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.
Juliana says
This cake has seriously never ever failed me. Not only does it turn out great every time, it also has this special festive vibe – at least for me. It has become my go-to birthday and special occasion recipe. I have made it in one and in two pans, with and without filling/frosting. Friends and family refer to it as “the best chocolate cake ever”, vegan or not.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Juliana!
Archie says
Just made this AWESOME cake for my Best Friend’s Birthday and brought it over to her parents house. It was a Major Hit!!! Thanks so much:) Everyone raved about it. Best cake ever, let alone plant based:) Added sliced bananas around the base and blueberry ring round the top and blueberries in the middle. Drizzle with melted chocolate and chocolate chips all organic. Had help decorating and baking from our little one, really Fun Time! Thanks Very Much Dana:)
Julianna Coronado says
wow! your decorative touch sounds amazing, I am going to try it! Any pictures would be so appreciated!
Matthew says
Followed the recipe to a tee, only difference being that I increased recipe size to make three rather than two cakes. It turned out less than satisfactory, to say the least. First it stuck to the bottom of the pan, meaning I lost a bit less than half of each of my cakes (and I sprayed each of the pans with a generous amount of nonstick spray, and brushed them with cocoa powder), then they fell apart whenever I tried to move them. Very upsetting, considering this was going to be my birthday cake. :(
Greg says
First time to make this, came out dense and rubbery despite rising OK and looking cooked on outside. Wondered if I should have used less liquid than recipe. Used canola oil.
Found the frosting to be too sweet also.
Hi Mark! Sorry to hear this recipe didn’t work out for you. Did you change anything else besides the oil? What kind of pan did you cook it in? Perhaps it was overmixed…
Julie says
I did a few variations including subbing half of regular flour with almond flour and adding almond extract to frosting as well as reducing powdered sugar and compensating the density loss with a small amount of corn starch. It turned out incredibly moist and slightly heavier (in a satisfying way) than it probably would have been otherwise. It was sublime!
Glad to hear it, Julie! :D
Monica says
Delicious! All the “non vegans” in our household claim it is better than “normal” chocolate cake, and I agree! I followed the recipe exactly… and it was perfect! YUM
Yay!
Catherine says
This cake is absolutely amazing!!! It’s actually my first time making a cake from scratch and I’m really happy with the results. I decorated it with fresh berries and everyone found it delicious. Thank you for the recipe!!
Artis Kuntz says
I feel flabbergasted by this recipe. I have made it twice, and both times cooked for over an hour but the middle was still completely raw. The flavor was delicious, but it was a dense goopy mess. I feel like I am reading incorrectly – can there possibly be almost three cups of liquid, plus the applesauce, to just oveer 2 cups flour? Seems extremely dense to begin with. * I make my icing using monkfruit in the raw w/ tapioca starch for half the powdered sugar, 2 T nutella and 1 package vegan cream cheese, with extra cacao. Yum!
Andrea Tamayo says
I made this in a 13 x 9 instead. Loved the texture and the firmness. My only complaint is the overpowered flavor of the coconut oil. I wonder if i could use a different oil or maybe the earth balance butter?? Frosting was really good.
Earth balance should work!
Marissa says
I just made this today for my boyfriend’s family’s father’s day dinner. His dad is vegan but everyone else is not. This was an awesome cake to satisfy everyone!
Between the cake and the frosting, I think the frosting tasted a little better, BUT the cake was also very good. I didn’t have coconut oil or canola oil on hand, so I substituted for vegetable oil which seemed to work just fine. I also used bob’s red mill unbleached fine pastry flour. The cake itself wasn’t overwhelmingly chocolatey and was fluffy with even small crumbs. I mixed the cake a few stirs past just-combined so I was left with a few small specks of white flour in my cake but it didn’t bother anyone.!
The frosting is DELICIOUS. Arguably better than non-vegan chocolate buttercream frosting. EVERYONE was fooled.
All in all this is a great recipe for special occasions that will please a mixed-diet crowd. :D
Oh, one last thing. I halved the cake recipe and but not the frosting recipe. It yielded 5 5-inch layers with enough frosting for layers, crumb coat and outside frosting, and a upper and lower borders.
Thanks so much for this recipe!
Bob says
Can I make this raw by not not baking it?
Jessica says
Question, if I make the cake a few days before I want to ice it should I freeze it or just put in fridge?
It should be fine for a couple days in the fridge prior to freezing!
Shell says
This cake is a winner! Super moist, not too sweet, rich and soft. Vegan cakes can turn out too dense, and this one is NOT, yet the flavor is all there! We loved it. I played around with the frosting though. I added 8 oz of Kite Hill vegan cream cheese, and adjusted the powdered sugar (less) and chocolate chips (more + some coconut oil while melting the chips). It turned out DIVINE.
I have made LOTS of vegan chocolate cakes, and this one really does hit it out of the park! I like it better than non-vegan chocolate cake. And for those who think vegan cakes are not satisfying for non-vegans, make this one for your mixed gathering and no one will be unsatisfied!
Thank you for ALL of your recipes. You are my go-to for so many of the delicious foods I make. Your pesto is a staple in my house, as are many of your other recipes. XOXO! Shell
Ariel says
This has been my go-to cake recipe for the last two years, and it is PERFECT every. single. time. It also makes awesome cupcakes – just bake for 18 minutes. And, the frosting is absolutely delicious. I did find that if I didn’t allow my melted chocolate to cool enough before adding it, it melted my butter and made my frosting a weird texture (even after refrigerating and re-whipping). But that’s my lack of patience. ;)
Thank you, Dana for creating such an easy and delicious chocolate cake recipe!
Fredda says
Made my spouse this cake since he requested chocolate cake. Bought a regular decorated cake for the a large group who, I thought, wouldn’t want vegan cake. Was I wrong! Everyone ate the chocolate cake and the yellow cake was mostly left uneaten. This cake is amazing and delicious and I am so glad to have this recipe. Thanks. BTW, after the party, my spouse continued to scarf up the leftover crumbs, he liked it so much.
Priya says
Could you make this with all purpose GF flour?
Yes! Check the comments above for suggestions.
Meghna Chatterjee says
Hi There Minimalist Baker Team!
You are my absolute favorite baker, so talented! I just wanna say that I made your oats, almonds & dates granola bar and adapted the recipe according to our taste. They turned out amazing! I have a food blog and I want to share the adapted version of your recipe, I want to mention you and Tag you ” that blue thingy” that people will click and see the original version of the recipe and land directly on Minimalist Bakers page. Please tell me how do I do that…I am totally new to blogging, just started 1 month back, I am learning and building my blog as I go. Thank you so much for your fab recipes! – Much Love Meghna.
Amanda says
I made the cake portion for my husband’s birthday, and he said it was the best cake I’ve made yet!
I substituted a substituted version of your DIY GF Flour Blend. My husband can’t have potato, so I substitute tapioca starch. It was super moist and rich.
Philip says
Wooooowza!!!! I have made this cake at least 5 times so far…2 using the regular ingredients and the other times using gluten free ingredients…EVERY time I’ve made it people cannot believe it was vegan! And each time I’ve had non-chocolate fans (GASP) state that this is chocolate cake has been the BEST one they’ve ever had…I few people even said this was their favorite cake EVER! Thanks again for taking the time to create & share such amazing recipes!! Your 1 bowl vanilla cake is awesome too…can’t wait to try another one of your cakes!!!
Yay! So glad to hear it, Philip! We may be biased but you should try this one next :D
Philip says
Too funny! That WAS the next recipe on my list to try…hahaha…I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Wendy says
I am not a vegan, but my son-in-law is lactose intolerant, and it was his birthday. I modified the recipe by adding a strawberry filling and using dark chocolate chips with soy milk for the frosting. I was shocked at how chocolately wonderful and moist the cake was. Everyone raved how delicious it was, and had seconds, and my daughter now wants it for her birthday. It was by far the best cake I have ever made.
Frances says
One year ago I had my first vegan birthday and had no idea what to bake. I had invited loads of sceptical friends over and was anxious that their first impressions of veganism would be ruined by a dry or tasteless cake. To my absolute delight, this cake turned out to be the most delicious, fudgy, rich cake I’d eaten in years (and I didn’t even like chocolate cake at that point; I just thought it would be the most ‘normal’). Thank you for being a part of my own journey towards vegan cooking. I now run a blog full of the yummy food I have been able to make and this was the cake that set me on that path. Now, one year later, my Mum is so behind my veganism that she has offered to make this cake herself. Fingers crossed! I’m excited to show her how easy and delicious vegan cooking can be. Thanks again, Frances
Oh Frances, we’re so glad to be able to be a helpful resource for you in the kitchen! Thank you for leaving such a kind comment and we are glad you enjoyed this cake!
Shivani says
This is the best chocolate cake I’ve ever made. It’s so rich yet moist and really satisfies that chocolate craving. I made the mixture as one round cake and a few cupcakes. I am definitely making this again!
Yay! We’re glad to hear it, Shivani!
Robin VanDyke says
Has anyone tried freezing this, frosted or unfrosted?
Thanks!
It should freeze up to 1 month, unfrosted!
Gauri says
This cake has restored my faith in vegan baking. I have recently turned vegan and tried numerous efforts to get that perfect texture for the cake, but all in vain until, I stumbled upon this recipe. The cake is just perfect and sooooo much better than the cakes containing eggs and butter. Thank you so much for this recipe. Look forward to trying many more of your recipes :) I am from India so it is a little difficult to procure vegan butter here. It would be nice if you will share some recipes for preparing vegan butter. Thanks again!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Gauri!
Ilona says
Just made it for my daughter’s birthday. Used DIY gluten-free flour (American Tatste Kitchen blend) and safflower oil instead of coconut oil. Used springform (did not have two cake pans) and baked it for 50 min, then sliced horizontally to put filling Between layers. Yes, amazing texture! Who would have thought, vegan AND gluten free!!! This recipe is a keeper!!! Thank you!
Zoe says
I hardly ever write comments but want to support this website so it never ever goes away! This vegan chocolate cake is the best chocolate cake I have ever made. It is officially my “go to” cake for any event. I am not a frosting person but this frosting is delicious and creamy and surprisingly not overly sweet. One thing I would suggest is to refrigerate the frosting prior to putting on the cake to make it a bit stiffer.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Zoe! We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Joanna says
In the end I used the recipe for the dough from your Glutenfree Birthday Cake recipe, replacing almond meal with 1/2 oat meal and 1/2 glutenfree blend (from your glutenfree flour recipe) and replacing almond milk for soy (the cake had to be almond-free). But the frosting I made from this recipe. It came out absolutely perfect – a huge fluffy and moist death-by-chocolate glutenfree, nutfree, vegan perfection! Can’t wait to see the surprise on my brothers’ faces. They are not used to being able to get such treats with all their allergies! Thank you so much!!
I hope they love it! Thanks for sharing your recipe changes :D
Joanna says
I just commented on your pumpkin pie, asking if I could replace Bob Mill`s flour for your DIY gluten free flour and I have the same question here! Would it be ok if I used that instead in a 1:1 ratio, add some oat flour (30-50g?) and an egg yolk or 2? What do you think? I am planning on making both the cake and the pie tomorrow for my brothers` birthday. I will let you know how it turned out with the substitutions!
I think that would work! Report back if you give it a try!
Reshmi says
looks yummy….
Hope you love the recipe!
Ravinder says
I wish I was eating this for lunch today – it looks so healthy and delicious!
Marie says
Hi! I just found this recipe and I’m super excited! Quick question: do you think this recipe would work with cupcakes? I absolutely love you blog and all of your amazing recipes! Thanks for your time!
Abby says
This recipe looks amazing! Would it work as cupcakes too?
Marie says
Hi Abby! I had the same question and just found a comment that Dana replied to saying yes, this can be cupcakes! :)
Shelby says
Tried this recipe as cupcakes and they turned out great! Baked for about 18 minutes. I piped the icing on and then shaved chocolate curls on top. So so good. Will definitely make again.
Glad to hear it, Shelby!
Kimi says
Just a quick question. How many days in advance can I bake this cake and still be good?
Thanks in advance!
SkiM says
DEE-licious!!!! Love how little sugar I had to use for this. Followed the recipe exactly, except I used almond-cashew milk for the frosting. It really does help to have an electric mixer (I used my good ol’ Kitchen Aid Standing Mixer and used the paddle to whip that frosting until nice and fluffy!). The cake turned out so moist and rich—decadent just as chocolate cake should be. Can’t wait to make it again!!
Dr Karen Hoving says
Hi.
This cake looks amazing (I’ve been making the pumpkin chocolate loaf cake on Forks over Knives) but would love to shake it up a bit! (it’s sad when you know that recipe by heart).
QUESTION: I’m WFPB (health reason) so NO OIL! The other cake uses applesauce and almond butter (I buy one that only has almonds in it). I know the almond butter is oily-is that a substitute for the coconut oil? I know it’s not much but I have SLE, RA, and other gnarly auto immune diseases and I see a HUGE inc in my pain if I add oil to my diet.
I know this may be an older post-so if anyone has any suggestions to tweak it (I need GF-but that’s easy switch w/flour) but for those of us WFPB let me know (I scanned some of the comments-tbh didn’t get through ALL of them bc you are SO popular and recipe so good it was a lot of comments)
Issa says
Hi! Just wondering if it would be alright for me to sub the cane sugar with coconut sugar? My family hasn’t been so keen with consuming regular sugar lately but I really want to try this recipe for them though! Thanks so much for sharing :)
Yes, that should work!
Viki says
Just curious…sounds awfully high in everything… calories, fats, carbs… is this healthy?
It is a healthier option than other cake recipes, yes! While we wouldn’t recommend eating it as a meal, in moderation, it is a healthier option than other desserts!
Stephanie says
So good! Never made vegan cake before, I’m pleasantly surprised! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
Alana says
Hi! Hopefully to see this, I’m making this as a surprise birthday cake for my mom. i don’t be have cocoa powder but I have have cacao is that okay?
We haven’t tried that, but I think it would work! Let me know if you give it a try, Alana:D
Mel says
This cake is outstanding!!! Best cake I’ve ever made. Huge hit for vegans and non vegans alike!!! Thank you for such a decadent and delicious recipe.
Anna says
Can anyone help me with the frosting? Mine has the consistency of melted chocolate. Doesn’t look fluffy like on the pictures.
SkiM says
Using an electric mixer helps! I beat the ingredients for at least 3 minutes. I think it takes at least that much time to get it really fluffy. Hope this helps.
Taylor says
Wowwwwwww. This cake turned out AMAZING! Exactly as described and shown, but tasted even better than I imagined. I was so excited about how it turned out I immediately packed some slices up and dropped them off to loved ones. Dangerously easy too. Huge win!
Donna says
I made this cake and waiting for it to cool. Batter tasted good and the cake rose in the oven. All it well. However, that coconut oil thing was very frustrating. Rather than hairdryers and heated bowls, try changing the order of operation. With a traditional egg and butter cake, the sugar gets creamed with butter and then the eggs are added. With this cake, cream the coconut oil (melted) and sugar before adding the other ingredients. You might need more than one bowl as you can have the non-dairy milk and vinegar activating on the side.
Also, don’t try to double this recipe unless you own a very large mixing bowl. At least 8qt.
vanesa says
What if I replace the coconut oil for peanut butter will it work? I run out of coconut oil.
Hmm I’m not totally sure how that would work, but if you give it a try, report back on how it goes!
vanesa says
I haven’t tried it yet. But I’m kind of thinking how can to replace coconut oil with a nice nut butter.
FYI the reply link is not showing as an hyperlink on my Gmail. I had to copy and paste in order to reply.
Neha says
IM SO SORRY TYPO ERROR, I meant to say THIS IS EXACTLY
Neha says
This isn’t exactly what I’ve been looking for, my best is a vegan and I want to bake this cake for her birthday next week. Where do i buy vegan butter ? Which brand of vegan butter have you used for this particular recipe.
Thank you for a such an amazing one bowl chocolate cake recipe. ???
RRICOO says
I made this chocolate cake without any frost for an early Valentine sweet and it turned out very nicely! Thank you so much for the amazing recipes you always create! My family is still saying no for Vegan but they seem amazed by the quality of the cake haha!
Wendy says
Is the nutritional info for the overall cake or per slice?
1 slice (of 10)! But we’re with you.. the whole cake is tempting ;)
Angela says
I have made this cake twice now and both times, it has turned out to be the BEST hoemmade chocolate cake. People who have tried it can’t get over how richa and decadent it tastes and they all prefer this recipe over regular chocolatr cake. Thank you so much for sharing! Do you think this recipe would work for cupcakes? Hoe long do you think they would need to be in the oven?
Thanks, again!
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 and good luck!
SharlaMJ says
Can you recommend a substitute for vegan butter?
Thank you!
Sarah says
Love this cake! It’s my GO-TO. Do you think I could make cupcakes and freeze them? Would they freeze well?
Hi Sarah! 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! Also, I think they will freeze!
Sirjana gill says
Hi! I absolutely love your recipes! and I can’t wait to try this. I had. A question though, Is it possible to sub the coconut sugar with agave or honey? Will it work?
Thanx
:)
Thanks Sirjana! There’s no coconut sugar in this recipe, but we’re not sure how a liquid sweetener will react in place of sugar as baking can be quite a delicate dance. Let us know if you try it.
Martina says
Great cake. I used abricot purée it worked very well.
Tracie Yindra says
This cake is all you described! So yummy. Definitely making this again and again. Your recipies have helped me transition to a plant based whole food lifestyle and I visit Minimalist Baker when I don’t know what to cook or need to be inspired.
Thank you
Barbara S says
I think this may be the most delicious cake I have ever made! Thank you for sharing this recipe,
Alexis says
This recipe is amazing! I made both cakes and instead of layering I brought one to work and kept one at home! BOTH disappeared within hours. I substituted the coffee for same measurement of almond milk. The cake was so moist and perfect chocolate flavor! I’ll post on my page Kansasveganchik on instagram! Thanks so much! All my family and coworkers couldn’t believe it was vegan! Educating people and filling their bellies warms my heart!!!!
Monica Hansen says
Everything was delicious, but my cake was so dense. There was no fulff at all. Any suggestions?
Kip says
THANK YOU for posting this!!!! I made this recipe for a Christmas dessert but substituted peppermint extract for the vanilla. I made a vanilla frosting with a marshmallow flavored icing. The cake was incredible and EVERYONE loved it. The non-vegans couldn’t believe it was a vegan cake. So rich, dense and flavorful.
Thank you again for posting this recipe!
Diona Fulton says
I made this for Christmas and it was perfect! I used a rectangular pan and omitted the frosting…. sprinkled powdered sugar and cocoa on top as suggested. I also added fresh raspberries for festive presentation. It was a huge hit! Fudgy, moist and full of flavor! Thank you!!
Elaine says
I made this cake and frosting for my Vegan niece. It was the best chocolate cake I’ve had. I will use this recipe every time I want to make a rich, decadent chocolate cake with wonderful ‘buttercream’ frosting.
Heiba says
Love this! Have made it 3 times. Studded it with chocolate chips. :) It’s the best of several vegan chocolate cake recipes I’ve found via popular online blogs.
Alastair says
I’m allergic to almonds, never tried almond milk but assuming I am allergic, what’s the best substitute for it in this respire? Soy/oat/rice premade? Home made cashew milk?
Hi! Any other dairy free milk should work!
mariah says
making this again for christmas because everybody loved it at thanksgiving! my suggestion to anyone making this for the first time; mix all the powder ingredients for the cake into one bowl, set aside, then do all the wet ingredients in another bowl, the coconut oil being last, mix it as fast as you can and mix in the powder. make sure the oven is preheated before you start on the wet ingredients so that as soon as you mix it all up you can put it in the oven before the coconut oil hardens!! my only problem with this cake has been that the coconut oil gets cold and hardens super fast and even after the cake has baked and cooled there’s chunks of dry coconut oil scattered in the cake? it delicious none the less!! but presentation is a big deal too!
Lydia says
I made this for my friends birthday and she isn’t even vegan and everybody has now asked for the recipe!!! It was absolutely delicious and super easy to make!! Loved it and will be making again! Thank you!
Catherine Stringer says
This cake is delicious! Moist, fudgy but light and decadent. I’ve tried quite a few vegan chocolate cake recipes and this is easily my favourite. I really appreciate the measurements being converted to grams as cups are sometimes trickier to work with in the UK. I found blitzing up tinned pears is a good substitute for apple sauce. My icing did not need any almond milk adding as the vegan butters here have a higher water content.
Maria says
Can I use brown sugar in this recipe? I don’t mind if the cake will be dense.
justginster says
Hi! Been following your blog for awhile but had yet to try any recipes until I came across this one, which I decided to try since I had a chocolate craving. It didn’t wind up being quite as simple as the title had me believe (wound up using ALL OF THE MEASURING THINGS lol), but the cake turned out well. I made it in a bundt pan (since I don’t have 2 cake pans), and since I noticed a few others also asked about using a bundt pan in the comments, I figured I’d come back to say that it worked for me! I did thoroughly spray my pan with an oil/flour spray, and it did take close to an hour of baking for the toothpick test to come out clean, but my cake came out with no issues at all! I halved the frosting recipe and had more than enough to frost the entire bundt.
Kathrin says
I absolutely adore this cake and use it for all my cake decorating, because it is so versatile and easy to modify in terms of flavor.
I’ll be making an 11×15 sheet cake for this first time and wonder – will one recipe be enough for one pan? I was planning to just bake two layers instead of having to cut the cake in half, later.
Would appreciate it if you get the chance to let me know. :)
Rashay Maxwell says
Hi There,
Is the taste of the coffee strong? as I am not a coffee drinker. is it necessary? I am making this a birthday cake for someone and I want get it right. Thanks!
Kathrin says
I didn’t find the coffee taste strong at all, you can’t really taste it. You can easily leave it out and sub extra almond milk, as the recipe suggests, but the coffee does add a nice depth to chocolate cake, so I’d give it a shot. :)
Hannah says
This looks amazing!!
I’d love to try it as a 4 layer cake for a friend’s birthday but only have 1 cake tin. Is it possible to bake the 4 layers seperately one after another (if I don’t mind the time effort)? Or will the batter alter if it sits too long before being baked?
Thanks very much in advance – can’t wait to try it!
Hi Hannah! That should work as long as you don’t mind how long it will take to bake! Happy Baking!
Jojo says
This looks delicious!
Do you know if this recipe would work for a cake pop maker?
Hi Jojo! We haven’t tried it, but if you do let us know how it turns out!
sarah martin says
i didnt wait to long to mix the other ingredients to make the icing as i cooked the vegan choc in the microwave with rice milk instead of almond milk.Turned out taking like a oreo choc moose soo yummy daughter wants to use icing for her bday cake this year ;) tasted 100 times better than with dairy milk which i used months ago when nonvegan :P
Lyz says
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe, Dana! I made this into cupcakes (yielded 24), and both my boyfriend and I thought they were a-MA-zing!
Per my style, I made a few modifications without altering the recipe too much, so I wanted to share in case anyone else might be interested.
Instead of unsweetened applesauce, I used pureed dates since I’d been swimming in dates ever since I came into nearly 50lbs of them thanks to a local produce distribution organization. Since they are naturally very sweet, I cut the sugar by 1/3 c, and they came out perfect for my and my boyfriend’s tastes. I also subbed out half the flour with ground steel cut oats. I was worried it would weigh down the cupcakes, but they still came out nice and fluffy. However, of course, this gave the cupcakes a “grain-y” or bran-like flavor, but I’m also a lover of multigrain breads and other whole grains and whole grain-based foods, so it was great. Additionally, I’m kind of obsessed with add-ins and their textures when it comes to desserts, so I threw in a cup each of chopped raw almonds and dried cherries.
The frosting was probably the most experimental of this recipe. I had no vegan butter, so instead, I used a can of coconut milk and mixed in a few tablespoons of chia seeds to gel. Conveniently, I actually already had this stashed in my fridge for any future use, so this worked out great. Typically, though, allowing to set over night ought to do the trick. The chia seeds gave the coconut milk a thick, pudding-like consistency. However, it still wasn’t stiff enough to use as frosting…yet. I omitted the almond milk, and after adding the powdered sugar and cocoa (plus a teaspoon of Chipotle chili powder for a bit of a kick) and the melted chocolate, the chia-coconut frosting came out perfect (plus so many added nutritional benefits!). Bear in mind, however, there will be a pretty strong coconut flavor, and I know that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
To top half of the cupcakes, I dusted them with Chipotle chili powder and sprinkled with cacao nibs. For the remaining cupcakes, I sprinkled with cacao nibs and added one or two dried cherries on top.
I was extremely pleased with the results. I definitely plan on making this again in the future–probably with some other modifications since after years of tampering with recipes, I still haven’t learned to write anything down, and I know I won’t remember. Plus, I try to make it a habit (or challenge?) to use only what I have in the house. It’ll just be another new adventure in baking! ^_^
Slavi says
Hey!
I want to make this cake for my 18th birthday and I would be very happy if I could get some help, because I can’t find two of the ingredients in my country. Can I use coconut oil for the frosting instead of vegan butter and would regular all-purpose flour work instead of unbleached one?
Jen @ sweetgreenkitchen.com says
I baked this cake this weekend with my daughter to celebrate some of her recent successes. It was a fun mother/daughter project and the cake was delicious! I don’t eat apple sauce, so we subbed that out and replaced with a mix of pumpkin puree (since I already had some leftover) and a little pureed avocado. The cake was moist and has a great chocolate flavor. We also only made one layer and sliced that through the middle and added a raspberry jam filling, delicious. We will definitely make this again.
Isabel says
I want to make this cake for my daughter’s birthday as several guests are vegan! Have you tried making this cake with the grapeseed or canola oil? Does it taste just as good if I choose those oils instead of the coconut oil? Or does it come out best with the coconut oil? If it’s worth it, I’ll purchase coconut oil if needed.
Hi! You could try vegan butter?
Terri says
I love this cake. I’m gluten free/dairy free so I’ve made it a few times with your gluten free flour blend and it works incredibly well. I recently made it for a friend who is grain free using this flour blend: http://acalculatedwhisk.com/paleo-321-flour-blend-gluten-free/
and this frosting:
http://paleospirit.com/2013/avocado-chocolate-frosting-paleo-and-vegan/
with a raspberry compote between layers. I think it was the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had.
Thank you!
Joanna says
Maybe I’m not doing something right but before I added flour – my mix was not fluffy – it looked like coconut oil started creating curds. What am I doing wrong?
Terri says
This has happened to me when I’ve made this cake (which I’ve done multiple times now) and it still bakes up beautifully.
Jana says
This turned out horrible! Waaaaaay too much fat (160ml oil & 225g butter?!??). The cake got extremely mushy and literally calls for stomach ache. Too bad I spent so much money on the ingredients :(
Well at least I don’t have to moisturize my hands anymore!
Serena says
So sorry to see your recipes use sugar. Why not brown rice syrup? It’s the only healthy go of sweetnercausing no insulin spike or health issues and is nutritious as well. True veganism does morning use sugar, not agave, honey, cane sugar, turbine do sugar… none of it. Most sugars in granulated form use “char” in processing. Char is hooves of cows.
Lyz says
I did not know that about sugar, Serena; I’ll have to look into that. I’ve successfully dried and ground dates into a date sugar, which is also a great sweetener, but I’m not sure if it causes insulin spikes. I’ve seen date sugar available at my local Mediterranean market as well but not really at large chain grocery stores.
Also, for those that may not be aware, animal products are sometimes used in processing flour, so be sure to read labels and look at the details of the manufacturer if this may be of concern to you.
Elise says
I tried dusting pan with coco… I always dust with flour. The coco ones stuck. Cake is so moist and almost fudgy … yum!
Ramya Kailas says
Hi,
My husband recently baked this for my birthday and it was divine. I do have one question. Can we substitute sugar with something else , perhaps dates ?
Regards
Ramya Kailas
Hi! Each recipe will behave differently when it comes to sugar changes. For instance, I wouldn’t recommend substituting a dry sugar, like coconut sugar, for maple syrup because it will throw off the ratio of wet:dry ingredients in the recipe. With that being said, you can generally substitute cane sugar for coconut sugar. And you can generally sub up to half of the sugar in any recipe with maple syrup or agave nectar. Another option would be stevia if you’re looking to avoid sugar altogether, but use far less as it’s quite potent. Sugar substitutions will obviously vary in each recipe, so use your discretion.
Terri says
I use coconut sugar with this recipe, and it works beautifully!
Stephanie says
Hi,
I came across this recipe and would love to try it; but I need to see if there is any way I can do it without applesauce?
Thanks!
Hi Stephanie! You could use mashed ripe banana instead of applesauce if that works? Hope this helps!
Amrutha says
I made this for a friend’s birthday and it turned out delicious!! It was definitely the best vegan cake recipe that I have used. I did make a couple of minor modifications – I ran out of all purpose flour and therefore I added 1/2 cup oat flour + 1/2 cup & 1 tbsp of almond flour in addition to 1 cup and 1 tbsp of all purpose flour. I also added only 1 cup of sugar instead of 1 1/3 since my friends and I don’t like very sweet cakes, that turned out perfectly as the frosting balanced out the sweetness. For the frosting, I used Dana’s Vegan Cream Cheese frosting recipe (I also added some cocoa powder to it and used only 70% of the recommended sugar proportions).
Best chocolate cake ever, thank you!
Thanks for sharing your changes, Amrutha! Glad it was a hit :D
Andrea Chahin says
Can I use white whole wheat flour?? And is there a substitute for using powdered sugar??
Hi Andrea! I think that would work, but no guarantees! Secondly, we have not found a sub for the powdered sugar in the frosting and would recommend using it!
joe says
Make your own. Just use a high speed blender/liquidizer and use normal sugar. Even coffee grinders work well.
Jennifer Rafter says
This cake is so easy to make, and unbelievably delicious!
I substituted the flour with gluten-free flour.
Clémentine says
Hi, this cake looks great !! Little question: my grandmother keeps telling me that cakes (especially chocolate ones) are best the day after they were made … do you recommend this as well ?
Thank you for your quick reply (kind of planning to make this between tonight and tonorrow) ;)
Lauren says
This looks amazing!! I have a question though, I was going to make make this for a friends birthday party and as a lot of people are attending I was going to use a 6”x4” tin and make 2 deep cakes – do you think this is possible or will the top just burn and the middle not cook? I debated using all the mixture in one tin, cooking on a lower temp for longer and then repeating the process for the second layer.
Thanks :)
Sarah says
So we made this cake and it tastes great but it split in the middle. Any tips to avoid this?
Amy says
oh my god this cake is AMAZING. so light and moist and fluffy. Beautiful, can’t wait to eat more!
Bella says
Would this recipe work if I sub the all purpose flour for your go-to gluten free flour mix?
Hi Bella! That would work!
Erin says
An excellent chocolate cake recipe for the baking challenged like myself!! I made this for my husband’s birthday and we liked it so much that I made it a month later for my daughter’s birthday. I love how simple it is, and the cake is moist and fudgy without being overpoweringly sweet (although the frosting more than makes up for it).
Cana says
This cake tastes great and has a super moist cake-like texture, and it was pretty easy to cut laterally to make a 4-layer cake. I frosted it with some homemade vegan buttercream the night before serving, and stuck it in the fridge overnight. But I woke up the next morning and found a pool of syrupy water in my fridge dripping from the cake. When I took the cake out of the oven, the toothpick came out clean for both 9-inch rounds. The only thing I can think of is that it’s from the applesauce. I altered the recipe and added 1/4 cup more applesauce so I could reduce the amount of oil; that amount should not make that much of a difference, should it?
deepika singh says
By the way, everyone likes cake, but i like something more. I have eaten a lot of cakes but it look very good and tasty. Today is my fast ,i’ll definitely try this tomorrow
Thank you
i
Cyd Haug-West says
This has become THE cake for all birthdays in my family. It is seriously the best chocolate cake any of us has ever eaten. Even the non-vegans admit this is true.
My only technical comment is that it takes a LOT more than 30 minutes to bake. Closer to 45 minutes or more. (My oven is accurate and I don’t have this issue with other recipes.) But that just means more time for warm chocolate aroma to permeate the house. :-)
sarah Christie says
Thanks…I ll look or it in the shops but I dont recall seeing it in uk supermarkets.
sarah Christie says
how do i make the apple sauce please?
Hi Sarah! You can buy applesauce from the store. Or if you would like to make it: Bring apples to a boil; then, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. If you prefer chunky applesauce, use a potato masher to mash the apples to your desired consistency. If you prefer perfectly smooth sauce, run them through a food mill, blender or food processor.
Lyz says
I’ve also had great success with simply pureeing or food processing raw apples, but it’s possible the end result isn’t as sweet? For my recipe, I used pureed dates instead of applesauce.
Gemma says
i always, always use reviews to help me decide if i’m going to make a recipe. to anybody who does the same: make this cake. immediately. you need it in your life. it is the moistest, fudgiest, delightfully not-too-sweet-but-wonderfully-chocolatey cake you will ever put in your mouth. and it actually gets BETTER each day in the fridge! mine lasted four days in the fridge and was still AMAZING. make this cake. all the damn time. it will change your life. Dana, i love you. don’t quit your job <3
Lara says
is it possible to use this recipe in the Wilton Giant Cupcake cake pan? Also, what would you recommend to make this more of a red velvet cake? I’m not a great cook and my vegan daughter wants red velvet cake for her birthday! thanks!!
Lindsay Nelson says
super good! definitely better than any non-vegan cake I’ve ever made. a little too moist though. would use a little bit less apple sauce next time!