Vegan Chocolate Cake (2024)

Fudgy, rich, moist, and decadent- this vegan chocolate cake is truly the best cake ever! No one will know it's vegan. This fan-favorite chocolate cake is made with ingredients that are easy to find at your local grocery store, just mix, pour, and bake! The perfect simple chocolate cake recipe to celebrate birthdays and holidays.

This post for vegan chocolate cake is sponsored by World Kitchen, who I love for their affordable, non-stick baking pans.

Now, fast-forward to the present, this vegan chocolate cake recipe brought back all of those chocolate cake-obsessed kid memories. After years of perfecting and tweaking, this is the best vegan chocolate cake recipe, no scratch that, the best chocolate cake recipe, vegan or not! It's rich, moist, fluffy, fudgy texture, full of chocolate flavor, with creamy vegan chocolate buttercream. And the best part is, it's so easy to make too. All of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store (no trips to fancy health food stores needed). Make this vegan cake recipe for parties, birthday cakes, holidays, or any time you have chocolate cravings.

To make this vegan chocolate cake recipe, I used these baking pans. Baker's Secret are my go-to pans for baking because they are affordable and non-stick, so this cake just slid right out of the pan. Thank you Baker's Secret for sponsoring this post.

Why do you put vinegar in vegan cakes? Vinegar is my favorite egg substitute in cakes. It may sound weird at first, but I promise you cannot taste it. The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to create a ton of bubbles. This makes the cake rise beautifully, and have a moist fluffy interior. If you've ever had a dense vegan cake before it's probably because they didn't know this trick! I use apple cider vinegar for its milder taste (I don't recommend white vinegar), but in a pinch lemon juice will also work.

Can this recipe be made into cupcakes? Yes! line the wells of cupcake pans with 24 paper liners. Follow the directions for the cake recipe, but then divide the batter evenly among the cupcake wells. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

What is vegetable shortening? In the vegan chocolate buttercream recipe, I use half vegan butter and half vegetable shortening. Vegetable shortening is a vegetable fat that is solid at room temperature which is why it's great for frosting as it holds its shape. I used Crisco brand which you can find it in the baking aisle. If you need to substitute 1 to 1 with vegan butter, but note that the frosting may be a bit softer and can melt easily. Make sure to keep everything cold to help prevent melting.

Can I freeze this vegan chocolate cake? the cake layers and the frosting can be frozen separately. Wrap each cake layer tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a sealable freezer bag. Store the frosting in an air-tight container. The frosting and cake layers can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw the cake layers in the refrigerator before assembling, and let the frosting come to room temperature before re-whipping and then frosting.

How to Make Vegan Chocolate Cake:

For the cake: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (180℃).Lightly grease two 9" or 8" round cake pans, then line the bottoms with a circle of parchment paper. In a large bowl whisk together all of the dry ingredients, then set aside.

In a second bowl whisk together all of the wet ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Don't over-mix the batter, it's ok if it has lumps.

Divide the batter evenly among the prepared baking pans. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans.

To make the vegan buttercream: Add the vegan butter, vegetable shortening, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer, or to a large bowl with a hand mixer. Mix on low speed to incorporate the powdered sugar, then increase to high speed to whip the frosting for about 1 minute until fluffy. If the frosting is a bit too stiff, add 1 tablespoon of plant-based milk at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

To assemble the vegan chocolate cake: Ensure the cakes a cooled completely before frosting so that the frosting doesn't melt. Run a knife around the edges of the cake pans, and flip the pans over to remove the cakes from the pans. Peel off the parchment paper and discard. Place the first cake on your cake plate, and spread ⅓ of the buttercream on top. Place the second cake on top of the frosted cake, and spread the remaining vegan chocolate frosting on top of that cake. Decorate as desired. Store the cake in the fridge or a cool place until you are ready to serve. The cake sure keep fresh for 5 - 7 days in the fridge.

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