This Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe is an ABSOLUTE hit! It’s moist, decadent, fluffy and made with easy pantry ingredients so anyone can make this! It’s foolproof, has the perfect texture and is bound to please!
This Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake has been requested so many times that it would simply be a disservice not to come out with it! Based on my “reader favourite” vegan chocolate cake, this cake is beautifully sturdy, moist, has the perfect texture and is very foolproof! I tested this cake under so many different circumstances and I can say it’s probably my easiest chocolate dessert to date.
I know you’re used to me saying this – but it does not taste gluten free. This cake was an absolute favourite amongst all my family who dove right in and were shocked when I mentioned it was gluten free. I used my favourite Bob’s Red Mill as usual for this masterpiece and as usual, it did wowed me.
Notes on the Ingredients
Apple Cider Vinegar + Soy Milk : this is for preparing the vegan buttermilk. Regular vinegar & any vegan milk will also work if you don’t have apple cider vinegar or soy milk (but I love soy milk for its high protein content). It gives it with quintessential buttermilk chocolate cake flavour.
Brown Sugar : you can also use cane sugar. The sugar of course not only adds sweetness; but the moisture needed for the cake.
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour : this has been and will always be my go to! I love the perfect blend of gluten free flours found in this and how easy it makes gluten free baking for me (and for you too!). No guesswork, just weighing it out, and moving right along. I love how Bob’s Red Mill’s quality is always reliable and that even after years of purchasing their products, I always get the same top notch results each time.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder : I recommend regular high quality unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutch processed cocoa powder (it doesn’t react the same).
Baking Powder & Baking Soda : will help the cake rise, and also provide a lighter texture to the cake. Always test that it’s good!
Sea Salt : if you want to use regular salt, slightly reduce the amount used.
Applesauce : I’ve hesitated to use applesauce in recipes because I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but let me tell you – it’s magical! This gave the cake the perfect structure, texture and crumb while not interfering with taste.
Oil : takes the place of butter in this cake as the necessary fat, to ensure that the cake is nice and tender.
Vanilla Extract : I highly recommend not skipping this because it really adds to the flavour!
Boiling Water + Instant Coffee : The coffee REALLY boosts the chocolate flavour. You can also use espresso powder or what you have, it doesn’t have to be instant. Or even decaf coffee! You could leave it out, but I don’t recommend it. I like to stir this into the water which helps to melt the ingredients, as well as dissolve the coffee.
Frosting
Unsalted Vegan Butter : it’s also okay if you use salted vegan butter, just skip the salt below!
Powdered Sugar: you can also use confectioner’s sugar (it’s the same thing). You can also make your own by just blending any sugar in your blender !
How to Make Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake (Step by Step)
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
Grease and flour 3 8” cake pans and line with parchment paper. It’s essential so that the cake doesn’t stick. Heat oven to 350°F/180°C. In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar and the soy milk together and stir to combine. It will curdle. Set aside.
Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.
Add milk mixture, oil and vanilla and the coffee water. Beat with an electric whisk on medium speed for about 2 minutes until everything is just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir one more time to ensure everything is incorporated.
Pour the batter equally into the cake pans and bake for 27 minutes. Remove from the oven. Place cake pans on the counter to cool and run your butter knife around the edges to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in the pan on a wire rack before removing from the pan and to the wire rack to cool completely.
Making of the Frosting
Add the cocoa powder, vegan butter, 2 ½ cups of the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt and half the vegan milk to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer . Start mixing it together at slow speed, gradually increasing speed until it’s very thick and smooth. Add the ½ cup of the extra powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired thickness and consistency. If needed, add in the other half of the milk about 1 tablespoon at a time.
Frost cakes and decorate (full instructions in the recipe card below). Decorate with some shaved chocolate or extra cocoa powder! The frosting sets at room temperature perfectly. Slice and enjoy!
- Don’t try and substitute anything. This cake works perfectly as is with the ingredients perfectly attuned. Probably the only thing I would say is you could lower the sugar if you want by ¼ cup but not more since it will mess with the structure.
- Be sure to let these cakes cool completely. They’re sturdy upon coming out already but really “take their shape” while cooling. This also prevents the frosting from getting warm on it and sliding around.
- They’re already perfectly moist, but if you plan to have them sit for a few days or want even more moisture, you can apply a pastry brush with simple syrup on top of the layers too!
- This cake freezes so well; and I highly recommend you do this to preserve it over storing it in the fridge. Storing it in the fridge for too long will dry it out, while freezing it basically holds it in place. It thaws super quickly (like 30 minutes on the counter) so slice it up, freeze the slices separately and enjoy when you’re ready for it again!
Ingredients
Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup soy milk , or other vegan milk
- 1 ¾ cups cane sugar , ( 350 g)
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour , ( 296 g)
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder , ( 60 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup + 2 teaspoons oil , ( 100 g + 2 teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water + 1 tablespoon instant coffee , mixed in until dissolved stir these together right before you need it so it’s still hot
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted vegan butter , softened (or salted butter and skip the sea salt below)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
- 2 ½ cups – 3 powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup vegan milk , + 1 tablespoon extra if needed
Instructions
Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Grease and flour 3 8” cake pans and line with parchment paper. It’s essential so that the cake doesn’t stick.
- Heat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar and the soy milk together and stir to combine. It will curdle. Set aside.
- Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add milk mixture, applesauce, oil and vanilla and the coffee water. Beat with an electric whisk on medium speed for about 2 minutes until everything is just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir one more time to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Pour the batter equally into the cake pans and bake for 27 minutes. Remove from the oven. Place cake pans on the counter to cool and run your butter knife around the edges to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in the pan on a wire rack before removing from the pan and to the wire rack to cool completely.
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
- Add the cocoa powder, vegan butter, 2 ½ cups of the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt and half the vegan milk to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer. Start mixing it together at slow speed, gradually increasing speed until it’s very thick and smooth. Add the ½ cup of the extra powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired thickness and consistency. If needed, add in the other half of the milk about 1 tablespoon at a time.
Putting it All Together
- Frost cakes and decorate. The frosting will set at room temperature. Enjoy!
- Place a little bit of frosting in the centre of your platter – like 1 tablespoon’s worth – to help secure the cake layers to the plate. Place 1 of the fully cooled cakes on a platter (or any plate wide enough) and dollop ⅓ of the frosting on top. Spread enough around the centre, don’t go to the edges (although if you do end up doing that, it’s not that big of a deal.
- Place the 2nd cake layer upside and repeat. Place the remaining cake upside down on top of the frosted cake and spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides, blending the upper and lower portions of the sides as you go.
- Decorate with some shaved chocolate or extra cocoa powder! The frosting sets at room temperature perfectly. Slice and enjoy!
This Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe is an ABSOLUTE hit! It’s moist, decadent, fluffy and made with easy pantry ingredients so anyone can make this! It’s foolproof, has the perfect texture and is bound to please!
This Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake has been requested so many times that it would simply be a disservice not to come out with it! Based on my “reader favourite” vegan chocolate cake, this cake is beautifully sturdy, moist, has the perfect texture and is very foolproof! I tested this cake under so many different circumstances and I can say it’s probably my easiest chocolate dessert to date.
I know you’re used to me saying this – but it does not taste gluten free. This cake was an absolute favourite amongst all my family who dove right in and were shocked when I mentioned it was gluten free. I used my favourite Bob’s Red Mill as usual for this masterpiece and as usual, it did wowed me.
Notes on the Ingredients
Apple Cider Vinegar + Soy Milk : this is for preparing the vegan buttermilk. Regular vinegar & any vegan milk will also work if you don’t have apple cider vinegar or soy milk (but I love soy milk for its high protein content). It gives it with quintessential buttermilk chocolate cake flavour.
Brown Sugar : you can also use cane sugar. The sugar of course not only adds sweetness; but the moisture needed for the cake.
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour : this has been and will always be my go to! I love the perfect blend of gluten free flours found in this and how easy it makes gluten free baking for me (and for you too!). No guesswork, just weighing it out, and moving right along. I love how Bob’s Red Mill’s quality is always reliable and that even after years of purchasing their products, I always get the same top notch results each time.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder : I recommend regular high quality unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutch processed cocoa powder (it doesn’t react the same).
Baking Powder & Baking Soda : will help the cake rise, and also provide a lighter texture to the cake. Always test that it’s good!
Sea Salt : if you want to use regular salt, slightly reduce the amount used.
Applesauce : I’ve hesitated to use applesauce in recipes because I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but let me tell you – it’s magical! This gave the cake the perfect structure, texture and crumb while not interfering with taste.
Oil : takes the place of butter in this cake as the necessary fat, to ensure that the cake is nice and tender.
Vanilla Extract : I highly recommend not skipping this because it really adds to the flavour!
Boiling Water + Instant Coffee : The coffee REALLY boosts the chocolate flavour. You can also use espresso powder or what you have, it doesn’t have to be instant. Or even decaf coffee! You could leave it out, but I don’t recommend it. I like to stir this into the water which helps to melt the ingredients, as well as dissolve the coffee.
Frosting
Unsalted Vegan Butter : it’s also okay if you use salted vegan butter, just skip the salt below!
Powdered Sugar: you can also use confectioner’s sugar (it’s the same thing). You can also make your own by just blending any sugar in your blender !
How to Make Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake (Step by Step)
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
Grease and flour 3 8” cake pans and line with parchment paper. It’s essential so that the cake doesn’t stick. Heat oven to 350°F/180°C. In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar and the soy milk together and stir to combine. It will curdle. Set aside.
Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.
Add milk mixture, oil and vanilla and the coffee water. Beat with an electric whisk on medium speed for about 2 minutes until everything is just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir one more time to ensure everything is incorporated.
Pour the batter equally into the cake pans and bake for 27 minutes. Remove from the oven. Place cake pans on the counter to cool and run your butter knife around the edges to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in the pan on a wire rack before removing from the pan and to the wire rack to cool completely.
Making of the Frosting
Add the cocoa powder, vegan butter, 2 ½ cups of the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt and half the vegan milk to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer . Start mixing it together at slow speed, gradually increasing speed until it’s very thick and smooth. Add the ½ cup of the extra powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired thickness and consistency. If needed, add in the other half of the milk about 1 tablespoon at a time.
Frost cakes and decorate (full instructions in the recipe card below). Decorate with some shaved chocolate or extra cocoa powder! The frosting sets at room temperature perfectly. Slice and enjoy!
- Don’t try and substitute anything. This cake works perfectly as is with the ingredients perfectly attuned. Probably the only thing I would say is you could lower the sugar if you want by ¼ cup but not more since it will mess with the structure.
- Be sure to let these cakes cool completely. They’re sturdy upon coming out already but really “take their shape” while cooling. This also prevents the frosting from getting warm on it and sliding around.
- They’re already perfectly moist, but if you plan to have them sit for a few days or want even more moisture, you can apply a pastry brush with simple syrup on top of the layers too!
- This cake freezes so well; and I highly recommend you do this to preserve it over storing it in the fridge. Storing it in the fridge for too long will dry it out, while freezing it basically holds it in place. It thaws super quickly (like 30 minutes on the counter) so slice it up, freeze the slices separately and enjoy when you’re ready for it again!
Ingredients
Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup soy milk , or other vegan milk
- 1 ¾ cups cane sugar , ( 350 g)
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour , ( 296 g)
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder , ( 60 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup + 2 teaspoons oil , ( 100 g + 2 teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water + 1 tablespoon instant coffee , mixed in until dissolved stir these together right before you need it so it’s still hot
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted vegan butter , softened (or salted butter and skip the sea salt below)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
- 2 ½ cups – 3 powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup vegan milk , + 1 tablespoon extra if needed
Instructions
Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Grease and flour 3 8” cake pans and line with parchment paper. It’s essential so that the cake doesn’t stick.
- Heat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar and the soy milk together and stir to combine. It will curdle. Set aside.
- Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add milk mixture, applesauce, oil and vanilla and the coffee water. Beat with an electric whisk on medium speed for about 2 minutes until everything is just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir one more time to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Pour the batter equally into the cake pans and bake for 27 minutes. Remove from the oven. Place cake pans on the counter to cool and run your butter knife around the edges to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in the pan on a wire rack before removing from the pan and to the wire rack to cool completely.
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
- Add the cocoa powder, vegan butter, 2 ½ cups of the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt and half the vegan milk to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer. Start mixing it together at slow speed, gradually increasing speed until it’s very thick and smooth. Add the ½ cup of the extra powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired thickness and consistency. If needed, add in the other half of the milk about 1 tablespoon at a time.
Putting it All Together
- Frost cakes and decorate. The frosting will set at room temperature. Enjoy!
- Place a little bit of frosting in the centre of your platter – like 1 tablespoon’s worth – to help secure the cake layers to the plate. Place 1 of the fully cooled cakes on a platter (or any plate wide enough) and dollop ⅓ of the frosting on top. Spread enough around the centre, don’t go to the edges (although if you do end up doing that, it’s not that big of a deal.
- Place the 2nd cake layer upside and repeat. Place the remaining cake upside down on top of the frosted cake and spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides, blending the upper and lower portions of the sides as you go.
- Decorate with some shaved chocolate or extra cocoa powder! The frosting sets at room temperature perfectly. Slice and enjoy!
This Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe is an ABSOLUTE hit! It’s moist, decadent, fluffy and made with easy pantry ingredients so anyone can make this! It’s foolproof, has the perfect texture and is bound to please!
This Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake has been requested so many times that it would simply be a disservice not to come out with it! Based on my “reader favourite” vegan chocolate cake, this cake is beautifully sturdy, moist, has the perfect texture and is very foolproof! I tested this cake under so many different circumstances and I can say it’s probably my easiest chocolate dessert to date.
I know you’re used to me saying this – but it does not taste gluten free. This cake was an absolute favourite amongst all my family who dove right in and were shocked when I mentioned it was gluten free. I used my favourite Bob’s Red Mill as usual for this masterpiece and as usual, it did wowed me.
Notes on the Ingredients
Apple Cider Vinegar + Soy Milk : this is for preparing the vegan buttermilk. Regular vinegar & any vegan milk will also work if you don’t have apple cider vinegar or soy milk (but I love soy milk for its high protein content). It gives it with quintessential buttermilk chocolate cake flavour.
Brown Sugar : you can also use cane sugar. The sugar of course not only adds sweetness; but the moisture needed for the cake.
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour : this has been and will always be my go to! I love the perfect blend of gluten free flours found in this and how easy it makes gluten free baking for me (and for you too!). No guesswork, just weighing it out, and moving right along. I love how Bob’s Red Mill’s quality is always reliable and that even after years of purchasing their products, I always get the same top notch results each time.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder : I recommend regular high quality unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutch processed cocoa powder (it doesn’t react the same).
Baking Powder & Baking Soda : will help the cake rise, and also provide a lighter texture to the cake. Always test that it’s good!
Sea Salt : if you want to use regular salt, slightly reduce the amount used.
Applesauce : I’ve hesitated to use applesauce in recipes because I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but let me tell you – it’s magical! This gave the cake the perfect structure, texture and crumb while not interfering with taste.
Oil : takes the place of butter in this cake as the necessary fat, to ensure that the cake is nice and tender.
Vanilla Extract : I highly recommend not skipping this because it really adds to the flavour!
Boiling Water + Instant Coffee : The coffee REALLY boosts the chocolate flavour. You can also use espresso powder or what you have, it doesn’t have to be instant. Or even decaf coffee! You could leave it out, but I don’t recommend it. I like to stir this into the water which helps to melt the ingredients, as well as dissolve the coffee.
Frosting
Unsalted Vegan Butter : it’s also okay if you use salted vegan butter, just skip the salt below!
Powdered Sugar: you can also use confectioner’s sugar (it’s the same thing). You can also make your own by just blending any sugar in your blender !
How to Make Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake (Step by Step)
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
Grease and flour 3 8” cake pans and line with parchment paper. It’s essential so that the cake doesn’t stick. Heat oven to 350°F/180°C. In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar and the soy milk together and stir to combine. It will curdle. Set aside.
Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.
Add milk mixture, oil and vanilla and the coffee water. Beat with an electric whisk on medium speed for about 2 minutes until everything is just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir one more time to ensure everything is incorporated.
Pour the batter equally into the cake pans and bake for 27 minutes. Remove from the oven. Place cake pans on the counter to cool and run your butter knife around the edges to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in the pan on a wire rack before removing from the pan and to the wire rack to cool completely.
Making of the Frosting
Add the cocoa powder, vegan butter, 2 ½ cups of the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt and half the vegan milk to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer . Start mixing it together at slow speed, gradually increasing speed until it’s very thick and smooth. Add the ½ cup of the extra powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired thickness and consistency. If needed, add in the other half of the milk about 1 tablespoon at a time.
Frost cakes and decorate (full instructions in the recipe card below). Decorate with some shaved chocolate or extra cocoa powder! The frosting sets at room temperature perfectly. Slice and enjoy!
- Don’t try and substitute anything. This cake works perfectly as is with the ingredients perfectly attuned. Probably the only thing I would say is you could lower the sugar if you want by ¼ cup but not more since it will mess with the structure.
- Be sure to let these cakes cool completely. They’re sturdy upon coming out already but really “take their shape” while cooling. This also prevents the frosting from getting warm on it and sliding around.
- They’re already perfectly moist, but if you plan to have them sit for a few days or want even more moisture, you can apply a pastry brush with simple syrup on top of the layers too!
- This cake freezes so well; and I highly recommend you do this to preserve it over storing it in the fridge. Storing it in the fridge for too long will dry it out, while freezing it basically holds it in place. It thaws super quickly (like 30 minutes on the counter) so slice it up, freeze the slices separately and enjoy when you’re ready for it again!
Ingredients
Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup soy milk , or other vegan milk
- 1 ¾ cups cane sugar , ( 350 g)
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour , ( 296 g)
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder , ( 60 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup + 2 teaspoons oil , ( 100 g + 2 teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water + 1 tablespoon instant coffee , mixed in until dissolved stir these together right before you need it so it’s still hot
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted vegan butter , softened (or salted butter and skip the sea salt below)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
- 2 ½ cups – 3 powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup vegan milk , + 1 tablespoon extra if needed
Instructions
Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Grease and flour 3 8” cake pans and line with parchment paper. It’s essential so that the cake doesn’t stick.
- Heat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar and the soy milk together and stir to combine. It will curdle. Set aside.
- Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add milk mixture, applesauce, oil and vanilla and the coffee water. Beat with an electric whisk on medium speed for about 2 minutes until everything is just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir one more time to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Pour the batter equally into the cake pans and bake for 27 minutes. Remove from the oven. Place cake pans on the counter to cool and run your butter knife around the edges to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in the pan on a wire rack before removing from the pan and to the wire rack to cool completely.
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
- Add the cocoa powder, vegan butter, 2 ½ cups of the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt and half the vegan milk to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer. Start mixing it together at slow speed, gradually increasing speed until it’s very thick and smooth. Add the ½ cup of the extra powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired thickness and consistency. If needed, add in the other half of the milk about 1 tablespoon at a time.
Putting it All Together
- Frost cakes and decorate. The frosting will set at room temperature. Enjoy!
- Place a little bit of frosting in the centre of your platter – like 1 tablespoon’s worth – to help secure the cake layers to the plate. Place 1 of the fully cooled cakes on a platter (or any plate wide enough) and dollop ⅓ of the frosting on top. Spread enough around the centre, don’t go to the edges (although if you do end up doing that, it’s not that big of a deal.
- Place the 2nd cake layer upside and repeat. Place the remaining cake upside down on top of the frosted cake and spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides, blending the upper and lower portions of the sides as you go.
- Decorate with some shaved chocolate or extra cocoa powder! The frosting sets at room temperature perfectly. Slice and enjoy!
This Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe is an ABSOLUTE hit! It’s moist, decadent, fluffy and made with easy pantry ingredients so anyone can make this! It’s foolproof, has the perfect texture and is bound to please!
This Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake has been requested so many times that it would simply be a disservice not to come out with it! Based on my “reader favourite” vegan chocolate cake, this cake is beautifully sturdy, moist, has the perfect texture and is very foolproof! I tested this cake under so many different circumstances and I can say it’s probably my easiest chocolate dessert to date.
I know you’re used to me saying this – but it does not taste gluten free. This cake was an absolute favourite amongst all my family who dove right in and were shocked when I mentioned it was gluten free. I used my favourite Bob’s Red Mill as usual for this masterpiece and as usual, it did wowed me.
Notes on the Ingredients
Apple Cider Vinegar + Soy Milk : this is for preparing the vegan buttermilk. Regular vinegar & any vegan milk will also work if you don’t have apple cider vinegar or soy milk (but I love soy milk for its high protein content). It gives it with quintessential buttermilk chocolate cake flavour.
Brown Sugar : you can also use cane sugar. The sugar of course not only adds sweetness; but the moisture needed for the cake.
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour : this has been and will always be my go to! I love the perfect blend of gluten free flours found in this and how easy it makes gluten free baking for me (and for you too!). No guesswork, just weighing it out, and moving right along. I love how Bob’s Red Mill’s quality is always reliable and that even after years of purchasing their products, I always get the same top notch results each time.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder : I recommend regular high quality unsweetened cocoa powder, not dutch processed cocoa powder (it doesn’t react the same).
Baking Powder & Baking Soda : will help the cake rise, and also provide a lighter texture to the cake. Always test that it’s good!
Sea Salt : if you want to use regular salt, slightly reduce the amount used.
Applesauce : I’ve hesitated to use applesauce in recipes because I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but let me tell you – it’s magical! This gave the cake the perfect structure, texture and crumb while not interfering with taste.
Oil : takes the place of butter in this cake as the necessary fat, to ensure that the cake is nice and tender.
Vanilla Extract : I highly recommend not skipping this because it really adds to the flavour!
Boiling Water + Instant Coffee : The coffee REALLY boosts the chocolate flavour. You can also use espresso powder or what you have, it doesn’t have to be instant. Or even decaf coffee! You could leave it out, but I don’t recommend it. I like to stir this into the water which helps to melt the ingredients, as well as dissolve the coffee.
Frosting
Unsalted Vegan Butter : it’s also okay if you use salted vegan butter, just skip the salt below!
Powdered Sugar: you can also use confectioner’s sugar (it’s the same thing). You can also make your own by just blending any sugar in your blender !
How to Make Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake (Step by Step)
Please note that this is important information on the ingredients and instructions and the FULL recipe with amounts and details can be found DOWN BELOW (scroll to it) in the recipe card.
Grease and flour 3 8” cake pans and line with parchment paper. It’s essential so that the cake doesn’t stick. Heat oven to 350°F/180°C. In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar and the soy milk together and stir to combine. It will curdle. Set aside.
Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined.
Add milk mixture, oil and vanilla and the coffee water. Beat with an electric whisk on medium speed for about 2 minutes until everything is just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir one more time to ensure everything is incorporated.
Pour the batter equally into the cake pans and bake for 27 minutes. Remove from the oven. Place cake pans on the counter to cool and run your butter knife around the edges to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in the pan on a wire rack before removing from the pan and to the wire rack to cool completely.
Making of the Frosting
Add the cocoa powder, vegan butter, 2 ½ cups of the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt and half the vegan milk to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer . Start mixing it together at slow speed, gradually increasing speed until it’s very thick and smooth. Add the ½ cup of the extra powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired thickness and consistency. If needed, add in the other half of the milk about 1 tablespoon at a time.
Frost cakes and decorate (full instructions in the recipe card below). Decorate with some shaved chocolate or extra cocoa powder! The frosting sets at room temperature perfectly. Slice and enjoy!
- Don’t try and substitute anything. This cake works perfectly as is with the ingredients perfectly attuned. Probably the only thing I would say is you could lower the sugar if you want by ¼ cup but not more since it will mess with the structure.
- Be sure to let these cakes cool completely. They’re sturdy upon coming out already but really “take their shape” while cooling. This also prevents the frosting from getting warm on it and sliding around.
- They’re already perfectly moist, but if you plan to have them sit for a few days or want even more moisture, you can apply a pastry brush with simple syrup on top of the layers too!
- This cake freezes so well; and I highly recommend you do this to preserve it over storing it in the fridge. Storing it in the fridge for too long will dry it out, while freezing it basically holds it in place. It thaws super quickly (like 30 minutes on the counter) so slice it up, freeze the slices separately and enjoy when you’re ready for it again!
Ingredients
Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup soy milk , or other vegan milk
- 1 ¾ cups cane sugar , ( 350 g)
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour , ( 296 g)
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder , ( 60 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup + 2 teaspoons oil , ( 100 g + 2 teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water + 1 tablespoon instant coffee , mixed in until dissolved stir these together right before you need it so it’s still hot
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted vegan butter , softened (or salted butter and skip the sea salt below)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
- 2 ½ cups – 3 powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup vegan milk , + 1 tablespoon extra if needed
Instructions
Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Grease and flour 3 8” cake pans and line with parchment paper. It’s essential so that the cake doesn’t stick.
- Heat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar and the soy milk together and stir to combine. It will curdle. Set aside.
- Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add milk mixture, applesauce, oil and vanilla and the coffee water. Beat with an electric whisk on medium speed for about 2 minutes until everything is just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir one more time to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Pour the batter equally into the cake pans and bake for 27 minutes. Remove from the oven. Place cake pans on the counter to cool and run your butter knife around the edges to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in the pan on a wire rack before removing from the pan and to the wire rack to cool completely.
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
- Add the cocoa powder, vegan butter, 2 ½ cups of the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt and half the vegan milk to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer. Start mixing it together at slow speed, gradually increasing speed until it’s very thick and smooth. Add the ½ cup of the extra powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired thickness and consistency. If needed, add in the other half of the milk about 1 tablespoon at a time.
Putting it All Together
- Frost cakes and decorate. The frosting will set at room temperature. Enjoy!
- Place a little bit of frosting in the centre of your platter – like 1 tablespoon’s worth – to help secure the cake layers to the plate. Place 1 of the fully cooled cakes on a platter (or any plate wide enough) and dollop ⅓ of the frosting on top. Spread enough around the centre, don’t go to the edges (although if you do end up doing that, it’s not that big of a deal.
- Place the 2nd cake layer upside and repeat. Place the remaining cake upside down on top of the frosted cake and spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides, blending the upper and lower portions of the sides as you go.
- Decorate with some shaved chocolate or extra cocoa powder! The frosting sets at room temperature perfectly. Slice and enjoy!
Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup soy milk or other vegan milk
- 1 ¾ cups cane sugar ( 350 g)
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour ( 296 g)
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ( 60 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup + 2 teaspoons oil ( 100 g + 2 teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup boiling water + 1 tablespoon instant coffee mixed in until dissolved stir these together right before you need it so it’s still hot
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted vegan butter softened (or salted butter and skip the sea salt below)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch sea salt
- 2 ½ cups - 3 powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup vegan milk + 1 tablespoon extra if needed
Instructions
Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Grease and flour 3 8” cake pans and line with parchment paper. It’s essential so that the cake doesn’t stick.
- Heat oven to 350°F/180°C.
- In a small bowl, add the apple cider vinegar and the soy milk together and stir to combine. It will curdle. Set aside.
- Whisk together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add milk mixture, applesauce, oil and vanilla and the coffee water. Beat with an electric whisk on medium speed for about 2 minutes until everything is just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir one more time to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Pour the batter equally into the cake pans and bake for 27 minutes. Remove from the oven. Place cake pans on the counter to cool and run your butter knife around the edges to loosen it from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour in the pan on a wire rack before removing from the pan and to the wire rack to cool completely.
Vegan Chocolate Frosting
- Add the cocoa powder, vegan butter, 2 ½ cups of the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, sea salt and half the vegan milk to the bowl of an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer. Start mixing it together at slow speed, gradually increasing speed until it’s very thick and smooth. Add the ½ cup of the extra powdered sugar at a time until it reaches your desired thickness and consistency. If needed, add in the other half of the milk about 1 tablespoon at a time.
Putting it All Together
- Frost cakes and decorate. The frosting will set at room temperature. Enjoy!
- Place a little bit of frosting in the centre of your platter - like 1 tablespoon’s worth - to help secure the cake layers to the plate. Place 1 of the fully cooled cakes on a platter (or any plate wide enough) and dollop ⅓ of the frosting on top. Spread enough around the centre, don’t go to the edges (although if you do end up doing that, it’s not that big of a deal.
- Place the 2nd cake layer upside and repeat. Place the remaining cake upside down on top of the frosted cake and spread the remaining frosting on the top and sides, blending the upper and lower portions of the sides as you go.
- Decorate with some shaved chocolate or extra cocoa powder! The frosting sets at room temperature perfectly. Slice and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe https://jessicainthekitchen.com/vegan-gluten-free-chocolate-cake-recipe/ August 30, 2021
Vegan noodles are lightly sautéed and tossed in a zingy sesame ginger sauce in this quick, takeout-style sesame noodles recipe! Done in just 15 minutes, you can customize this easy weeknight stir-fry with your favorite veggies and proteins. It’s quick and delicious, the perfect dinner in a hurry!
These sesame noodles prove that a delicious meal doesn’t need to take longer than 15 minutes! If you’re a lover of peanut butter ramen and takeout favorites like drunken noodles and chow fun , today’s recipe is right up your alley. Tender vegan noodles are sautéed in sesame oil, then tossed in a sweet and zesty homemade stir-fry sauce. The sauce thickens up beautifully, packed with a combination of salty soy sauce flavor, sweet maple syrup, and punchy ginger. Yum!
About This Vegan Sesame Noodles Recipe
- Just 15 minutes. Whip up these sesame noodles in one pan in minutes! I made these noodles three times in one week. It’s that easy!
- Bold, takeout-style flavors. You’ll love the sweet, savory, spicy flavors in the simple stir-fry sauce. All you need are 5 ingredients, including liquid aminos to make it gluten-free.
- Adaptable. Add your favorite stir-fry vegetables, spice up the sauce, or add a protein, such as fried tofu , to make this vegan noodles recipe your own.
Notes on Ingredients
The maple ginger sauce in this easy sesame noodles recipe is similar to the one I use in my tofu and veggie stir-fry . Here’s a look at the essential ingredients. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable list and recipe amounts.
- Chinese Noodles – I like udon noodles or brown rice noodles for this recipe.
- Sesame Oil – For sautéeing. There’s really no substitute for the flavor of sesame oil in Asian-style recipes. In a pinch, you can use another cooking oil, but your noodles won’t have that distinct sesame taste.
- Maple Syrup – You can also use a vegan honey product if you prefer.
- Liquid Aminos – Low-sodium/light soy sauce will also work here.
- Sesame Seeds – For extra texture and savory flavor.
- Ground Ginger – You can also use fresh ginger here. In this case, you’ll need about three times the amount of fresh ginger as ground.
- Sriracha – Feel free to add more than the amount listed on the recipe card if you like your noodles extra spicy!
- Garnish – Chopped scallions and ground black pepper as finishing touches.
How to Make Vegan Sesame Noodles
These vegan sesame noodles have taken the place of store-bought ramen in our house. They’re super tasty, easy to make (as you’re about to see), and you can even eat these noodles cold, which makes them ideal leftovers. Follow these quick steps to make yourself a bowl of delicious homemade sesame noodles.
Combine the sauce ingredients.
- Mix the sauce. Whisk all the ingredients together for the sauce, and then set it aside for the time being.
Add the noodles to the pan with sesame oil.
- Cook the noodles. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook and drain the noodles according to your package’s directions. Then, heat the sesame oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the noodles and stir until they begin to simmer. This usually takes about 2 minutes.
- Toss the noodles with the sauce. Pour the prepared sauce over the noodles, and stir to coat. Allow the sauce to cook with the noodles for 2 more minutes on medium-low heat. Remove everything from the heat and add chopped scallions and extra sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Tips and Recipe Variations
- Sweetener substitutions. Swap out the maple syrup for any vegan sugar replacement. Organic agave syrup, for example, is cost-effective and works well here. Alternatively, you can substitute the maple syrup with unrefined brown sugar.
- Play with the flavors. Want it saltier? Add more liquid aminos/soy sauce. Sweeter? More maple syrup. Spicier? Grab that Sriracha! It’s all up to you.
- Different noodles. Try this recipe with any long noodles you have on hand. Other good options are ramen noodles and even pasta, like linguine or spaghetti.
- Sauces. You could also try this recipe with Thai peanut sauce or teriyaki sauce (borrowed from my teriyaki tofu recipe).
Add-In Ideas
These vegan sesame noodles are great on their own, as a base for another main course, or with any of the following mixed in:
- Vegetables. Add fresh or frozen stir-fry veggies like snow peas, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.
- Tofu. Crispy tofu or baked tofu pairs perfectly with these sweet and salty noodles.
- Protein. Toss in some homemade vegan chicken or
- Garlic and herbs. Add fresh garlic, garlic powder, or garlic paste to the sauce for a garlicky version. You can also stir in green onions or cilantro.
Serving Suggestions
These sesame noodles are flavorful and filling on their own, or you can make them a complete takeout-style dinner with a side of sticky Korean gochujang tofu or General Tso’s tofu , and vegan dumplings or vegan fried rice . For something lighter, try an edamame salad or bang bang broccoli as a starter.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Leftover sesame noodles can be refrigerated for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Reheat. You can eat these noodles cold, or reheat them in a pan over medium heat until warmed through.
More Vegan Takeout Recipes
- Thai Peanut Noodles
- Vegan Pad Thai
- Sweet and Sour Tofu
- Moo Goo Gai Pan
- Tempeh Stir-Fry
Ingredients
Noodles
- 8 ounces Chinese noodles , I love udon or brown rice noodles
- 1 ½ tablespoons sesame oil
Maple Ginger Sauce
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup , or a vegan honey product
- ¼ cup liquid aminos , or low sodium/light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha , or more for more heat
- Chopped scallions , for garnish
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper , https://amzn.to/49DSpiX
Instructions
- Whisk all the ingredients together for the sauce. Set aside.
- Allow a pot of salted water to come to a boil. Add the noodles and cook and drain and cool according to your package’s directions.
- Heat the sesame oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the noodles and stir until they begin to simmer, about 2 minutes.
- Add the maple ginger sauce and stir, coating the noodles in it. Allow the sauce to cook with the noodles for 2 more minutes on medium low heat.
- Remove from heat and add chopped scallions and extra sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Possible Substitutions: You can swap out the maple syrup for any vegan sugar replacement. Organic agave syrup, for example, is so much more cost-effective than maple syrup is, and it works really well here. Alternatively, you can sub it for some unrefined brown sugar too, which is also very cost-effective. Finally, while liquid aminos is a lower sodium version of soy sauce, you can just use low sodium soy sauce if needed.
- Switch It Up: Want it saltier? Add more liquid aminos/soy sauce. Sweeter? More maple syrup. Spicier? Grab that Sriracha! It’s all up to you.
- Do I Have to Use Rice Noodles? Actually, next time I’ll be using ramen noodles for this because I am now obsessed with trying this sauce and noodle combination in as many ways as possible. So no!
- Make This Gluten Free: These are my FAVOURITE brown rice noodles!
- Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated for about 3 days in an airtight container.
