Perfect Chocolate Cake VEGAN
This vegan chocolate cake is deeply chocolatey, impossibly moist, and topped with a rich cocoa buttercream that balances sweet and cocoa-bitter just right. No eggs, no dairy, no one will guess. The buttermilk substitute, soy milk with vinegar, combined with hot coffee creates the same reaction as the traditional recipe. The result is a tall, rich layer cake that any plant-based gathering will love.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 0.75 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk, plus 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 0.5 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 1 cup hot coffee or hot water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup vegan butter sticks, room temperature for frosting
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 0.67 cup unsweetened cocoa powder for frosting
- 2-3 tbsp coconut cream or soy milk for frosting
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract for frosting
- 0.25 teaspoon salt for frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F 175 degrees C. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment rounds, and grease parchment.
- Make vegan buttermilk: combine soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Stir, let sit 5 minutes until slightly curdled.
- Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add vegan buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Batter will be thick.
- Stir in hot coffee. Batter will become very thin, this is correct.
- Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake 30-35 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out to wire racks to cool completely.
- Make frosting: Beat vegan butter 3 minutes until creamy. Add powdered sugar and cocoa on low until combined. Add coconut cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
- Layer and frost: One cake layer on plate, 0.75 cup frosting on top, second layer, then frost top and sides.
Vegan Notes
- Vegan butter works best when it comes in stick form (Earth Balance sticks, Miyoko's). Tub margarine has too much water and will make the frosting runny.
- Soy milk creates the best vegan buttermilk because of its higher protein content. Almond milk works but produces a slightly thinner batter.
- Cake layers may be slightly more delicate than traditional cakes. Cool completely before handling and frost with a light touch on the first layer.
- Check powdered sugar labels. Some brands use bone char to refine white sugar. Look for organic powdered sugar or brands labeled vegan/organic.
Variations
- Chocolate-raspberry: Spread seedless raspberry jam between layers before frosting.
- Death by chocolate: Add 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips to batter and use coconut cream ganache instead of buttercream.
- Sheet cake: Pour all batter into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake 35-40 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Per slice 1 of 12, with frosting
440
Calories
20g
Fat
64g
Carbs
4g
Protein
44g
Sugar
340mg
Sodium