Description
A rich and moist vegan chocolate cake made without eggs or dairy, featuring a luscious chocolate buttercream frosting. Perfect for plant-based diets and chocolate lovers alike, this cake is easy to prepare with simple ingredients and delivers delightful flavor and texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Cake
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk or almond milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup canola oil or melted coconut oil
- 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups vegan butter, softened (baking sticks, not the tub)
- 4-5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk or almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8 or 9-inch cake pans and line them with parchment rounds for easy cake removal.
- Prepare milk mixture: Measure 1 cup unsweetened soy or almond milk and add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. Stir slightly and set aside to curdle, forming a vegan buttermilk substitute.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, 3/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, and 1 teaspoon salt until well combined.
- Combine wet ingredients: Add 1/2 cup canola or melted coconut oil, 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and the milk-vinegar mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed with a hand or stand mixer until fully combined.
- Add boiling water: Lower mixer speed and carefully pour in 1 cup boiling water, mixing until the batter is combined. Expect the batter to be runny; this is normal.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool cakes: Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks before frosting.
- Make frosting: In a large bowl, whisk 1 cup cocoa powder to remove clumps. Add 1 1/2 cups softened vegan butter and mix with a hand mixer until creamed.
- Add sugar and milk: Add half of the powdered sugar and half of the unsweetened soy or almond milk (start with 1/4 cup), mix until combined. Add remaining powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Mix on low, then high speed until fluffy. Adjust milk or sugar as needed to reach desired consistency.
- Frost cake: Using an icing spatula or butter knife, frost the completely cooled cakes with the buttercream. Assemble layers if desired.
Notes
- For cupcakes, fill liners halfway and bake for 25 minutes; the recipe yields approximately 24 cupcakes.
- Double the recipe for a 4-layer cake or halve it for a single layer. For a bundt cake, bake for 45 minutes; for a 9x13 inch pan, bake 40 minutes.
- To reduce frosting amount, halve the frosting ingredients for thinner layers.
- If you don't have applesauce, substitute with 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed mixed with 5 tablespoons water), whipped aquafaba, or other egg replacers equivalent to 2 eggs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 40 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
