This Vegan Chocolate Cake is rich, decadent, and sure to satisfy your sweet tooth! It features a dairy-free cream cheese frosting flavored with raspberry AND raspberry jam between the layers. Or if you're not a fan of raspberry, pair the chocolate cake with any vegan frosting you like, such as vanilla, peanut butter, or chocolate! It's perfect for birthdays, holidays, or any occasion that calls for cake.
If you're looking for a classic, vegan chocolate cake recipe, you've come to the right place!
Velvety moist chocolate cake is layered with fruity jam and a luscious, tangy-sweet raspberry cream cheese frosting for a truly indulgent experience.
Unlike some of my other desserts, this recipe is not meant to be a healthy alternative to your typical chocolate cake, but rather a dairy-free, egg-free version that will have your non-vegan family and friends begging for seconds!
But if you are in need of a "healthier" cake recipe, be sure to check out my Oil-Free Vegan Chocolate Cake and my Healthy-ish Vegan Carrot Cake next.
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Why You'll Love It
- You'll find this from-scratch cake is easy to make even if you're not a fan of baking cakes.
- It's easy to customize with different decorations on top such as fresh berries, chocolate shavings, sprinkles, edible flowers, and more!
- It's perfect for special occasions like birthdays, holidays, bridal showers, baby showers, and engagement parties just to name a few.
- This mouthwatering chocolate cake is pure indulgence!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Here's a look at the main ingredients needed to make this vegan chocolate cake. See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and measurements.
For the cake:
- Flour - I used unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Sugar - For the most classic chocolate cake flavor, use regular granulated sugar. To make sure it's vegan (not processed with bone char), either look for organic sugar or one labeled as vegan. Lately I've been using the Whole Foods 365 brand.
- Cocoa Powder - This gives the cake its dark chocolate flavor. Be sure to use an unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Non-Dairy Milk - I used soy milk, but you can use any unsweetened, plain plant-based milk of your choice, such as oat or almond.
- Oil - Canola oil works very well for cake, but you can use another neutral-tasting oil, if needed.
- Balsamic Vinegar - Complements the chocolate flavor and and helps with leavening. Feel free to swap the balsamic for apple cider vinegar instead.
- Brewed Coffee - Just a bit of coffee enhances the chocolate flavor, but if you prefer to leave it out, you can replace it with an extra tablespoon of non-dairy milk.
For the frosting/jam layers:
Feel free to use a basic vegan buttercream frosting instead of the cream cheese version, if you like.
- Vegan Cream Cheese - For the frosting I recommend Tofutti brand as it has the best flavor and lower moisture content.
- Butter - I recommend using Earth Balance buttery sticks for the best consistency.
- Powdered Sugar - For sweetening the frosting.
- Freeze-Dried Raspberries - These are ground into a powder before incorporating into the frosting. You can buy them at Trader Joe's, Target, or online. Not a fan of raspberries? Try using freeze-dried strawberries or blueberries instead! Check out my vegan strawberry frosting here.
- Raspberry Jam - Feel free to use any brand you'd like. My favorite is Trader Joe's raspberry fruit spread. Just like with the freeze-dried berries, you can also go with a different fruit flavored jam such as strawberry, orange, or blueberry.
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Cake
First, preheat your oven to 350° F. Then lightly oil three cake pans and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment paper.
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl, and whisk the wet ingredients together in a separate mixing bowl.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and whisk to combine.
Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and bake for 28 to 32 minutes, or until the tops bounce back when lightly pressed.
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How to Make the Frosting
Use a blender or spice grinder to process the freeze-dried raspberries until powdered.
Use a strainer to separate the seeds, and set the raspberry powder aside.
Use a handheld or stand mixer to cream together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
Sift in the powdered sugar one cup at a time, beating on low speed between additions and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Add the raspberry powder one tablespoon at a time until the desired color and flavor are reached. Beat on medium/high speed until the powder is fully incorporated and the frosting is smooth.
Assemble the Cake
Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread some of the raspberry jam on top of the cake. Then spread a thin layer of frosting on top of the jam. Repeat with the second cake layer.
Add the third cake layer and frost the top and sides. Decorate as desired.
Important Tip!
Be sure the cake layers are completely cool before frosting.
Serving Suggestions
- My favorite way to decorate this cake is with a combination of fresh raspberries and blackberries. I also like to use some of the extra raspberry powder and sift it on top of the cake along with some powdered sugar.
- If you want to play up the chocolate vibe, go for chocolate curls or shavings and sift a touch of cocoa powder on top.
- You can also add sprinkles, chopped nuts, a few dollops of vegan whipped cream, or edible flowers depending on the occasion and the theme of your party or event.
- Leftover cake is delicious served with a cold glass of oat milk or a cup of hot coffee with oat milk creamer!
Equipment
- To make the cake, you'll need two mixing bowls, a sifter, a whisk, three 9-inch cake pans, and two cooling racks.
- To make the vegan raspberry frosting, you'll need a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer and a mixing bowl. Then to frost the cake, you'll need an offset spatula.
- To turn the freeze-dried raspberries into powder, you'll need a blender or spice grinder, as well as a bowl and a strainer to separate the seeds from the powder.
FAQs
Absolutely! Feel free to use any flavor of vegan frosting you'd like such as vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or this vegan frosting without butter. You can also use store-bought frosting for convenience if you prefer.
I personally have not tried making this cake gluten-free; however, a reader did reach out to let us know that it did not turn out properly when substituting a 1:1 gluten-free flour for the all-purpose flour. If you have success making this cake gluten-free, we'd love for you to share your experience in the comments below.
Yes, you can make the cake and the frosting in advance and store them separately until you're ready to assemble. Wrap each cake layer individually in plastic wrap and place the frosting in an airtight container. Then store both in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Due to the cream cheese in the frosting, I don't recommend freezing the finished cake. If you use a different type of frosting with less moisture, freezing will be fine. Unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to one month. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Helpful Tips
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to continue cooling.
- Be sure to let both the butter and the cream cheese come to room temperature before making the frosting.
- If you are not able to find store-bought vegan cream cheese, feel free to replace it with extra Earth Balance for a simple raspberry buttercream.
- If the frosting seems too soft, place it in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before icing the cake.
- Refrigerate the frosted/decorated cake until ready to serve.
More Vegan Cake Recipes
I hope you enjoy this vegan chocolate raspberry cake! If you try the recipe I'd love to hear from you. Comment below, and let us know how you decorated your cake!
Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Cake With Raspberry Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3¾ cups all-purpose flour (475 g)
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk - such as soy or oat
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup neutral oil - such as grapeseed or canola
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar - or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon brewed coffee - or additional water or milk
Frosting and jam:
- 16 ounces vegan cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup Earth Balance vegan butter (2 sticks), room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1¼ ounces freeze-dried raspberries
- ⅔ cup raspberry jam
Instructions
Make the cakes:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil three 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment paper.
- Into a large bowl sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the sugar and whisk to combine. In a medium bowl whisk together the water, milk, vanilla, oil, vinegar, and coffee.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk just until mixed, with no visible dry flour remaining. Divide the batter evenly among the three pans, and bake 28 to 32 minutes or until the tops bounce back when lightly pressed.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes then transfer to racks to cool completely. If preparing in advance, wrap each layer individually in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator.
Make the frosting:
- With a blender or spice grinder, process the freeze-dried raspberries until powdered. Place a mesh strainer over a bowl, and pour the powdered raspberries through the strainer to separate the seeds. Discard the seeds, and set the raspberry powder aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer, cream together the room temperature cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add sifted powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed between additions and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste for sweetness, adjusting as desired. Add raspberry powder 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired color and flavor are reached (I used 3 tablespoon powder for a light pink frosting; you should have some powder leftover). Beat on medium/high speed until fully incorporated and smooth. If the frosting seems too soft for decorating the cake, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes. If making in advance, store the frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Assemble the cake:
- Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Spread about ⅓ cup raspberry jam on top (refer to photos above if needed). Using an offset spatula spread a thin layer of frosting on top of the jam. Repeat for the second cake layer.
- Place the 3rd cake layer on top, and frost the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with fresh berries. Sift raspberry powder and powdered sugar on top if desired.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
Juie says
This cake was going to be the cake that finally scored big in the best birthday cake ever version. I followed it to the letter EXCEPT I used gluten free flour. It's a necessity for me. I cannot tolerate gluten. It was claggy as they say on the famous British baking show. Sadly I will continue looking though; the science of baking a gluten free vegan cake may make that an impossibility.
Lori says
Thanks for sharing with us that the straight swap with GF flour didn't work. I'm sure we'll be able to figure it out! I haven't experimented much with gluten-free cake yet but plan to. I've seen quite a few recipes online but don't have one I can recommend from experience. Making myself a note to keep you updated if I find success with V/GF!
Olivia Schutt says
Made this for my friends birthday last weekend, it was SUCH a hit. This recipe was very simple to follow compared to others I’ve seen, this was my first vegan cake (and first tiered cake alone!) I’m sitting here eating it for lunch, absolutely delicious 🙂
Taylor says
Hi Lori,
When I tried to beat the cream cheese and butter together (both at room temp; used tofutti and earth balance brands), it turned into a horrible curdled mess and eventually became wet from oil separation. Any idea what might have gone wrong?? It never became creamy or smooth, and I had to dump out the batch.
Lori says
Hi Taylor, oh that's a bummer! I've never had that happen, but my best guess is that maybe they were *too* warm. By chance is your kitchen's ambient temperature very warm, or did you do anything to the butter and cream cheese to try to speed up the warming process? Over-mixing frosting can lead to separation, but I haven't personally had that happen. So I think it's somewhat rare - unless temperature was a factor.
In the future if you ever see the beginning signs of separation I would probably pop the bowl into the fridge for a few minutes.
Better luck next time!
Kelly says
Lori... wow thank you so much for all the different options! This is fabulous. I am super excited to get baking. I’ll met you know how it goes! Again much gratitude for your help!
Lori says
Happy to help! Let me know if you have any other questions. 🙂
Kelly says
Hi Lori... you cake looks so yummy. I am planning on making it for a party this weekend. My question is I only have 3 - 8” round cake pans, is there anything you suggest I do differently? Cook for a diff time? Will I have left over batter? This only my 2nd later cake I’ve ever made so still learning! Any help appreciated! Thank you Kelly
Lori says
Hi Kelly,
Thank you, and yes I'm happy to help! You can approach this a couple of different ways. Eight-inch round pans are actually 25% smaller than 9-inch ones. So you could multiply each ingredient by .75 and use those amounts. Oh wait! Even better... there's a slider that pops up if you hover over the number of servings for the recipe. See where it says 16 servings? Slide that down to 12, and it will do the calculations for you.
Or you could make the recipe as written, and after filling the pans about 2/3 full, pour the remaining batter into ramekins or a cupcake pan and bake them after your cakes are done.
The bake time for your 8-inch cakes might be a few minutes less, so after about 20 minutes I would take a peek at them. You can usually tell by looking at the centers if they're close. If in doubt, pull one pan from the oven and lightly press the top with your finger. If it slightly bounces back, you'll know they're done.
Best of luck! I hope they turn out perfectly for you. 😀
Meredith says
I made your frosting with Toffuti cream cheese and it was totally delicious. I was skeptical at first because I haven't had much luck with vegan desserts and dairy substitutes. I've had a hard time covering up the oily flavor and texture, or dealing with the saltiness of Earth Balance, or getting it stable enough to sit out through a buffet dinner. But this frosting was a winner and covered all the bases for me. The only change I made was I used 150% the amount of raspberry powder. Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Lori says
So glad you liked it! Thanks for the feedback, Meredith. 🙂