The Best (Vegan) Chocolate Cake II
The very best chocolate cake that just so happens to be vegan
So I already have a lovely chocolate cake recipe that used to be my staple for years, and I think I posted a vegan chocolate cake recipe aaaages ago (but this one is better. But any baker will tell you that even if you have the perfect recipe, you’ll continue to tinker around and try new variations because it gets boring to follow the same recipe time in time out. Plus you can never have too much chocolate cake, and this one is my new favourite. I know you’ll love it just as much as I do, so I thought I would share it with you.
I’ve made an even better vegan chocolate cake recipe.
I get a lot of requests for eggless recipes on the YouTube channel and I’ve seen this recipe circulate the internet for a while, so I decided to try it out. The result is what I’d describe as magical, the type of cake you whip up for birthdays or celebrations, that you eat by the forkful for a late-night bite.
Here are some notes to keep in mind for this vegan chocolate cake recipe:
- In the video, I mixed the wet ingredients first and then added the dry ingredients, but I think it’s actually simpler to do it the other way around.
- I doubled the icing recipe because I wanted to cover the cake in rosettes. I used the same recipe as I did for the last chocolate cake recipe (except double for the rosettes) but if you’re not vegan, of course you can make the frosting with butter instead of vegan butter and regular milk instead of non-dairy milk.
- If you’re not going to pipe rosettes around the cake, you’ll only need half the icing recipe as the one listed, so divide all the ingredient quantities for the icing by 1/2.
This cake is also a perfect for toying around- if you’d like to add chocolate, or use Guinness instead of water, etc. However you choose to make this cake, it’ll be demolished.
And while there is nothing wrong with a vegan cake, this recipe is so good that people won’t even realize it’s vegan!
So without further wait, here is my new favourite vegan chocolate cake recipe.
The Best (Vegan) Chocolate Cake II
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups (400g) sugar , raw, granulated or brown are all fine
- 2 cups (500ml) boiling hot water
- ½ cup (125ml) coconut oil, melted (or vegetable oil)
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (100g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour
For the chocolate buttercream:
- 1 cup vegan butter, or regular if you're not vegan
- 1 ⅓ cup (130g) cocoa powder
- 6 cups (725g) confectioner's/icing sugar
- ⅔ cup (160ml) non-dairy milk (or regular if not vegan)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180 C or 350 F.
- Generously butter 2 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans, then line the bottom with parchment paper and dust with flour. You can also use a bundt pan (but you'll need to increase the baking time to an hour or longer), or 9 inch (22/24 cm) cake pans.
- Next, you'll need to mix all the cake ingredients together. In the video, I mix all the 'wet' ingredients (sugar, water, oil, vinegar) then add the dry ingredients (espresso powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, flour). However, I find it's actually easier to mix all the dry ingredients first and then add the wet ingredients.
- When the batter is smooth, divide it between the two cake pans and bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.
- For the chocolate buttercream: NOTE: if you don't want to cover the cake in buttercream rosettes, you only need ½ of the icing recipe, so make sure to adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly.
- Melt the butter either over a low flame or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 15-30 seconds.
- Stir in the cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla.
- Alternate the confectioner's sugar with the milk, beating well until smooth, an electric mixer makes it easier to beat.
- Taste, and add more salt and vanilla as needed.
Assembling the cake:
- Run a knife around the edges of the cake pan and flip it over to release the cake. Do this with the other pan as well.
- If the cakes formed a dome while baking, use a serrated knife to trim it off.
- Dab a small amount of icing on your cake stand/plate, then place one of the cakes, bottom side up onto the plate.
- Add a generous amount of icing (between ½-¾ cup) on top of the cake, and spread out evenly.
- Place the second cake top-side up, making sure the sides of both cakes match.
- Cover the cake with a thin layer of the icing.
- Spoon the rest into a piping bag fitted with a 1M star tipped nozzle.
- Cover the cake in buttercream rosettes (see video).
Notes
Looking for more mouth-watering vegan recipes?
Hi Vedika, isn’t 2 cups of sugar a bit too much and make the cake too sweet? If I choose to reduce sugar will the cake become dense?
This recipe works well with 2 cups of sugar, I don’t find the cake overly sweet- that being said, you could try to reduce it by 1/4 to MAYBE 1/2 cup max, but I can’t guarantee the same results… that being said, there’s no harm in trying!
Hi Vedika, thank you for this wonderful recipe.
What type of vinegar did you use? Is it apple vinegar?
regular vinegar/apple cider are both fine!
How many kg is this recipe for ?? 1 or 2?
1kg sugar in the whole cake isn’t this too much for a cake ma’am ??
Hi Nisarg, the cake recipe itself doesn’t call for 1 kg of sugar, it calls for 2 cups (400g) without the frosting, and it makes a pretty big cake- you can always use a less sweet icing if you would like! Not sure how much the cake itself weighs, I would say probably around 2 kg:)
Can this be made into cupcakes?
Yes! you’d need to bake them for slightly less time.
How many standard size cupcakes would they make?
24!
How long do u think it will take for cupcakes to bake?
probably around 20-25 min:)
Hii, your recipe sounds great. I`m planning on making the cake tomorrow.
But I´ve got one question. Do you know how much 1 cup of butter is in gramm?
It’s 225 g:)
The cake is so lovely and moist! Could i also replace the hot water for non dairy milk instead? Or will this mess up the cake?
I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure! Maybe if you heat up the milk? Let me know how you like it.
I was looking for a vegan chocolate cake recipe for the whole family and I stumbled on this article. I read and followed the instructions carefully and I made it deliciously! Every member of my family is so happy! Thanks for this
ahh so happy you liked it! 🙂
Hi! First of all, thank you soo much for sharing this recipe! I was looking for a vegan chocolate cake recipe and then stumbled on your video. The cake looked awesome and I decided to try it out. although 6 cups of confectioner’s sugars a bit too much.
I decreased the amount a bit and it turned out pretty great!
I loved this recipe ??
thanks again!
Thanks, Sophie! Thrilled you like it 🙂
I found that the thickness of the layers aren’t as thick as the picture. How can I increase the amount of batter without affecting the desired outcome?
You’d have to increase the recipe but keep the ratios the same… it would require some calculations! I would just use slightly smaller cake pans:)
Thanks for this new recipe on a traditional favorite. If you would like to learn more about all things chocolate I recommend the following product. 2GZl8Tw
No soda to be added???
Yes! See the recipe:)
When you ass the baking soda it looks like way more than 2 teaspoons… just making sure that 2 tsp is the correct amount?
Yes! 2 is the right amount:)
Hi Vedika – for the cake, could I use melted butter as a substitute for coconut oil. Thanks so much.
I would use regular vegetable oil!
Hi, I’m trying this recipe for my friends birthday, but I’m not sure when to make it. Can I make the whole frosted cake a day ahead and put it in my fridge? Will it be good and fluffy as yours the other day?
It would be fine if you made it a day ahead, I would just recommend letting the cake come to room temperature before serving (just take it out of the fridge an hour ahead) because it’s a little more soft and fluffy at room temp:)
hi,, can it work without vinegar?? what difference would it make ? great recipe btw!
You need the vinegar to react with the leavening agents in the recipe to make the cakes rise! And thank you:)
Hi Vedika,
I don’t have espresso powder, only instant coffee granules. How much of this should I use instead?
The same amount as coffee powder, dissolved in water! 🙂
Hi!! I just started watching your videos and you are so talented! This recipe looks delicious. Is there a way to make it gluten free?
Ahh thats very sweet! glad you liked it, you can make it gluten free by replacing the flour with gluten-free blend. Let me know if that works!
This cake looks so good!! I really want to make it for my sister’s birthday, but she prefers dark chocolate. I was wondering if you could help me figure out how to alter the recipe to make both the cake and frosting with dark chocolate? 🙂
The cake itself is sort of a dark chocolate cake, for a darker frosting I would use the one listed on this recipe: https://www.hotchocolatehits.com/2015/11/mocha-pumpkin-cake-recipe.html
you can also try adding dark chocolate chips to the batter if you like!
Hiya, thank you for the great recipe! Just a quick question: if I added choc chips to the batter, should I melt them first or allow them to melt as it cooks? I’m not an experienced baker and I don’t want to ruin the texture!
Hi Kim! I wouldn’t melt them! Let them melt as they cook:) Will add a nice flavour punch too once the cake is done! What I would do is also mix the chips with 1 tbsp of flour (take it out of the cake amount) so that they don’t stick together or sink to the bottom. Let me know how you like the recipe!
Which brand of confectioners sugar do you use?
Mine turned into more of a brownie, didn’t rise at all and the mixture was very thick. I added wet to dry and used the metric measurements. What did I do wrong?
Hi Vedika, I have tried this recipe twice and loved it so much! I just wanted to check if alkalized cocoa would work well with this recipe? I am a bit skeptical to try since it only calls for baking soda. Hope to hear from you soon!
So happy you liked it!! I use dutch process which is alkalised and it works fine so don’t worry about that!
Hi I have just seen your chocolate recipe. I wanted to make an orange flavour chocolate cake for my sister. Can I replace the vanilla extract with orange extract and add orange zest into this or would I need to add orange juice In to this instead of boiling water. Would this still work?
Hi Kamaldip! That sounds lovely! Yes to both! And no I don’t think I’d add orange juice instead of boiling water. I think the zest and extract will be enough- but you can always replace a bit of the water with juice. Another trick is to just brush some orange juice on the cake once it cools, before frosting- and also don’t forget to use orange juice in the icing as well! Hope this helps!
I have only 26 cm round cake. do I need to change something in the reciepe?rore
If you only have one cake tin, it will need to be quite tall to hold all the batter. Additionally, if you pour all the batter into the pan, it will probably take an hour or longer for the cake to bake completely!
thank you. I made it with the 20 cm and it was perfect. I wanted to make sure I don’t need to double the amounts so it won’t be thin.
Hi! Could I use coconut oil in the frosting instead of butter?
Yes! But if you’re using unrefined coconut oil just keep in mind that the frosting will taste a bit like coconut:)
Hello dear .what if I want to make just one cake..I wonder what quantity would a small family of two would follow for such a cake..please let me know
.
Is it I do straight half in all measurements
Hello dear .what if I want to make just one cake. Like one layer or two later but a small one…I wonder what quantity would a small family of two would follow for such a cake..please let me know
.
Is it I do straight half in all measurements
If you 1/2 all the measurements you can make a 6 inch cake:)
I just made this cake yesterday for my son’s birthday! It was the MOST DELICIOUS chocolate cake that I’ve ever tasted! So, not only was it vegan, but soooo moist and super chocolatey. My family loved it, and I’m making it again on Saturday for my Mom’s 78th birthday, at her request. THANK YOU!!!!!
Ahhh so glad you liked it :))
Hi, can you substitute the oil with applesauce?
I used it as a cup cake recipe and didn’t work! The cale stuck to the liners and was very chewy!
Instead of vinegar can I use curd or buttermilk ??
Hi Geet, I wouldn’t use buttermilk instead of vinegar, the vinegar is necessary to react with the baking soda to help the cake rise! You could try another acid (maybe lemon juice) but vinegar I find works best 🙂
Hi Vedika, I used unrefined coconut flower in the cake batter and the cake tasted slightly coconutty ? I will use vegetable oil the next time. Hopefully the ganache masks the flavour? But I love your recipes. Thank you.??
Hi Priya! Thanks so much- and good to know!!
I love how you can just dump all the ingredients together and bake. It’s so easy! The cake is also moist and not overly sweet, just like something you’d buy from a nice cafe <3
You are sweet! I am so happy you liked the cake :))
My cake came out horribly. More likely my own fault. I used garbanzo bean flour instead. The cake didn’t rise for me sadly. I’m going to try again using all purpose flour and see if that will do the trick.
Yes, please use all purpose- can’t guarantee this recipe will work with other kinds:)
Hello. I were to use instant coffee dissolved in water like you suggested, would I just dissolve it in the boiling water?
If I were*
If I were to use instant coffee, would I dissolve it in the boiling water?
Yes!
This Cake is divine and idiot proof!!!! We have made it the second time today thinking that it was a fluke that it came out so so delish the first time!
Love how easy, moist and yummy this is, we made some variations…..reduced sugar, used half water half milk, and added vanilla.
This is going to be our staple midnight craving for chocolate cake fix.
Love love love.
Thank you for posting this.
Ohh….and I used roti atta…instead of all purpose and it was still perfect.
Ahh happy to hear that worked! and so glad you liked the recipe:)
I just tried baking the cake and OMG it was awesome ! Everyone loved it ! Thank you for making it so easy for newbies like me . ?. I love it !
Ahhh so happy to hear that!!!
Hi if I have to bake one cake in a bundt pan . How much longer does it have to be in the oven? In order to not burn it?
It would probably take 1-1.5 hours!
Hi want to make this cake for my son he is allergic to eggs dairy and gluten. .can I use almond flour and coconut flour instead of all purpose flour ?
Hi Aiza! I haven’t tried this recipe with either of those, what I would suggest is a gluten-free flour blend. If you can’t buy this at the store, you can make your own at home, maybe this will help: https://minimalistbaker.com/diy-gluten-free-flour-blend/
My parents and husband loved it! My friends also said it was good. Only thing was that I used self-raising flour and a little baking soda on top which ended up making the cake a bit too crumbly – still yummy though and such an easy recipe – even more amazing that it’s vegan! Def one I’m keeping! 🙂 Thanks so much Vedika!
Glad you liked it!!
Could i use melted butter instead of oil?
Yes! But I actually think that oil works better in this recipe (makes it more moist)
Thanks for this wonderful recipe!
2 cups of sugar has a nice taste.
I tried using 1 1/4 cup of sugar and it tasted salty.
Awesome, glad you liked it 🙂
Hi, your recipe looks promising! I really want to make this and I was wondering if cake flour can be used instead of all purpose? Thank you
Awesome! And yes that is fine:)
Hi, can i bake the whole thing in a 8″inch pan. And then cut it into 2 ? What temperature and time i need set ?
Hi Indra, I wouldn’t recommend making this entire recipe in an 8 inch pan, otherwise it will overflow (of course this depends on how tall the pan is) – try a 9 inch pan, and it will take about an hour (would start checking at 45 min) to bake completely.
Hi Vedika!
Can i make the same frosting w/o adding the cocoa powder so that i can add color for the rosettes?
Hi Lochana! I would make the cake with the frosting in this recipe in that case: https://www.hotchocolatehits.com/2016/12/funfetti-cake-vanilla-buttercream-frosting.html/
Hi! I want to make the chocolate buttercream but I’m wondering what brand of vegan butter do you use and does it have salt in it? I have a hard time finding unsalted vegan butter near me.
Hi Mona, I use an oil-based butter, you can also do margarine (just make sure it has no milk solids!) and it is unsalted, but salted also works fine, just omit any additional salt that you add:)
I loved this recipe! So moist and airy yet fudgy. It has become a go to cake for birthdays! I used homemade coconut whipped cream instead of butter cream because I’m not the biggest buttercream fan and it was delicious. Thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
So happy you like it! And the coconut whipped cream sounds lovely, will need to try!
Do you know of any gluten free flours that might work instead of the all purpose for this cake?
Hmm… you could try to make some at home! Otherwise any brand of gluten free flour blend should do it! https://minimalistbaker.com/diy-gluten-free-flour-blend/
what temperature should i bake it at if i put it all in one pan?
180 C, 350 F- the same! The only thing is you will probably need to bake it longer. If the cake starts to brown, make sure to cover it with some foil.
Hi, can use canola oil instead for this? also I’m planning to use a 6-inch pan with 4 inches deep, how long can I bake the cake?
canola is just fine! and a 6 inch pan – it might be a bit too small, you might need two of them- it will take around an hour 🙂
Hi Vedika, Thanks so much for this recipe! Tried it this weekend for a birthday was great in all elements except it came out a little tough – well cooked (took about 5-8 mins longer) but very dense. I had noticed the batter was pretty tight even before baking, would adding more hot water have helped to make a more cake like batter consistency? Any other suggestions? Also, what do you suggest for storage if you bake it the night before to allow it to cool overnight before decorating the next day. Thanks so much again!
Hi there! Sorry to hear that it was a bit dense! If you follow the recipe exactly the cake should have a batter consistency- in fact the mixture is quite thin. Did you add all the right quantities + the leavening agents? Hope this helps!
Hello! How long would it take to bake in two 6 inch 2 deep cake pans, if I split the recipe in half?
Hi Natalia! If you divide the recipe in half it might take less time to bake, I would start checking after 20 min, but could take longer too!
The frosting didn’t work for me , I found the whipping it up rather than melting it worked best!
However, the cake was amazing !!!
I got compliments from non-vegans , will be remaking 😉
Sorry to hear the frosting didn’t work out! Even with melting you do need to beat it quite a lot but it does come together. And nice that you liked the cake!!!!
Would I be able to leave out the espresso powder?
Yes! that’s fine 🙂
Hey Vedika!
This is something amazing you have shared here
Thanks!!
Hi:) I’m planning on making this cake for my birthday, and I was wondering if I could bake it in a big rectangular cake and then cut it into whatever shape i’d like. It’s about 28*35 cm long. If yes, for how long should I bake it?
Hey:) I’m planning on making this cake for my birthday, and I was wondering if I could bake it in a big rectangular cake and then cut it into whatever shape i’d like. It’s about 28*35 cm long. If yes, for how long should I bake it?
Yes you can! I’m not sure how long it will take to bake. Seems like you’re using a pretty big cake pan so you may not need to adjust the temperature too much — I would start checking after around 20 min.
I confused and used baking powder. Will it come alright?
Did it work out?
Do you recommend using measuring cups or a digital scale?
Hi Gabi! I always recommend a digital scale. More accurate results 🙂
Hi i just love your simply yet so delicious cake. We all loved this cake already baked twice.
Now I am planning to bake the cake in 2 8″square pan do I need to adjust the ratio or bake time?
Also is it necessary to cover the frosted cake while refrigerating if the cake is done on previous day of celebration?
I don’t have any container to cover so asking.
Hi Anu!So happy to hear you liked it! You will probably need to increase the baking time slightly but I wouldn’t change the ratio- that would complicate it quite a bit. You might have a bit of extra batter left so you could probably get away with making 2 cupcakes too!
And yes I would cover the cake once done because it’ll dry out and taste a bit old. just cover it with plastic wrap or such!
I tried baking this yesterday and today and both cakes developed a crack on top and were too crumbly. I couldn’t even layer them and they break into pieces. Any tips?
Ahh sorry to hear! It seems like either your ratio of wet to dry was slightly off (did you add all the specified ingredients)? Otherwise, you might have overbooked the cake… does this help?
I’m planning on making this ! But curious if it can be reheated ? Like if I take it out of the fridge and wanted to warm it up
You can- just make sure htat when it’s stored in the fridge it’s stored well!
I have been searching for an eggfree moist one cup cocoa two cups flour proportion chocolate cake to replace my go to recipe with eggs for a long time. When I saw your vegan version I jumped at it and baked it today.
I was skeptical about the taste but my goodness! This cake is something else! It’s so moist, the flavour so intense that it hardly needs frosting like my earlier cake. And it was stable and did not crumble.
Thank you so much, Vedika, for this wonderful recipe. I can’t believe it can look and taste so good without dairy. This is going to be my go to recipe from now on.
By the way I baked it as a single cake in a high 8 inch pan. It took an hour and 15 minutes and came out perfect. Tall and handsome.
Thanks so much, Sundana!! So happy you liked the cake!!! 🙂
I hate all thing coffee/mocha flavor even a trace of it revolts me. Can I leave out and still will it be good?
Yes! It will be fine 🙂
Hi the recipe is awesome .will you tell storage instructions for the frosting only thankyou
Frosting should be stored in the fridge once made- can last up to a week! To use, you need to thaw it a bit, so bring to room temp and stir before using. Can also be frozen for longer but make sure to thaw well before using.
Hi,
Can I use wholemeal flour instead of plain flour and I need to make a 6inch cake so do I need to half the recipe to make one 6inch cake?Thanks
Hi Emily! You would need to half the recipe indeed, and you can try wholemeal flour but I can’t guarantee the same taste or texture!
Hi Vedika,
Can you please half the recipe for me since I don’t know how to sorry!
Hi Emily, please divide all the ingredient quantities in half! You can do so on google 🙂
This looks amazing!! Do you have the butter for the icing in grams as I have no idea how to measure butter in cups 😆 thanks so much!!
Thanks so much, Katie!! Generally 1 cup of icing sugar is about 125 g – and 1 cup of butter is 225 g. I will update the recipe to also include grams as soon as I get a chance but I hope this helps for now!
That’s super helpful thank you so much!! Really appreciate it 😊
hello vedika! 🙂
I’m gonna be making this for Christmas ! was wondering if I could replace the vegan butter in the frosting with olive oil? Furthermore, can I make it in one pan and just cut it in half ?
once again, thank you so much for the recipe, I can’t wait to try it 🤩
Hi Eden!! You can try replacing the vegan butter with olive oil but I can’t guarantee the icing will taste the same, and it may not have the same texture. You can make it one one pan and cut in half but the cake might be a bit denser and will take up to an hour to bake (unless you’re talking about halving the recipe). Hope this helps! And Merry Christmas!!
thank you so much, I really appreciate your help, I’ll be making this soon 🙂
wishing you a merry Christmas too 🎉🎄 all the best for the new year and I can’t wait for more videos and recipes ! 🤩
To you too!!! Thanks so much, Eden!
Hi Vedika, your cake is amazing! It really is the best vegan cake I have ever made. So light and fluffy. This will be my go to cake for any events. Thank you
So happy to hear, Samantha!!
Can I make this in a silicone loaf structure for the oven? And would I need to adjust the time?
I’m making this for my non vegan partner who I’m hoping won’t know the difference!! Hehe
Thank You and looking forward to making this ! 🙂
yes you can!! I think you might need to reduce this batter a bit too because it will make 2 loaves. One loaf would bake for 40-50 min I think- but can take up to an hour. Good luck! Hope you love it!!
Making this cake today. So excited for my fiancé to eat it. I’m not a baker 24/7 but love cooking, so can’t wait to enjoy the process and results.
Is it possible to put any berries in this ? Worried they might make mixture too soggy. Thought a handful and half would be OK
Thanks 🙏🏽
Hi Sarita!! I would put berries on top of the cake/serve with berries instead of putting them in the cake batter. The batter is quite thin and the berries may sink to the bottom.
Hi beautiful thank you for sharing this amazing recipe I was wondering if I can used this recipe for cupcakes as well ? 💗
Definitely!!
Hi! I absolutely love this recipe! I’ve made it twice now and I can not get the frosting thick enough like you do! I’m following the recipe exactly. I was wondering if you had any advice! Thanks! ☺️
Becky, so happy to hear you liked it!! I would add the milk very gradually if you are struggling with the frosting, beating till you reach your desired thickness. You may need less than the recipe calls for. Also make sure that the butter is at room temperature before adding the sugar. Hope this helps!
We don’t really like coffee. Can I leave out the instant coffee, or does it need to be replaced with something else if I do that?
Yes leave it out! Just use hot water.
Hello Vedika! I
Ive been using this recipe for a few years now and love it!
I wanted to attempt to make a bigger batch as i want to make it for a big birthday. Do I just double the recipe?
Im asking as i heard somewhere that when it comes to vegan cakes its not as simple as doubling the recipe. I dont know if this is true or not.
Thank you so much!
Hi Carla, so happy that you liked the recipe! you can easily double the recipe!