Vegan Chocolate Cake With Raspberry Frosting

A slice of cake on a small plate with the whole cake on a stand in background.

Vegan Chocolate Cake With Raspberry Frosting

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 30

cooling time 30

Total Time 1 30

Servings:16 servings

Author: Lori Rasmussen, My Quiet Kitchen

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. Or pair the 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.

Yield: one 3-layer, 9-inch cake

Ingredients
US Customary | Metric

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

Refrigerate the decorated cake until ready to serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Due to the moisture content of vegan cream cheese, I don't recommend freezing the frosted cake. Unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to 1 month. And if you use a regular vegan buttercream frosting, the decorated cake may be frozen.

Nutrition