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vegan dark chocolate cake

Rich & Moist Vegan Dark Chocolate Cake

This incredibly moist and rich vegan chocolate cake proves that plant-based desserts can be absolutely divine. Made with simple pantry ingredients and a secret boiling water technique, it delivers deep chocolate flavor and perfect texture that will fool even the most devoted dairy lovers.
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Keyword: Vegan
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 285kcal

Equipment

Mixing Bowl
Whisk

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup soy or almond milk
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup canola or melted coconut oil
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup boiling water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 9x13 inch pan or two 9-inch round pans.
  • In a small bowl, mix soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside for 5 minutes to curdle and create vegan buttermilk.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Add the curdled milk mixture, oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.
  • Slowly stir in the boiling water until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thin.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan(s) and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Cool completely in the pan before frosting or removing.

Notes

The boiling water creates the incredibly moist texture - don't skip this step even though the batter seems thin
Make sure to cool completely before frosting as the cake is very delicate when warm
Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze unfrosted layers for up to 3 months
For extra richness, substitute strong black coffee for the boiling water
If using coconut oil, make sure other ingredients are at room temperature to prevent the oil from solidifying
Can be made as cupcakes - bake for 18-22 minutes instead
For gluten-free version, substitute with 1:1 gluten-free flour blend

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 445mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 35g