The BEST chocolate cake ever...that happens to be VEGAN. I kid you not!

First off, I will admit, I have never been a cake person. For the first 20 years of my life (I'm 26 now), I rarely touched my birthday cake. I'm not sure if my palate didn't like boxed/store-bought cakes or what, but only when I started baking them myself did I begin to take a liking to the moist airy treat. Also, I am an omnivore, with a lot of vegetarian and vegan friends, so imagine my excitement when I perfected the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted, AND made it vegan in the process. Don't believe me? Bake it! You can thank me later. :)

Step 1 Ingredients

Cake Ingredients

1 1/4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp distilled white or apple cider vinegar

Chocolate Glaze

1/2 cup sugar
4 tbsp margarine
2 tbsp soy milk
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla extract

Note: if you don't care to make it vegan, or don't have soy milk or margarine, you can use butter in place of the margarine, and whatever milk you prefer in place of the soy.

Comments

[teraperry]

This cake is so yummy! I just made it but next time I will make some minor changes. I used Trader Joe's flour. Next time I will use regular white flour instead. My cake had a bready after taste. I also want to add a tiny bit more baking soda and vinegar just to make it even more fluffy. I Also I want to try coffee instead of warm water like some of the comments suggested. Even without making those changes the cake is really tasty!

[jevans27]

Thank you SO MUCH for posting this!!! I've made this cake more times than I can count and it never fails to please. I'm not v have also tried different things like melting down virgin coconut oil as a substitute for the veggie oil. And also sometimes I add a dash of cinnamon and cayenne to the fosting. But even the classic recipe is freggin AWESOME!!! I'm actually eating it right now and decided that it was so good that I had to join this site just to tell everyone.

Thank you!!!

[Fawzia]

Just brilliant! Made as a birthday cake for my vegan friend.

UK based substitutions:
margarine = Trex
milk = water
sprinkles = (swizzles-matlow) rainbow drops

[8egum5]

Hi, I would love to make this for my younger brother who cant eat eggs, Can any1 give me the conversion of cups in grams for this cake plz,

Thank you in advance :)

[aliciak]

I found this page on cups-to-grams conversions! http://www.dianasdesserts.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/tools.measures/Measures.cfm

[8egum5]

Thank you. I went to Sainsbury and some measuring cups. Made the cake last night and it a very nice cake.

[tofutwistz]

Awesome times, it's baking as we speak - I've substituted warm water for coffee... a little thing I've picked up along the way - it enhances the chocolate flavour. Can't wait to try this!! Thank you so so much

[pedraddoc]

unbelievable

[rubiyahghavs]

Hi Aliciak. I tried your recipe and amazingly it turned out well. Sooo happy!
Thank you for sharing your chocolate cake recipe. I am definitely making it for my son's birthday.

[slyon3]

does anyone know if it would make much of a difference if i used a round cake tin rather than square pan dish ????

[aliciak]

Nah, it shouldn't matter, I don't think? As long as there's some room at the top for the cake to rise and not pour over.

[breanazank]

What flour would I use to make this gluten-free? almond, chickpea...???

[aliciak]

I've never made it gluten-free...I think someone on here used gluten-free flour and it just took a bit longer to bake. Maybe experiment?

[sbouy]

I used a gluten-free all-purpose flour the first time I made this. It needs to cook 5 or 10 minutes longer, but it tastes just as good as with regular all-purpose flour.

[Cdncook]

This website has a lot of great info about food substitutions. http://www.livingwithout.com/resources/substitutions.html

[aliciak]

Maybe almond or rice? I think some other commenters here used those...I haven't done much experimenting with non wheat flours, but let us know how it turns out! Almond flour would add a nice flavor...

[annie89]

This really is THE best chocolate cake recipe I have ever tried! I originally made it for my vegan boyfriend for his birthday about a month ago, but have made it about 5 more times since! Last time I made it I added strawberries on top and it was delicious!

Also, I make the chocolate glaze using icing sugar and it works really, really well! And only takes a few minutres to cook as the sugar dissolves instantly! Also, try using almond milk instead of soy milk if you want a sweeter, nuttier tasting glaze :D

[aliciak]

Yay!!! I think I've made it 15 times to date. Haha.

[craftygal5]

Wanting to make this recipe for a 3 year old little boy. Who has never had a birthday cake due to so many things he is allergic to. Everything in the recipe is a go except the Soy Milk. Wondering if I could use Rice Milk instead? As this is the only milk he is not allergic to.

[aliciak]

Hey there! I've used almond milk and that worked out well (though if he has a lot of allergies, nuts may be one of them?). I think some people on here have used rice milk and it works great too! The milk is such a minimal part of it...you could probably get away with using water and it would still taste good. Good luck!

[MrsBeccaJones]

So very Yummy thank you so much.

[beatyruth]

This is the same recipe that was in a Marlboro cookbook that was put out in the 70's. If you change the one cup of water to a cup of coffee, and sprinkle the top with a mix of cinnamon and sugar before baking, it's really, really good, and you don't have to ice it then!! I used to make it with margarine when I couldn't afford butter.

[amtw]

I am transitioning to veganism and have been having trouble finding vegan baking recipes that are palatable. This is the first one I've found that is really really good. It's just as light and chocolatey as non-vegan cakes. I've made it twice already. Think I'll make it again today. Thanks for the recipe!

[denytta]

woww!! it's delicious..it's good to taste..yummy..

[robinhazelrainlove]

I cannot tell you how in love I am with this cake. It is DAMN. GOOD. So good, last week, I pretty much killed a pan of it myself. My baby girl (17 months) goes crazy over it as well. So far trying vegan things has done us good :)

[darlingwolfeyes]

This cake has, hands down, the lightest and most moist texture of any cake I have ever made, eggs or not. I am awed by this recipe.

[jeepnaround]

I like to eat healthy but anything goes with moderation, for me.

I made this cake for my girlfriend's birthday since she eats really healthy and was dieting at the time. I added thawed, frozen raspberries between two cakes and on top, about 1/2 of the chocolate glaze for one cake on top with more raspberries and garnished the top with fresh, sliced strawberries laid down stack of dimes, to top it off. She said she loved it and the gesture of it. I thought the cake tasted pretty good, but the fruit really made it a winner.

The glaze tasted more like a caramel than chocolate. I didn't have time to cook it long enough, so as most people said, it was runny, a bit thinner than karo syrup.

I don't think the texture of the cake looks all that great by itself. I think a frosting, fondue or thick solidified glaze coating would look much better.The cake was kind of like a hostess cup cake, but I think regular devil's food cake tastes better and more chocolaty rich/sweet. I'm sure it could depend on exactness of ingredients and of course personal preference.

I made some minor adjustments to the recipe. I used all of the ingredients with the following: 2/3 vegetable oil, 1/3 apple sauce, cider vinegar, 2/3 unsweetened cocoa, 1/3 Giradelli sweetened cocoa, smart balance butter, chocolate soy milk.

I only had 2/3 of the vegetable oil so I added 1/3 apple sauce. Some comments I've read for cooking led me to think apple cider vinegar would be better for a cake. I could only find one type of "margarine". It and most other buttery spreads have whey in them and most spreads just say "vegetable" spread. Every sugar I looked at just says "sugar" as the only ingredient. Personally I think there could not be much animal product in something like sugar and it's all semantics anyway. It won't hurt you.

[snackkie]

I signed up a new account just to leave this comment.

The cake was delicious, It was supposed to be a dessert for after Sunday dinner but we couldn't wait lol. I'm the only vegan, My hubby and children are omnivores but they were literally licking their plates!!!

I used homemade rice milk and brown sugar instead of soy milk and granulated sugar. My glaze did come out thin though not sure why.

Thank you again for sharing this lovely recipe!!! :))))

[Randy Buttercup]

Questions :) Has anyone tried this with sugar alternatives (agave or stevia) or with brown sugar instead of white (my preference)? Also what about a whole wheat or other types of flour other than white? I want to make this for my Mother in Law's birthday but she is borderline diabetic.

[Urvii123]

Oh my! This was amazing! But i doubled the measurements of the cake recipe and made it a sandwich cake! Total Bliss! Thank you Aliciak!

[sydneycm]

Quick Question:
I need to make this in the form of cupcakes? do you still follow the same amts. of ingredients or no?
Also i am substituting cocoa for carob will that change the difference in the cake?

[aliciak]

Yes, I've made it in cupcake form before! The only thing I changed was the baking time...I think it took only 15 minutes to bake? Maybe 15-20? Perhaps look up other cupcake recipes to see recommended baking time...

[Ferrybridgegirl]

Is the flour used self-raising, or plain (all-purpose) ??

[adam bayer]

umm.. its not vegan, sugar is not vegan unless you buy raw or cane sugar (brown and white sugar is not vegan) but thanks for the recipe, we can just switch the sugar :)

[Ferrybridgegirl]

It actually depends on the brand as to whether or not refined sugar is vegan, so it's worth checking the manufacturers websites/emailing them to find out. From what I understand though, it seems to be more of an issue in North America. Here in the UK, both Tate & Lyle, and Billingtons are free from animal substances, and while Silver Spoon (British Sugar) cannot guarantee their brown sugar is suitable, they state that their white sugar IS vegan.

[bethferrell]

OMG. So good. Best part is I can lick the bowl and not worry about getting sick. =)

[Melm]

I made this for my bf's birthday, and weeks later he is still telling me that he craves it time and time again (: ty for the delicious recipe

[jhoover6]

DELICIOUS CAKE!! notes: used apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar; wasn't wild about chocolate glaze so I used another chocolate frosting recipe, http://dairyfreecooking.about.com/od/sweetsaucesfrostings/r/chocfrost.htm

[donniebean]

I made this last night as cupcakes.
And although it was good, I had a few issues.
My cupcakes sank in the middle, not sure what causes that?
And I found my batter REALLY thick, and the edges of the cupcakes were a little hard after baking. - It really tasted like a brownie. Nothing wrong with that, but make I over baked them?

- The glaze was good, but did not thicken for me. So I poured it on running, and it did seem to thicken a bit as it cooled.

[NM11111]

You have lots of comments on this cake, but I'm going to add one more. This cake is very similar to one my mom made to feed afternoon "lunch" to hay crews. She always called it "Chocolate Vinegar Cake." She said the recipe was commonly used during the war when there was rationing for things like eggs and butter. Commercial cake mixes didn't come into use until after the war, so this recipe was also popular because cooks usually had these basic ingredients in their cupboards.
I made your recipe and it tasted just like the cake from my childhood. Mom never put frosting on hers, but I added your glaze and my husband loved it!
Thanks for reminding me about this wonderful cake!