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Celebrate your big day with this moist and rich Chocolate Vegan Birthday Cake. Made with easy to find ingredients, this sprinkle-filled cake will satisfy your sweet tooth in no time!
**This post originally appeared in 2016 but has since been updated with new content+photos. It’s still the same great recipe though!
Can we all agree that the one non-negotiable item on birthdays is a birthday cake? Every year for my birthday, my mom asks me what kind of cake I want, and without fail I either choose an almond cake or a carrot cake. But, this chocolate birthday cake was for my brother’s birthday per his request, so a chocolate cake he got!
Birthdays are exciting, right? You get gifts and dinner and dessert and to spend quality time with the ones you love. Yeah, birthdays rule, especially birthdays with vegan birthday cake.
Why do I love this vegan cake so much? Let me tell you!
- It’s chocolate-y
- Super rich
- It’s vegan-friendly
- The applesauce makes it moist
- The icing is made with the BEST ingredients
- Optional: it’s covered in sprinkles
I remember being 23 like it was yesterday, even though it was actually 730 days ago, or something like that (I can’t decide if that sounds like forever ago or not long at all…). I was one year out of college working a desk job and hating every second of it. But I had this blog and I had Miguel and I still lived in Pittsburgh, so I suppose 23 wasn’t so bad. The one thing I remember about turning 23 was that Miguel threw me a surprise party and bought me a delicious cake. Yes, I have a horrible memory, but I can still remember that delicious cake.
Now, let’s talk about what you’re going to need in order to make this cake.
VEGAN BIRTHDAY CAKE INGREDIENTS
- all purpose flour
- sugar
- cocoa powder
- dairy free milk
- coconut oil
- applesauce blah
CHOCOLATE ICING
- dairy free chocolate chips
- dairy free butter
- cocoa powder
- powdered sugar
- almond butter
- dairy free milk
So, this cake recipe is pretty similar to this chocolate mint cake, minus the eggs and maple syrup. Oh, and it’s a two layer cake and covered in sprinkles because it’s not just any cake, it’s a birthday cake, and birthday cakes must be covered in sprinkles.
TIPS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE
- Leave the cake in until it’s done. I know this may seem like common sense, but don’t just assume it’s done after 45 minutes because mine was. Every oven is different, so be sure to do the toothpick test to check when yours is done. This cake is super moist, so it might take a bit longer to bake.
- Don’t put the icing in the refrigerator. The icing is super thick, so it actually doesn’t need refrigerated at all. My suggestion is to wait until your cakes are completely cooled and THEN make the icing and ice the cakes right away, rather than prepping the icing ahead of time. If you DO refrigerate the icing, it will harden a bit and you’ll have to add a splash of milk in order for it to be spreadable.
Enough with the tips already, let’s eat this vegan chocolate cake!
MORE CAKE RECIPES
Chocolate Vegan Birthday Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups raw cane sugar or sub white sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
- 1 cup applesauce
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing:
- 3/4 cups dairy free butter
- 1/4 cup dairy free chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 2 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl; stir and set aside.
- Heat coconut oil in a small saucepan OR in a microwave-safe dish until melted; set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine milk, applesauce, vinegar, and vanilla; stir in oil.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients with an electric mixer; stir really well so the batter is runny and not chunky.
- Grease two 8 inch baking pans with coconut oil and then pour batter evenly into each pan.
- Bake cakes for approximately 40-45 minutes, or until batter is cooked all the way through.
- Once cakes are done, remove from oven and wait 10 minutes or so before carefully transferring them to a cooling rack. Wait until cakes have cooled before icing them.
make the icing:
- Do so by heating butter and chocolate chips together over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until combined; transfer to a bowl and then add the cocoa, powdered sugar, milk, almond butter, and vanilla; stir with an electric mixer until everything is smooth. The icing should be pretty thick but still spreadable.
to assemble:
- Remove the top "dome" from one of the cakes with a knife so that the cake is flat on top and, using a spatula, ice the top of that cake before placing the second cake on top, using the icing as glue to hold the cakes together.
- Use the spatula to ice the rest of the cake
- Add sprinkles, cut and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The best vegan chocolate cake recipe out there! I made this cake for the first time 3 years ago for my fiancé’s birthday and he asked me to make it EVERY year for his birthday! So here’s to birthday #3 coming up this weekend using this recipe for his birthday cake. Thanks so much for creating a recipe that everyone loves (omni friends too!) 🙂
This makes me so happy!! Happy birthday to your fiancé and I’m glad you guys both love the cake so much 🙂
Thanks for posting this recipe Erin
I have made this cake several times and it is perfect every single time. Last time I halved the icing and put coconut whipped cream and strawberries in the center and it may be the best thing I’ve ever eaten. The icing is a bit too sweet for me, so I add powdered sugar to taste and it turns out like a ganache instead of a traditional birthday cake frosting, very rich!
I would like to make this cake in four inch pans. Aside from halving the recipe can you give me any tips to ensure perfection?
Thank you for such a perfect vegan cake!
Thanks for you kind comment Danielle! Yes, I’d say half the recipe, then you won’t have to bake the cakes for as long… probably more like 25-30 minutes.
Might just have to try this one. Looks good!
This was so yummy! I made it for my friend and coworker who is vegan when we were all bringing food to a potluck. Everyone loved it! They all said they couldn’t even tell it was vegan and I agree. It’s a really yummy cake that’s not too much harder to make than a non-vegan one. I didn’t even need to use simple syrup to keep it moist or anything, it did that part all by itself. I also used cherries instead of sprinkles because I don’t care too much for sprinkles and it was great! Sort of black foresty??? Anyways, thanks so much for sharing this recipe!
Thank you for your comment — I’m glad you liked it!
I am making this for a newly vegan friend.
Can peanut butter be subbed for the almond butter (or omitted)?
Looks amazing. Can’t wait!
Yes! Peanut butter will work fine.
I’ve made this cake 3 times now and it’s wonderful! Can it be made into cupcakes?
Thank you!! Yes I don’t see why not 🙂
Yes! I made it as cupcakes my first time through. Reduced cooking time and the cupcakes were perfect in about 30 minutes. Super moist and delicious!
Thank You Erin for posting this. I showed it to my mother and she loved it, will make it for her soon !
Erin, this cake is a winner! We have made it several times. Everyone loves it, vegan or not. My daughter has even made it with whole wheat flower which gives it a nice flavor too.
I’m going to make it for her birthday. Have you ever made the cake ahead of time and froze it? I would defrost for her party and make the icing fresh as you suggested. Thank you! So glad you shared.
Thanks so much for your comment! If you want to make the cake ahead of time, I’d just wait for it to cool completely them wrap each layer individually tightly in plastic wrap before placing them in the freezer.
Thank you Erin! You are the super best for taking the time to answer. I’m on it!
We are recently vegan and this recipe is amazing! Thank you so much for posting it! My family loves it
This looks like a dream! YUM!
This was so good! I’m on weight watchers and trying to calculate points. Any idea on nutrition info? Specifically carbs, fat, fiber, protein?
Do I have to use apple cider vinegar?
Yes! You need something acidic. You could probably sub for lemon juice if that’s easier.
I made the cake today and everyone loved it! Tasted as good as any cake! After reading the comments I decreased the applesauce and coconut oil and beat on high and cake was not too dense! Go ahead and make this cake and you won’t be disappointed!
How many people does this cake serve?
Made this cake yesterday. It turned out good. I was surprised at how dense it was. Is it supposed to be that way? Is there any to make it less dense? Other than that, it tasted fine. It just wasn’t fluffy like cakes we are used to. Any suggestions?
When I was 23 I had been married a year and also had my first child, who was 6 months old. This cake looks amazing. I recently became vegan, and am planning to make it for my youngest daughter’s birthday party on Saturday. She’s turning 27. My how time flies! I can’t wait to try this cake!
The cakes are currently in the oven, this is the second birthday my family has used this cake for. I’m the only vegan in my family but my whole fam LOVES it.
SAME! I’ve made this cake twice for my brother’s birthday and everyone eats it up, even though he’s the only vegan in the family. I’m glad everyone has been loving it 🙂
My 14 year old daughter and I followed this cake recipe for my husband’s birthday but it came out tasting very baking soda-y. So bummed because it looks super moist but it’s not eatable 🙁 I’m wondering if anyone else had the same experience… Thanks anyways! I like your pics and the sprinkles are very festive 🙂
Hi! That’s so strange and I’m not sure why that happened. So far no one’s said anything about it tasting off, but if someone does I’ll have to remake this myself and see.
Wow, that looks amazing! And thanks for the tips on using room temp icing, it definitely helps with thicker recipes. Thanks for sharing!
I have made this cake 3 times in the last 4 weeks and I don’t even like cake! I have made all my friends try it just so I can show them how great it is to be vegan ❤❤❤❤❤ amazing job, this cake is perfection!
That makes me SO happy–thanks for the feedback Olivia!
Can I replace the coconut oil with another oil?…allergies
Thanks for posting this recipe Erin, I made it for my daughter Erin’s birthday today and it was a huge hit, we all loved it 🙂
I made a crumb from crushed peanuts and dark chocolate (dairy free) to mix with the sprinkles to cover the top and sides which was quite tasty too. So happy to have such a yummy vegan alternative for her 🙂
I’m so glad you liked it and that topping sounds TO DIE FOR. I’m trying that next time!
Happy birthday to your brother! This cake is perfect!
Can it be my birthday and can you make this for me?!
That works for me!
A chocolate vegan b-day for me? Why yes, I would LOVE this right now! A perfect monday afternoon snack 🙂
Or any time any day snack for that matter!
THIS. CAKE. LOOKS. AWESOME!!! Happy birthday to your brother, and I SO want a slice of this!
Thank you Lisa!! I’ll mail you a piece.
Happy Birthday, Justin! You are so evil giving him the failure.
Jk, I do that with Niki all the time.
I’m glad you took note of that. I’M SO NICE. I mean, who else is going to eat the mess-ups? That’s what sibs are for.
This cake looks amazing! Love how moist it is and all that chocolatey flavor. I wish you could airplane feed me some for sure 🙂
hahaha thank you for not being weirded out by that suggestion. CAKE FOR EVERYONE.
Omg I want to faceplant right into this baby with my mouth wide open! I don’t really remember where I was at 23 (uhm… 8 years ago 😯 ), but I do know that I would have loved to have this baby on the table for my birthday. Holy.yum. Please come and be my vegan baking sister. Please? Ok 🙂
Ha thanks giiiiirl I’ll gladly make this for ya.
Can I be your brother? Seriously, I want someone to make me this cake! It looks SO moist and chocolately…mmm.
Happy Birthday to your bro! He’s lucky to have such a sweet and thoughtful sister. 😉
I tell him that all the time 😉 Thanks Sarah!
This looks so gooey and deliciously chocolatey! Happy birthday to your brother!
Thanks Ellen!
I’m blown away – that cake looks so moist and delicious and it has no eggs or butter! Fantastic Job Erin – your brother is one lucky bro – happy 23rd birthday to him!
Thank you Shashi!
Best sister ever award goes to you!! Omg this cake. I didn’t have a cake for my birthday, so I think that’s a good excuse to make this one right??
I’m not 23 yet, but where I hope to be at 23: in a job I love (fingers crossed it’s blogging full time :P), possibly in NYC, and just in an environment I can thrive in.
You NEED this cake right now to make up for your lack of bday cake. And I think those are wonderful goals!–much better than my former goals, which were “make money so I can pay my bills” <--always dreaming big
youre such a good sis! you should rename your blog to the cake eater…. or maker… cause you make ALL THE DELISH that is cake and so pretty
There are many, many things I could have called this blog lol and I had no idea I liked making cakes so much! But apparently I do. Thanks girlfrannnn
Oh my God.
Best comment ever.
I’m only 21, but WOW this cake looks amazing!! You’re the best sister EVER. 🙂 I’m sure your brother will love it, happy birthday to him!!!
Haha thank you Marina! And 21?! Now I feel old