Description
This rich and moist vegan chocolate cake is a perfect plant-based dessert for any occasion. Made without eggs or dairy, it combines the deep flavors of Dutch-processed cocoa and hot coffee to enhance chocolate intensity. The cake is layered with a luscious vegan chocolate buttercream frosting made from dark chocolate, vegan heavy cream, and plant-based butter. It offers a decadent yet dairy-free option that will satisfy chocolate lovers while adhering to vegan dietary requirements.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegan Buttermilk
- 360 ml soy milk
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Dry Ingredients
- 420 g all-purpose flour
- 120 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder (or unsweetened dark cocoa powder)
- 450 g soft brown sugar
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 180 ml olive oil (or light olive oil, sunflower oil, or rapeseed oil)
- 270 g vegan Greek-style yogurt (or vegan sour cream)
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- 360 ml hot coffee (brewed at the last minute)
Chocolate Frosting
- 200 ml vegan heavy cream
- 360 g vegan dark chocolate (70%) (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150 g vegan butter (block-style) (cubed and room temperature)
- 50 g powdered sugar
Optional Garnish
- fresh berries
Instructions
- Measure Ingredients: For accuracy, use a digital kitchen scale to measure all ingredients precisely in grams to ensure consistent results.
- Prepare Pans: Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F fan (180°C/356°F conventional). Line the base of three 8-inch cake tins with parchment paper circles and grease the sides liberally with oil or vegan butter to prevent sticking.
- Make Vegan Buttermilk: In a jug, combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Stir and allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes, which will curdle the milk and mimic buttermilk’s acidity.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Whisk to combine thoroughly and set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, add the prepared vegan buttermilk, olive oil, vegan yogurt, and vanilla extract. Whisk the mixture until smooth and well combined.
- Make the Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients. Whisk gently until fully incorporated. While mixing, carefully add the hot brewed coffee. The batter will be runny; this is expected for a moist cake texture.
- Bake the Cakes: Evenly divide the cake batter among the prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cakes; they are done when it comes out clean with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool the Cakes: Allow the cakes to cool in their tins for 15 to 20 minutes. Then carefully remove them from the pans and transfer to a cooling rack. Refrigerate in an airtight container if you are not frosting immediately.
- Prepare Frosting – Heat Cream: In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the vegan heavy cream until it is just simmering. Do not allow it to boil to avoid burning the cream.
- Combine Chocolate and Cream: Pour the hot cream over the finely chopped vegan dark chocolate. Let it sit uncovered for 5 minutes to soften the chocolate, then whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract and powdered sugar.
- Incorporate Vegan Butter: Using an electric whisk or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, gradually add the cubed vegan butter to the chocolate mixture. Whisk thoroughly after each addition to fully incorporate and achieve a creamy texture.
- Chill and Whip Frosting: Cover the chocolate frosting surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour until spreadable. Whisk gently again before using to restore smoothness and fluffiness.
- Assemble the Cake: Place a small amount of frosting on a cake turntable to secure the first cake layer. Spread an even layer of frosting over the top with an offset spatula, then add the next cake layer. Repeat the layering. Finally, cover the sides and top of the cake with remaining frosting, smoothing or piping as desired.
- Storage: Serve the cake at room temperature on the day of serving. For later use, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Remove an hour before serving to return to room temperature and allow frosting to soften.
Notes
- Use soy milk as it curdles well with apple cider vinegar to create a vegan buttermilk substitute.
- Brew the coffee fresh and hot right before adding to the batter to maximize flavor infusion.
- For vegan heavy cream, use full-fat coconut cream or commercial vegan cream alternatives.
- The frosting is best made ahead and chilled to develop firm but spreadable consistency.
- If vegan butter is unavailable, try plant-based margarine or coconut butter, but expect slight variations in flavor.
- Measuring ingredients by weight ensures better accuracy and cake consistency.
