I know I’m not alone when I say my love for chocolate cake runs DEEP. I’ve just always had a soft spot in my heart for a good chocolate cake with chocolate frosting (bonus if it has sprinkles!). So when I went about making this Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe, I made sure it had all the essentials: extra moist, rich chocolate flavor, just the right balance of sweet and decadent, and has that melt-in-your-mouth crumb we all want in a chocolate cake. It’s a true rival to my (full-dairy) One-Bowl Chocolate Cake recipe and I could not be more satisfied with how the vegan version turned out!
My ultimate goal with this recipe was to make it so tasty that you couldn’t tell it’s vegan. I’m so happy to say that this cake definitely knocks it out of the park on taste, texture, and all the things! After topping it with Vegan Chocolate Buttercream, even my (non-vegan) husband agreed that you truly can’t tell a difference between this recipe and the full-dairy version. Maybe we need to do a blind taste test to compare, but I feel like this Vegan Chocolate Cake is everything I was hoping for.
This cake recipe actually dates back to the depression era (it’s sometimes called Wacky Cake or Crazy Cake), when ingredients like eggs and butter were too expensive to have on hand. Even though it’s super simple and basically the kind of cake you can throw together with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, it makes the perfect vegan cake because it doesn’t need dairy to be amazing. It gets its moist crumb from a vegetable oil base, and while you can use any kind of oil you want, be sure that you like the taste of whatever you’re using, as it will end up flavoring the cake. I always opt for canola oil or generic vegetable oil, because they have the least amount of flavor and I want chocolate to be the star of the show in this recipe.
Why NON Dutch Process Cocoa?
Speaking of chocolate, it’s really important that you use non Dutch Process cocoa powder in this recipe. This is because there’s an amazing chemical reaction that happens between the cocoa powder, baking soda, and vinegar that’s responsible for giving this cake its rise. The chemical reaction doesn’t work properly with Dutch Process cocoa powder because of how it’s made – Dutch Process involves washing the cocoa beans in an alkaline solution called potassium carbonate, which neutralizes the acidity. In other words, it prevents that cool little science experiment from happening when you bake it, resulting in a deflated cake. Just be sure to use a natural, unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe. Any brand will work, but Hershey’s is what I use.
This Vegan Chocolate Cake pairs well with pretty much any frosting flavor, but it’s pictured here with my Vegan Chocolate Buttercream, which is lick-the-spoon amazing. I ate an embarrassing amount of it (zero regrets though!). This cake also pairs super well with the Vegan Oreo Buttercream from this recipe as well if you’re more of a cookies and cream kind of person.
To decorate, I frosted the cake smooth, added some Fancy Sprinkles in the “Hey Jude” mix (also vegan!), and used Wilton tip 4B to pipe swirls around the top before adding even more sprinkles. If you want to grow in your cake decorating skills, be sure to check out my Cake Basics series – it’s a collection of videos and blog posts that will show you how to build and decorate a cake just like this one from start to finish. However you decide to decorate, this Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe is sure to impress both vegans and non-vegans alike. Enjoy!
Vegan Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 3 Cups (400g) all-purpose flour
- 2 Cups (410g) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 Cup (45g) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder NOT Dutch Process
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 Cup (180ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 Cups (480ml) water, room temperature
Frosting
- 2 batches vegan chocolate buttercream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare three 6-inch or two 9-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with cooking spray and fitting the bottoms with a wax paper or parchment cake circle.
- Place all of the dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and stir on low for 30 seconds to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water and mix on low until combined.
- Pour into prepared cake pans no more than 2/3 full and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before filling and frosting with a double batch of Vegan Chocolate Buttercream (or frosting of your choice).
Notes
Did you make this Vegan Chocolate Cake? I want to know what you think! Let me know in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco in your Instagram photos to show me. I love to see what you create!
Is it okay to use avocado oil instead of vegetable?
Hi Annie! Yes, avocado oil is a good substitute if that’s what you normally bake with.
Hey would I be able to make it vanilla somehow? If so what would I change? Thanks
Hi Isla! I haven’t tested this particular recipe as a vanilla cake BUT I have two vegan vanilla cake options that I can recommend. This vegan vanilla cake: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vegan-vanilla-cake-recipe/ and this eggless vanilla cake recipe that can be made vegan: https://sugarandsparrow.com/eggless-vanilla-cake-recipe/
Hey how tall would the 8 inch two layer cake be? I want quite a tall cake and an not sure whether to increase to make a three layer 8 inch?
The 8-inch layers end up almost 2 inches tall, so with filling in between the cake ends up about 4.5 inches tall. If you want a taller cake than that, I would make 1.5x the recipe to make three 8-inch layers or double the recipe to make four 8-inch layers. Hope that helps!
Also lol I was curious about making it gluten-free and I noticed in the comments you said that it could be swapped out for all purpose one to one gluten-free flour however I noticed in notes on your vanilla eggless cake that you didn’t have luck with that cake being gluten-free and I’m not sure if you’ve tried this one that way or if it would also come out gummy
Hi Eva! The eggless vanilla cake didn’t turn out with with gluten free flour but this vegan chocolate cake works very well with gluten free all purpose flour as a substitute for the all-purpose flour. The texture is perfect and had amazing reviews!
Can I also use oat milk instead of water?
Yes, oat milk will work as a sub!
Produced a very moist cake, but unfortunately, did not taste chocolatey!
I was wondering how many cupcakes this recipe makes since I’ve made the cake multiple times but want to make cupcakes this time. Thank you!
Hi Clair! This recipe makes 24-30 cupcakes. Be sure to fill the tins between 1/2 and 2/3 full and bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes. Enjoy!
Made this and it was amazing Whitney! Everyone loved it! Was wondering if it will be enough to feed 10 people when only doing 2 layers instead of 3, thanks in advance
Yay, Emma! I’m so happy this recipe was a hit! And yes, it will easily feed 10 people as a two layer 6-inch cake. Enjoy!
Hi! How many people does this cake feed? Thank you!
Hi Gabby! This cake serves 12-15 people depending on how large you cut the slices.
Thank you! If I do 2 layers instead of 3 would that be enough for 8-10? Thanks again
This recipe is outstanding. Best I have ever used. So simple and use free but moist and delicious – and easily stackable. Froze and defrosted and was still amazing. I won’t be using other recipes again!!
Do you by any chance have a vegan funfetti?!
Yay, Mitsu! I’m so happy to hear this recipe was such a hit! I do have a vegan vanilla cake recipe but I’ve never tried adding sprinkles to it to make it a funfetti cake. Here’s the vegan vanilla cake if you want to try adding about 1/2 Cup of rainbow sprinkles coated in 2 tsp of flour: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vegan-vanilla-cake-recipe/ let me know if it works! I’ll definitely add vegan funfetti to my list of things to try 🙂
How many cups of batter does this recipe make?
Hi Claire! This recipe makes about 6 Cups of batter
Wowwee wow wow! I made this recipe as cupcakes for a vegan coworker. I have a non-vegan chocolate cupcake recipe that I’ve been super happy with, but honestly this recipe might replace that one! I can’t believe how delicious and rich these cupcakes were, and they’re easier to prepare than a traditional recipe. Paired with the vegan chocolate buttercream, and they were out of this world. Shocked. Shook. So impressed!!!!
So so happy to hear that, Sarah! I completely agree – this recipe rivals my favorite non-vegan chocolate cupcake recipe! So glad it was such a hit and thanks for letting me know 🙂
YOU GUYS. try it with coffee instead of water! You’re welcome
I only have one 7 inch cake tin can I still use this recipe?
Hi Claire! Yes you can. If you want more than one layer I’d recommend filling the tin no more than 2/3 full. There should be just a little more than enough batter for two 7 inch layers.
Hi Whitney,
Would it be okay to use cake flour instead of AP flour?
Hi Precious! I don’t recommend using cake flour in this recipe because it’s too fine for chocolate cakes. It doesn’t give enough structure when paired with cocoa powder (which is a natural cake softener). All purpose flour is the way to go for this one!
Hi Whitney,
if I wanted to make three 8 inch layers do I have to do 1.5x or 2x of the ingredients? and to frost it do I need to do 3x your frosting recipe? thank you so much in advance
Hi Arleny! To make 3 8-inch layers, 1.5x the recipe will be the perfect amount. And yes, I would make 3x the frosting recipe to have enough for a cake of that size. Hope that helps! Enjoy!
Looks amazing. I have been looking for a good vegan recipe (dairy & egg allergies) for ages. Can this be made gluten free too? (Wheat allergy)
Yay, Angela! I’m excited for you to try this. It can be made GF by subbing in an equal amount of GF all purpose flour for the regular all purpose flour. Enjoy!
Love this recipe! Do you know if this recipe would work for cupcakes?
Yay, Mel! So happy you love this recipe! This recipe does work as cupcakes. Be sure to fill the cupcake tins no more than 2/3 full and bake at 350 for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Enjoy!
Delicious and moist! Much better than any cake mix!
Yay, Tammy! So happy to hear that!
Hi Whitney
I was looking for a vegan cake to make for my son’s 7th birthday on Saturday.
I was wondering, did you make two batches of the frosting for your cake?
And I wonder about the water? Usually I use non-dairy milk. Is it still rich and full of taste?
Thank you for your thoughts
Hi Tina! This cake is super rich as-is, honestly love it even more than my non-vegan chocolate cake recipe which calls for buttermilk. And for the frosting, you will need two batches to fill and frost the cake. Enjoy!
I made this cake today, it is perfect! I subbed the plain flour for self-raising flour and left out the baking soda, but I assume the end result is the same. Beautiful, fluffy, moist chocolate cake! Thank you for sharing.
Yay, Natalie! So happy it worked with the self raising flour!
Hey Whitney, this cake looks absolutely amazing, and looks super tasty and moist , I am looking forward to making this!!!
Can’t wait for you to make this, Aoife! Hope you love it!
Hi Whitney!
I love all of your recipes and tutorials! I cannot wait to make this one, it looks fantastic!
I was curious, do you have any recipes for dairy-free and nut-free frostings? Thank you!
Katrina
Ah, I am sorry! I see the link to the frosting now 🙂 thank you!
Yes! I have a vegan vanilla frosting and a vegan chocolate frosting, both of which should be nut free. Looks like you found the link to the vegan chocolate frosting but here’s the link to the vegan vanilla frosting just in case: https://sugarandsparrow.com/vegan-vanilla-buttercream-recipe/
Thank you! Two last quick questions: do you think subbing coffee for the water would make the chocolate taste richer? Or could that potentially not work great from an acidity standpoint?
I’m also planning to make this for a friends birthday this weekend – so you think baking the layers tonight or tomorrow night and freezing them would be ok? Thank you!
I’m curious about this same thing, too!
Yes – subbing coffee for the water will work great! Just make sure it’s room temp. And you can totally bake the layers and freeze them to use for a later date. Enjoy!
I grew up eating this cake! My grandmother used to make it, and then my mom made it for us growing up. Still one of the best chocolate cakes out there! I share it with everyone I know, and I was glad to see it start circulating the internet several years back. So moist and chocolatey! I actually don’t think it needs any frosting at all, but I’m sure it’s good too 🙂
Yay! I grew up eating this cake too and totally agree – it’s tasty even without frosting!!