Vegan Chocolate Birthday Cake


Cakes & Cupcakes Chocolate Desserts Eggless Gluten Free High Altitude No Seed Oils Vegan | Published May 4, 2021 by Mimi Council

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This Vegan Chocolate Birthday Cake is one of my all time favorite cakes, and I'm not even vegan! I love this simple rich, moist cake that's complimented with a creamy Vegan Chocolate Ganache Frosting!

If you are looking for more vegan cake inspiration, check out my Vegan Strawberry Carrot Cake, Easy Vegan Vanilla Layer Cake, or my Vegan Orange and Cranberry Cake.

vegan chocolate birthday cake

Why You'll Love This Recipe

I will start this post by saying, if you are not vegan, keep reading as this cake is for everyone! This is a simple two layer moist chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting. This is the birthday cake recipe for the ultimate chocolate lover!

I love making vegan desserts, but I don't want them to taste any less – like dessert. And this cake checks all the boxes! This cake couldn't be easier to make either, it's basically a one bowl cake where you can throw all the ingredients into the bowl and just mix. Which are the best kinds of cakes in my mind, because they're so easy!

To top it off, this chocolate ganache frosting is so good! This is more of a rich frosting, richer than traditional buttercream frosting. But, because this is the ultimate chocolate birthday cake, then it's totally warranted. I added simple naturally colored rainbow sprinkles here, but you can leave them off or add even more!

vegan chocolate birthday cake

Ingredients

Costco Kirkland Organic Coconut Oil

Wholesome Organic Cane Sugar

Organic Fuji Apple

Real Coco Organic Coconut Milk

NuNaturals Organic Dutch Cocoa Powder

Homemade Organic Cake Flour

Frontier Co-Op Baking Powder

Frontier Co-Op Fine Sea Salt

Lafaza Organic Ground Vanilla Bean

Florida Crystals Organic Powdered Sugar

Vegan Dark Chocolate Ganache (be sure to make the sauce)

India Tree Nature's Colors Fiesta Sprinkles

vegan chocolate birthday cake

Tools Needed

Digital Food Scale

Stand Mixer

6-inch Cake Pan (use code MIMIBAKES for 10% off Kana, my favorite sustainable cake pans!)

Parchment Paper (use code MIMIBAKES for 10% off Kana, my favorite non toxic parchment paper!)

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Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper.

Step 2

To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add all ingredients and mix until combined. You can also use a hand mixer or a bowl with a wooden spoon. Divide evenly into the cake pans, about 226 grams each.

Step 3

Bake for 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pans. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude instructions).

Step 4

To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add all ingredients. Mix on low and then slowly increase speed as ingredients start to combine (so powdered sugar doesn't splatter). Whisk on high until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 5

To assemble the cake: Place one layer on a cake stand, add about half the frosting and spread evenly. Top with the second cake layer, and add the remaining frosting on top. Spread evenly, and top with rainbow sprinkles.

vegan chocolate birthday cake
vegan chocolate birthday cake
vegan chocolate birthday cake

Baker's Tips

  • Make the Vegan Dark Chocolate Ganache first, so that it has time to cool while the cake is baking. That way it's ready for the frosting once your cake comes out of the oven.
  • Make sure your coconut oil is completely melted. You could also substitute for a canola oil as well if you don't have coconut oil on hand or if you don't want the flavor of coconut oil.
  • If you don't have ground vanilla bean, you can substitute 1 teaspoon of organic vanilla extract instead. I love to use vanilla bean with certain chocolate recipes as I feel it really brings out the flavor of the chocolate and compliments it more so. But, I know it can be difficult to find and it's expensive right now, so vanilla extract is fine to substitute it. You just want to add in double the amount as ground vanilla bean has a more potent flavor than traditional vanilla extract.
vegan chocolate birthday cake

FAQ's

Can I use another kind of milk?

Yes, feel free to use any kind of dairy free milk you like. I really prefer coconut milk for baking as it's sweet, which is why I use this one.

Can I frost this with vanilla frosting?

Yes, if you want vanilla frosting instead, then check out my recipe for Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting. You can replace the butter with vegan butter and the milk with coconut milk to easily make that frosting vegan vanilla!

Can I make this gluten free?

Yes, there's a simple adjustment in the Notes at the bottom of the recipe to make this gluten free. I even link the gluten free flour that I used to test this.

Can I frost the whole cake?

Yes, if you want to frost the whole cake you can definitely do that. I just love the naked look! Either way is totally fine.

vegan chocolate birthday cake

Craving More?

vegan chocolate birthday cake

Vegan Chocolate Birthday Cake

Mimi Council
This simple vegan naked cake is easy to assemble, and it's so chocolatey and moist you wouldn't even know that it's vegan.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Makes 8 servings
Calories 596 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

Batter

Frosting

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
  • To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add all ingredients and mix until combined. You can also use a hand mixer or a bowl with a wooden spoon.
  • Divide evenly into the cake pans, about 226 grams each. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the cake pans.
  • To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add all ingredients. Mix on low and then slowly increase speed as ingredients start to combine (so powdered sugar doesn't splatter). Whisk on high until light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • To assemble the cake: Place one layer on a cake stand, add about half the frosting and spread evenly. Top with the second cake layer, and add the remaining frosting on top. Spread evenly, and top with rainbow sprinkles.
  • Store in a cake dome or airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Gluten Free – Replace the cake flour with 142 grams (¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons) gluten free flour blend.
High Altitude – Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Nutrition

Calories: 596kcalCarbohydrates: 94gProtein: 4gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 22gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 191mgPotassium: 224mgFiber: 4gSugar: 74gVitamin A: 12IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 42mgIron: 2mg
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