Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe: Rich, Moist & Simple

Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe – You know that moment when you’ve promised to bring dessert to a dinner where one person is vegan, another is allergic to eggs, and a third “doesn’t believe in vegan desserts” (direct quote, I promise)? That was me last Tuesday, staring into my pantry with the kind of desperation usually reserved for people trying to file taxes at 11:58 PM on April 15th.

Vegan Chocolate Cake

Lumina Liu

This exceptional vegan chocolate cake is crafted from straightforward, plant-derived components, yielding a moist and rich dessert. The absence of eggs and dairy products in its composition makes it an ideal option for individuals adhering to a vegan diet or those subject to specific dietary constraints.

5 from 127 votes

Prep Time 15 Minutes

Cook Time 45 Minutes

Total Time 1 Hour

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 215 calories kcal

Ingredients

 

• 1 1/4 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup coco sugar
• 1/3 cup raw cacao
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 flax eggs
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup boiling water

Instructions

 

1. Simply mix all dry ingredients with wet ingredients and blend altogether.
2. Bake for 45 min on 180 degrees.
3. Decorate with some melted vegan chocolate.

Nutrition

Calories: 215.00 caloriesFat: 6.00 gCarbohydrates: 38.00 gCholesterol: 0.00 mgFiber: 4.00 gProtein: 4.00 gSaturated Fat: 1.00 g

Keyword Vegan, Chocolate, Cake, Plant-based, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Dessert

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I’ll admit, I’ve been skeptical about vegan baking. Not because I don’t think plants are magical (they are), but because I’m the type of person who typically measures butter with my heart rather than a measuring cup.

My previous vegan dessert attempts have resulted in what my husband lovingly refers to as “hockey pucks with chocolate chips.

But sometimes desperation leads to discovery. And this ridiculously simple vegan chocolate cake? It might just be my new back-pocket recipe for… well, everything.

The Accidental Vegan Baker

Let me be clear: I’m not vegan. I’m the person who once ate three cheese plates in one sitting and felt only mild regret. But I believe good food is good food, regardless of what’s in it or isn’t in it. And this cake is just objectively good food.

The beauty of this recipe is its accessibility. No hunting down obscure ingredients at four different specialty stores. No complicated techniques requiring the coordination skills of a gymnast.

Also read:

• Classic British Bakewell Tart Recipe
• Garides Saganaki Recipe
• Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe
• Beef and Mustard Pie Recipe
• Breakfast Potato Recipe
• Mbuzi Choma Recipe
• Kapsalon Recipe
• Bean & Sausage Hotpot Recipe
• Chilli Prawn Linguine Recipe
• Sweet Potato BBQ Pork Sloppy Joes Recipe
• Boulangère Potatoes Recipe
• Cream Cheese Tart Recipe

Just pantry staples combined in a way that somehow, against all odds, creates something deeply chocolatey and perfectly moist (sorry if you hate that word, but there’s really no substitute here).

Why This Recipe Actually Works

Before we dive in, let’s talk science for a moment. Traditional cakes rely on eggs for structure and lift, butter for richness, and milk for moisture.

This recipe cleverly substitutes flax eggs (ground flax seeds mixed with water) for chicken eggs, which provide similar binding properties.

The almond milk and boiling water create the perfect moisture level, while the cacao offers a depth of flavor that’s somehow more pronounced without dairy getting in the way.

The coco sugar (coconut sugar) is worth mentioning too. Unlike refined sugar, it has a slight caramel undertone that enhances the chocolate rather than just sweetening it. If you can’t find it, brown sugar will work in a pinch, though it won’t have quite the same complexity.

The Recipe That Saved Tuesday Dinner

Here’s the complete recipe to make your own vegan chocolate cake:

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup coco sugar (coconut sugar)
• 1/3 cup raw cacao
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 6 Tbsp water, let sit for 5 minutes)
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• Melted vegan chocolate for decoration (optional but highly recommended)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a cake pan with parchment paper. I use an 8-inch round pan, but a 9-inch works too—you’ll just have a slightly thinner cake.
2. While the oven is heating, prepare your flax eggs by mixing ground flax seeds with water and setting aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
3. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients: self-raising flour, coco sugar, cacao, and baking powder. Whisk them together until no cocoa clumps remain (or sift if you’re the type who plans ahead, unlike me).
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients: flax eggs, almond milk, and vanilla.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. The batter will be quite thick at this point—don’t panic! This is where the magic happens.
6. Add the boiling water and stir gently. The batter will loosen considerably and become glossy. It might look worryingly thin, but trust the process. This is exactly what gives the cake its incredible moisture.
7. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cake should spring back slightly when touched.
8. Allow to cool completely before decorating with melted vegan chocolate. I like to drizzle it haphazardly for that “I’m-too-busy-to-fuss-but-secretly-spent-time-making-this-look-effortlessly-rustic” look.

When Good Cakes Happen to Skeptical People

The first time I made this cake, I kept opening the oven door every five minutes, sure it would either never rise or somehow explode.

Neither happened. Instead, the heavenly smell of chocolate filled my kitchen, and the cake rose beautifully, with a slightly crackly top that I’ve since learned is the hallmark of a good chocolate cake.

The texture is what really surprised me. So many vegan cakes I’ve tried have been dense in a way that requires excessive chewing and an immediate glass of water.

This one is somehow both substantial and light, with a tender crumb that doesn’t immediately fall apart when you cut into it (another vegan baking miracle).

Variations for the Adventurous

While this cake is perfect in its simplicity, here are a few variations I’ve tried with success:

• Coffee lover’s version: Replace the boiling water with strong hot coffee for an even deeper chocolate flavor.
• Orange chocolate cake: Add the zest of one orange to the dry ingredients.
• Spiced chocolate cake: Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne for a Mexican chocolate vibe.
• Mint chocolate: Add 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract to the wet ingredients and top with crushed candy canes if it’s that time of year.

The batter also makes excellent cupcakes—just reduce the baking time to about 20-25 minutes.

The Verdict: Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe

The skeptical dinner guest who “doesn’t believe in vegan desserts”? He had two slices and asked for the recipe. The vegan friend was thrilled to have something other than fruit salad for dessert. And me?

I’ve made this cake three more times since then, which should tell you everything you need to know.

Vegan baking still intimidates me slightly, but this recipe has opened a door I didn’t even know was there. It’s proof that sometimes the simplest recipes—the ones that don’t require special equipment or a degree in food science—are the ones that surprise us the most.

So the next time you need a chocolate cake that will please everyone at the table, regardless of their dietary choices, give this one a try. It might just change your mind about vegan baking. It certainly changed mine.