All too often, vegan desserts get a bad rap. So what if we told you the best vegan chocolate cake is also the easiest, generally crowd-pleasing-est, and time-saving-est chocolate cake recipe we’ve ever encountered? And what if we then added that it not only eschews eggs, butter, and milk, but a stand mixer and electric beater as well? Perhaps, like us, you’ll take special pleasure out of revealing its egg- and dairy-free nature to every non-vegan friend you serve it to. Regardless, you’ll certainly never need to look for another vegan chocolate cake recipe again.
Every ingredient for this moist, tender, sponge-style cake is shelf-stable, so it’s also perfect for dessert emergencies (we all have those, right?). Sifting the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, cane sugar, and salt ensures the dry ingredients are well-aerated and evenly mixed before you add the vanilla extract, canola oil, white vinegar, and water. Once you’ve whisked the batter together—entirely by hand!—you just bake it in buttered and floured cake pans for about half an hour (closer to 25 minutes if you opt to make cupcakes). Then assemble it with the frosting of your choice. To keep things dairy-free, consider pairing it with our vegan fluffy buttercream frosting, our vegan cream cheese frosting, vegan coconut frosting, a fudgy dark chocolate ganache frosting recipe, vegan peanut butter frosting, or whatever store-bought vegan frosting you already know and love.
This recipe was excerpted from ‘Organic and Chic’ by Sarah Magid. Buy the full book on Amazon.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes one 8-or 9-inch layer cake or 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans, or place liners in 2 muffin pans for 24 cupcakes. Set aside.
Step 2
In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Set aside.
Step 3
In a medium bowl, mix the vanilla extract, oil, vinegar, and cold water.
Step 4
Slowly whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, being careful not to overmix. The mixture will be quite wet, but this is okay.
Step 5
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. For cupcakes, the baking time is 24 to 26 minutes.
Step 6
Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool.
Editor’s note: Cake is pictured with Vegan Fluffy Buttercream Frosting. This recipe first appeared on Epicurious in June 2009. The intro has been updated. Head this way for more of our best vegan desserts →
Leave a Review
Reviews (54)
Back to TopRecipe isn’t clear whether it makes two layers or one since it says both in the recipe so that should be corrected because it definitely makes two thin layers. I made one 9” cake in a fairly deep pan and after 50 minutes, toothpick came out reasonably clean. But it turned out to be a bit of a “lava” cake as the very center at the bottom was gooey (which my daughter actually liked). I subbed in cold coffee for 1.5 c of the cold water and had to use apple cider vinegar bc that’s what I had, but otherwise followed the recipe. Cake was moist and spongy and delicious. I frosted it with a vegan espresso buttercream, which I highly recommend as a nice counterpoint to the intense chocolate flavor.
Ra
Philly
5/16/2022
Quick & easy. The flavor is not completely well-rounded. I use 1c. cold coffee & a dash of cinnamon or ginger. It's still so fast & easy I highly recommend it. Tip: pour into pans immediately after mixing. The vinegar & baking soda reaction bubbles could deflate if you let it sit or disturb them too much. Makes 26 cupcakes not 24
Marionette
Portland, OR
4/25/2022
This is a classic recipe from decades ago It was the first cake i evet made and i got the recipe from the "I Hate To Cook Book ". And they mentioned how old it was . It was on the side of some ingredient. Thst it is vegan, is just perfect. Simplest addition is powered sugar sprinkled on top. Or make two layers, fill them with Raspberry jam. Then sprinkle with powdered sugar. Many things can be done and still keep it vegan :) But it is true it lacks a certain degree of chocolateness. Still worth it !
Merrick Dean
NY, NY
1/21/2022
This is the easiest cake I ever made. I was amazed at minimal time it took to make.
Anonymous
East Hanover NJ
11/28/2021
Beautiful, delicious, moist, chocolatey but not too chocolatey, AMAZING cake. I put a strawberry cream cheese frosting all over it and strawberry decorations on top. A real nice touch, you should try it. Also really easy to make, my friend and I made this together! We are both kids. the sifting got a little tedious though.
Yummy and Friends
Simi Valley, California
6/13/2021
This cake was delicious: moist, spongy, and sweet! My family and I really enjoyed it! It was super fun and easy to make (I'm 12 years old)! This is a great cake for teens to make! This is
Anonymous
Austin, Texas
2/18/2021
This cake was so delicious and moist. It was just the right amount of sweet without being gross. Everyone in my family loved it. It was very easy to make. I made it alone with no help and I'm only 12.
the young baker
Utah, US
6/17/2020
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