Vegan Chocolate Cake
You'd never guess that this Vegan Chocolate Cake is made without eggs or dairy. Every bite has a rich chocolate flavor and super moist crumb. Whether you have allergies to eggs, maintain a vegan diet, or just love chocolate desserts, this cake is a winner for everyone!
Servings: 8 slices
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup almond milk (or cold brewed coffee - see note)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (see note)
- 1/2 cup good quality finely chopped chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a round 9-inch cake pan and then line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in the almond milk (or cold brewed coffee), vegetable oil, vanilla, and balsamic vinegar; whisk until combined and smooth. Gently fold in the chopped chocolate.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Tap on the counter a few times to release and air bubbles.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cake is springy and a tester in the middle comes out clean. (Don't over-bake or the cake will be dry.)
- Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool for about 15 minutes. Run a dull knife around the edge, then turn cake out onto a plate. Gently peel back the parchment paper and allow to cool completely.
- Very lightly dust the top with powdered sugar. Slice into wedges and serve with fresh sliced strawberries on the side. (If vegan diets are not a concern, it pairs great with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, too.)
Video
Notes
Use cold brewed coffee instead. You can swap the almond milk with cold brewed coffee, which will intensify the chocolate flavor.
You can use regular milk. If you need an eggless chocolate cake but not necessarily a vegan chocolate cake, you can use regular cow's milk instead of almond milk. You will still omit the eggs.
Balsamic vinegar. This might seem like an odd ingredient, but it's really just taking the place of an extract like vanilla used in many baked goods. Or, in the case of this cake recipe, we're using both vanilla and balsamic vinegar. It adds flavor with an intense sweet/tart taste that complements the chocolate batter.
The size of the pan matters. I used a 9-inch round pan. If you only have an 8-inch pan, the cake might need to bake for a few extra minutes. You can also bake it in a 9x5 loaf pan for 40-45 minutes.
Avoid overbaking. The cake should be springy and a tester in the middle should come out clean. However, take care to not over-bake as the cake can dry out quickly.
Nutrition
Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 25g | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg