Now, I’m not one to toot my own trumpet too often, but this really is the best vegan chocolate cake, ever. Really. It’s rich, fluffy, moist (I hate that word!), decadent and soooo easy to make.
Commissioned recipe.
Have you been taking part in Veganuary, where you try going vegan for the month of January? If so, we’re nearing the end so you really should reward yourself with the best vegan chocolate cake!
When you think about vegan cake, you might think it will be dry, crumbly and somehow inferior to a typical chocolate cake filled with eggs and butter. Well, you’re wrong. Very wrong. This vegan chocolate cake really is the BEST. It’s like a super-amazing, delicious, decadent chocolate cake that just happens to be vegan! If you didn’t mention that it’s vegan, people would honestly never know. It’s rich, fluffy, moist and sooooo easy to make.
Vegan Baking
Now, you might be thinking that to make a vegan chocolate cake you’re going to need some strange ingredients. But this one doesn’t contain flax or chia to replace the eggs. The most unusual ingredient is soya milk, but you can pick that up at any corner shop. Instead of butter, I’ve used a readily-available vegan spread: Flora Freedom.
Vegan spreads taste the same and work the same as dairy spreads in baking. For my best vegan chocolate cake I’ve melted some with golden syrup (you could substitute maple syrup) for the cake, and I’ve whipped some straight from the fridge for the fluffy, chocolatey frosting. Flora Freedom vegan spread has 60% less saturated fat than butter. It’s certified by The Vegan Society and is free from artificial preservatives, colours and flavours.
The BEST vegan chocolate cake
- 300ml (1¼ cup) soya milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 150g (2/3 cup) non-dairy spread (I used Flora Freedom)
- 3 tbsp golden syrup or maple syrup (which will make a slightly less sweet cake)
- 1 tsp instant coffee granules (or espresso powder)
- 275g (2½ cups) self-raising flour
- 175g (1 cup) caster sugar
- 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 75g (1/3 cup) non-dairy spread (I used Flora Freedom)
- 200g (1½ cups) powdered icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
- 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp water
- Preheat the oven to 180° C/160° C fan/Gas mark 4 (350F). Lightly grease 2x20cm/8inch round baking pans.
- Stir the lemon juice into the soya milk and set aside.
- In a pan over a medium heat, melt the butter, syrup and coffee granules together. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Sieve the flour, cocoa, caster sugar and bicarbonate of soda into a large mixing bowl.
- Pour the milk and melted spread mixture over the flour mixture and stir well until it becomes a smooth batter.
- Divide the mixture between the two prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, to make the icing beat together all ingredients until smooth.
- When the cakes are completely cold, sandwich together with half of the icing. Spread the remaining icing over the top of the cake.
More Vegan Desserts
Looking for other vegan desserts to make? Try these!
Vegan kale and blood orange cake
Olive oil and blood orange muffins
Vegan superfood energy balls
Chocolate covered protein bars
Maple Spiced Apple Compote
PIN FOR LATER!
Disclosure: This recipe for the BEST vegan chocolate cake was commissioned by Flora Freedom. All opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make it possible for me to mess up my kitchen and write Veggie Desserts.
I love chocolate cake and cant even express how much. But never baked a vegan type. I should try once.
This does not look like the typical vegan cake! This looks so moist and soft and delicious! I am 100% sold on this cake! YUM!
wow looks so moist – especially for a vegan cake
I could eat the whole cake now! How delicious and moreish and even better that it is suitable for vegans too.
This looks delicious! I love that you’ve added coffee grinds to it…totally amps up the chocolate flavor, yum!
That cake looks amazing and I would never believe it was vegan. Well done Kate!
There is nothing ” telling” that this cake is vegan. Beautiful, moist chocolate! Looks amazing,
Vegan or not, this is one delicious and moist looking chocolate cake. It looks delicious and inviting and I love the photos.
I can usually spot a homemade vegan cake a mile away, the appearance is usually a little off and the layers quite thin but THIS cake oh no, you had me fooled. This looks delicious, light and so chocolaty. I realize you posted a frosting recipe but one of my favorite things is making a homemade cake and topping it with Dollop Gourmet frosting — they are 100% vegan and the Salted Caramel flavor is ah-mazing! I’m imagining it now on top of your cake and I’m sure it’d be divine!
I am not vegan but this chocolate cake looks amazing. I love how moist it is!
Do you need to use soya milk or can you use rice or almond milk instead?
Any non-dairy milk should be fine, but I only tested soya (as that’s what I had). If you try it with rice or almond milk, please let me know!
I simply love anything to do with chocolate.. and total time 50 mins. Perfect.
Kate, first of all I wanna tell you that moving from vegetarian to vegan has been a harsh job. But it has already been all worth it! Thanks to people like you and to blogs like yours. Awesome choice of work, yours. Thank you.
Looks delicious. Definitely going to have to try out the recipe. I like the idea of Soy Milk!
This cake looks so delicious! It doesn’t look like a typical vegan dessert!
This cake was deeee-licious. I’ve found that if you make it the day before you want to eat it, it is even better. (it actually seems a little more moist when it is not REALLY fresh). I have also taken the advice of another reviewer and made this cake without the cocoa, adding 2 mashed bananas and replacing the vanilla with banana extract. It turned out like banana bread and was fantastic frosted with banana frosting(1 cup powdered beet sugar, 1 tsp banana extract, 1/4 cup margerine and 1 tbsp. soy milk beaten until smooth and fluffy)
I just made this recipe as cupcakes, and they were truly fantastic!
Baked for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. I ran out of maple syrup so I use 1 tablespoon molasses + 2 tablespoons of honey. Next time I’ll try the maple syrup since the molasses made them a little salty.
Thank you so much for the recipe. I’m definitely making it again. <3
Hi there! Can you omit the coffee granules? Just wondering if they are for taste or function. Thanks a lot! ????
Hi, you can definitely omit them. I just like to add coffee as it compliments the flavour of the chocolate. But no problem to omit it. Happy baking!
I just made this! It is absolutely gorgeous, as a chocoholic myself, I didn’t think I could ever find a vegan chocolate cake that was as good as the real stuff. But this is so good, of not better! I was wondering though, do I store this in the fridge or outside?
I’m so glad that you liked the cake! Best to keep it covered but not in the fridge. Thanks for coming back to let me know how you got on with the recipe!
Looks so delicious and moist! But I was wondering can you use normal sugar instead of golden syrup?
I’m so pleased that this worked out so well. I was desperate for cake but I’d run out of eggs, so this was just the kind of recipe I was looking for, I’ve been disappointed by vegan cakes in the past so I really wasn’t expecting much, but it’s really delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe! 🙂
Looking to bake a cake for my sister as she’ has an egg and dairy allergy
She’ll be utterly shocked when I present her with this beauty
Tends to about cake -what a treat ????????
Looking to bake a cake for my sister as she’ has an egg and dairy allergy
She’ll be utterly shocked when I present her with this beauty
Tends to about cake -what a treat ????????
I made this cake today (first attempt at vegan baking) and I was truly surprised! It was light fluffy and moist and despite the lack of eggs the rise was excellent and the tast was super. I will be wowing vegans everywhere with this. I also added mint essence to the frosting and it was delicious.