Rich and decadent Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Filling and ganache. This is a absolutely delicious cake that is sure to be a big hit for any occasion and you would not even know that it is vegan.
I started this blog in 2006 to share the recipes I was trying at home and at the time I wasn’t even thinking of how long I would keep doing it. I am actually surprised that I have been doing this for 10 years already. So here’s a chocolate cake recipe to celebrate the occasion.
This cake is dedicated to the BM group, all my blogging buddies, my readers and my family who inspire me to keep blogging. Thank you all for your support without which this wouldn’t have been possible. This Chocolate cake recipe is from Food52 Vegan cookbook.
Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe
To make a moist vegan chocolate cake recipe is quite a challenge. I have tried many recipes and they are either too dry or too mushy. But after quite a few trial and errors, I have about 3-4 eggless chocolate cake recipes that are amazing. Links to these are at the end of the post.
This cake definitely defies all the misconceptions of vegan cakes. It is moist, chocolaty with a beautiful crumb. The highlight of this recipe is the filling. It is soooo chocolaty with a lovely mousse texture and is made with a secret ingredient.
Ingredients needed
There are 3 chocolate components for this recipe – cake, filling and ganache. Here’s what you need for each:
- Cake:
- all-purpose flour – I add 1 cup of wholewheat pastry flour to add some fiber to the recipe
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- sugar
- baking soda
- salt
- unsweetened milk – I love unsweetened almond milk or oat milk in my baked treats
- apple cider vinegar
- coconut oil – don’t worry there is no tell-tale sign of coconut taste in the cake
- vanilla extract
- Filling:
- pumpkin puree – this is the secret ingredient that makes the filling creamy and delicious. You won’t even taste the pumpkin – chocolate is the main flavor.
- cocoa powder
- maple syrup
- almond butter or cashew butter – another ingredient that makes the filling so creamy and decadent.
- Ganache:
- bittersweet or dark chocolate – try to use the best quality vegan chocolate you can get your hands on
- coconut milk or almond or oat milk
- maple syrup
Instructions
- First make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush 2 8″ or 9″ round spring-form pans with melted coconut oil. Line the bottom with parchment paper and brush the parchment with oil.
- Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk well to combine.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the nondairy milk and vinegar vigorously until frothy. Whisk in the sugar, oil and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in increments. Mix well and pour the batter into the prepared pans.
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven but leave the cakes in the pan until completely cooled.
- Make the Filling: Combine all the ingredients for the filling in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
- Make the Ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl. In a saucepan, bring coconut or almond milk and maple syrup to a simmer on medium-low flame. Pour it over the chocolate and stir until melted. Let cool to room temperature.
- To Assemble the Cake: Remove the cakes from their pans. Place one, top side up, on a serving platter and gently shave off the rounded top with a sharp knife. Spread all of the filling over the top.
- Place the other cake layer atop the filling. Pour the ganache evenly over the top and let it drizzle down the sides. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting and serving. Leftovers will keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Filling & Ganache
Ingredients
- 3 cups All purpose flour*
- 2/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa powder
- 2 tsps Baking Soda
- ¾ tsp Salt
- 2 cups Non-dairy unsweetened Milk*
- 2 tbsps Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1¾ cups Sugar
- 2/3 cup Coconut Oil, Melted
- 2 tsps Vanilla Extract
For the Filling:
- 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
- ¼ cup Unsweetened Cocoa powder
- ¼ cup Maple Syrup
- 3 tbsps Almond butter or Cashew Butter
For the Ganache:
- 6 oz Bittersweet or Dark Chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup Coconut Milk or Almond Milk
- 2 tbsps Maple Syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush 2 8″ or 9″ round spring-form pans** with melted coconut oil. Line the bottom with parchment paper and brush the parchment with oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk well to combine.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the nondairy milk and vinegar vigorously until frothy. Whisk in the sugar, oil and vanilla.
- Add about ⅓rd of the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Repeat adding the remaining wet ingredients in two more additions, mixing just until incorporated after the final addition.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
- Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven but leave the cakes in the pan until completely cooled.
Make the Ganache:
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl. In a saucepan, bring coconut or almond milk and maple syrup to a simmer on medium-low flame. Pour it over the chocolate and stir until melted. Let cool to room temperature.
Make the Filling:
- Combine all the ingredients for the filling in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
Assemble the Cake:
- Remove the cakes from their pans. Place one, top side up, on a serving platter and gently shave off the rounded top with a sharp knife. Spread all of the filling over the top.
- Place the other cake layer atop the filling. Pour the ganache evenly over the top and let it drizzle down the sides. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting and serving. Leftovers will keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
- I add 1 cup of wholewheat pastry flour to add some fiber to the cake.
- My favorite non-dairy milks for baking are unsweetened almond and oat.
- If you don’t want to make the full recipe, then half the ingredients and make the cake in 1-8″ or 9″ round cake pan.
- To make mini layer cakes: Pour the batter onto a 13″x18″ sheet pan and bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool and use 2″ or 3″ cookie cutter to cut out circles, then simple layer with the filling and top with frosting.
Tips
- If you don’t want to make the full recipe, then half the ingredients and make the cake in 1-8″ or 9″ round cake pan.
- To make mini layer cakes: Pour the batter onto a 13″x18″ sheet pan and bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool and use 2″ or 3″ cookie cutter to cut out circles, then simple layer with the filling and top with frosting.
More Chocolate Cake recipes
Smruti Shah
Pavani, congratulations on completing a decade of blogging. I love your blog, the recipes and of course all the wonderful props and pictures! This cake meanwhile is really beautiful!
vaishali sabnani
Heartiest Congratulations Pavani ! What a beautiful cake , it looks so tempting . Had i been somewhere close i would have joined you to eat some of that cake :)May tour blog prosper and may it reach great heights , we would love to see many more awesome recipes . Kudos ! Keep it up .
Sowmya Sundararajan
Happy Blog Birthday Pavani. Wishing you many more happy returns.
rajani
Congratulations Pavani:-). Wishing you many more active blogging years to come!
Usha Rao
Happy blog anniversary and wishing many more such milestones for the blog. Cake looks very moist and decadent.
Siri
OMG Pavani. The cakes (in both shapes) look so beautiful and amazing. Congratulations on the 10th blog-o-anniversary. It is a big milestone and you achieved with such passion and finesse. 🙂 Cheers to many more such memorable moments!Best,Siri
Srivalli
Gosh that cake looks so sinful Pavani. Will surely be making this soon. Happy anniversary wishes and wishes for more.
Kalyani
That’s a stunner of a cake , Pavani ! Such a healthy recipe ! Am so making this soon :)And happy blogoversary ! We need ur artistic creations to keep ogling at them 😊
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
Happy anniversary! What a gorgeous looking cake – love the use of punpkin in the filling
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
Happy anniversary! What a gorgeous looking cake – love the use of punpkin in the filling
Sowmya :)
Happy anniversary to you Pavani and loads of wishes for many more such celebrations….you are truly an inspiration 🙂
Aarika Chilson
Love Love Love this decadent and delicious vegan dessert! Yowza! Happy Anniversary! Your pictures are so inviting that I can almost smell the cocoa! And what a great idea to add pumpkin puree for the filling. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Yum!
Padmavathi Iyer
Happy anniversary. I have a doubt. The pumpkin puree should we make it raw or after boiling it?
Pavani N
Thank you Padmavathi 🙂 Pumpkin needs to be baked or steamed before pureeing.
Suja Ilangovan
Decadent chocolate cake, Pavani. Pumpkin puree is a surprise ingredient 🙂
Joy
Is there a substitute for the pumpkin? Canned pumpkin is full of extraneous substances, so I avoid it at all costs.
Pavani
Hi Joy, you can make your own pumpkin puree using this recipe — https://www.cookshideout.com/homemade-roasted-pumpkin-puree-recipe
Chococraft
What a fantastic post! The information is very useful. Thank you for sharing this here.
Andrew Fetterly
Hi ,Thanks for sharing the post , & making us aware of how to perpare the delicoius baked cakes ———– Keep posting ,
Razieh
Thank you so much.
I want to bake this cake for my sister-in-law’s birthday!
Can I replace coconut oil with another vegetable oil?
cookshideout
Hi Razieh, sure you can sub vegetable oil for coconut oil. Hope you like the cake.
Razieh
Thank you so much!