Vegan Chocolate Cake!
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A delicious, fudgey, and insane three-layer vegan chocolate cake!
Vegan chocolate cake
So, LOOK HOW AMAZING THIS CAKE LOOKS! I couldn’t resist saying that. I am not trying to blow my own trumpet here, but I just adore how this cake looks in all the photos. It also tastes amazing.
This cake, is completely and utterly deliciously VEGAN. Don’t worry, it also tastes amazing for non-vegans.
There is so much stigma around vegan food – and it bugs me. There is no reason that vegan food can’t be delicious – and this cake proves it! Look at ittttttttt!!!
Vegan recipes
I have a friend that is one of those people who is skeptical, but even he admits that the vegan recipes I have made for this blog are ‘bl**dy delicious’ and he always wants another slice. This particular one? He didn’t even realise it was vegan until I told him.
This recipe is based on my vegan Biscoff cupcakes and my vegan vanilla cupcakes, but morphed into chocolate, and made into an irresistible three-layer chocolatey fudgey delicious showstopper.
There was basically no reason as to my the sponges from my other vegan recipes couldn’t be made into a chocolate version, by simply using cocoa powder in place of some of the flour, and then increasing it all to make it into a cake!
Two layer cake
I did originally make this as just a two-layer cake, but the sponges aren’t that high in depth – so three looked much better, and just means you get even more delicious in every slice! You can make it just two layer if you prefer though – notes below!
Keeping it simple
I am personally not vegan myself, but I do often think that some recipes are quite daunting, because of all the extra ingredients that you don’t tend to have lying around the house. For this cake, I tried to reduce this massively.
A classic chocolate sponge uses five ingredients, this uses seven. I really don’t think that’s too bad – and the only thing I think people will tend to not have is the white wine vinegar – but this is really cheap to buy so no worries!
Cocoa powder
The recipe itself is just an increased amount as I say from the vegan cupcakes, but then using a dark and delicious (and vegan) cocoa powder gives it such a dark and fudgey taste.
I use the Dr Oetker fine dark cocoa powder (that does have a warning of ‘may contain’) but otherwise, does say it’s suitable for vegans. There are many others you can also buy however!
Frosting
For the deeeelightful chocolate frosting, I used the same recipe that I use on my dairy & gluten free chocolate cake recipe. It’s increased to make it enough for a three layer cake, but otherwise its the same.
Chocolate
On my the dairy free recipe though, I received a very negative and nasty comment about ‘how I was trying to poison people by telling them to use chocolate.’ I will say this again, MOST DARK CHOCOLATES ARE DAIRY FREE.
I use Callebaut chocolate, but I often find that a large percentage of supermarket own dark chocolate is also vegan, and it’s so cheap! So no, I am not trying to poison anyone.
Vegan butter
I use Stork block, Vitalite, or other dairy free spreads – and they all work well. When making it, it does make a veeeery soft frosting, but adding in the chocolate firms it up eventually as the dark chocolate will harden.
Enjoy!
This cake is so fudgey, so delicious, and epic. My vegan chocolate cake! X
Vegan Chocolate Cake!
Ingredients
Vegan Chocolate Cakes
- 550 g self raising flour
- 125 g cocoa powder
- 450 g light/dark brown sugar
- 600 ml almond milk (or other dairy free milks)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 265 ml vegetable oil
- 1.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
- 300 g dairy free spread
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 500 g icing sugar
- 275 g dark chocolate
Instructions
For the Cakes!
- Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan, and line three 8"/20cm cake tins with parchment paper on the bottom.
- In a large bowl, add your flour, sugar and cocoa powder.
- Whisk them together so they're evenly distributed.
- Pour in your milk, vanilla, oil and vinegar.
- Mix the mixture until smooth - try not to over mix however. I just use a spatula.
- Split evenly between the three tins, and bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Once baked, leave to cool in the tins for 10-15 minutes, and then move on to a wire rack to cool fully. Be careful when handling the sponges as they will be very soft and could break easily.
- Once cooled, refrigerate the cakes for 10-15 minutes before decorating to make them easier to handle.
For the Frosting!
- Carefully melt your dark chocolate until smooth. I do it in the microwave on short bursts! Leave to cool slightly.
- Beat your dairy free spread on its own briefly to smooth it.
- Add in your icing sugar and vanilla and beat again until smooth.
- Add in the melted chocolate, and beat again!
To Decorate!
- Add your first sponge to a plate/boad, and pipe/spread 1/3 of the frosting onto the first cake.
- Repeat this with the second cake, and then with the third!
- Decorate with fresh fruit, and vegan friendly sprinkles!
Notes
- This recipe will last for 3 days! Can be kept at room temperature, but fridge will do - it will just go quite solid!
- For a two layer version use:
- 350g self raising flour, 100g cocoa powder, 300g light/dark brown sugar, 400ml almond milk, 1.5tsp vanilla, 175ml vegetable oil, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar - split between two tins and bake for the same time!
- Use 2/3 of the ingredients for the decoration!
- You can use any dairy free milk, and any dairy free spread!
- I used Callebaut chocolate, but any dairy
ENJOY!
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J x
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Would switching out some of the almond milk for cooled coffee work? 🙂 I normally add coffee to my non-vegan chocolate cakes!
I don’t see why not! x
Hi Jane!
How would you adapt this for a 2lb loaf tin please? 🙂
Hello Jane
Could I make this recipe in 3 x 6” tins?
Love your recipes
Thank you
Normally I say to use 2/3 of a recipe for a 6″ version of an 8″ recipe x
Hi would you use stork spreadable tub or the block for the buttercream? Or does it matter?
Only the block is vegan, but it does work! x
Made this today for my daughters birthday. Everyone thought it was lovely but a little bit on the dry side. Used the exact quantities for the two tin cake. Any suggestions please
That means it is over baked slightly is all x
Just wanted to say thank you SO much for this amazing recipe! I’ve just made this for my godson’s 1st birthday (he’s allergic to dairy and eggs) and it’s perfect!
I made this cake last night for my son’s 1st birthday. It was so nice! I was so happy to be able to make him a decent cake that was very moist and tasty. I love your recipes Jane.
I used oat milk and had to bake for 45 mins till it was properly done. Will definitely make it again
when do you pull off the baking parchment? after they’ve cooled in the tins for 10-15mins or after they’ve fully cooled on a wire rack?
I generally take it off when it’s fully cooled x
Hi Jane, can this be made into cupcakes and if so, how many and how long would I bake them for?
Have a look at my vegan chocolate orange cupcakes (just leave out the orange) xx
Made this today and it was EPIC! Best vegan chocolate cake I have ever tasted/baked!!! Better than cake shops! Thanks for the amazing recipe!!!
Hey! I need to make an eggless cake but not a vegan cake – would you use this recipie with normal full fat / skimmed milk in place of almond milk? Thank you!
Hey! Yes, I would recommend using full-fat milk xx
Made this cake for my son in law. It was fantastic. I left a tier of as it ended up to big for the tin 😂
Anyhow I’d post a pic I’d I could!
Just HAD to comment to say thank you for the best vegan chocolate cake recipe I have ever come across – it tastes like a brownie!! Absolutely delicious and I can’t believe it’s vegan. Another of your recipes to add to my book ☺️
Ahh yay!! I’m so glad you like it! x
This is THE BEST Chocolate Cake recipe I have ever followed! I’ve made it twice all ready and no-one even knows its Vegan. I don’t think i’ll ever make a non-vegan Chocolate cake again! 🙂 Also for anyone wondering for the frosting I used TREX from Sainsbury’s and worked really well x
Hi Jane. This looks incredible! This will be my first vegan bake – my sis in law is vegan so I’m going to bake this and not even tell anyone it’s vegan!
I’d like to do it in a 4 layers as I want to make it a piñata cake.
Do I simply increase the ingredients by 25% to go from 3 to 4 layers?
And if I bake in 2 x 20cm DEEP tins how much should increase the time by? Sorry I’m a baking newbie so would appreciate your advice! x
Yes so for four layers increase as you said – and I’m really sorry but I am unsure about the timings. I have never made the vegan sponges deep before, so I imagine it would be at least 40-45 minutes, but I haven’t tried it myself! X
Perfect thank you! I’ll have to increase the frosting by a lot more actually as I going to go around the whole cake – will it work ok not using real butter?
I’ll just keep going until the skewer comes out clean then yeah?
Thanks!
Ah okay so vegan frosting is definitely softer so it may not be the smoothest finish, but other than that it would work! and yes, but don’t open the oven too early or they will sink! x
Oh jeez maybe I’ve bit off more than I can chew haha. I think I’ll stick to your exact recipe for this and do a cake with 360 frosting & piñata with a non vegan cake!
Thanks so much for replying 😊