This vegan chocolate cake with chocolate frosting is perfectly soft, rich, and full of chocolate flavor! A classic, simple chocolate cake recipe made with just 7 healthy ingredients.
I love chocolate cake. And when I say that, I mean like, I LOVE it. Chocolate cake has always been my favorite dessert, both before and after going vegan. There’s just nothing better than a soft, sweet chocolate cake, slathered with rich dark chocolate frosting.
I’m already drooling.
Since starting my blog I’ve always had the goal to really nail a chocolate cake recipe. A classic, go to, healthy recipe, made with simple ingredients. One that I could always rely on and mix up with other flavors based on the season. I have several chocolate cake recipes on the blog, and don’t get it twisted, I love them all.
BUT.
None of those met my expectations in terms of being a classic chocolate cake recipe. Either the texture was a little too dense and brownie-like for what comes to mind when I think of chocolate cake, or they were made with some less accessible ingredients.
Recently I decided to go for the elusive unicorn that is an ultimate, classic, healthy vegan chocolate cake recipe one more time. And guys…
I finally got it.
This chocolate cake is SO simple to make with just 8 healthy ingredients, for both the cake and the frosting. They’re all things that are easy to find at most big grocery stores, and the methods are super simple. Also, this recipe is for a single layer cake. I love a pretty layer cake for special occasions, dont’ get me wrong. But if it’s just for me and Joe, I don’t need a multi-layer cake seducing me every time I walk through the kitchen.
Let’s talk about this vegan chocolate cake with chocolate frosting!!!!!
Ingredients for vegan chocolate cake with chocolate frosting
- Rolled oats: you’ll blend the oats into flour, which gives the cake a dense, satisfying texture.
- Almond flour:Â a bit of almond flour helps keep the cake from being too dense.
- Cocoa powder:Â cocoa gives the cake and the frosting rich chocolate flavor.
- Medjool dates: you’ll blend the dates with hot water to make a paste, which naturally sweetens the cake. You’ll also sweeten the frosting with dates.
- Applesauce:Â unsweetened applesauce adds moisture and softness.
- Nondairy milk:Â a bit of milk brings the cake batter and the frosting together. I use unsweetened almond milk for neutral flavor, but any nondairy milk should work.
- Chickpeas:Â chickpeas are the base of the frosting, which gives it a super fudgy, gooey texture.
Tips for making vegan chocolate cake with chocolate frosting
- Measure the rolled oats before blending into flour. I always list the amount of oats used BEFORE they’re blended for flour. So in this case, you’ll measure out 1 1/2 cups of whole, rolled oats, then put those 1 1/2 cups into your blender to make flour.
- Don’t forget to spray or line the cake pan. You want to avoid any sticking, so make sure you use a silicone pan or line with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Let the cake cool completely. Make sure to let the cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes before carefully turning it out to cool completely before adding the frosting.
I’m not going to lie, I’m so damn proud of this recipe and have been so excited to share it with you guys! This vegan chocolate cake with chocolate frosting is soft, dense, rich, and full of chocolate flavor. The soft, sweet cake paired with the lush, rich frosting is seriously SUCH a dreamy combination.
As if the flavor and texture weren’t enough, this thing is made with 7 whole food, plant-based ingredients. So not only are you getting dreamy chocolate cake, but also some whole gains, healthy fats, antioxidant rich fruit, and nutrient-dense beans. No big deal (but also like, the biggest and BEST deal ever).
Xo,
Sara
Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 1/2 cups whole grain oats, blended to flour consistency
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup date paste – blend 15 pitted medjool dates with 1 cup hot water, then measure out 1 cup paste
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup nondairy milk – I use unsweetened almond milk
Chocolate Frosting
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
- 8-10 pitted medjool dates
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup nondairy milk – I use unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large bowl, mix the oat flour, almond flour, and cocoa powder, being sure to break up any clumps with a fork or whisk.
- To the dry ingredients, add the date paste, applesauce, and nondairy milk, and stir into a thick batter.
- Pour the batter into a nonstick or lightly sprayed cake pan – mine was 9 inches, so if you want a slightly taller cake use 8 inches or smaller, but be aware the baking time may be different if you use a different size pan.
- Bake the cake for 25 minutes, then let it cool in the pan for 30 minutes before turning it out to cool completely. Sometimes when I use a silicone pan it takes a bit longer to cook, closer to 35-40 minutes – just lightly touch the center and if it still feels way too soft/gooey, give it a little more time in the oven.
- While the cake is baking/cooling, make the frosting. Combine the chickpeas, dates, cooca powder, and nondairy milk in a food processor and blend until totally smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides with a spatula to make sure everything is thoroughly incorporated.
- Taste the frosting, and feel free to add a couple more dates if you want it sweeter, or a bit more cocoa for more chocolate flavor. It's a pretty forgiving recipe, so adjust to your taste.
- Set the frosting in a bowl in the fridge to chill for a bit while the cake is continuing to bake/cool.
- When both the cake and frosting are totally cool, frost the cake however you'd like. I used a piping bag for some cute little swirls and sprinkled some vegan chocolate chips on top!
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Aaahhhhhhh Sara! I had to check out the post immediately after seeing your IG post. And I just happen to be on my way to the grocery store, so I can pick up some more dates and make this over the weekend. As soon as I started reading, I got sad thinking it will probably be stevia sweetened, which I can’t have. But it’s dates! ???? Thank you for sharing your fabulous creations with us.
Yessss that makes me so happy!! Glad I caught you on your way to the store this time, haha. This recipe is definitely worth all the trial and error, hope you love it! Let me know how it goes if you end up making it 🙂 have a great weekend!!
Can I double the recipe to make a layered cake? Also, I couldn’t find applesauce at any grocery store, can I use vegan yogurt instead?
I’ve never made a layered cake all at once, but I would think that doubling the batter should work just fine. I also haven’t tried swapping yogurt for applesauce, so I can’t say for sure whether that would work for the taste/texture. Let me know how it goes if you try it!