This BEST vegan chocolate cake recipe is quick and easy with no unusual ingredients. Hundreds of readers have loved this moist fluffy vegan chocolate cake.
Commissioned recipe.
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.
The BEST vegan chocolate cake
I love making cakes, but I hate it when I need to seek out expensive unusual ingredients first. So, this cake doesn’t need any unusual egg or dairy substitutes like flax or chia.The most unusual ingredient is dairy free milk (almond, soy etc…), but you can pick that up at any shop.
Instead of butter, I’ve used a vegan spread (butter/margarine whatever you like to call it!). It’s just a super-easy, light and fluffy chocolate cake that’s vegan that can be made with store cupboard ingredients. Trust me, nobody will guess that it’s vegan. It’s great as a vegan birthday cake, party cake or everyday cake!
WHY IS THIS THE BEST VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE?
- Quick and easy to make
- Rich, chocolatey flavour
- No unusual ingredients
- Light, fluffy texture
- A perfect vegan birthday cake
- Nobody will guess that it’s vegan
The BEST vegan chocolate cake
If you make this recipe, please tag it with #veggiedesserts on Instagram or other social media. I LOVE seeing your recreations of my recipes.
Testimonials – Vegan Chocolate Cake
A few reader reviews:
“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 taste was super. I will be wowing vegans everywhere with this.” – Ollie
“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!” – Isabella
“This is a delicious and moist cake! And very simple to make, some vegan cakes require an awful lot of expensive ingredients. A* for taste, ease and texture!” – Natasha
“Best vegan cake recipe ever! I made mine into cupcakes and subbed the vegan butter for vegetable oil and it came out perfect! I also added some vegan chocolate chips and it made it extra good so I’ll totally be making these again” – Lisa
“Thank you. This is an excellent recipe and better than some (non-vegan) cakes I have tasted. I made this gluten free by using gluten-free flour and baking powder. I don’t like the taste of baking soda in cakes so I omitted it completely. I used 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum with the gluten-free flour.” – Suzanne
“It’s just perfect,. I’ve gone through a few recipe’s now but never been happy with the results. Now I’ve found this I won’t be looking anymore. It’s now my forever chocolate cake recipe. Thank you.” – Janet
Get the Vegan Cake Recipe
- 300ml (1¼ cup) non-dairy milk (soy, almond etc...)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 150g (2/3 cup) non-dairy spread (I used Flora Freedom)
- 3 tbsp golden syrup, agave or maple syrup (maple will make a slightly less sweet cake)
- 1 tsp instant coffee granules (or espresso powder)
- 275g (2½ cups) self-raising flour (or plain all-purpose flour with 3 tsp baking powder)
- 175g (1 cup) 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.
Vegan Vanilla Cake
Try this light, fluffy and easy to make vegan vanilla cake! No unusual ingredients and nobody will guess that it’s vegan. It’s also a perfect vegan birthday cake!
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 dairy free milk, but you can pick that up at any 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.
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!
Where can you buy the frosting from?
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!
Hi I’m not sure what “Soya” milk is…unable to find it in Whole Foods.
Hi, you may see it as soy milk? You can also try almond milk! I hope you enjoy the cake 🙂
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.
Hi! This is the first vegan cake I’ve found that isn’t stodge! However, mine has come out awfully crumbly… any suggestions as I can’t put icing on it as its falling apart! X
Hi Jenna
How odd, I have made it loads it it hasn’t been crumbly. I’m really not sure what could be the cause. Perhaps your oven is running a bit hot so it didn’t need to be cooked so long? Glad you still like it though!
Hi I am really looking forward to trying this recipie
But I wondered my daughter has a wheat allergy so would it be possible to swap the flour for a rice flour? Xx
Hi Vicky
I haven’t tested the recipe with any other flours, but if you usually swap wheat for rice flour then hopefully it works. Please report back if you try it as it could help other readers. Happy baking!
Can you freeze the cake before icing it? I’d like to have a supply in the freezer,
It should be just fine if frozen before icing it!
This cake is wonderful! I followed the recipe exactly as listed and used golden syrup. Made for friends with 2 young boys (none of whom are vegan) but, honestly, no one could believe it’s a vegan cake. So light, and absolutely delicious. – everyone loved it. I’m about to make another one now, and know I will be making it again and again. Thank you so much for posting it, you have made me one happy vegan 🙂
Hello. Is the cake moist enough to eat without the frosting? My cake audience dislike any cakes with cream or frosted toppings. I know. They’re crazy.
It’s fine without any icing!
Best vegan cake recipe ever! I made mine into cupcakes and subbed the vegan butter for vegetable oil and it came out perfect! I also added some vegan chocolate chips and it made it extra good. I will totally be making these again
I’m so pleased that you liked the recipe!
How much vegetable oil did you use insted of the vegan butter?
Hi Kate, I am not a vegan, but decided to try a vegan recipe (for the first time in my life). I made a mango chocolate version with your basic chocolate cake recipe. You may have a look at it here: http://jennyisbaking.com/2017/07/02/vegan-mango-chocolate-cake/ I was pleasantly surprised with how it worked out. Thanks for this recipe, which I only increaed a little for a 26cm tin. It was moist and delicious, thank you!
I made this recipe yesterday, after having some disappointing vegan cake results. This is a delicious and moist cake! And very simple to make, some vegan cakes require an awful lot of expensive ingredients. A* for taste, ease and texture!
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know. x
Hi Kate, we want to make this for vegan guests and enjoy for ourselves! Never made a vegan cake before though – can we omit the golden syrup /swap out/increase something else?
Hi, you can use agave, or maple syrup (but the maple syrup won’t be quite so sweet). I hope you all enjoy it!
Amazing cake! I added vegan chocolate chips and frozen raspberries to the mix which worked really well.
oooh that sounds great – I’ll try it with those!
Hi! Instead of “Flora” (it is not for sale in my country) may I use coconut oil?
Hi Teresa, I haven’t tested the recipe with coconut oil, but if you have any margarine-like spread it should work. Like Earth Balance?
Thank, you, this is an excellent recipe and better than some (non-vegan) cakes I have tasted. I made this gluten free by using gluten-free flour (and baking powder). I don’t like the taste of baking soda in cakes so I omitted it completely. I used 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum with the gluten-free flour.
It’s just perfect,. I’ve gone through a few recipe’s now but never been happy with the results. Now I’ve found this I won’t be looking anymore. It’s now my forever chocolate cake recipe,. Thank you
I’m so pleased! THanks for coming back to let me know you loved the cake 🙂
I plan to drop everything to make this chocolate cake now. 🙂 Looks so lush
Hi Kate,
I was looking at making a cake just without eggs. So is it okay that I still use butter or is the non dairy spread a must?
Thanks, Prerna
Hi Prerna, it’s fine to use normal margarine or softened butter. Happy baking!
Thanks so much Kate.. Gonna give it a try this week ????
Just made this cake! It’s delicious! I must say, I was skeptical. I did add about a tsp of vanilla extract to cake mixture, I used “raw cane sugar” ground “espresso beans” from Wholefoods, & Almond milk. I also added “grated” cinnamon to the frosting. Topped with coconut & chocolate chips. My cake is lighter than yours. Is it because I used “almond milk” ?
Making this for the first today, with rice milk and omit the coffee…….im a newish vegan and fancy making a cake…….i shall be back with my results 🙂
This really is the best vegan chocolate cake! My husband has egg intolerance and I’ve tried quite a few recipes, but this is by far and away the only one that ticks all the boxes. Brilliant!
I made some cupcakes with this recipe. I am disappointed. taste and texture not nice. looks nice but that’s all. not sweet enough and didn’t like the texture in my mouth.
Hi – I want to try this as a birthday cake. Can I use cacao powder instead of cocoa?
Thx 🙂
That should be fine! Let me know how it turns out. Happy baking!
I used the ingredients last night to make coconut vanilla cupcakes. I added coconut to the batter mix. I made 18 cupcakes with frosting. I can’t decide which I prefer the chocolate or vanilla both were very tasty and moist. All my friends loved both. It’s also nice to find a recipe that shows metric measurements.
Made this as a birthday cake but left out the coffee to make just a chocolate cake as it was for the kids. It was absolutely delicious. And so easy to make!
Then I had an idea. We love lemon drizzle cake but have only once found a vegan one in a tea shop in Wales. So I made this recipe again, only this time left out the chocolate and coffee, and replaced it with the zest of 1 lemon. Put all the mix in one deep tin and baked at 160 (fan-assisted) for 45 mins. For the drizzle, juice 1.5 lemons and mix with 85g caster sugar. Has a slightly gingery taste and smell because of the golden syrup, but it’s pretty damn good!
Thanks for the recipe. I’ve never baked a vegan cake before and now we have two that our whole family enjoys.
Snap! I have a lemon version of the cake ready to post soon! I’m glad you liked the chocolate and your version of lemon 🙂
OMG! Made this today and I’m so so impressed. I’ve been baking most of my adult life and have recently become vegan and was concerned having never tasted a beautiful choc vegan cake that my life was seriously compromised. This is hands down THE best vegan cake I’ve had…and I’ve tried a lot! I substituted the water in the frosting recipe with almond milk and added a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Sheer perfection all in all! ???? x
I am new to vegan lifestyle and baking, but this recipe is super easy. I made it last night and it is really delicious and moist. Can I make this as a basic non chocolate cake? I am really happy and excited about the way it turned out.
I’m so pleased that you like it! I have a similar recipe for vanilla cake on the blog – just search vegan vanilla cake. 🙂
Forgot to give my rating ????
Hi Kate,
I loved how the cake tasted and it’s gonna be my go to vegan choc cake for sure!
However, I baked it in a 7″ deep pan and even after 60 mins in the oven at 160 Deg fan forced it came out gooey in the center but the upper crust hardened. I used regular full fat milk and butter.
Could you suggest what I did wrong? Also, do you hv more such vegan cake recipes?
Thanks, Prerna
I have just made that cake. I had never made a vegan cake before and I am so impressed by and happy with the result. It is moist and so spongy. Amazing.