Vegan Chocolate Cake

A classic chocolate cake, that vegans and non-vegans will both love! It's rich, moist, and perfectly chocolatey. I like to use oat milk in most of my vegan baking, but almond and soy milks work well too. This Vegan Chocolate Cake, with Vegan Chocolate Frosting, is very easy to make, and a great crowd-pleaser.

Vegan Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1 ½ cups Sugar

1 ½ cups Flour

¾ cups Cocoa Powder

¾ tsp Salt

1 ½ tsp Baking Soda

½ cup Vegetable Oil

2 tsp Vanilla

1 ½ cup Oat Milk (or soy milk, almond milk)

1 ½ Tbsp White Vinegar

2 x 6” Cake Pans

or 2 x 8" Cake Pans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325℉

2. Line 2 cake pans with parchment on the bottom, and non-stick cooking spray on the sides

3. Combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and sugar in your mixing bowl. Whisk them all together, this will help prevent lumps.

4. In another bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil and vanilla. In a measuring cup, measure the oat milk, and whisk in the vinegar. Combine the milk mixture with the oil.

5. Pour the wet ingredients into the mixing bowl. With the paddle attachment, mix on low until everything is combined. Scrape the bottom with a spatula. Mix on medium speed for about two minutes. This can also be done with a hand mixer or a spatula, though mixing by hand will take a little longer.

6. Pour the batter evenly into the pans, they shouldn't be more than ⅔ filled.

7. Bake for 30-40 minutes, turning half way through. The cake will be done when a toothpick comes out clean, and the cake springs back up when you gently press the top.

8. Let cool in the pans for about an hour, then de-pan and bring to room temperature. You can wrap it and refrigerate for a few days, or freeze it for later.

Vegan Chocolate Icing

Ingredients

3 cups Icing Sugar

¼ cup Cocoa Powder

3 Tbsp Vegan Butter (ex. Earth Balance)

5 Tbsp Oat Milk (or soy milk, almond milk)

1 tsp Vanilla

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in the bowl of your mixer

2. Whisk on low speed until everything is combined

3. Increase to medium speed, and whip until the icing is smooth

4. If the icing is too thin, beat in a little more icing sugar. If it’s too thick, add a little more oat milk.

Assemble the Cake

Assemble and decorate however you like! Here is my own method:

1. With a serrated knife, slice off the dome from your cakes, to make sure your final cake is straight and level.

2. Then slice each of your 6" cakes in half across the middle, to create two layers per cake, 4 layers total. Skip this step if you used 8" cake pans, or want a more simple, 2 layer cake.

3. Spread a small dollop of icing in the middle of your cake board, and place one layer of cake on top. This will help secure your cake to the board.

4. Spread about ¼ cup of icing on top of the first layer of cake (more if it's an 8"). Place the next layer on top, spreading another ¼ cup of icing on each layer, until all of the cake is stacked.

5. Spread more icing on the top, and apply icing to the sides of the cake. With a pallet knife, smooth the icing around the sides of the cake.

6. Draw vertical lines along the sides with a pallet knife, and drop sprinkles in a circle on the top.

7. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Gather all ingredients to make the vegan chocolate cake. Flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, oil, vanilla, oat milk and vinegar.

Into your mixing bowl, measure: 1 ½ cups Sugar,

1 ½ cups Flour,

¾ cups Cocoa Powder,

1 ½ tsp Baking Soda,

and ¾ tsp Salt

Whisk all dry ingredients together.

In a separate bowl, add ½ cup Vegetable Oil,

and 2 tsp Vanilla.

In a measuring cup, measure 1 ½ cup Oat Milk,

with 1 ½ Tbsp White Vinegar

Whisk together the milk and vinegar,

and pour into the oil and vanilla. Whisk all the wet ingredients together.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients in the mixer.

With the paddle attachment, mix everything on low speed until combined.

Increase the speed to medium and mix until the batter is smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides.

The batter should be smooth and consistent.

Prepare two cake pans with non-stick cooking spray on the sides, and parchment paper on the bottom. Pour the batter evenly into both pans.

Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 30 minutes, then remove from the pans and cool to room temperature, or wrap and refrigerate for a few days.

Gather the ingredients for the icing. Oat milk, icing sugar, vegan butter, cocoa powder, and vanilla.

In your mixing bowl, add 3 cups Icing Sugar

and ¼ cup Cocoa Powder.

Whisk together.

Add 3 Tbsp Vegan Butter,

5 Tbsp Oat Milk,

and 1 tsp Vanilla.

With the whisk attachment on low speed, mix until all ingredients are combined.

Increase the speed, and whip until smooth.

Scrape down the bowl as you work,

The frosting should be smooth and spreadable. If it's too thin, you can add a little more icing sugar. If it's too thick, add a little more oat milk (but not too much!)

With a serrated knife, slice the dome off or your cakes, so they are level and even.

Optional:

Slice each cake through the middle to make two layers.

You should end up with four even layers of cake.

Spread a dab of icing on your cake board or plate to secure the cake on it.

Place the first layer on the board, and put about ¼ cup of icing on top.

Spread the icing to the edges of the cake.

Place the next layer on top.

Spread another ¼ cup of icing on this layer, and repeat with the third and fourth layers.

You should have four layers of cake stacked with icing between each layer.

Apply icing to the top and sides of the cake.

Spread the icing along the sides,

and spread the icing along the top.

Smooth the icing around the sides with an offset spatula.

Smooth the top corners, by bringing the offset spatula along the corners and into the centre.

Run the tip of the offset spatula up the sides of the cake.

Continue around the whole cake.

Smooth the top corners again, bringing your offset spatula towards the centre.

Smooth the top

Sprinkle a little birthday magic around the sides (if the occasion calls for it)

Enjoy!