Vegan Chocolate Cake | Easiest vegan cake recipe ever!
This is the easiest vegan chocolate cake you will ever make: mostly mix and bake, with a rich, deeply chocolatey flavor and a soft, moist crumb. There are no eggs and no dairy anywhere in it, yet it turns out just as tender as a classic cake thanks to one secret helper — a very ripe avocado stirred into the batter. If you want a fuss-free chocolate dessert that still tastes decadent, this is the one to bookmark.
There’s no way I’m going back to baking cakes with eggs after this recipe! I can’t believe how moist this vegan chocolate cake turned out to be. The whole thing comes together with a bunch of simple ingredients and just a few steps, so even if you’re not very fond of baking, you can absolutely pull this off. This really is my best vegan chocolate cake recipe.
The ingredients that make it work
Nothing here is exotic, but a few choices make a real difference. If you want the perfect chocolate taste and texture, I would highly recommend you use good quality cocoa — the flavor of the whole cake rides on it, so this is not the place to skimp. The soy milk (or any other plant milk you like) keeps the crumb soft, and the oil gives it that lasting moistness that dry vegan cakes often lack.
You’ll also notice that I used 1 extra ripe avocado in this. It sounds unusual in a chocolate cake, but blended smooth it disappears completely into the batter and leaves behind a wonderfully rich, tender texture — you won’t taste avocado at all. Make sure it’s truly ripe and soft; an underripe one won’t blend into the batter cleanly and can leave little green flecks. For the finishing touch, I added some roughly chopped, roasted peanuts on top of the glaze for a bit of crunch against all that soft chocolate.
Why this eggless cake stays so moist
Two things are doing the heavy lifting here. First, the baking soda and apple cider vinegar react together the moment they meet, releasing carbon dioxide that lifts the batter and gives the cake its rise without any eggs. That’s why the vinegar goes in near the end and you bake soon after — you want that reaction happening in the oven, not fizzing out on the counter. Second, the pureed avocado brings fat and moisture that mimic what eggs and butter would normally add, which is exactly why the crumb comes out this tender.
Tips for getting it right
Add your wet ingredients over the dry ones slowly while you mix, so the batter comes together smooth rather than lumpy. Blend the avocado fully before folding it in — a blender is ideal, but a fork and a bit of patience will do if the avocado is soft enough. Don’t overmix once everything is combined; you just want a uniform batter. Start checking for doneness at around 30 minutes with a toothpick inserted in the center: if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Ovens vary, so trust the toothpick over the clock.
Making the chocolate glaze
The glaze is simply dark chocolate, coconut oil and a splash of soy milk melted together gently over a bain-marie. That means setting a heatproof bowl over a small pot of simmering water and stirring slowly until everything is glossy and smooth — the indirect heat keeps the chocolate from scorching or seizing. One honest note: for the chocolate glaze, I didn’t have enough coconut oil when I made this recipe, which is why the cake in the photos doesn’t have a perfect finish. In the recipe card below I added the right quantities needed to glaze the whole cake, so yours can look even better than mine. Wait until the cake is out of the pan and cooled a little before pouring the glaze over, then scatter the chopped peanuts on top.
How to store it and make it ahead
This cake keeps beautifully. Store it covered at room temperature for a couple of days, or in the fridge for up to about five — the glaze firms up when chilled and softens again as it comes back to room temperature. It also freezes well: wrap slices individually and freeze, then thaw at room temperature when a chocolate craving hits. If you love having easy vegan sweets on hand, you might also enjoy these chocolate chip coconut muffins or a batch of vegan whole grain cookies, both of which keep and travel well.
What to serve with it
A slice of this cake is plenty on its own, but it plays nicely alongside other chocolate favorites when you’re building a dessert table. Serve it with a small cup of easy chocolate mousse for a double-chocolate spread, or pair it with the fresher, fruitier raw vegan chocolate and raspberry birthday cake for contrast. For more inspiration, this roundup of the 10 most decadent chocolate desserts has plenty of ideas to round out the menu.
If you bake this one, I’d love to hear how it went — did the avocado trick win you over the way it did for me? Give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment telling me how your glaze turned out and whether you went with peanuts on top or made it your own.
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Vegan Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Vegan Chocolate Cake:
- 300 g flour
- 200 g brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 5 Tbsps cocoa high-quality
- 130 ml oil
- 250 ml soy milk or any other vegan milk
- 1 avocado very ripe
Chocolate Glaze:
- 3 Tbsps coconut oil
- 50 g dark chocolate chopped, dairy-free
- 3 Tbsps soy milk
Topping:
- peanuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan with detachable walls.
- Mix the flour with the brown sugar, cocoa, and baking soda.
- In a separate bowl, mix the soy milk with the oil.
- Slowly pour the wet ingredients over the dry ones while mixing with a hand mixer.
- Once incorporated, add the vinegar and mix some more.
- Blend the avocado in a blender (or mash it very well with a fork). Pour it over the batter and mix well.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 30 minutes.
- Chocolate glaze:
- Combine all the glaze ingredients and melt them in a bain-marie: fill a small pot with water and bring it to a boil, set a glass or metal bowl on top, add the ingredients to the bowl, and stir slowly until melted.
- Check the cake after 30 minutes with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Remove it from the oven and the pan, pour over the chocolate glaze, and top with chopped peanuts.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Every ingredient is plant-based — there are no eggs, butter, or dairy milk anywhere in the recipe. The moisture and richness come from oil, plant milk, and a very ripe avocado instead of eggs and butter. Just double-check that your dark chocolate for the glaze is dairy-free, as some brands include milk solids.
No, you won’t taste avocado at all. When it’s blended smooth and folded into the chocolate batter, it disappears completely and simply leaves behind a rich, tender crumb. Just make sure the avocado is very ripe and soft so it blends in without leaving green flecks.
Any plant milk works here. Almond, oat, rice, or coconut milk will all keep the crumb soft, so use whatever you have on hand or prefer. The recipe uses soy milk in both the batter and the glaze, and you can swap the same plant milk into both.
The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to release carbon dioxide, which lifts the batter and helps the eggless cake rise. That’s why it goes in near the end of mixing and the cake bakes shortly after. You won’t taste any vinegar in the finished cake.
Start checking at around 30 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready to come out of the oven. Ovens vary, so rely on the toothpick test rather than the exact time.
Keep it covered at room temperature for a couple of days, or refrigerate it for up to about five days — the glaze firms up in the fridge and softens again at room temperature. It also freezes well: wrap slices individually and thaw them at room temperature whenever you want a piece.
what kind of oil
Any kind of tasteless oil. I used sunflower oil, but grapeseed oil would be ok too.
It had such a rich chocolate taste, just like you said! Loved it!
So glad you liked it, Emily! 😀