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.
Lindsey says
If I want to make vanilla cake can I just eave the cocoa powder out? Or should I sub in more sweetener/sugar? Thanks!
Hi Lindsey! You can follow this recipe and use it as a cake instead, as many people have had success!
Lindsey says
Thanks, will do! :) Can I use coconut in that recipe in place of the coconut butter? I don’t have access to coconut butter where I live and that’s why I was thinking of using this original recipe.
Hi Lindsey! I don’t see any coconut butter in the funfetti cupcakes. Are you maybe thinking of another recipe? Let us know and I will do my best to help!
Lindsey says
Oh sorry, it says ‘vegan butter such as earth balance’, but I don’t have access to any vegan butter where I live (South Korea). So is coconut oil okay instead?
Hi Lindsey! That should work!
Gaby says
Hi! Just curious if you line or oil up the pans before baking.
Hi! Gaby! Lightly spray the pans with nonstick spray!
Julia says
This is the very best vegan chocolate cake I ever ate! It’s incredibly delicious ?
Holly says
I need to make a 3D stand up cake and the manufacturer recommends a firm textured cake batter. Would this hold the shape do you think, or would there be a way to make it act more like a pound cake?
Hi! Yes, that should work! Happy Baking!
Sarah M. says
Can I use Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour to replace the standard flour? Will that be adequate or do I need to make changes in other areas of this recipe?
Hi Sarah! Others have had success with using it but also adding 2.25 tsp xantham gum! Hope this helps!
Olivia says
I’ve been making this cake weekly…it is that delicious. I just have one question about storage. I’ve been storing it the fridge, which firms it up, and it’s not bad, but I love the soft and moistness of it when it’s freshly baked before refrigeration. Anyway, can this cake be kept on the counter rather than in the fridge? Aloha from Big Island, Hawai’i!
Hi! You can leave it out on the counter for a few days!
Katie says
I’ve made this two years in a row for my birthday. It’s just that good! Even my non-vegan family and friends request that I make it.
I always make sure that my coconut oil is slightly cooled and that my applesauce and almond milk are at about room temp when I start. Also when I make the frosting I add only a few teaspoons of almond milk.
Louise S. says
Made this into a Moana cake for my daughter’s 4th birthday this past weekend. OH man… THANK YOU! This was soooo good and everyone loved it! We ate it after it had been refrigerated for a few hours and it was delicious, but a little too dense for me, personally. BUT, I had it again after leaving the cake out for a little while and it was soft, and fluffy, and yummy. So good! This will be my go-to recipe. Thank you again for sharing your recipe, you genius, you!
Gina says
Dana, Can you tell me how to store the cake if you want to make it in advance, should I refrigerate the layers or keep at room temperature? I want to make this prior to a big party and only frost the day of. I have your book and the Vanilla Cupcakes say they can be left at room temp but the recipe is slightly different so wanted to check. Also, once it is frosted should it be refrigerated or will that dry it out? Thanks for all these amazing recipes!!!
Mikaela says
Made this for some of my non-vegan family to show them the possibilities of plant-based baking. They said this cake 1.) didn’t taste vegan but 2.) DID taste excellent. Major victory! Thank you Dana for yet another crowd-pleaser (your Thai spring rolls are another family favorite.)
Instead of 1/2 cup of coffee, I used 1/4cup (room temp leftover from the morning pot) and subbed in 1/4cup with Baccardi gold rum. I wouldn’t have minded if the cake was entirely rum-saturated, but didn’t want to mess up the chemistry. 1/4cup yielded a subtle rum flavor without compromising the cake texture.
The vinegar almond milk step was key for keeping this egg-less cake nice n fluffy. My cousin was amazed by how light it was!
As mentioned, I decided to complicate this cake’s flavor with a little rum, but I think lavender would also be a great addition, either as extract in the cake mix or in the frosting. The base chocolate flavor here lays a great foundation for experimentation! :)
Other specifications/modifications:
-AP Flour instead of pastry
-1tbsp vanilla instead of 2tsp.
-Baked for around 50 minutes in two 9″round cake pans (edges were a bit overdone — the toothpick test works best)
-For the frosting I attempted to adapt a whipped ganache recipe w unsweetened cashew milk. It failed utterly, because cashew milk does not behave like heavy cream under the electric mixer. In the future I wouldn’t try to whip a nut milk ganache, instead adding chocolate to thicken it. I’d also use an almondmilk or cashewmilk with some sugar (Silk’s “Original” cashew has around 6g per 8oz, would’ve made for a less bitter flavor.) Fortunately it still tasted okay. The cake underneath saved the whole dish since I messed up the filling/frosting bit. Next time I will use your recipe above instead!
Holly says
Hi there, I am really enjoying looking through and trying out your recipes after adopting a plant-based diet 10 months ago. I am about to try your tofu omelette!
My question is, on this one bowl chocolate cake, is it possible to leave out the baking powder? I am very allergic to raising agents. Or could you suggest an alternative (would veganEgg be a good replacement?)
thank you :o) ps just subscribed, so I look forward to regular up-dates!!! Holly xxx
Lauren says
I just wanted to say this recipe is BOMB! I made it for my son’s first birthday and substituted the flour for a gluten-free flour blend as a few guests coming have an allergy to wheat. And I must say, that other than the fact that it didn’t rise evenly on one side (guessing that’s a mixing problem from me), the substitution worked perfectly. Thank you, Dana, for caring and so passionately creating delicious recipes and happy tummies.
Julia says
Hi there,
Quick question….texture, mouth fell and crumb of this cake was perfect but my family and I thought the flavor was slightly off. We were thinking of maybe trying the chocolate almond milk in this recipe next time to amp up the chocolate flavor. What do you think? Thanks
Hi Julia! You can try that, let us know how it goes!
Aura says
If I were vegan, which I’ve been considering, I would think I had died and gone to heaven, and my non-vegan coworkers also seemed to love it. If a vegan cake can please non-vegans, then it must be pretty good!
Murray Watson says
Sure looks worth trying! Unless I missed it, you don’t seem to use a sub for eggs. Am I wrong? Please help as I plan to try this.
Thanks kindly,
Murray
Hi Murray! There is no eggs or egg substitute needed! Hope this answers your question!
Elrita says
Hi. I want to try this, I love chocolate cake, dislike coffee. Can you make it without the coffee
Hi! Yes you can, just add more almond milk instead of the coffee!
Amy Danles says
Hey just wondering if you have tried this chocolate cake recipe with your gluten free flour blend?
Thanks
Hi! We haven’t tried it but it should work! If you try it let us know how it goes!
Sabrine D says
I made this last week for a get together I was throwing with some friends and family and it was a total hit! I didn’t have any of the ingredients for frosting, so I just used strawberry jam in the middle and put strawberries and drizzled chocolate on top instead. My uncle, who had previously been standoffish about eating vegan food, said it was one of the best desserts he’d ever had, vegan or not! Thanks so much, this is such a great recipe :)
Lyndie says
Hi,
I assume you can easily make this into cupcakes or no? Thank you for all of your amazing vegan recipes!!
Hi! 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!
Kayla Werner says
Forgot to rate!
Kayla Werner says
Can we talk about how AMAZING this is!!!! I had one bit and I was craving more- took another, took another, Took another and now 3/4 of my first row is gone!
I decided to use a jelly roll pan and it turned out amazing!!! I can’t wait for people to try this- no way will they believe it’s vegan!!
Well done ??
Alex says
I absolutely love your recipes, and when my boss’ birthday was coming up, I knew your website would be the first place I looked!
Unfortunately, I’m also in a higher altitude than I’m used to (7300ft versus 1200ft!), and I don’t quite know how to adjust the recipe for the difference! Any ideas?
Hi! We aren’t too familiar with this, but here is a resource that may be of help.
Sharon Southern says
I made this for my niece who is vegan on Easter Sunday. I made a single layer in a spring form pan. I used chocolate ganache for the frosting. It was a huge hit! Non-vegan, non-sweet eaters all agreed…magnifique! My niece has asked me to make this for her birthday cake this year and my nephew as well. Thanks Minimalist Baker for a healthy alternative.
Alanna says
So good and moist!
alggt says
I am a “new vegan” and this is the first dessert recipe I’ve tried. Oh, wow: this cake is delicious!! I shared it with a non vegan friend and she too couldn’t believe how rich and yummy it is! And I didn’t even make the frosting, it was awesome naked. I did have to cook it a little longer than the recipe said, no problem.
Lauren says
I have a convection over so I’m used to things baking a bit quicker than most recipes call for, however I’ve had this cake in the over for over 30 minutes and it is completely liquid still. Unfortunately I was making this for a special dinner outing and am very disappointed. Huge cake fail. Side note:I double checked and I followed the recipe to the t, including the exact brand of milk.
Lauren says
Also, the icing was so oily…melting oil everywhere. I ended up having to bake the cake on a much higher setting and it took almost an hour (like I mentioned, top of the line convection oven). It did turn out very delicious in the end but that oily frosting melting yellowy oil all over was not nice looking.
Tina Bickmore says
I’ve made this cake 3 times. I’ve made the icing with other vegan cake recipes too. I first made it for my daughter’s 18th birthday party. I didn’t tell her friends it was vegan. The whole cake was eaten in a matter of minutes! They went crazy over it! It’s so easy!
Heather says
Has anyone tried this with gluten-free flour? I’m allergic to wheat and gluten. :(
Hi Heather! 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!
Kamini says
Can I make this and carry on a plane to a family reunion? It’s a west coast to east coast flight. Any tips on how I should do this? Thanks.
Hi! Is there any chance you can make it fresh once you arrive? If you are going to try to take it on the flight, I’d recommend a cake holder like this!
Paula Molina says
Sounds Delish! I will be making it tomorrow
Quick question! Is it possible to make the frosting using coconut cream instead?
Yes! Check the comments for tips!
Jess Flynn says
Here in the UK it is hard to come by applesauce like it is sold in the US, any ideas what i could use instead as I cant wait to make this cake!?
Hi Jess! If you can find apples, grate the apples with a box grater – that should work. Otherwise, try pureeing cooked sweet potatoes or pumpkin!
Kate says
Do you think its possible to replace some of the sugar with more applesauce? Thanks!
Genevieve says
I made this cake tonight and my whole family loved it! I cannot believe how moist it was. The only thing I’d change is to add about 50% more frosting, as I didn’t have enough for the sides, although it tasted great and would have only improved the ascetic appeal.
I will never even bother trying another vegan chocolate recipe. Excellent work!
Obaid says
Hi Dear,
I was searching “how to make a chocolate cake?”. Recently, I’ve seen your article and read it. You’ve explained very good. I really liked it. So, keep up the good work.
Obaid says
Hi Dear,
I was searching “how to make a cake?”. Recently, I’ve seen your article and read it. You’ve explained very good. I really liked it. So, keep up the good work.
Noa says
hi! recipe looks great! can you subsitute the vegan butter in the frosting with coconut oil or someother more available product? thank you so much!
Jessi says
Do you measure your flour by spooning flour in to the measuring cup and leveling, or just scooping from the flour container, and leveling?
Scooping into the measuring cup with a spoon and leveling off.
Jessi says
Thank you! So excited to try it for my daughters birthday!
Laura Good says
My boyfriend and I just made this – he accidentally dropped and destroyed one layer so it just ended up being a single-layered cake, but still delicious! :’)
Definitely recommend!
Glad you still got to enjoy one layer!
Rachael says
The best chocolate cake! Most chocolate cakes come out dry, but this one was so moist! I followed the recipe exactly as stated with no substitutions. It was loved by all the vegans and non vegans in my family. This will definitely be my go-to chocolate cake recipe. Thanks!
Casey Miguel : says
The instructions in the beginning say beat the almond milk, vinegar coconut oil coffee etc.. until foamy. I have been whisking it with an electric mixer but I’m not getting foamy. Any tips on what to do? Should i proceed with the recipe? I really don’t want to screw up my friends birthday cake.. lol
Brooke says
I halved this recipe and tried making it last night and my cake would not cook all the way through no matter how long I baked it. Originally I set the timer for 30 minutes and then 5 + 5 + 10, and it still would not cook and was mushy in the middle. Anyone else have this problem? Thinking I must have messed up the measurements because it was not a success! Thanks all.
Hi Brooke! Oh no! What size pan did you cook it in?
Madison says
My cake would not cook and I had it in the oven for nearly one hour. No matter what the toothpick always came out with batter on it. :( I used two 9 inch round pans and followed the recipe exactly.
Josiah says
Love this recipe and I haven’t even made it yet. I’m wondering however, what the vinegar is for? If it has anything to do with the applesauce, I’ll be using a vegan egg replacement powder instead. Or at least I’m planning on it and don’t want an ingredient in it if its not needed. Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Josiah! Vinegar is a surprisingly common ingredient in baked goods, considering that it has such a sharp flavor. But as an acid, vinegar is often included in cake to react with baking soda and start the chemical reaction needed to produce carbon dioxide and give those batters a lift as they bake. Hope this helps!
Josiah says
Brilliant. I haven’t seen that before in my baking but it definitely worked. While the cake portion of this recipe was perfect! ? the frosting was too runny and just soaked into the cake. Not a bad thing at all. I didn’t have ingredients for the vegan butter and what I had to use caused the runniness. Needless to say I’ll be making this again as soon as I get the frosting right.
Michele says
I made this cake for a family get together. Mostly meat eaters. It was a hit. My brother after eating one piece and reaching for another exclaimed, ” I think I will become vegan!” It was delicious and even better the next day cold out of the fridge. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes on your site.
So glad to hear it was a hit, Michele!
Sanny Vuu says
Made this cake last night for my friends bday. IT IS THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE I HAVE EVER HAD!!! Everyone at the party couldn’t stop eating it. I substituted almond milk for canned coconut milk and it made the cake so moist. I also used dark chocolate instead of regular cocoa. SO AMAZING! I can’t believe it’s vegan. This is my go to chocolate cake recipe from now on. THANK YOU FOR SHARING!
Beata says
I really envy all of you for whom this recipe worked. Except the fact that I used soya milk, I halved the sugar and used cherry pure instead of apple juice I followed the recipe however it’s more like brownie than a birthday cake. Maybe that’s how you do birthday cakes in US? In Poland we prefer spongy cakes for the birthdays.
BTW. with half of the sugar my daughter still complains that it’s too sweet and she loves sugar.
Sanny Vuu says
You have to use apple sauce not juice.
Beata says
I didn’t use the juice. I used the pure. If I remember correctly it was written in the recipe that it must be a pure of any fruit but the best is apple sauce which I didn’t have
Kia says
My husband baked this for me on my birthday (May 6th). This cake was divine! Everyone that ate it loved it and could not believe it was vegan. My daughter who abhors cake requested he make one for her birthday tomorrow! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes.
Sarah says
I love this cake so much–thank you for such a great recipe!!
Alyssa says
I make this cake often and everyone LOVES it. Always. I wanted to try another option for a birthday party…
I want to make two dozen cupcakes with this reciepe, I plan to just double it. Would that be correct? Also, what do you suggest for baking time adjustment?
Baking time should be shorter. And doubling the recipe should work!
andrea says
HELP: can I use my whisk for this reciepe? I don’t have a hand held mixer, Thanks!!
Should work!
Sabrina Knudsen says
Hi!
I have just pulled the cake out of the oven.
I have one question: Did you cut the top off yours to make it so aesthetic and straight? Mine is convex at the top, as in really round. I fear it will be difficult to stable later.
Anyhow, thank you for this great recipe. I can not wait to have a taste tomorrow. :)
Mine wasn’t convex, but you can definitely shave off the top!
Hayley says
If you put the cake upside down on the cooling rack the dome-y-ness of the cake will flatten out.
Genevieve says
I was wondering for the icing if I could use coconut oil instead of vegan butter?
It will melt if not in a cold room, but yes that can work! Won’t be as creamy or buttery though…
Becki says
I made this delicious cake for Mother’s Day. Thank you for this recipe! My kids have several allergies and we don’t eat dairy, so I had actually never attempted a vegan cake before today. The joy of watching them eat a cake we could all enjoy – allergy free! – was the best Mother’s Day gift. My five year old was falling asleep and suddenly said “Mom, do you think that cake is doing ok downstairs?” Safe to say, we all loved it! Thanks again!
Sarah says
I love this recipe!! I’ve made it several times – a few times with Teff + Tapioca flour, and more recently with Garbanzo + Tapioca flour. I also sub carob powder for cocoa. It’s a fabulous cake! Making it today for Mother’s Day dinner! Thanks! 10 stars!
MJ says
Made this cake back in July for a birthday. I used vegan peanut butter icing and decorated with pretzels and vegan m&ms. Made it again today (for mother’s day) and it’s just as amazing as I remember. This time I did use the coffee, homemade unsweetened applesauce, canola oil, and as the filling frosting I did a the one you made for your hazelnut chocolate cake, a layer of vegan coffee buttercream, and coated in a honey chocolate glaze. Before frosting, I soaked the cakes in coffee infused simple syrup. I was able to cut each cake in half, which I then turned into two separate cakes (served about 28 people). I was inspired by Proof Bakery’s Expresso Chocolate Cake I had long ago, which is full of butter (more than 2 pounds!), whipping cream (almost 2 cups), and eggs (10) but oh so yummy. This chocolate cake was a vegan lifesaver!
Audrey says
Holy cow, i made this for my dads birthday party (me being the lone vegan in the group) and it was a hit! No one could believe that it was vegan because honestly- it wasn’t just a fantastic vegan cake- it was a fantastic cake in general! I made my own pb icing for it and it was delicious. Thank you, i will definitely be trying more of your recipes and making more vegan cakes! :)
Pascalie says
This is the first vegan cake I’ve ever made, and I will only make this from now on! I received so many compliments and its just delicious! Wondering if I could make this into a strawberry shortcake cake by substituting 2 cup fresh strawberries for coca powder in the cake ingredients?
Any recommendations would be appreciated =)
Joy says
I can’t believe this actually worked (aha!)
I’m British, and for Brits apple sauce is usually a sweetened gloop reserved to be served with pork as part of a Sunday dinner (since I don’t eat meat, I don’t even eat it in this way!)
Anyway, I persevered and made my own apple sauce using two pink lady apples (I halved the recipe) – surprised to find it turned out great! I didn’t make the frosting as I ran out of cocoa powder, but instead I made my own version using espresso powder, vanilla pod, Vitalite (a vegan butter here) and icing sugar. It was great! Thank you.
Felicia says
Best Vegan Chocolate Cake I have made to date. So good!!!!
Turi Anikó says
Hi there Dana,
do you think the frosting could work with avocado instead of vegan butter?
Thanks a lot,
Anikó
Hi Turi! I haven’t tried it, but if you do, report back on how it goes!
Aparna Jain says
I made this cake substituting cane sugar with coconut sugar and 1/2 tsp of salt instead of 1/4 as another reader suggested that it needed more salt. The coconut sugar might have rendered the cake less sweet but i didn’t mind that. Any other readers might want to be mindful of that. I also used all whole wheat pastry flour and it turned out great. Thanks Dana, for the wonderful recipe!
Erik says
What do I do if I can’t get my hands on an applesauce that’s unsweetend? Should I reduce the amount of sugar? In that case, how much should I then use (of the sugar)? ?
Hi Erik! Someone in the comments above used sweetened applesauce and reduced the sugar to 3/4 cups. I haven’t tried it, but I think this could work (and they had success with it!) hope this helps! Report back on how it goes if you give it a try!
Erik says
Turned out fine! Nothing wrong with the taste at all, you could without doubt reduce the sugar to 3/4 cups if using sweetened applesauce! This was a really great and very filling cake. Love chocolate! ??
Glad you loved it, Erik!
Michelle says
THANK YOU for this recipe Dana!! My daughter just recently turned vegan and was soon to be graduating high school. While planning for her reception I had been looking for a vegan chocolate cake to make her. I found several..baked them for her to try and she wasn’t happy with any of them :( I found yours, baked it and she LOVED it!! I made another one but I also had a regular cake at the reception for everyone else. This cake was a HUGE hit!! The guest couldn’t believe it was vegan, and it was GONE before the regular cake. Thanks again ?
So glad that it was a hit, Michelle! :D
Finola says
Just made this cake and it turned out perfect! It’s much darker than yours…almost black…but maybe that’s because of the swiss chocolate;)
Thank you and greetings from Switzerland!
Finola
Gabrielle says
I just made the frosting, not the cake. This recipe was amazing.
Areema Sweeney says
Hi this sounds awesome! I can’t do almonds so I need to sub it out. What do you think will work best coconut, flax, or rice milk? Thanx!
I think any of them would work quite well, Areema!
Daphne says
Hi Dana,
The chocolate cake looks absolutely miraculous. I have been admiring your work for some time and I have to say, this recipe is one of my absolute favourites. The pictures are amazing and I’m sure so is the cake itself. I’m not vegan and I’m usually never on a diet, but the idea of vegan food catches my interest every time. I definitely will be trying out this recipe, and thank God there aren’t too many ingredients, because some of them are too hard to find in our country. I’ve never used cane sugar, for instance. What do you think I should use as a replacement if I can’t find it?
Also its very good that you chose to stop eating sweet foods and actually were able to stick to it. That’s one thing I never would be able to do. But trying out vegan cake recipes? That I can do. I’ll especially try this for the frosting, it looks just flawless. I can eat frosting as a meal any day of the week, and I can never say no to a light and fluffy frosting on such a cake.
If I try this and it actually turns out good, I would love to share it with you!
Hi Daphne! So glad you’re loving this recipe! Check the other comments as other people substituted the cane sugar and there may be some ideas there for you! Hope this helps!
Christina Rennie says
I made this cake for a wedding and it was an absolute hit! I only made a couple of changes which was using a gluten-free flour, adding cacao nibs to the batter and then when I iced it I added crushed fresh raspberries in between the layers and then garnish with raspberries on top. Guests from the wedding kept asking me if it was really a vegan gluten-free cake because it tasted so amazing. This is an incredible recipe and I have used it many times since. It is my official go to chocolate cake recipe. Thank you so much, Christina
PS it also freezes really well! Yumm
Dshox says
Have to say this is one of the best cakes I’ve ever eaten. Just made this as a birthday cake for my vegan friend. Everybody at the table couldn’t believe it was dairy and egg free. I made my own apple sauce from gala apples. One thing tho, if you don’t have a free standing mixer, don’t expect to make it with one bowl. My kitchen is fairly messy but 100% worth it.
Jenny says
Hi! I did not know how to email/contact you otherwise, so I was wondering if you could curate a recipe based like this one or help me w some subs I could use if you do not want to make whole post for it, which i would totally understand. It would be SO appreciated as I LOVE your chocolate cakes and i think you could do wonders to veganize this recipe! thanks so much https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018125-celebration-cake?em_pos=large&emc=edit_ck_20170421&nl=cooking&nlid=78400816
Hi! We’ll be sure to add it to the recipe request list. Thanks!
Swati Mardia says
Is it possible to replace almond flour for the unbleached flour, entirely or partly? And if it’s partly, then what ratio of almond flour: unbleached flour would you suggest?
Serena says
Hey everyone,
has anyone tried subing margarine for something else? In my country there’s no healthy-ish version and don’t really want to use butter. Thanks
Daisy says
Is there a substitute for the flour? Can I use almond flour instead?
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!
Frances says
This looks lovely. Has anyone tried substituting for gluten-free flour? Thanks, Frances.
Charmaine Seitz says
I made this recipe with a lot of subs and – surprise – it didn’t quite come out correctly. I used Pamela’s dairy free gluten free flour, coconut milk instead of almond, and banana instead of applesauce (this last because I wanted to cut the sugar). I am not sure if those were the reasons I went astray, or if the bits of extra coconut milk I added to the extremely thick batter dried it out. It had a great taste, was just overly dense and rubbery. I am determined to try it again and get it right! Maybe next time I will use applesauce and dates for the puree, and try a different gluten free flour combo. Also, coconut milk never works for vegan GF pancakes so I wonder if it is somehow a problem here…
Juliana Sweeney says
I have just made this as a test cake for my son’s 1st bday and it tastes amazing. I used Almond milk instead of coffee, all purpose flour and granulated sugar (because I couldn’t find the other type).
I had two issues though:
1 – the two halves of the cake slid one over the other because of the frosting, I had to put toothpicks and put it all in the fridge so that it would stop sliding. Is it normal?
2 – my frosting is dark brown, like the cake. How did you manage to get the light brown colour in the photo? Did I do sth wrong?
Thanks.
Hi Juliana! Did you wait for the cake to cool before icing it? That would have caused the cake-slide. Additionally, if you added any extra cocoa or chocolate to the icing, this would have given it a darker appearance. Hope this helps!
Donna says
I just wanted you to know that I made this cake and It was wonderful! It was everything you said it would be moist, fluffy, rich tasting, chocolatety, just delicious! It even looked like the cake in your photo. The layers were level, dense without being heavy and perfectly formed.
This will always be my go-to chocolate cake recipe from on.
Mich says
Will it crumble if I level the cake when cooled
Elisabeth says
Hi,
I am new to vegan baking… I live in New Zealand. Would the olive oil, avocado oil, or nut margarines be correct for the vegan butter?
Thanks. X
Hi Elisabeth! Check the other comments above as others had some recommendations on subs! Good luck! :D
Megan says
I made this yesterday for my niece’s 6th birthday and it was perfect! I modified the frosting and used real butter just because I am not a huge fan of EarthBalance. Next time I might do the ganache topping that you have for your peanut butter pie:) I love that pie!! Thank you so much for all of your recipes! Although I am not vegan I am mainly eating plant based and your blog has been so helpful on this food journey of mine! I love your blog and you are a true inspiration! xo
Louise says
Help! Where can I get / how can I make vegan butter??
Louise
p.s. I live in Thailand.
Hi Louise! While we don’t have a vegan butter recipe (yet) you can buy vegan butter at most grocery stores in the US/Canada. If you are unable to find it in Thailand, I’d suggest checking the other comments as there are substitutions that other people had success with! Good luck!
Karissa says
Currently bowing down to you for creating this amazing cake recipe. My husband said it was the BEST cake he had EVER had.
Swati says
Dana! Your recipe made my day once again. Usually I modify any recipe I see on the internet, but this time for my boyfriend’s 25th birthday, I decided to follow your recipe to the T. And boy, was the cake *rich*!
We are now eating it for breakfast, after lunch and after dinner. It’s ridiculously good.
It’s also extremely cost-effective, I had everything for this cake and only needed extra powdered sugar ($3 at Trader Joe’s).
My only complaint is that with the amounts described, I got too much frosting, so the top got too thick. But my boyfriend isn’t complaining about that :) Aaaa we are drowning in chocolate! :)
Becca says
Has anyone tried this in cupcake form? Recommendations??
Becca, check the other comments as others have tried it and had success!
Madhu says
Hi Dana,
I made this cake yesterday (without the frosting as I didn’t have any vegan butter on hand). This is my first time baking a cake from scratch. I made the apple suace myself by just cooking one peeled apple and mashing it up. I made only one layer with the recipe halved in quantity. I also added an extra table spoon of sugar since there was no frosting. It turned out super delicious. My mom, who doesn’t loke chocolate asked for a second serving. Thank you very much for this wonderful recipe.
Tom Hannam says
THAT is a great chocolate cake! My fifteen-year old daughter made your recipe over the weekend for the birthday of one of my co-workers and it tastes really, really good. (Turns out the birthday boy is vegetarian not vegan, but nobody was complaining ?). We topped it with fresh raspberries to counteract the sweetness of the icing – just perfect). Many thanks!
Florence Hubbard says
Can I substitute soy milk, nut allergy?
Any non-dairy milk will do! Rice, light coconut, or soy being the best subs.
Anahita says
Hi, I was wondering if there was a substitute for the vegan butter for the frosting?
I don’t know where to find vegan butter!
Yes! See this recipe for pointers.
Tom Hannam says
I made a vegan butter to this recipe – http://www.forkandbeans.com/2015/07/11/vegan-butter-substitute/ – not cheap, but a really good result. If you are using lecithin granules, I would recommend crushing (dissolving?) them first, for better dispersal. And maybe, if you are going to spread it on toast etc., a little pinch of turmeric for colour?
Caroline says
Can I substitute coconut milk or soy milk for the almond milk since we have a nut allergy?
Hi Caroline! Yep, both will work!
Caroline says
Thank you! I made the cake today with unsweetened coconut milk for my husband’s birthday and it was delicious! I used Earth Balance ‘butter’ and was a little nervous that it would make the frosting too salty but it was delicious with the cake. Kids and adults both loved the cake.
sandra says
Hi
I am vegan and gluten free, will G.F. flour work as well in this recipe?
Thank you
Sandra
Yes! Check previous comments for modifications/suggestions.
Linnea says
Can I use a 9 inch cake pan instead of 8?
That should work just fine! You’ll just get a slightly shorter cake, but it won’t make much of a difference!
Natalia Esteban says
I made this after being quited $260 for birthday cake from a vegan bakery for my daughter’s 10th birthday. I cannot thank you enough. This was absolutely delicious. All the kids (and adults) devoured it. I will make this many times again! Thank younso much!
Cat says
I just made this and it’s delicious! So fudgy and rich. It’s quite hard to find apple sauce in the UK so I grated around 3 apples and then puréed them using a stick blender. The coconut oil also solidified in the liquid mixture, leaving white lumps, however it was saved by microwaving the mixture for a while to re-melt the oil.
I decorated with the buttercream and vegan meringues (using chickpea ‘aquafaba’ water).
Thanks Dana!
Darlene Conserva says
Has a anyone successfully made this cake Gluten Free? I’ve made it according to the directions and I’m obsessed…wanting to see if it can be made just as amazing…. Gluten Free, not opposed to using eggs.
Philip says
I’ve made this recipe 3 times already…once using the original ingredients…once using Bobs GF flour mix AND almond flour…and once using the gluten free flour, almond flour and 1 egg…all three times the cake turned out AMAZING! I just used half Bob GF and half Almond flour…the GF bathes were definitely denser and didn’t rise as much as the first batch with regular flour but they were still fluffy and MOIST!
Natallia says
Awesome cake. the texture, icing and taste were perfect. I made it for my boss and everyone LOVED IT. I used soymilk instead of almond milk and grapeseed oil instead of coconut oil. The best chocolate cake ever. thanks for a great recipe :)
Isabella says
I enjoyed this recipe a lot. I thought the frosting was amazing and very rich. The cake, however, didn’t take 30 minutes to bake. I struggled to get it to a crumbly texture. It was quite mushy. Overall, I like the cake and I would make it again!
Andrea says
Probably the best chocolate cake recipe! My husband and 3 1/2 year old son loved it!! They are pretty tough critics ? I made for to test for my Dad’s birthday in cupcake form. Took about 35 minutes to bake. I will be making this cake for my son’s 4th birthday for sure!! Super moist and healthy! I have been dairy free for the past 4 1/2 months because my other son (10 months) has a sensitivity to cow’s protein so I have been trying new recipes and I am so glad to have stumbled upon this one!! It’s going in my recipe book with a huge star on it!!!
Lindsay says
1. Could I use 3, six inch pans for this?
2. Does there need to be any alteration to ingredient amounts at 5,000 ft elevation? 3. Can I use shortening instead of vegan butter?
4. What if I do not have semi sweet chocolate for melting in the frosting? How do I adjust the recipe accordingly?
Thanks so much!! I cannot wait to make this!
Sara Beard says
Hey,
We made this for valentines day. My kids thought it was a bit too coconutty, can I use a less or use another oil in its place? Just curious for suggestions. My frosting was also a but more liquid but I think from reading comments that I needed everything at room temp which they weren’t, so I will try that for next time. Thank you!
Amy says
I made this and it was TO DIE FOR. No one knew it was vegan. Well done!!
Ruzan says
I made it today,and let me tell you this was the best vegan cake i have ever tried.thank you so much .