can see difference from cake.
This cake was amazing. I made it for my brothers birthday. I suggest you give it a try
You had me right up to the end. Powdered Sugar, my dear, is not VEGAN (Powdered sugar is as white as it is because of the bone meal used to make the sugar white).
But I’m not discouraged, I’m going to put my natural sugar through a coffee grinder until they are powdered. Then I’ll truly have a Vegan cake to boast about. It works and you don’t have to compromise the recipe!
There ya go! Sounds like you found a solution.
Glad you found an acceptable solution. Just want to point out that vegan powdered sugars do exist.
While not vegan, we utilize many vegan baking recipes due to my son’s egg allergy. My typical go-to chocolate cake recipe is the classic Crazy or Wacky cake. I was looking for an alternative chocolate cake. Perhaps one with a more solid structure that has a better chance at being stackable and carvable. My test run of a half recipe in an 8″ round pan is very promising. My only sub was to use soymilk instead of almond milk as it was all I had in the house. Love the flavor and texture. Next up will be a test in a larger pan. Thanks for a great recipe.
I made this a few months ago and loved it! I really want to put a vanilla frosting middle in my next rendition. Do you have any suggestions for a yummy vanilla frosting?
Try this one! Or, this one.
So excited to try this vegan (and dairy free!) cake! I have all the ingredients this time! Thanks so much for posting!!!!