Vegan Chocolate Cake

Name: Vegan Chocolate Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 cup almond milk (unsweetened); 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar; 2 cups all purpose flour; 1 ¾ cups sugar; ¾ cup cocoa powder; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ cup avocado oil; 2/3 cup applesauce (unsweetened ); 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract; 1 cup boiling water; 1 cup cocoa powder; 1 ½ cups earth balance vegan butter (room temperature); 4-5 cups powdered sugar; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; ¼-½ cup almond milk (unsweetened )

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Usually, store-bought vegan cakes can be on the dry side as the lack of eggs and dairy make it challenging to keep the cake moist. However, thanks to a few simple changes, this vegan chocolate cake is soft, moist, and tastes just like a regular cake. No one will even realize that it’s vegan. Made with just simple pantry staples, you’ll have a rich but vegan, chocolatey cake in no time.

Make it for your next get-together, as this vegan cake is perfect for pretty much any occasion. If you are looking for another vegan recipe, my Vegan Mac and Cheese and Vegan Lentil Stew are great entrees to enjoy before this cake!

Key Ingredients You Need

Ingredients needed to make a vegan chocolate cake.

Almond milk — Instead of using regular milk, we are swapping it for almond milk. If you prefer to use other non-dairy milk, keep in mind that it can affect the outcome. While changing almond milk for cashew milk or soy milk won’t make much of a difference, coconut milk will add a strong coconut flavor.
Apple cider vinegar — The apple cider vinegar helps enhance the dairy-like flavors as it turns the almond milk into “buttermilk.” On top of that, the apple cider vinegar acts as a leavening agent, so it helps yields a nice crumb.
Applesauce — Unsweetened applesauce adds moisture to the cake that eggs and butter would usually provide.
Cocoa powder — If you can, I recommend using Dutch-process cocoa powder as it provides a richer, fudgier flavor than natural cocoa powder.

How to Make Vegan Chocolate Cake

Set of two photos showing apple cider vinegar added to almond milk and then dry ingredients whisked together.

Step 1: Add 1 cup unsweetened almond milk and add the tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, set aside to thicken.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine the dry ingredients.

Set of two photos showing batter being batten with a mixer and then hot water added to it.

Step 3: Next, add the oil, applesauce, vanilla, and almond milk with apple cider vinegar mixture into the mixing bowl and mix on medium speed with a hand mixer or stand mixer.

Step 4: Mix until everything is well combined, then lower speed and pour in the boiling water.

Set of two photos showing batter being poured into baking pans and frosting being made.

Step 5: Transfer the batter into two lined and greased 9-inch cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350°F. Allow the cakes to cool in the pan before removing them.

Step 6: Make the frosting by mixing the vegan butter until creamy and then add in cocoa powder, almond milk, vanilla extract and mix until combined. Slowly add in powdered sugar in increments, mixing on low then turning to high. Mix until the texture is fluffy. Use the frosting to frost the cake as you wish.

A vegan chocolate cake with chocolate frosting with a slice of the cake being removed with a cake server.

Tips For This Recipe

Make sure that the water added to the cake is hot. When you combine the hot water with the cocoa powder in the batter, it helps dissolve and bloom the cocoa powder to bring out the chocolate flavor.
Always ensure that the oven is fully heated up to 350°F before adding the cake pans. If the oven is not at the correct temperature, then it can cause uneven baking, inconsistent rise of the cake, and it may be underbaked.
When measuring flour for baked goods, the proper way to do so is by fluffing the flour and them spooning the flour into a measuring cup before leveling the top. Doing so prevents the flour from being over-packed into a measuring cup, leading to a dense cake.
Avoid letting the batter sit in your cake pans for too long before baking. The leavening agents in the batter have been activated, so the longer it sits out, the less active the agents will be.
Be sure only to mix the batter until it is just combined. Overmixing the batter can lead to a dense cake.

A cake with a slice taken out, focusing on the interior of the vegan chocolate cake.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store any leftovers?

If you have leftover slices of cake, they can be left at room temperature for a couple of days as long as they stay covered. You can also store the leftover cake in the fridge for up to a week. Simply bring it to room temperature before eating.

Can I freeze this?

This is a freezer-friendly cake. If you are planning on making this cake ahead of time and you’re freezing it to save time later, you can wrap up the cake, unfrosted, with plastic wrap and then tin foil before freezing. Frosted cakes can be frozen, but the frosting won’t taste as fresh in comparison.

Can I turn this into cupcakes?

If you prefer cupcakes over cake, you can make this into a vegan chocolate cupcake recipe by transferring the batter to a cupcake tin instead. Bake for around 20 to 25 minutes instead of 30 to 35.