Dairy Free Chocolate Cake

This dairy free chocolate cake is sure to become your new favorite! It's so rich & moist, and just happens to be dairy free! It's a super easy bowl & whisk recipe, and bakes up in about 30 minutes. The chocolate fudge frosting is just as rich as a whipped ganache frosting but less finicky, so you're sure to come out with a silky smooth, stable frosting. Top the decorated cake with a generous sprinkling of flaky sea salt and serve for any special occasion 🙂

For more chocolate cake recipes, try Ultimate Chocolate Fudge Cake, Dark Chocolate Malt Snack Cake, Chocolate Tiramisu Cake, and Fudgy Chocolate Espresso Bundt Cake.

Ingredient Notes

• Flour: You'll need about 2 cups of all-purpose flour.
• Cocoa Powders: Use a combination of dutch process and black cocoa powders for a extra rich flavor. 
• Sugars: You'll need granulated sugar for the cake and powdered sugar for the frosting. 
• Leavener: Baking powder is all you need to give this cake the perfect rise and texture. 
• Oil: Use a neutral oil such as vegetable oil or canola oil. My go-to is light-tasting olive oil. 
• Dairy Free Milk: I recommend using a sugar-free oat milk for the best flavor. 
• Eggs: You'll need 3 eggs at room temperature. 
• Hot Coffee: Add freshly brewed hot coffee at the end to "bloom" the cocoa powders. 
• Coconut Cream: Use the coconut cream that settles at the top of the canned coconut milk or just use a can of coconut cream. 
• Vegan Butter: Use your favorite vegan butter for the chocolate fudge frosting. 
• Chocolate: Use very high-quality chocolate for the frosting. My favorite is Guittard. 

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and individual quantities.

Step by Step Instructions

This cake is super easy bowl & whisk recipe. Just whisk the dry ingredients, whisk the wet ingredients, then add dry to wet. Lastly, whisk in the hot coffee. Bake the cake layers for about 30 minutes, then make the frosting, and decorate!

STEP 1: Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powders, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

STEP 2: Whisk together the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the oat milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.

STEP 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and whisk until just combined. Lastly, whisk in the hot coffee until fully combined.

STEP 4: Bake. Divide the cake batter between the 3 cake pans. Wrap the cake strips around the pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

STEP 5: Let the cakes cool. Allow cakes to cool for a few minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

STEP 6: Make the frosting. Add coconut cream and vegan butter to a medium saucepan. Place over low heat, stirring frequently until fully melted. Remove from heat, add the chocolate, and cover with a large plate for 1-2 minutes. Remove the plate, and stir until fully melted and smooth. If some of the chocolate has not fully melted, place it back on low heat until melted and smooth.

STEP 7: Finish the frosting. Pour the chocolate mixture in the bowl of a stand mixer, and place in the fridge for 10-15 minutes until cool and thick. Mix on low-medium speed with the paddle attachment while adding the sifted powdered sugar a few tablespoons at a time. Once all of the powdered sugar is added, add salt and mix on low speed for 3-5 minutes until completely smooth.

STEP 8: Decorate. Decorate the cake as desired.

Expert Baking Tips

• I recommend using a sugar-free oat milk. My favorite is Chobani.
• Use a neutral oil such as light-tasting extra virgin olive oil.
• Since there is so much chocolate in this frosting, it is very important to use a very high-quality brand! My favorite is Guittard.
• Use wilton cake strips to ensure the cake layers bake up flat. If you do not have any, you can dip paper towels in ice cold water and wrap them in aluminum foil, then wrap around the cake pans. This ensures that the outside does not bake faster than center, and result in a domed top.

All of the recipes on this blog are carefully developed with gram measurements so you can easily recreate them in your own kitchen with success. Volume measurements are extremely inaccurate and leave room for significant errors. Not all measuring cups are made equally, so your one cup of flour will be different from my one cup of flour. By providing precise measurements in grams (aside from minor ingredients, which are given in tsp/tbsp), you can make these recipes accurately and with less cleanup! All you need is this kitchen scale. 

If this still isn't enough to convince you, I have provided volume measurements in the recipe card. If you are interested in understanding the conversions, this is the best conversion chart.

But trust me, once you try baking in grams you'll never turn back!

Happy baking! x