The Best (Vegan) Chocolate Cake II

The very best chocolate cake that just so happens to be vegan 

So I already have a lovely chocolate cake recipe that used to be my staple for years, and I think I posted a vegan chocolate cake recipe aaaages ago (but this one is better), and any baker will tell you that even if you have the perfect recipe, you’ll continue to tinker around and try new variations because it gets boring to follow the same recipe time in time out. Plus you can never have too much chocolate cake, and this one is my new favourite. I know you’ll love it just as much as I do, so I thought I would share it with you.

I get a lot of requests for eggless recipes on the Youtube channel and I’ve seen this recipe circulate the internet for a while, so I decided to try it out. The result is what I’d describe as magical, the type of cake you whip up for birthdays or celebrations, that you eat by the forkful for a late night bite.

Here are some notes to keep in mind for the recipe-

In the video, I mixed the wet ingredients first and then added the dry ingredients, but I think it’s actually simpler to do it the other way around.

I doubled the icing recipe because I wanted to cover the cake in rosettes.

I used the same recipe as I did for the last chocolate cake recipe (except double for the rosettes) but if you’re not vegan, of course you can make the frosting with butter instead of vegan butter and regular milk instead of non-dairy milk.

If you’re not going to pipe rosettes around the cake, you’ll only need half the icing recipe as the one listed, so divide all the ingredient quantities for the icing by 1/2.

This cake is also a perfect for toying around- if you’d like to add chocolate, or use Guinness instead of water, etc. However you choose to make this cake, it’ll be demolished.

Print Recipe

The Best (Vegan) Chocolate cake II

Yield: 10-12 pieces

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Total Time: 2 hours max

Ingredients:

For the cake

• 2 cups (400 g) sugar (raw, granulated or brown are all fine)
• 2 cups (500 mL) boiling hot water
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) coconut oil, melted (or vegetable oil)
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 2 tsp instant espresso powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup (100 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour

For the chocolate buttercream** (see note)

• 1 cup vegan butter (or regular if you're not vegan)
• 1 and 1/3 cup (130 g) cocoa powder
• 6 cups (725 g) confectioner's/icing sugar
• 2/3 cup (160 mL) non-dairy milk (or regular if not vegan)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C or 350 F.
2. Generously butter 2 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans, then line the bottom with parchment paper and dust with flour. You can also use a bundt pan (but you'll need to increase the baking time to an hour or longer), or 9 inch (22/24 cm) cake pans.
3. Next, you'll need to mix all the cake ingredients together. In the video, I mix all the 'wet' ingredients (sugar, water, oil, vinegar) then add the dry ingredients (espresso powder, soda, salt, cocoa powder, flour). However, I find it's actually easier to mix all the dry ingredients first and then add the wet ingredients.
4. When the batter is smooth, divide it between the two cake pans and bake for 20-25 min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
5. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

For the chocolate buttercream:  NOTE: if you don't want to cover the cake in buttercream rosettes, you only need 1/2 of the icing recipe, so make sure to adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly.

1. Melt the butter either over a low flame or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 15-30 seconds.
2. Stir in the cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla.
3. Alternate the confectioner's sugar with the milk, beating well until smooth, an electric mixer makes it easier to beat.
4. Taste, and add more salt and vanilla as needed.

Assembling the cake: 

1. Run a knife around the edges of the cake pan and flip it over to release the cake. Do this with the other pan as well.
2. If the cakes formed a dome while baking, use a serrated knife to trim it off.
3. Dab a small amount of icing on your cake stand/plate, then place one of the cakes, bottom side up onto the plate.
4. Add a generous amount of icing (between 1/2-3/4 cup) on top of the cake, and spread out evenly.
5. Place the second cake top-side up, making sure the sides of both cakes match.
6. Cover the cake with a thin layer of the icing.
7. Spoon the rest into a piping bag fitted with a 1M star tipped nozzle.
8. Cover the cake in buttercream rosettes (see video).

The frosted cake stores well for several days at room temperature, and up to 2 weeks if kept in a sealed container and refrigerated. If you want to freeze the cakes, wrap each one well in plastic wrap and freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw well before frosting.

NOTE: if you don't want to cover the cake in buttercream rosettes, you only need 1/2 of the icing recipe, so make sure to adjust the ingredient quantities accordingly.

Cake recipe adapted from the one and only Nigella, icing recipe from Hershey's (the back of the cocoa powder box)