Vegan Chocolate Cake

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This is hands down the best dairy-free and Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe you will ever make. The cake is ultra-chocolatey, moist and tender and the vegan chocolate frosting is smooth and fluffy.

Prep Time30

Cook Time38

Cooling Time1 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Calories: 608kcal

Author: Megan Calipari

Cost: $5

Equipment

1 Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer with paddle attachment
2 Large Mixing Bowls
1 Whisk
2 8" Round Cake Pans
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Parchment Paper

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Cake Layers

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
¾ Cups Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder, sifted See Note!
2 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
½ teaspoon Baking Soda
½ teaspoon Kosher Salt half this amount if using table salt
2 Cups Non-Dairy Milk
¾ Cup Non-Dairy Butter, melted
2 teaspoon Instant Espresso
2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 teaspoon White Vinegar

For the Chocolate Frosting

1 Cup Non-Dairy Butter, room temperature See Note
½ Cup Vegetable Shortening
1 Cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder, sifted
4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
3 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk

Instructions

Bake the Cake Layers

Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with coconut oil or pan spray and insert a parchment circle into the bottom of each pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour, 2 Cups Granulated Sugar, ¾ Cups Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder, sifted, 2 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
In a medium bowl or a large measuring cup, combine non-dairy milk, melted non-dairy butter, instant espresso, vanilla and vinegar. Whisk well to combine.
2 Cups Non-Dairy Milk, ¾ Cup Non-Dairy Butter, melted, 2 teaspoon Instant Espresso, 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 2 teaspoon White Vinegar
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Then, divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. If you are weighing, it will be 24 ounces of batter per pan.
Bake the cakes in a 350* oven for 36-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.

Make the Chocolate Frosting

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the non-dairy butter and vegetable shortening until smooth and creamy.
1 Cup Non-Dairy Butter, room temperature, ½ Cup Vegetable Shortening
Add the cocoa powder and mix on low until combined. Then, add the powdered sugar and mix until combined.
1 Cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder, sifted, 4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
Add the vanilla and non-dairy milk and mix until light and fluffy.
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 3 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk

Stack and Frost the Cake

Once the cake layers are completely cool, place one layer upside down onto a cake stand or onto a cake board that is on a turntable. Top the layer with about ½ cup of chocolate frosting, and use a butter knife or offset spatula to spread the frosting to the edge of the cake.
Place the remaining cake layer on top (upside down again) and frost the cake using the same butter knife or offset spatula. Decorate the outside of the cake as desired- I used a medium round tip to make a simple border. Serve!

Notes

Do not use natural cocoa powder for this recipe. Be sure that it is Dutch-processed. I really love Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder.

Use a non-dairy butter that comes in stick form. I love Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks and Soy-Free Earth Balance Buttery Sticks.

Be sure the cake layers are completely cool before frosting them! Pop them into the freezer if you need to speed the process up.

Nutrition