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Vegan Chocolate Cake – delicious, moist and full of chocolatey goodness!
It is said that “necessity is the mother of invention”. I imagine that not many good things came from The Great Depression, the economic tragedy which occurred during the 1930s, but this Vegan Chocolate Cake would be one of them. Butter, milk and eggs were luxuries. They were expensive and in short supply during those years but creative cooks managed to still produce delicious cakes. In this recipe baking soda and vinegar assist with the absence of eggs, thus giving the cake some lift. Vegetable oil (or sometimes lard) replaced butter and water took the place of milk.
It may seem hard to believe, but even though this cake does not contain eggs, milk or butter it is rich, moist and delicious.
This cake is ideal for people with food allergies or intolerances, and I’ve broadened its use by using gluten-free flour. Three days after baking, it is still lovely to eat.
Perhaps the greatest testament to this Vegan Chocolate Cake is that it has endured well beyond The Great Depression, and remains popular to this day.
The original recipe didn’t have frosting, and really it doesn’t need it, so if you don’t want to make it that way a dusting of icing/confectioner’s sugar will be sufficient. Here I serve the cake with berries and coconut yoghurt.
You may also like to enjoy the cake with our Vegan Cashew Cream. Looking for other great vegan recipes? Be sure to check out our Four Ingredient Fruit Cake and Vegan Chocolate Mousse!
Please enjoy this cake, and let me know in the comments below if you make it!
Xx Alex
This recipe has been adapted from sweetlittlebluebird.com
Vegan Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour I used Orgran
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa *
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar or apple cider
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil I used Grapeseed
- 1 cup water
For the frosting:
- 1 1/2 tbsp vegan margarine I used Nuttelex
- 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa *
- 1/4 cup icing sugar confectioner’s sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp boiling water approximately
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180 Degrees C (350 F).
- Grease and line the base of an 8” cake tin with baking paper.
- Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, salt and baking soda in a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine vanilla, vinegar, oil and water.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and, using a whisk, mix together until completely combined.Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Set the pan on a wire rack until the top of the cake feels completely cool to the touch.
- Remove the cake from the tin and place on a serving platter.
- The cake may be frosted or dusted with icing sugar
- For the frosting:Combine cocoa and icing sugar. Add the margarine and vanilla. Pour 1 tablespoon of boiling water onto the margarine and mix well. You may not need all the water so start slowly, and add more if you need to, to get a smooth spreading consistency. Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake.
Notes
Nutrition
137 Comments on “Vegan Chocolate Cake”
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This recipe was so heavenly! And my dairy-free daughter thanks you too.
Thank you Krissy for the lovely feedback. I am delighted that you enjoyed the cake. 🙂
Rich, moist and delicious? That’s exactly what I like in cakes 🙂
Hi Julia, those three adjectives describe it well. Please let me know if you make the cake. 🙂
this is a great recipe for us! our son is allergic to egg & dairy so perfect. Pinning!
That’s excellent David, I’m so pleased that we have a recipe that you will be able to make for your son. 🙂
WOW – I have so gotta try this – this is one gorgeous cake and it made me realize that I shouldn’t be reading food blogs on an empty stomach! 🙂
Thank you for the great comment, I’m so pleased that you like the cake. Please let me know if you make it. 🙂
Sounds heavenly. When you’re craving something sweet, you just can’t beat a delicious chocolate cake!
There is really something special about chocolate cake, isn’t there Rosa? Please let me know if you make it. 🙂
Your Vegan Chocolate Cake looks delicious, it’s perfect for my diet and fewer carbs. Would love to try your fantastic recipe.
Thank you so much, I’m so pleased that you would like to try the cake recipe. I do hope that you enjoy it. 🙂
I recently found out that I’m intolerant to cow’s milk, so I’ll definitely give this a try!!
Hi Heather, I’m so pleased it will suit your dietary requirements. Let me know if you enjoy it. 🙂
It is a must try for me. I have tons of vegan friends and it is never easy with the desserts for them
Hi Lyosha, I’m so pleased that you like the recipe. I hope your friends enjoy it. 🙂
This looks delicious and I can’t wait to give this a try! Even though I am not vegan, I am in search of different recipes to add a little variety in my family’s meals. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Larisa, thank you for your feedback. I look forward to hearing if you make the cake. 🙂
It looks so yummy! I love chocolate and I’m sure it just as rich, chocolatey and moist as you mentioned 🙂
It is a delicious, rich and moist cake. Let me know if you make it. 🙂
Wow I recentally cut out dairy so this is great! This cake looks so delicious!!! It’s hard to find vegan dessert recipes that actually look and taste good!!
Hi Natalie, I think you will be very pleasantly surprised by this cake. It’s amazing what can be achieved without the usual ingredients. 🙂
I’ve never tried vegan chocolate cake, but I’m intrigued for sure.
Hi Ritu, it is a very pleasant surprise. It’s a lovely cake, quite rich and full of flavour. Let me know if you try it. 🙂
This recipe looks so delicious and easy to make. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Shar, let me know if you try the recipe. 🙂
Taking note of those ingredients! Hopefully I can recreate this later.
Thank you Michael, I hope that you enjoy it. 🙂
I’m not vegan but I can tell you my mouth is watering just looking at all of these delicious and gorgeous pictures that you posted! I can’t wait to share with friends !
Cait, this is one which is enjoyed by vegans and non-vegans. Let me know if you make it. 🙂
I love vegan desserts, especially cakes and cupcakes. I don’t know why, I find them to me so much more moist than desserts made the traditional way. I can’t wait to give this one a try.
Kisha, that’s great feedback, thank you. Let me know when you try it. 🙂
Mmmmm this looks so delicious, and I also love that it is vegan. Great job!
Thank you Brie for the lovely comments. 🙂
I’m a vegetarian but I’m trying to stockpile great vegan recipes that will help me transition into being a vegan. I think this recipe will help a lot!
Hi Alexa, I think you will agree that nothing is lost with this cake. It is delicious. Let me know if you make it. 🙂
This looks AMAZING!!!
I wish I had it right now – at 9:40 AM haha
Hi Ashli, you could make a coffee and call it morning tea! No guilt then. 🙂 🙂
Wow, another great recipe. I need to shift to your house please. Omg, gonna try this for sure for my brother’s birthday next week.
Thank you Arun, I’m glad that you like it. Let me know when you make it. 🙂
I really wanna try what a vegan chocolate cake tastes like. But I know that no two chocolate cakes are the same. So I might not find one as luscious as this.
Hope you’ll give this one a try then 😀
The reason why I rarely eat cakes because usually the cakes available in the market and restaurants are way too sweet. I would like to try this vegan chocolate recipe at home 😀 Thanks for your generosity!
Hope you will enjoy it, Blair! 🙂
I am not vegan. But this chocolate cake looks yummy! I will surprise my kids on their birthday by this.
Enjoy, Bindu 🙂 You won’t notice it is vegan, trust me 😉
Anything chocolate is awesome, in my opinion. 🙂 And this looks especially delicious, just like any “regular” moist, decadent chocolate cake.
Thank you for stopping by 🙂 And agreed – mm, chocolate 😀
I would love to make this cake. It really does look delicious and amazingly moist. I would love to try it out.
Hope you will give it a try and enjoy, David! 🙂
This looks great! I’m alsoways looking for recipes that will meet some of my friends/ family’s dietary restrictions and I’ll be saving this for our next get together!
Fantastic, Katie – hope this is something you will all enjoy.
I’m not vegan, but I have to say this looks really good. I love all the healthy ingredients!!
I am not either, Kayla – but it truly is that good! 😀
My mouth starts watering on this delicious cake! I will definitely save this amazing recipe! Yummm yummm
Aww, that makes me so happy, Gladys – thank you!
Yuuuum! I have dinner guests coming tonight and might just give this a go. It’s sounds delish! Thanks for sharing!
Hope you’ll all love it, Dani! 🙂
Who am I to say to no to chocolate cake? Which is one of my fav treats! Even better if it is vegan!
Yay! Hope you’ll love this one!
Oh this is great that you can still enjoy chocolate cake when you are vegan! I didnt know! I’m keen to try more vegan food!
I have some other recipes you might be interested in trying, in that case, Laura 🙂
Oh yummy!Chocolates again! Just what I love for dssert! The chocolate cake looks so scrumptious!
Thank you for your kind words, Dalene 🙂
this looks and sounds do yummy! I love finding vegan recipes. I am vegetarian now but thinking about going vegan!
I have a few great ones you’ll need to try, Leah! 🙂
That looks way too good to be vegan! I need to try this asap.
Hope you will love it, Heather 🙂
Yaass!! Yummy vegan stuff! It’s hard to find good recipes that are actually vegan. I’m a chocolover, so I will love to take a bite of this. Thank you for sharing!
XO
Candace
http://www.thebeautybeau.com
Enjoy! Hope you’ll love it, Candace 🙂 xo
All I see is:Jessica eat this cake the diet isnt work it, it’s a health alternative anyway lol. 30 mins of perfection
Haha! This is the BEST comment 🙂
im a huge fan of sweets especially chocolates! but one thing I have not tried is a vegan one so now im so curious to try this! thanks for this!
Hope you will give it a try and enjoy it very much 🙂
This looks so yummy. I have a dairy allergy so I can make this for my birthday.
Hi Tara 🙂 I think this will make a fabulous birthday cake. Enjoy!
I’m going to make one of these for my daughter who is vegan. Minus a big old piece I’m going to enjoy before I take it to her, lol. I love chocolate cake.
Ha! That sounds like a great plan to me, Terri 🙂
I do love chocolate, that’s for sure. I’ll have to give this a try. I’m not vegan, but I’m always curious on how vegan things taste.
Hi Amber! You definitely don’t miss the dairy factor in this cake 🙂 I hope you will try it and let me know what you think 🙂
Too bad I can not eat cocoa ç_ç because this vegan cake looked amazingly good!
Oh that is a shame! I will have to come up with another cake for you 🙂
It looks so delicious!!! I will have try this. My sister just started being vegan too, so with her birthday around the corner, this is great!
Oh fantastic, Teresa!! I think this is something you will both enjoy! Try it with the Vegan Cashew Cream 🙂
This looks so delish!! I have to stay away from real chocolate while I’m nursing this seems like a dope alternative!
Thank you! Hope you’ll enjoy it 🙂
This cake looks divine and it’s vegan! Perfect for me. Now I can have a cake and eat it too 🙂 Veganism is really taking off now and there’s a lot of recipes out there.
That is so great! I have a couple of other vegan recipes if you’re interested in taking a look, also! 🙂
These are two of my favourites:
Tofu Sesame Toasts
Vegan Chocolate Mousse
Wow that looks so rich. Great idea to make it GF too. Pinned for later.
Thanks, Helen! Let me know if you do make it 🙂
Omg can we say yum?!? Chocolate Cake is my all time favorite!! Must give your recipe a try!
Thanks, Courtney. Enjoy! 🙂
not vegan here, but sometimes we have guests who are. excellent option to offer them!
Thanks, Jasmine! I am not a vegan either, but I agree, it is a great option to have on hand for those who are 🙂 (plus, I love the taste of it myself!)
We are not vegan but do try to limit animal products. This cake looks delicious, will give it a try!
Thank you so much, Evelyn! Let me know what you think 🙂
You know I crave for chocolate. I just now had a brownie and this one now made me hungry again.
Chocolate is just so good… 😉
Trying it at home today! Thanks.
Hi Daisy! Love to know what you think 🙂
Wow the cake looks scrumptious! I can’t beli the only few ingredients you use to make it. Fabulous
Thank you so much, Chastity! Appreciate your kind words 🙂
Yummm! I will definitely be giving this a go! My good friend Sarahs birthday is coming up, and I always struggle to find good vegan recipes to bake for her! Thankyou <3
Oh, that’s great, Dayna! Thank you! I have other vegan recipes such as my Vegan Chocolate Mousse and Vegan Cashew Cream (which goes very well with the cake!) if they’re of interest to you, or Sarah, also! 🙂
This looks very similar to the cake my mom always made for us. We call it Nackey cake probably because there was a spelling mistake and it was supposed to be Wacky. It sort of tastes like red velvet to me.
Hi Catherine 🙂 That is a lovely memory 🙂 Thank you for stopping by!
Looks delicious! I love vegan choco cakes, it tastes so very much better than regular option! I just wonder why vegan desserts are so superior!
That is a very good point!! So glad you enjoy them, and hope you will love this one just as much 🙂
Yum! This looks like such a great recipe. I will have to try this for the holiday season.
Thank you so much, Jordan! Enjoy 🙂
my husband can’t eat dairy products! this sounds great for him!
Hi Angela! I have other vegan options available, please feel free to check them out 🙂
I have been trying to eat healthier, and when it comes to desserts it’s hard to find something that tastes good, but is also healthy. I can’t wait to give this a try, for myself.
Thanks, Rikki! Enjoy 🙂
Gosh girl, you’re making me crave for dessert at 9:30pm! Hahah!
Haha, no judgement eating dessert at anytime here 😉
This sounds absolutely delicious !
Thank you, Mariah! It tastes just as good as it sounds, I assure you! 🙂
This looks out of this world!!! I’ve been trying vegan desserts recently and they are amazing! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Lorally! Yes, it is amazing isn’t it? I have a dear friend who is a vegan so have been working out some recipes that are suitable for her 🙂 It is exciting when you come up with something that everyone will love!
I am drooling looking at this. What a great job finding something healthy that also tastes great!
Hi Josephine! Thank you!
I appreciate you stopping by 🙂 Let me know if you get a chance to try this recipe!
Made this morning. Served with berries to friends at morning tea. Went down a treat!
Hi Brian, thank you for sharing. Glad to hear that you and your friends enjoyed the cake so much. Cheers!
I want to try this for my vegan friend who is hosting a girls weekend – looks like a crowd pleaser!!
Hi Misty! Thanks for stopping by. It has been a very popular cake – I hope you enjoy! 🙂 x
I am not vegan but this cake sounds DELICIOUS! I cant wait to try this recipe! thank you thank you thank you!
Christina
https://homesweetholmes.net/
Thank you Christina!
I hope you’ll enjoy the cake x
Delicious, rich and moist. You would never know this was a vegan cake!
Fantastic to hear Alice, thank you so much for sharing. Pleased to hear that this recipe was a success for you. All the best!
Yum, yum, yum! This has been added to my recipe box. Can’t wait to try. I am not vegan, but I have to eat a low amount of dairy per my doctor’s orders so this is a life saver!
Hi Joann – This is the cake for you then! I hope you’ll love it. Let me know when you get a chance to try 🙂
I’m not a vegan, but I would definitely try this!
Hi Karla! Same here – not a vegan, but believe me, this cake is not lacking anything! 🙂 Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!
YES!!!!!!!!!! I cannot wait to give this a try. Looks amazing and not to complicated. Thank you for sharing and I will report back once I have given it a try.
Thanks Julie! I look forward to hearing what you think 🙂