Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe

If you plan to do one thing for your Valentine this year may I suggest making him/her this super easy and delicious chocolate cake recipe – which just happens to be vegan if you don’t stuff it with Chantilly cream. Cake is always the way to go.  Never fear if you aren’t a baker – this chocolate cake recipe is fail safe, super easy and guaranteed to set your true love’s heart racing.

This super easy chocolate cake is moist, rich and light in texture. It is adapted from a recipe in Duff Goldman’s cook book Duff Bakes for a Vegan Chocolate Cake – the cake is vegan but I decorated it with Chantilly cream and raspberries rather than a vegan chocolate buttercream. If you are strictly vegan or making this for someone who is avoiding dairy then adapt accordingly with vegan butter. Most importantly, bake that cake and show someone you care.

Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe (Vegan)

Ingredients for the Vegan cake

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed golden brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel (sea salt)
1/3 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons almond milk
3/4 cup espresso coffee, room temperature
3/4 cup vegetable oil(I like to use Thrive)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla paste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

For the filling (not vegan)

2 cups heavy cream
3 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1/4 cup cognac (optional) raspberries

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Place parchment paper in bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients, (flour, sugars, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder).
3. In a medium bowl mix together all the wet ingredients, adding the vinegar last (milk, coffee, oil, vanilla paste and vinegar).
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Pour the batter into the two cake pans and bake for 30 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them upside down onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.
7. To make the Chantilly cream place the heavy cream in the bowl of the Kitchenaid stand mixer and whip using the whisk attachment.  After about 2 mins as the cream begins to thicken add the confectioners sugar and the cognac.  Whip until the cream forms thick peaks – be careful not to over whip.
8. Put one cake in the center of a cake stand and cover with half of the cream and raspberries. Place the other cake on top and cover with cream and decorate with remaining raspberries. Refrigerate for at least an hour to set. Add a sparkler or candles and enjoy.