it is<\/em> a classic chocolate cake!<\/p>\nUnlike many other vegan cake recipes, this one does not require a single ingredient not found in traditional chocolate cakes, such as flax or chia eggs, avocado, or black beans.<\/p>\n
Baking soda helps it rise, and applesauce or banana or nondairy yogurt binds the cake without eggs, also keeping it delightfully light and fluffy. The recipe can be dairy free, egg free, whole grain, and even oil free. <\/p>\n
No one ever suspects it\u2019s healthier and vegan.<\/p>\n
Single serving version: Vegan Chocolate Mug Cake<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
<\/picture> <\/picture><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nChocolate Cake Flavors<\/h3>\n Mounds Bar Cake:<\/strong>\u00a0Frost with coconut cream or\u00a0Vegan Chocolate Mousse, and top with more shredded coconut.<\/p>\nNutella Chocolate Cake:<\/strong>\u00a0Frost each layer with chocolate hazelnut butter or my recipe for\u00a0Healthy Nutella.<\/p>\nGerman Chocolate Cake:<\/strong>\u00a0Add a homemade or store bought caramel frosting, mixed with chopped pecans and toasted coconut.<\/p>\nBlack Forest Vegan Chocolate Cake:<\/strong>\u00a0Frost with\u00a0Coconut Whipped Cream\u00a0or cashew cream, and decorate with cherries or cherry jam.<\/p>\nMocha Cake:<\/strong>\u00a0Add a small spoonful of instant coffee to your favorite chocolate frosting or to my\u00a0Chocolate Avocado Mousse.<\/p>\nVegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake:<\/strong>\u00a0Use peanut butter in place of the oil for an oil free cake. Frost with the vegan cream cheese frosting recipe from my\u00a0Easy Cinnamon Rolls\u00a0post, and beat a half cup of peanut butter into the frosting.<\/p>\nTrending now:\u00a0How To Cook Sweet Potatoes<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a03 secret tricks<\/p>\n\n
<\/picture> <\/picture><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nHow to make a vegan chocolate cake<\/h3>\n Start by gathering all of the ingredients.<\/p>\n
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease two 8-inch round or square pans, then set the pans aside.<\/p>\n
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, sweetener, and optional chocolate chips until evenly mixed.<\/p>\n
If using almond butter, gently warm it until soft and easily stir-able. Whisk the nut butter or oil, applesauce, yogurt, or banana, water, and pure vanilla extract in a new bowl. (If you want it to be a one bowl cake, it technically does work to just add all of the liquid ingredients into the dry mix instead.) <\/p>\n
Pour the wet into the dry mixture and stir until just combined. Don\u2019t over-mix. Smooth into the prepared 8-inch pans, dividing the batter evenly between the pans.<\/p>\n
Bake on the oven\u2019s center rack for 25 minutes, or until the cakes have risen and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out mostly clean.<\/p>\n
Let cool before frosting. (It\u2019s not required, but if you can wait, I recommend letting the cake sit overnight and not tasting until the next day, because the flavor is richer and sweeter after sitting a day.)<\/p>\n
When ready to frost, go around the sides of the cake pans with a knife, then invert the chocolate cake onto two plates. Frost separately, then place one cake on top of the other. Add icing to the sides, then serve and enjoy. The cake can be frosted ahead of time if you prefer. <\/p>\n
I like to store leftovers in the fridge for freshness (especially if iced with a perishable frosting) for up to a week, but you can store them covered at room temperature for a day or two if you wish. Cake slices can also be frozen. <\/p>\n
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<\/picture> <\/picture><\/noscript><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nVegan Cake Frosting Recipes<\/h3>\n I recommend this shortening-free\u00a0Vegan Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.<\/p>\n
Or feel free to use your favorite homemade frosting or one of the options listed above in the \u201cchocolate cake flavors\u201d section of this post.<\/p>\n
Surprisingly, there are also many store brand frostings that are accidentally vegan, including some of the flavors from Duncan Hines, Pillsbury, Simple Mills, Miss Jones, and Betty Crocker. Look on the labels to see which flavors don\u2019t contain milk products.<\/p>\n