Vegan chocolate cake

This vegan chocolate cake recipe is quite literally the best chocolate cake you’ll ever eat and the only chocolate cake recipe you’ll need from now on.

Rich vegan chocolate cake layers baked to moist fudgy perfection. Stacked high with a decadent and delicious whipped chocolate buttercream frosting. One can never have enough chocolate and this cake certainly proves that saying true. Your kitchen will smell like heaven as the layers bake, tastebuds will jump for joy at each bite, and jaws will hit the floor when you tell everyone that this deeply rich chocolate cake is 100% vegan.

You’ll need:

Vegan chocolate cake

2 cups (320g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (384g) granulated sugar
1 cup (80g) cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp fine sea salt
2 cups (500ml) vegan milk, hot
1 cup (250ml) all-vegetable oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Vegan chocolate buttercream

1 cup (240g) vegan salted butter, room temperature
1 cup (240g) all-vegetable shortening
5 cups (600g) powdered sugar
½ cup (40g) cocoa powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional: vegan chocolate squares for decor

Here’s how:

Vegan chocolate cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray four 6-inch round cake pans with non-stick baking spray.
In the bowl of the stand mixer or a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and whisk together.
Add in the wet ingredients, making sure the vegan milk is hot, and combine until just incorporated.
Divide the batter equally into the four prepared cake pans and bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
Allow the cake layers to cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then invert to a cooling rack to fully cool.

Vegan chocolate frosting

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream the vegan butter and shortening on high speed until light and fluffy. This should take approximately 10 minutes.
Sift in the icing sugar, cocoa powder, and salt and mix on low until combined. 3. Add in the vanilla extract and mix on low until combined.
Turn the mixer up to high and let mix for 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl when necessary.

Cake assembly

Level each fully cooled vegan chocolate cake layer with a cake leveller or knife if needed.
Place one levelled layer of cake on a cake board, plate, and/or cake turntable and top with approximately 1½ cups of chocolate buttercream.
Repeat with the remaining layers and apply a thin coat of buttercream all over the cake. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Cover the cake with another layer of buttercream and smooth the sides with a cake smoother.
Decorate the cake as you please. I used the tip of an offset spatula to create horizontal lines around the cake and three diagonal lines on the front. With a Wilton 1m piping tip, I piped swirls on top of the cake and placed a vegan chocolate square between each swirl. Enjoy!

Store leftover cake in an airtight container or wrap it in plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 7 days.

With thanks to https://findyourcakeinspiration.com for this decadent recipe!