Rich, delicious and most importantly, super easy to make, is what make this vegan chocolate cake recipe best! Make this to die for cake today.
I couldn’t imagine the world without chocolate or chocolate cake! It is difficult not to feel good about life while devouring a piece (of savouring, if you prefer) of chocolate cake.
This vegan chocolate cake recipe ticks all the right boxes. It is intensely chocolatey without being the least bit sickly. It is rich, but not overly so, and, most importantly, it is super easy to make, making this vegan chocolate cake the best!
What more can you ask for really? Dairy free, egg free and vegan this vegan chocolate mud cake is moist with a beautifully tender crumb.
Make a large cake, like I have, however, this recipe also works equally well in cupcake form and topped with a vegan chocolate ganache frosting, it is absolutely to die for.
All you need to do is combine the wet with the dry ingredients to make this vegan chocolate cake. Simply mix and bake. It couldn’t be simpler.
If you are in the mood for a chocolate fix this quick easy vegan chocolate cake is sure to satisfy!
Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe with vegan chocolate ganache
Barely adapted fromTea With Bea: Recipes from Bea's of Bloomsbury
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain flour 275g, all purpose
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder 100g
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda baking
- 1 tsp baking powder
- a pinch of salt
- 1 3/4 cups coconut milk 450ml
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- 1 3/4 cups brown sugar 320g
- 1 1/4 cups sunflower oil 320ml coconut oil is a great alternative
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
VEGAN CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING
- 250 g vegan dark chocolate roughly chopped
- 2/3 cup coconut milk see note
- fresh raspberries to decorate optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160 celsius (315 fahrenheit) and grease a 23cm (9 inch) cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
- Sift the flour, cocoa, bicarb, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Sift again.
- Combine the coconut milk, vinegar, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla extract in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 40 to 55 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with almost no crumbs attached. The middle of the cake should also spring back when lightly pressed. Place on a wire cake rack and leave to cool in the tin.
- To make the frosting place the chocolate and coconut milk in a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Set aside for an hour, or until slightly thickened (do not refrigerate), before frosting the cake.
- Pour the frosting over the cake and gently easy down the sides with an offset spatula. Top with raspberries, if using.
Recipe Notes
When making the chocolate ganache check the ingredients on your coconut milk and look for one without emulsifiers. Refrigerate the can of coconut milk overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and invert and scoop the coconut water off the top before measuring the coconut milk for the ganache. Store the remaining coconut milk in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.
Hi there : )…I am a vegan and thinking of making this cake for my birthday coming up later this month…quick question though…when you said coconut milk are you referring to the coconut milk you get in the refrigerated area (by the almond milk) or the kind in the can?
Hi Christina. I am so sorry for the slow reply. I had a computer meltdown recently, and am just catching up! I used the type that comes in the can. But there are some brands that do come refrigerated, in a carton, and they would work also. In my experience, the refrigerated varieties tend to have a lot of extra ingredients, which is why I lean towards the canned ones. I prefer the full fat version – the low fat one doesn’t have quite the same texture. Shake the can really well before you open it, so it all blends together.
And Happy Birthday!!!
Thank you so much for this recipe!!
This is my personal favourite. My non-vegan friends loved this cake. They said it’s the best cake they have ever eaten. 🙂
I'm so glad everyone enjoyed it Sindhu :) It is one of my favourites.
Hi ., will be making this cake today after all the reviews and lovely comments
I have one question ..
Can I use the normal milk instead of coconut milk.?
Please let me know Thnks
You can use normal milk in the cake without any issues, however, I’d recommend against it in the ganache as normal milk is thinner than coconut milk and will result in a runnier ganache. If you can tolerate dairy I’d recommend using cream in place of the coconut milk in the ganache. I hope you enjoy the cake 🙂
Thnk u so much…! ️️Tht was helpful 🙂
Just baked it thus evening. Perrrfect! Nobody would know it’s eggless.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Punitha 🙂 You can’t beat a good chocolate cake!
Love this recipe. I made it for my birthday last year and it was a huge hit! And this vegan ganache is amazing. I just included it as the topping on a recipe for chocolate beet cake that I shared on my own blog (with link back to here of course). Thanks! Look forward to trying some more of your recipes!
Hi. I’ve made this cake a number of times and it’s worked fabulously. However, there are some times where it is hard to slice and gets quite crumbly – like it’s not a clean slice and falls apart a little. When I’ve also tried to make this a 2 layer cake, it’s too soft to lift it and put it on the first layer without it breaking. Any ideas on what I could be doing wrong? I followed the recipe, didn’t have red wine vinegar, so used normal vinegar instead.
Thank you!
Kay, can I ask are you using cups or weights to measure your ingredients? That could have an effect. Other than the vinegar (which is fine) have you made any other changes to the recipe? As far as the cake crumbling goes, it might be a case of the cake being slightly overbaked. You can also try refrigerating the cake before slicing it, as this will help firm it up.
Hi Jennifer – I use cups. I also have to say my oven is pretty temperamental – I usually have to turn the heat down a little as it’s a small oven and if I keep it at a 160, the top is done faster than the bottom. But I’ll definitely fry putting it in the fridge.
Thank you!
Sounds like your oven might be the culprit then. 🙂 If you find the top is done too quick you can also try covering it in foil to stop it burning. Best of luck with it 😀
1 last question! Sorry, it may sound very petty. What’s the best way to refrigerate the cake? Let it cool for an hour, then cover it with foil and keep it in the fridge? Thanks! I don’t want it to dry out. Will let you know how it goes,
No need to apologise 🙂 Either wrap it in foil or cling film and it should be fine.
Jennifer – the cake was a hit. Vanished in 15 minutes. I’m not kidding. Everyone loved how moist it was – it was very soft so not very firm – but no one cared cause it just melted in their mouths and was luxuriously chocolatey.
Since a lot of people I know are vegan, I look forward to discovering more of your cake recipes that deliver such a moist and fluffy cake! They are already asking me to make more cake.
Well done on mastering a vegan chocolate cake.
p.s. I use Kay as a nickname, realize it may have been confusing!
Hello Jennifer, I made this cake last year for my partner’s birthday. It really was the best vegan chocolate cake we have ever eaten. Our friends — devoted food connoisseurs — could not stop eating. Thank you for posting this AMAZING recipe. I am absolutely petrified to make it again, because we eradicated it in just a few hours.
Hi Han 🙂 Thank you SO much for taking the time to leave a comment. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It’s been a while since I made it, in fact I’ve trying to work out what cake to make for my wedding anniversary next week and I think this will be it! Thanks for the reminder. Have a wonderful weekend 😀
I made this exactly as the method directed and the cake has hardly any flavour! It was also very oily on top.
I’m sorry you were disappointed Anastasia :(, as I’ve had a lot of readers email me to tell me this is their favourite vegan cake. The oily top sounds like it might be due to the oil not being mixed into the cake properly, which is why the oil sat on top.
Oh mah gahhhh a vegan cake I actually have all the ingredients for! This is totally beautiful. Can’t wait to try it!
Hey Jennifer. I am a vegan and where I live, there aren’t many vegan bakeries. I tried this recipe and the cake was wonderful. My non-vegan family loved this cake! thank you 🙂 😀
I have a question. Can all purpose flour be substituted with whole wheat or multigrain flour in this recipe? I don’t like to use to all purpose flour much. I realize whole grain flour cakes aren’t as fluffy as all purpose flour ones. That’s okay. TIA.
Sindhu, thank you for the lovely comments :). As you suggested, the cake will be much denser with wholegrain flour. The taste will also change slightly as well, but I think it is worth a try. Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Hi, just wanted to tell you I made this cake for my vegan sister’s birthday yesterday, its my first-ever vegan cake, and it was a hit. tall, rich and moist. just great. Oh, I added 100g of chopped dark chocolate to the batter for some extra chocolaty-ness… Thank u!
I will have to try it with almond milk one day! That does sound delish! Everyone has raved about my cupcakes! Oh and I used avocado oil instead of the sunflower oil (had to use what I had in house! Lol)
I just wanted to say that this is by far the BEST gf/egg free cake recipe! I made it for my daughter’s 4th birthday and now again as cupcakes! I cut back on the oil…only used a bit less than 1cup and unfortunately I can’t use coconut milk so I just used Lactaid. I couldn’t help but eat one cupcake now! I made mini cupcakes with the batter also! Great for pre k kids! Thank you again! Now I need to make your ganache next time
Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know how the cake turned out Cyndy! I’m so happy you enjoyed it. By the way, you can also replace the coconut milk for your favourite soy or nut milk. I’ve made it with almond milk and it is fantastic too. 😀
Btw I used the same amount of oil, but of coconut oil, jus FYI incase that makes a difference!
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks so much for sharing all the wonderful recipes, but this one is hands down my favorite…I have already made it a few times, with /without the ganache and its still a hit! Along with making it without the cocoa powder, and its just as tantalizing. But I have one question, I dont know what mistake I might be making but the last time I made it,the cake was bit oily. It was baked for 55 mins @ 315 F. and followed your recipe. The cake was still delicious, and moist but the bottom half of the cake seemed oily. What could the problem?! I would love your insight and input…And thanks again for sharing. Keep it going! best wishes! I am a fan!
Hi Sonia,
Thank you so much for your kind words. They’ve made my day 🙂 As for your question, there are a couple of reasons why the coconut oil could have lead to an oilier result. Usually you can sub coconut oil 1 for 1 with vegetable oils in most recipes, so it shouldn’t be a problem, but I haven’t tried it myself yet. So, my thoughts as to why this might be happening…..Did you melt the coconut oil? Melting the oil (and letting it cool) before adding it to the cake will help ensure it gets evenly distributed through the mixture. Also, perhaps the mixture needed to be stirred a bit more thoroughly before baking. Even though it doesn’t need it I actually use my stand mixer to make the cake as I know my arms aren’t strong enough to whisk it properly (thanks to carpal tunnel). That might be worth a try next time. Anyway, I hope that helps. Please let me know how you get on 🙂 PS I have a vegan creamy mushroom pasta sauce recipe coming soon that I think you might like. Keep your eye out for that 😀
Hi Jennifer, I’d love to bake your cake for my birthday, 🙂 so I have one question to make sure I do everything right and it will get as wonderful as on your pics- can you tell me which kind of coconut milk you use? Do you use the thicker or the more liquid milk? Or do you even use two different kinds of coconut milk for the dough and the ganache?
Hi Jana 🙂 I just use regular coconut milk for both the cake and ganache. But for the ganache I refrigerate it overnight and pour off the water. I hope that makes sense. Have a wonderful birthday and I hope you enjoy the cake. Let me know how it turns out. 😀
Yummy yummy cake. There are only two of us and we want to keep it all to ourselves!! can we freeze it in portions to have as treats in the weeks to come?
Hi Lyn, 🙂 yes you can freeze the cake. It won’t be as delicious as it would be fresh, but it will still be tasty.
I made this for my dad on fathers day and it was a big hit!! So yummy.
I’ve just made another for my sisters birthday! 😛
I’m so pleased it was such a hit Elsie 😀 I hope your sister enjoys hers.
This cake came out amazing! My roommate (non vegan) said it was one of the best things she has ever eaten. It was sooo moist. My co-workers loved it. I would suggest NOT baking these into cupcakes though, the loaf version I made was the best one.
This is the best vegan cake I’ve ever made!
I’m so happy to hear the cake was so successful 😀 It is such a fantastic cake isn’t it?
Hey Jennifer,
your recipe sounds so tasty and the photos are great!
Do you know if the cake still tastes good if you bake it two days in advance? I have to make one for Saturday and want it to be still moist and delicious, of course 🙂
Hi Resi,
The cake is best on the day after baking, but it is still good on the 3rd day. Let me know how you go with it 😀
One more thing, I’d suggest keeping the cake in an airtight container and then add the ganache before serving as I find the ganache can get a little hazy the longer it sits. Good luck!
thank you so much for posting this amazing recipe! I baked it for my birthday and we were all crazy about it! My family is not vegan (i am) and my boyfriend is only vegetarian but they were thoroughly impressed! It tasted a lot like the Great Wall of Chocolate at P.F. Changs!
Thank you bunches!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Flynn! Happy belated birthday 😀
would I be able to substitute the sunflower oil for any other oil? 🙂 thank you xxx
Yes, another oil should be fine. Just go for something relatively flavour neutral unless you are happy with the flavour of the oil potentially coming through in the cake 😀
Made this for my birthday. I added toasted coconut flakes in top. Soooo good. Thanks for the inspiration.
Happy belated birthday Natasha! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake 😀
I tried this recipe for birthday cake a month ago…it was soooooooooooo good…my husband who is not a big fan of cake kept coming back for more…so yummy to the last crumb!!! Thank you for sharing…best birthday cake ever 🙂
Happy belated birthday 🙂 I’m so glad you loved the cake. It’s a favourite of mine too.
Lovely recipe, Jeniifer! Do you think apple cider vinegar would work?
Yes, I think apple cider vinegar would be fine. I hope you enjoy the cake. Let me know how it goes 🙂
Hi jennifer! Im not vegan! But was wondering if I could try this recipe with the regular dairy products that I’d normally use like milk and cream maybe? :p! Or does the coconut milk give an extra oomph to the cake? Another issue is that brown sugar is not easily available here where I live! You think I can substitute it to regular sugar?
Hi Sonal 🙂 You could certainly use regular milk, and regular cream in the ganache. As for the brown sugar, it does add an extra depth of flavour to the cake, however you can use regular sugar if not available. I hope you enjoy it. Let me know how you go 😀
Can I replace red wine vinegar with ordinary vinegar. Cheers
If you don’t have red wine vinegar I’d suggest leaving the vinegar out all together. 🙂
This cake IS as amzing as it looks! I made it for my birthday and everyone loved it! I love to blow people’s mind with vegan recipes and did cake definitely accomplished that 🙂 thank u!
You’re so welcome Wilmarie!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and happy belated birthday! 😀
Chocolate cake is my favourite cake.It is very amazing.It’s look absolutely yummy.
Chocolate cake is indeed sexy isn’t it?! This one is so gorgeous, and has me majorly craving chocolate. Gorgeous – pinned!
That looks crazy good, Jennifer. Vinegar is an amazing thing, isn’t it!?
I agree with you 100% about marketing sucking some of the life out of the holidays. And the obsession with gifts, too. Jase and I each gave each other a gift or two this year, and I felt really fortunate for that.
Vinegar is amazing. I just love it, and there are so many wonderful varieties to explore too. 😀 And glad I’m not alone on the marketing and gift front 🙂
Oh man- this looks INCREDIBLE! Love the raspberries served up with such a decadent cake!
Thanks Tanya. It is decadent. Great for special occasions I think. 😀
God this looks amazing! And what I love about it most is that it uses ingredients that are in my pantry already. My hubby is dairy-intolerant and will probably die with excitement when he sees thins!!
Thanks Jo, and I’m with you, I love recipes where I don’t have to go out and buy special ingredients. I hope you enjoy the cake as much as we have. 🙂
That looks absolutely phenomenal! I’m weaning off the sweet stuff after the holidays, so this will have to wait for another time, although I’m sure I will be able to find a good excuse 😛
Bookmark it for a time when you feel like indulging a bit 🙂 I’m keen to try a version with coconut sugar instead of brown sugar to make it a little bit healthier, but this will definitely be a cake I will be making again.
This cake looks so amazing!!
Thanks Monique 😀
Congratulations on the gorgeous new blog name Jennifer and what a lovely first recipe. I’m not vegan but I have friends with allergies and intolerances and love having recipes up my sleeve which I can make for us all to enjoy. Chocolate is always a winner in my house 🙂
Thanks Kate 😀 Chocolate is always a winner in my house too.
Those buns were on sale on Boxing Day apparently. Pitiful, really.
Lovely recipe… I love Maureen’s comment!
Dark, rich and sexy? You forgot to mention tall.. that cake is very tall. 🙂
It looks and sounds terrific, Jennifer!
Yes, I did forget tall didn’t I 😀
Beautiful cake, I love the thick layer of ganache. This would be perfect for Valentine’s Day!
It would indeed be perfect for valentines day 🙂
WOW! This looks so moist and chocolatey!
It is Rachael 🙂 It’s almost like a mud cake but not as heavy.
Wow, this looks amazing! Can’t wait to give it a try
This looks scrumptious! A question – do you need to do the fridge/remove coconut water thing for the cake, or only the ganache? Thanks!
Hi Elizabeth, only for the ganache. Sorry I wasn’t clearer.