This vegan chocolate cake is rich, moist, and full of deep chocolate flavor. It’s made with simple ingredients and topped with a creamy chocolate buttercream frosting. Perfect for any celebration or just a sweet treat!

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Ingredients Needed:

Chocolate Cake:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil OR melted coconut oil
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegan butter, softened
4-5 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

How To Make Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe?

Prepare the cake pans: Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line them with parchment paper, and lightly flour them.
Make the buttermilk: Mix almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and let sit for a few minutes until it curdles.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Combine the wet ingredients: Add oil, applesauce, vanilla, and curdled almond milk to the dry ingredients. Mix with a hand or stand mixer until smooth.
Add the boiling water: Slowly pour in the boiling water while mixing at low speed. The batter will be thin—this is normal.
Bake the cake: Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting: In a large bowl, whisk the cocoa powder to remove lumps. Add softened vegan butter and beat until smooth.
Mix the buttercream: Add half of the powdered sugar and half of the almond milk. Beat until combined, then add the rest of the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on high until fluffy. Adjust texture by adding more almond milk if too thick or more powdered sugar if too soft.
Assemble the cake: Spread frosting between layers, on top, and around the sides using an icing spatula or butter knife.

Recipe Tips:

Use room temperature ingredients: Let the almond milk and applesauce sit at room temperature before mixing. This helps everything blend smoothly and gives the cake a better texture.
Sift the dry ingredients: Sifting the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda removes lumps and makes the cake batter lighter and fluffier.
Don’t skip the boiling water: The hot water helps bloom the cocoa powder, making the chocolate flavor deeper and richer. The batter will be thin, but that’s normal!
Cool the cake completely before frosting: If the cake is still warm, the frosting will melt and slide off. Let it cool fully on a wire rack for the best results.
Adjust frosting consistency as needed: If the frosting is too thick, add a little almond milk. If it’s too soft, add more powdered sugar. This helps create the perfect spreadable texture.

How To Store & Reheat Leftovers?

Refrigerate: First, let the leftover vegan chocolate cake cool completely to room temperature. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. If already frosted, keep it covered to prevent it from drying out.
Freeze: Once the cake has cooled, wrap each cake layer tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag or container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 496 kcal
Total Fat: 25g
Saturated Fat: 4g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 408mg
Potassium: 222mg
Total Carbohydrate: 71g
Dietary Fiber: 4g
Sugars: 53g
Protein: 4g

Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:

Nigella Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

496

kcal

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake:
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup canola oil OR melted coconut oil
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegan butter, softened
4-5 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4-1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

Directions

Prepare the cake pans: Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease two 9-inch cake pans, line them with parchment paper, and lightly flour them.
Make the buttermilk: Mix almond milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and let sit for a few minutes until it curdles.
Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Combine the wet ingredients: Add oil, applesauce, vanilla, and curdled almond milk to the dry ingredients. Mix with a hand or stand mixer until smooth.
Add the boiling water: Slowly pour in the boiling water while mixing at low speed. The batter will be thin—this is normal.
Bake the cake: Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting: In a large bowl, whisk the cocoa powder to remove lumps. Add softened vegan butter and beat until smooth.
Mix the buttercream: Add half of the powdered sugar and half of the almond milk. Beat until combined, then add the rest of the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on high until fluffy. Adjust texture by adding more almond milk if too thick or more powdered sugar if too soft.
Assemble the cake: Spread frosting between layers, on top, and around the sides using an icing spatula or butter knife.

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients: Let the almond milk and applesauce sit at room temperature before mixing. This helps everything blend smoothly and gives the cake a better texture.
Sift the dry ingredients: Sifting the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda removes lumps and makes the cake batter lighter and fluffier.
Don’t skip the boiling water: The hot water helps bloom the cocoa powder, making the chocolate flavor deeper and richer. The batter will be thin, but that’s normal!
Cool the cake completely before frosting: If the cake is still warm, the frosting will melt and slide off. Let it cool fully on a wire rack for the best results.
Adjust frosting consistency as needed: If the frosting is too thick, add a little almond milk. If it’s too soft, add more powdered sugar. This helps create the perfect spreadable texture.