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 ½ cups original unsweetened Almond Breeze Almond Milk
- 2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar
- 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted (or sub avocado oil)
- 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee (or sub more almond milk)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce*
- 2 heaping cups whole-wheat pastry flour or unbleached all-purpose flour (heaping implies 1 cup + roughly 2 Tbsp)
- 1 ⅓ cups organic cane sugar (or sub granulated sugar)
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
FROSTING
- 1 cup vegan butter (softened)
- 2 ½ – 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate (melted and slightly cooled)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ~1/4 cup unsweetened original Almond Breeze Almond Milk
Instructions
- 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 // adjust number or size of pans if altering batch size). Dust with cocoa powder, shake out the excess and set aside.
- 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. If coconut oil hardens, microwave the mixture in 10-15 second increments until melted.
- 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).
- Divide batter evenly between your cake pans or rectangular pan.
- Bake 25-40 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.
- 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!
Video
Notes
*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 information is a rough estimate.
joann says
Just wonderfully delicious. I made it with gluten free flour and coconut sugar. Half a recipe made two skinny 9″ layers. Thank you!
Deja says
Hello,
I was so excited to make this… however the cake was not what I really expected. I think it was because I left out the coffee. I suggest adding the coffee when making this cake. Also I made a chocolate kind fudgy glaze after heating up the frosting mixture… And it was amazing. It was just cocoa powder, confectioner sugar, some almond milk, and vegan butter. For me before adding this on top… I felt like the cake was kinda bland. After putting it on top and allowing it to kinda melt into the cake… I like the cake now! Another thing is that I baked my cake for more like 1 hour in a glass rectangular pan. It did not burn, but I had to do this because the middle just wasnt baking. I also took it out after and it was still a little under done… which gave it a more fudgy texture.
joe says
Due to health reasons I can only use honey. Does this work here?
Pip says
Hi, I was wondering what milk could be subbed out for Almond? Would coconut work?
Thanks!
Hi! You can use any other nut milk you’ve got on hand! Let me know how it goes! :D
Rebecca Simpson says
Can a Gluten Free Plain/All Purpose Flour be used?
Hi! That should work! Report back on how it goes! Also, check to see what others did in the comments!
Mark says
Can I use cacao instead of cocoa?
Hi! That should work! Let me know how it goes! :D
Mark says
Ok great! Thanks!
Mary says
How can I make this GF? Could I use Bob Red Mills’ one to one flour? Will it taste the same?
thanks
Hi! I haven’t tried it but that should work! Let me know how it goes! :D
dani says
Loved this cake. I was surprised by how much my son and boyfriend loved it more than the non vegan one I used to make. I made this for my sons 5th birthday. I have to admit though it was even better the next day ;)
Deja says
Yes, this soo true. At first I was nervous that I did something wrong… but after letting it sit over night….The cake really does taste better!
Nikita says
Cant wait to make this cake!
But… Im making it as a surprise cake for a friend, therefore the cake will be out in the living room, for about 2-3 hours.. or should I see if there is room for it in the fridge? Or can I just let it stay out?
Thanks
dani says
I’d think itd be fine a couple hours but I personally preferred the cake after being refrigerated
Diana says
Made it twice. This is the best cake I have ever eaten, let alone made. It’s the cake I’ve always tried to make with eggs, butter, cream, etc. And I did use the whole wheat pastry flour. So wonderful!
Livia Hood says
Does this have to have the coconut oil? It completely over powers the entire cake…
Hi! You can use vegan butter if you prefer!
Laura says
Hi guys, love love love this recipe it’s my favourite vegan chocolate cake ever!!! I have two questions though, want to make it for my sons birthday but need it to be three layers – can i just add an extra half amount of the listed ingredients to make it fit one extra pan? Or will it mess up the cake? Secondly, will the frosting be suitable for a crumb coat/clean look frost? I usually make this without frosting (diet lol) but want to make the effort for this cake. Thank you :)
Hi! Yep that will work to make 3 layers! The frosting is light and fluffy and will coat the cake well! Good luck!
Elizah says
I only made the icing to top a different vegan banana nut chocolate chip cake. The icing was DELICIOUS! I used a new kind of vegan butter for this called MELT. It’s made with coconut oil, sunflower oil, and palm fruit oil (through the rainforest alliance so it’s not hurting the rainforest!). (:
The new butter gave it a wonderful coconut flavor and the loads of chocolate and sugar made it very rich. It’s absolutely as good if not better than any icing I’ve ever made with dairy products!
Very happy!
Karen says
LOVE THIS CAKE!!!! I made the cake for my birthday and was skeptical-too many past disappointments with dry flavorless cakes. My new favorite cake!!! Moist! Flavorful without being overly sweet! Even great on day 2 (we will see if there is any left on day 3). Use soy milk instead of almond. Baked in a 9 x 13 pan for even more ease. No comparison, but far from disappointed. And very easy! Thank you so much! I will search no further for a go to chocolate cake recipe.
Emily says
I made this cake for my son’s birthday. Cake turned out really well. But for some reason the icing turned out really runny. I don’t know what I did wrong. It was still good enough to eat but it didn’t look good.
Hi! In future, if ever your icing is too running, add more cocoa powder or powdered sugar!
Elizah says
I didn’t use any almondmilk at all in the icing and I thought it turned out really good! Only used 2.5 Cups powdered sugar.
Beth says
I liked this recipe a lot. I am not a baker and have never had a lot of luck with cakes but it turned out really good. Admittedly I was at first put off but the length of ingredients (I said I wasn’t a baker! It looked like a lot, therefore scared me!) but everything is pretty much on hand and actually easier to put together than what I anticipated. The frosting is FABULOUS and probably one of those recipe I’ll keep super close to use on other things as well. Its one of those “doesn’t taste like vegan at all!” recipes you want to serve the non-vegan friends to convince them we really are not suffering! I feel my “presentation” was a bit lacking but I’m thinking that will come with practice. (the cakes were a bit uneven so they didn’t “stack” very pretty…but my 14 year old didn’t complain about the looks!) Thanks for this recipe.
th30.g says
how did you think of this?
Love Alongside Nutrition says
I know this recipe is quite old, but I really want to make this cake for my mom’s birthday on Monday and was just wondering if I can use coconut sugar instead of cane sugar?
Naomi says
Hi I have a question, I made this cake and when they were cooled we frosted them then we cut into the cake and tried it but it came out like sponge texture. I’m not sure why. I really want to try it again I just don’t know what I did wrong.
Thank you
Tanya says
Amazing recipe! I made this today for my (chocoholic) daughter’s 7th birthday and it’s truly perfection. Everyone loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
Tamara says
I hosted a potluck a few weeks ago and discovered the day of, that one of my guests was celebrating a birthday (he is vegan). A quick search turned up this recipe and I just happened to have all of the ingredients on hand.
Both the cake and frosting are amazing! No one would have known it was vegan. A definite keeper!
Tamara says
Oh and I forgot -the birthday couple arrived with the very same cake! :)
Kessandra Chisholm says
Is the cake batter supposed to be slightly more runny than non-vegan batter? I followed the recipe completely, but I’m nervous to put it in the oven because of the consistency.
kimberly says
I love your website and I made a variation of your cake last week and LOVED IT!!!!! You rock, keep it up!
Beth says
To die for! Made for my youngest’s 18th birthday. I used 1/2 the coconut oil since you already included so much applesauce. Also only 1 cup sugar. A bit more baking powder/ soda in hopes of extra rising but it was still a little dense. we loved it, very fluffy and yummy! I also used only 6 tbsp butter, 2 1/3 cup sugar for frosting. It was plenty! So 12 slices cake, 337 calories each including frosting. Oh yeah!!!
Teresa says
I made this cake for my fiance’s birthday today!
I’ve never baked a cake before and this was very simple and came out really tasty! I didn’t let it cool long enough before frosting, so I wasn’t able to make it look very beautiful, but it was definitely delicious and moist. My fiance loved it.
Tiffany Sonterre says
This is my go to cake recipe for every occasion! I make I for everyone’s birthdays. Only cake I’ve ever made from scratch, and I’m always so proud of them. Thanks !
Michael An says
This was the first time I ever tried to make a cake (or even tried to cook seriously), and I was so nervous about the result, also because it was vegan. I bought the 8 in pans and electric hand held mixer just hours before starting. Needless to say, everybody was blown away saying it was better than the ones from professional bakeries. If you follow the recipe exactly and use quality ingredients, it can’t be wrong. I still can’t believe my first cake was such a success. Also if you are new to baking, try not to burn your finger like I did… I was using long chopstick instead of toothpick to test the doneness and got carried away, accidentally touched the upper interior of the oven. Thank you Dana for this great recipe and awesome website!
Isabel says
This is first time I ever made a cake and it turned out great, but I had limited supplies and used what I had. Instead of coconut oil I used olive oil, I replaced the coffee with more almond milk, I used about 3/4 cup brown sugar, and I used a 10in cheesecake pan and baked it at 325F for 45min. The next day my family and I reached the center of the cake and i found it to be denser in the middle (almost like batter again) and it had sunk. When I took the cake out of the oven it passed the toothpick test and the middle part rose and was nice and springy. Do I need to change something or does that sound right?
Ida says
Exactly what I was looking for!
I am baking this for my birthday tomorrow, my first vegan cake! :) Sounds and looks delicious.
Can’t wait for my vegan-sceptical family have a taste!
Autumn says
i made this and replaced apple sauce with pumpkin because i already had some lying around. i completely surprised my boyfriend for his birthday, as it was last minute when i decided to whip it up and shockingly had about everything i needed in my pantry already. i also subbed the wheat flour for gluten free and despite the improvisations it turned out fabulously. thanks MB once again for your bomb recipes!
Gustavo Woltmann says
I want to make a chocolate similar to this one. The cake is so delicious. Thank you!
gustavo woltmann
Emilie says
We have made this cake twice in the past month now. Absolutely phenomenal recipe, vegans, non vegans alike have commended this cake, it turns out like a professional cake. Absolute perfection!
Renuka says
Hi Dana, What is an icing substitute for those of us with no access to vegan butter? COuld you also please re-do / re-post this recipe as a GF cake? going through all the comments, suggestions etc is mind boggling.
I’m even dyying to try out your zucchini cake, but I have ZERO access to Tofutti and Earth Balance
Mariel says
This is by far the BEST chocolate cake ever!! I’ve made it three times in the last 2 months (hubby keeps asking for it) haha. It’s pure perfection and SO delicious!! Thank you for this recipe!!
Kate says
Have you tried to make this recipe gluten free? If possible what would you change?
Try this one!
Lara says
This looks soo amazingi really it ! Never comment before, but i tried a lot of times and loved them all, you’re a hell of a chief
Ashley says
Can’t wait to try this!
Allison says
The cake is cooking and it looks AMAZING!
I have family coming over tomorrow – will the frosting hold up if I make it now?
Thanks!
Yes!
patty says
I love the vegan chocolate cake!!! Can I make cupcakes out of this recipe?
Yeah! Use this or this as a guide.
Bee says
Can I make this amazing recipe in a yule log?
I was just wondering the same! Yeah! I think so. Use this recipe as a guide!
Beatriz says
Thanks. .I saw that recipe. .but in want to use the Chocolate cake recipe. ..
Beatriz says
Thanks again, I saw the recipe you sent me as a guide. However, I want to make the exact chocolate cake recipe..including the frosting as a Yule log. They were both AMAZING!
Radhika says
Hi,
This recipe sounds absolutely delicious and I can’t wait to try it!
I’m from India. Apple Sauce isn’t readily available here. Could you tell me another substitute for that?
Thanks,
Radhika
Hi Radhika. If you can find apples, grate the apples with a box grater – that should work. Otherwise, try pureeing cooked sweet potatoes or pumpkin!
Susan H says
Yummy! Made this for my son’s 11th birthday tonight. He was resistant at first (he is not vegan) but then when he realized that I would allow him to lick the bowl because there are no eggs, he started to come around. And – what do you know? after all the complaining, he completely loved it and licked his plate! Well done :) Can’t wait to try some of your other desserts for the holidays this month.
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Janet says
I had a question when combining the wet ingredients , my coconut oil started to get clumpy and solidify , also it did not get foamy when I was using my beater …
Alice Bagley-Harrison says
Hi, Is it possible to freeze the cake once you’ve cooked it but before putting any icing on?
Thanks, Alice
Yeah! That should work!
Jen says
I am going to make this cake on Friday. 6 inch 3 layer. I have read several comments that the cake didn’t rise and am wondering if its the difference between dutch processed cocoa powder and natural cocoa powder. Which one did you use in this recipe? From reading online, that can make or break a cake’s rise.
Hi! I used regular store bought cocoa powder. Dutch processed may help! It does rise, though. I think both would work.
Jen says
Hi Dana,
Thanks for your response. I have done more research. So, the alchemy is this….if the cocoa is natural it must be paired with a baking soda based recipe to rise. If it’s dutched, the acid has been reduced so it must be paired with a baking powder based recipe to rise. If the recipe has both you can use either. Looking at your recipe, you have double the baking soda to powder, so a natural cocoa will allow more rise. I will go out tomorrow and buy a natural cocoa powder. I have learned so much about cocoa all because I am inspired to make your delicious looking cake!
Thanks for sharing, Jen!
Lakshmi says
This is the best cake I have tried so far and tastes just amazing. Thankyou for the beautiful receipe.
DR says
I made this recipe for my daughter’s (dairy-free) birthday celebration on Thanksgiving! I wasn’t sure how it would come out, and was hesitant to serve it to all the “butter and egg” eaters. This cake was a huge hit, it was moist, delicious and as good (if not better) than my famous chocolate cake. It is now my go-to chocolate cake recipe for all!
MC says
OMGGGGG! I made this for my mom’s birthday last night and everyone was absolutely blown away. The texture of the cake (ESPECIALLY because it’s GF and vegan) was spongy, decadent yet light and so so good. My brother already declared I have to make this for his birthday too, and I can’t wait to make it again! The only thing I would maybe change during the summer months would be to add a raspberry layer in the middle…but only because I’m slightly obsessed with raspberries.
Thanks again for this fantastic recipe!
Nada says
Just stumbled across your recipe when looking for a cake for my birthday.. looks absolutely delicious. do you happen to know an alternative to vegan butter as we don’t have that here?
I believe you can sub most oils (like melted coconut oil) in the cake. But for the frosting you can try this one!
edie denker says
hi! i want to make a marble cake and was wondering if you had any suggestions doing so using this recipe. i was thinking of just taking out the cocoa but would that make it too sweet and mess with the recipe?
That’s a great idea! Unfortunately I don’t have any experience with it. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
Martyna says
It was absolutely perfect! I used grated apple instead of applesauce and avocado for frosting?
Martyna says
Hello, Dana! Cake looks amazing and I’ gonna try it. Could you advise – can I substitute vegan butter to coconut oil? And can I substitute vegan shortening to coconut oil (just in case)? Thank you?
Hi there! It’s worth a shot. Sometimes coconut oil melted clashes with cold ingredients and hardens. So make sure any wet ingredients added are room temp or warmer (i.e. the almond milk). Good luck!
Leigh Adoff-Zeise says
Sorry, I forgot to rate the recipe!
Leigh Adoff-Zeise says
Hello,
One of my dearest friends lost her battle with aggressive thyroid cancer on this past Tues. She was only 47 years old. Today was a celebration of her life with all of her friends here in Berlin Germany (Where she was based and where I have lived for the last 16 years.) Her parents came in from the States and there were tons of Germans as well as Americans. We all brought things to eat and her fiancee asked me to bring a Vegan cake as she was Vegan as well as her mother and quite a few friends. He knew I could do it, he told me, as I had made her vegan sweets as well as hearty things in the pasts. I have to tell you I was very nervous, a cake is different. No eggs, no butter, no milk? And then a butter cream frosting? I was worried! Well after spending what seemed like years on the internet I found your recipe I was thrilled, easily explained and I could also find all the ingredients here. (which isn’t always the case)
I have to tell you, it was more than a hit it was THE desert of the entire party. :-)
There wasn’t a crumb left, and personally I will make it instead of my normal chocolate layer cake because it is just that good. Her mother loved it as well as the other vegans and non vegan guests. After my friend got sick I would make her food and bring it to the hospital as they had no vegan options and she was so grateful. She is the reason I started dabbling in vegan cooking and I am now adding things in my normal meal plans for my husband and myself
I can’t thank you enough from the bottom of my heart. You helped to make a very sad and stressful day that much better. I could bring a real American layer cake and EVERYONE could it eat. Thank you, sending you nothing but gratitude, thankfulness, peace and of course love from Berlin. Be well!
Leigh Adoff-Zeise
So kind! Thanks for sharing, Leigh! xoxo
Claire Waldron says
I made this cake yesterday and my god it’s so so delicious! Light, fluffy, rich moist and chocolatey. Perfect.
Jonathan says
I didn’t know americans could make good healthy cake ;)
Fruit in puree is a really good idee. And the majority of your ingredents are easy to find and pretty cheap(not almond).
I try this recipe in vapor with coconut milk and tell you back
Jonathan says
I did try with coconut oil and milk, cooked by steaming with a pineapple/coconut milk/Almonds/chocolate mousse as frosting.
The steaming did give to the cake a consistency close than the fondant.
Was a success.
Thank you for the idea, Dana.
Kayla says
This cake is a must! It’s perfect for any occasion :) I add some pumpkin and cinnamon for the holidays!
Gabriele says
Hello! It looks wonderful! Can I stop using chocolate in the frost?
Lost in translation says
Girl….I made this yesterday well it was a test thing because I need some nice cake for my soon to be 1-year old..and I almost cried when this did not turned out good….I used half cocoa powder and rest carob powder (for frosting too!,I just couldn’t go to the store to buy more) and I used 1 rectangular pan..omg what a mess…I baked 25min and then like10-15 more min because it looked like it wasn’t done…but toothpick still came out little wet so I just gave up..and then I let it cool and tried to cut it in half and top part seriously fell apart…so I tried to make truffle out of it…but using carob powder for frosting I guess was not a got substitute and let me just say..it was just awful…when I have the real cocoa powder and more time I will try this again..but it was pure disappointment… :( can you just make me one and send it.. ? :P
So sorry! It might have been your substitutions. Otherwise, I’m not sure! SO many people have had success with this recipe so I’m not sure what went wrong!
Lydia says
I made this cake tonight and still can’t stop thinking about how amazing it was. It came out perfect. I used grapeseed oil and just made some instant coffee rather than brewed. Best cake of all time.
Annette says
I am going to make this for my youngest son’s 22nd birthday. He is vegan and I am just starting to explore the world of vegan recipes. It looks amazing. The frosting I am a bit concerned about though because of the vegan butter???? I found some at our local grocer but my oldest son who has sever soy allergies…well I am pretty sure this vegan butter is soy based. Other ideas on frosting?
Earth Balance makes a soy-free version! But you can also substitute the vegan butter there with melted coconut oil!
SharlaMJ says
Thank you! I also wanted to know a substitute for vegan butter.
You could use coconut oil! See this recipe for pointers.
Sarah Clarke says
I made this cake last week for my son’s birthday (yes he’s 24 and celebrating his first year of being vegan). I didn’t have apple puree so I cooked up some carrots and pureed them. I have to say I was a bit doubtful about this cake with the rather odd ingredients but it was AMAZING!! I didn’t get round to making the frosting but even without it, it was delicious – very light and chocolatey. A real winner.
Bonita says
I made this cake and OMG it’s the absolute BEST cake I ever had in my life !!!!! Loooooooove it !!!!!! Thanks soooooooo much for sharing xxxxx
Tristin XXII says
Will this overflow in a 8 inch ny 1.5 inch?
Hmm, I don’t think so! You should be good.
Chaya says
Hi, I made this cake as per the recipe and it turned great! I would like to substitute apple sauce with beets. Any thoughts. Also should it be the same measurement
Thanks!
Chaya
Angie says
Thankyou so much. Made the cake today…..delicious, fluffy & light, very moist.
Angie says
Do you cool the cake in the tin? And if so how long for please?
Also, how long will the cake keep out of fridge?
Love the recepie.
Yes! In the tin until room temperature. It keeps out of the fridge just fine for days.
Jenn K. says
My mother in law made this for my birthday today and it was absolutely amazing! I’m not vegan and I couldn’t even taste the difference. It was a big hit!
Jessica says
I have made this recipe at least 5 times and it never fails, In my opinion it far exceeds regular chocolate cakes its amazing! My family loves it and often eats it without any frosting! I did make some adjustments but kept it pretty much the same! I put a plus next to the stuff I changed and you can compare it to the actual recipe :
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) Home made Cashew Milk+
2 tsp 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
1 tsp pure vanilla extract+
1 tsp vanilla bean powder or vanilla bean paste+
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour+
1 cup cake flour+
1 1/3 cups (266 g) organic cane sugar
1 cup (96 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp pink himalayan salt+
1/2 tsp cinnamon+
Sarah says
I made this with teff flour and carob, left out the coffee. Used coconut milk instead of almond. AMAZING!!!! It’s a perfect birthday cake, and really the first cake I’ve made since giving up wheat, dairy and eggs due to food sensitivities. Used coconut sugar to sweeten, and topped with coconut whipped cream (powdered some coconut sugar and added 1 tsp tapioca to the coconut cream). Heavenly!
Even folks who are skeptical about “alternative” ingredients LOVE this cake.
I would give this 10 stars if I could.
Veronica says
I’m planning on making this next weekend for a Halloween/birthday party, but I have a question first. Does this cake need to be stored in the refrigerator, or is it ok to leave it sitting out on a table during a party? I’m asking because the only other vegan cake I’ve made, the frosting got extremely soft and almost liquid-y at room temperature. I don’t want to do all that work and then ruin it by not storing it correctly!
It’s OK to set on the table! It’s fine at room temp. Good luck!
Mayya says
Best. Chocolate. Cake. Ever. I didn’t use coffee and it still turned out amazing and rich and creamy. It made really picky non-vegans say “this is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had!”
Mallory Searle says
Thank you so much for this recipe. My daughter has severe food allergies to eggs and milk. I’ve struggled to find a decent cake recipe for birthdays and this one had us all licking our plates! I used canola oil instead of coconut because I didn’t have enough. The frosting was delicious, I used Enjoy Life chocolate chips and it turned out awesome. Thank you for all of your recipes! I love the simplicity of them and they are safe for my kids to eat!!!
Kim says
What about gluten free flour options? Which would work best for this recipe?
Check out the previous comments for gluten-free options! We’ve previously recommended (and this is a loose recommendation because we have not tested this particular recipe with these substitutes) using a mix of almond meal or flour, oats or oat flour, and a gluten free flour blend with a little xanthan gum for binding! We also have recommendations for substituting gluten-free flour in our Recipe FAQ’s. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
Sarah says
Teff flour works extremely well! Highly recommended.
Angela says
I have some I haven’t used yet – can you tell me what your measurement of Teff flour was?
Sarah says
Hi Angela, So sorry for the delay – just discovered your inquiry…
Basically I used the same measurement of teff flour as the original recipe. I also usually add 2 heaping TBS of tapioca flour to any alternative flour I use.
I have also made this cake with, of all things, garbanzo flour. It was delicious! It’s my new favorite flour for all baked items!
Jenny says
I’ve been making this cake to sell at the cafe I work at & it’s a huge hit. I started making the icing vanilla instead of chocolate and I top it with slivered almonds. 5 star recipe!
Loligoss says
This is awesome. I recently turned vegan and try to be a healthy eater. My daughter wanted to make a birthday cake for her Dad and is dairy and wheat intollerant. Our subs Spelt flour and grapeseed oil for the cake. We changed the frosting by using nut butter instead of vegan butter no cocoa and one cup of powdered sugar. The cake was decadent and everyone loved it. Thanks so much.
Lo says
I love this recipe!!! The cake turned out DELICIOUS the first time I made it, and everyone loved it! The second time I made the mistake of using coconut oil instead of canola, and it hardened up in the mixer when it came back down to room temp. :( Chunks stuck to the beaters and the sides of the bowl and wouldn’t mix in smoothly. I learned my lesson and will stick with what works for this wonderful cake recipe! Thank you!!
Andrew M. says
You have no idea how much this cake recipe means to me. When I became vegan I was worried about being able to duplicate my favorite recipes (and my grandmother’s). Every Christmas I am in the kitchen with her baking a chocolate cake. She is the person that has taught me most about baking and cooking. This recipe tastes just like the cake we have made over the years. I am so pleased with how it turned out! Thanks so much for this recipe, and thank you for allowing me to be able to continue making this cake that suits my new lifestyle!
Jen says
This was absolutely delicious. We have some serious chocolate lovers and this was my first attempt at a vegan chocolate cake. It was so moist and rich. Will be a birthday staple going forward. Thanks so much!
Justin says
For people with nut allergies, would it be okay to substitute the almond milk with another milk alternative like soy?
Rose says
Is it okay to make the wet and dry ingredients the day before and refrigerate them then finish making it the next day?
Lorna says
Hi, looking to try this on cupcakes for my sons 4th bday. Does the coconut flavour come through at all? neither of us are fans of the flavour is there an equally good alternative?
Hi Lorna, there are substitutions listed for the coconut oil right next to it on the ingredient list!
Shery says
Coming 29th is my kids birthday. I wanna surprise with this. Thanks for the lovely ingredients.. ?
Melia says
This recipe is amazing! I make it every year for my birthday :)
Any reason why the frosting would come out pitch black though? Last year it was a nice brown color and this year it matches the cake! Very weird…I followed the recipe completely.
K says
Made this for my vegan daughter’s birthday today. Cake tasted okay but fell apart taking out of pan. First disaster. Second was the frosting. Color totally different than your photo. And it had no substance. Got drizzled on instead of spread. It was still enjoyed but looked terrible. May try it another time.
Dawn says
Hi! Would this work in a bundt pan? Thanks!
k8 says
didnt rise at all
Chrissie says
Hi Dana! I made this cake this past spring and loved it, and am baking it again (right now, actually). When mixing the wet ingredients, the batter started to get lumpy (maybe from the coconut oil?), and it didn’t full disappear when I added the dry ingredients. I don’t remember this happening last time, but I can’t be sure. I’ve stuck it in the oven anyway and am crossing my fingers, but any idea what happened here? Or is this normal? Thanks so much!
Nina says
Hi! I am vegan and want to make this for my sister who is supposed to be cutting back on sugar. I’ve heard that you can replace granulated sugar with an equal amount of blended raisins, is that true? Also instead of coconut oil could I add another 2/3 cups of applesauce? Thanks for your help!
Hmm, I wouldn’t recommend that. If you’re trying to replace sugar, I’d recommend subbing each 1/4 cup sugar with 1 packet of stevia. And only sub HALF the oil with applesauce. Good luck!
Nina says
Thank you for your reply! Am I able to use a different kind of oil then if I don’t have coconut oil on hand? I have avocado oil, olive oil and vegetable oil!
DEBBIE says
My grandson turns 18 tomorrow, he is a true vegan! Reads all packages for ingredient contents, will he question anything ? I am very new to all this.
Thanks
Nymema
This is one of our favorite vegan cakes, Debbie! He shouldn’t have a problem with any of the ingredients! Happy Birthday to him and let us know how it goes!
DEBBIE says
Thank you! Just went to Whole Foods and got everything!! Will let you know!
Laura Toth says
How many cupcakes would this make?
I believe 24, check out the link for the different bake times in the notes section!
Ester says
Hi, Dana
I want to know if u could use coconut oil for the frosting instead of vegan butter?
Alina says
I used coconut oil + 2 tbs coconut cream (for softer consistency) and it worked! Just takes lots of whipping to create a soft frosting.
Ester says
Thanks! Can’t wait to try it!
SF2016 says
Thank you for the delicious recipe!
I made this yesterday for a dinner party and it was a sensation – so rich, moist and dense! I made a few substitutes as I realized I was out of flour half way through the baking process! I used
-half all purpose, half homemade oat flour + 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
-in lieu of vegan butter, coconut oil at room temp + 2 tbs coconut cream
-7 mashed dates in lieu of sugar in the batter
-1c of sugar in the frosting
I was able to make frosting and cake a day ahead and frosted the cake 2 hours before the dinner!
Katharina says
Realized halfway in I had no apple sauce. Used my daughter’s fruit puree snacks instead — worked great! lol
Sylvia says
Hi Dana, I’m new to vegan cooking and would like to know if you can recommend a brand of vegan butter. Thanks
New balance is the only brand I’ve ever used and liked!
Dawn says
New Balance or Earth Balance? I think New Balance is a type of shoe :-)
cris says
hi dana
do u have any recipe with organic whole wheat flour or almond or coconut flour for a chocolate cake?
i want to do an organic chocolate cake for my son’s b’day.
cheers.
Hi Cris, this cake is made with organic whole wheat pastry flour and is one of our favorites for birthdays!
Angie Triplett says
I typically use apple sauce instead of oil. If i cut the coconut Oil in half and substitute with apple sauce do you think it would still com out the same?
I haven’t tried this particular recipe with apple sauce but I have a feeling it should still work, let us know how it goes!
Angie says
The cake turned out fabulous with the apple sauce! It was so moist and the richness of the cake was perfect. Vegans and non vegans loved it!
Dragos Lucian says
I love it
Lisa says
Is it okay if I don’t have coffee?
Yes, note next to the coffee ingredient I suggest substituting it with more almond milk!
Marie-Pierre says
Thanks for this recipe! I was looking for something on the healthy side for my twins’ first birthday cake! I’ll give this cake a try!