Home > Recipes > Dessert > Best Chocolate Cake

Best Chocolate Cake

Name: Best Chocolate Cake
Prep time: 45

(7 votes, average: 3.57 out of 5)

45 min prep

16 servings

Carrot Icon for Number of Ingredients Size

17 ingredients

This bittersweet vegan chocolate cake is aptly named. It tastes so rich and dense, it really is the Best Chocolate Cake. Smothered in our Creamy Vegan Chocolate Frosting, it is the perfect treat for...

1⅔ cups large-crystal cane sugar (like Sugar in the Raw)
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup oat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
¾ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
⅓ cup natural cocoa powder (See Ann’s Tips)
1½-ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup hot brewed coffee
1 cup light coconut milk
2 tablespoons cider or white wine vinegar
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup vegan butter substitute or vegetable margarine, at room temperature
2, 10 ounce packages semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup hot brewed coffee
¼ cup boiling water
½ cup light coconut milk
4-ounces silken tofu

Missing an Ingredient?

Visit our ingredient substitution guide.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

311 cals

Fat

14 g

Saturated Fat

5 g

Polyunsaturated Fat

3 g

Monounsaturated Fat

5 g

Carbohydrates

45 g

Sugar

23 g

Fiber

3 g

Protein

5 g

Sodium

235 mg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Adjust oven rack to the middle position. Lightly oil two 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside. Prepare the frosting as outlined here.
Process the sugar in a food processor to a fine powder, about 30-40 seconds.
In a large bowl, sift together the sugar, all-purpose flour, oat flour, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the cocoa powders, chopped chocolate and the hot coffee until the chocolate has melted and smooth.
Whisk the vegan butter, vinegar and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add the coconut milk in two batches, whisking until smooth after each addition.
Add the butter mixture to the chocolate, and whisk to combine. Then, using a spatula, fold this mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated and no streaks of flour remain.
Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes, rotating them halfway through cooking time. Cool the cakes completely in the pans on a wire rack, about 2 hours.
Invert the cakes from the pans. Using an icing spatula spread about 1 cup of frosting evenly onto the top of the first cake. Place the second cake on top of the frosted bottom layer and spread about 1 cup of frosting on top. Cover the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.

Chef Tips

A note about cocoa powder for baking:

Dutch-process cocoa powder is made from cacao beans that have been washed with a potassium solution to neutralize their acidity. This type of powder is much darker and has a mellower flavor. It will not react with baking soda, and is frequently used with baking powder in recipes.

Natural cocoa powder is made for cacao beans that are roasted then processed into a fine powder. It is much lighter and fruitier than Dutch-process. Since it has not had its acidity neutralized, it reacts with baking soda, and is often used with baking soda in recipes.

Drinking chocolate never be tempted to use drinking chocolate powder for baking. With added dried milk solids and a ton of sugar, it contains a lot less cacao than Dutch process or natural cocoa powders. It’s simply not formulated for baking.

Please remember to always eat sweet things in moderation. A little bit of dessert or cake will go a long way. Don’t overdo it.

Registered Dietitian Approved

All our recipes are created by chefs and reviewed by our oncology-trained staff Registered Dietitian, Kate Ueland, MS, RD, to ensure that each is backed with scientific evidence and meets the standards set by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.