This vegan chocolate cake is eggless, dairy free, uses no fancy ingredients and comes together in one bowl. I’d shout this from the rooftops if I could but this is by far my BEST cake ever. It’s so moist, has an intense chocolate flavour and it is so easy to make!
If you are like me and eat eggs, you will always have this ‘feeling’ that eggless cakes are not as soft and spongy. I had this for years and kept thinking eggless cakes are ideal for dense fruit based cakes or quick breads but a spongy and moist cake needs eggs. This is a one bowl recipe and it takes only 45 minutes.
What can the cherries be substituted with?
If you are making this with fresh cherries, remember to pit them. I use a thin straw and push the pit out. If not, this cake works beautifully with any other berries – raspberries or strawberries. Oh and this cake is pretty amazing without any fruit too.
It was cherry season when I first tried this cake, so I added cherries. We eat so much fruit here in Canberra and buy loads of cherries when in season, apart from making plans to go cherry picking. The combination of chocolate and cherries is reminiscent of the ever popular black forest cake so indeed, it was a win!
If you are looking for other vegan cake, you should try my eggless marble cake!
Vegan One Bowl Chocolate Cake (with cherries)
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1.5 cups plain flour
- 1 cup sugar I used raw sugar. This recipe works best with raw or white sugar.
- 1/3 cup cooca powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup coffee I mixed 2 tsp instant coffee with 1 cup of hot water. If making for kids, substitute with plain water and omit the coffee
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1/3 cup oil I used vegetable oil, but olive oil or virgin coconut oil can also be used. Choose a neutral oil with no strong smell.
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar white vinegar also works
Chocolate Icing (optional, but why would you say no to more chocolate)
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips/chopped chocolate
- 1-2 tsp hot water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Additional stuff ( optional, but why would you not eat fruit)
- 1 to 1.5 cups pitted cherries or raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C for 10 minutes
- Pit cherries, if using and prepare the fruit. Wash and dry well to remove any excess moisture
- Line the bottom of a 8 inch pan with baking parchment. This is essential if you are using fruit because it will stick terribly.
- In a large bowl, add all the dry ingredients and mix well to combine
- Make a small well in the centre and add the oil, vanilla essence and coffee/water. Mix well using a small whisk or a fork until it is fully combined
- Add the vinegar and stir just until it is fully mixed. You will see the vinegar react with baking soda and create ripples. That is good.
- Arrange the cherries on the baking pan and pour the batter over. Alternatively, you can mix in the cherries to the cake batter using the lightest hand and minimal stirring. If the cherries rise up, use your fingers to poke them slightly into the batter.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
- For the chocolate icing, microwave the chocolate in twenty second intervals until melted. Add hot water, vanilla essence and stir well until combined. Pour over warm cake.
Notes
This recipe was first shared by me on Instagram in January 2021.
I have eaten a lot of chocolate cake and I will assure you, this vegan chocolate cake is a winner. NO ONE will even find it is eggless, let alone vegan.
This recipe is adapted from Cookie & Kate and Vegetarian Times.
Please leave a comment below if you made this recipe, have any questions or thoughts! Your comment will help me learn more about your preferences and will help other readers.
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3 Comments
Amrita
July 25, 2021 at 11:55 pmThis is my favourite vegan cake. It’s absolutely delicious. I’ve made it 4 to 5 times and it’s a winner! I also now add a spoon of Apple cider vinegar to all my eggless cakes thanks to recipe and it’s a game changer!
myflavourfactory
July 27, 2021 at 10:30 amOh yay, thank you Amrita.
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