These easy vegan stuffed peppers are made Tex-Mex Style with rice or quinoa, black beans, and corn. They are very filling and perfect for quick weeknight dinners and meatless meal prep.
Vegan stuffed peppers are my ultimate convenience lunch or easy weeknight dinner. They’re quick to prepare (set those kitchen timers to 30 minutes!), great to take on the go, and extra flavorful. My recipe has a delicious, savory, slightly spicy meatless filling made from quinoa (or rice), tender corn, black beans, marinara sauce, and melty vegan mozzarella. Try these for your next weekly dinner and I guarantee you’ll love them!
What Makes These Stuffed Peppers Impossible to Resist
- Easy to find ingredients. You more than likely have the ingredients for these meatless stuffed peppers in your pantry and fridge already.
- Flavorful stuffing. Quinoa is filling, foolproof, and easy to make. I love the Southwestern vibes it brings to these spicy, savory stuffed peppers, and recipes like my quinoa enchilada skillet . It’s the perfect filling, but if you don’t have it, rice works great here, too.
- Customizable. I make these vegan stuffed peppers Tex-Mex-style. You can season the filling and adapt the ingredients any way you’d like. And if you love stuffed peppers as much as I do, try this (easily adaptable) stuffed pepper casserole , too.
- Great for meal prep. These vegan stuffed bell peppers store well in the fridge. Hello, meal prep magic!!
Notes on Ingredients
Alrighty, let’s get into the key ingredients for these vegan stuffed peppers. As I mentioned above, I bet you already have a bunch of them. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable recipe with the full amounts.
- Bell Peppers – I like to use red, orange, and yellow. You can use all one color, do a mix, etc. Whatever you feel like!
- Coconut Oil – You can use other cooking oils like olive oil and canola oil, too.
- Onion and Garlic – I tend to use white or yellow onion. Minced garlic adds great savory flavor. Otherwise, you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder per fresh clove. Jalapeños would also taste amazing in the filling!
- Black Beans – I love the texture that canned black beans add to these peppers. Other good choices are pinto beans, navy beans, and kidney beans.
- Corn Kernels – Another great Tex-Mex style addition! You could also shave the kernels from leftover corn on the cob or Mexican elote .
- Seasoning – I throw in some ground cumin, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chopped parsley, plus chili powder for a touch of heat. Feel free to substitute another seasoning, like cayenne, taco seasoning, or Cajun spice.
- Cooked Quinoa – I have an in-depth tutorial on how to cook quinoa if you need it. White or brown rice is an easy substitution for this if you need it.
- Marinara Sauce – Use homemade marinara sauce or choose your favorite jarred sauce from the store.
- Vegan Cheese – I love to add vegan mozzarella shreds for a cheesy topping. Vegan cheddar would also work well.
How to Make Vegan Stuffed Peppers
These stuffed peppers are as easy as mixing all the ingredients in a skillet over heat, softening the onions and garlic, and then stuffing the peppers. Seriously, easy as pie. Well, savory pie. Here are more in-depth instructions for the best vegan stuffed peppers:
Prepare the peppers.
- Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Meanwhile, slice the tops off the bell peppers, and remove the insides and seeds. Arrange the hollowed-out peppers in a casserole dish upright, tightly packed against each other so they don’t tip.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté until slightly translucent. This usually takes about 5 minutes.
Combine the filling ingredients.
- Mix the filling . Next, stir in the black beans, corn, seasonings, and quinoa. Add the marinara sauce and a fistful of vegan cheese. Stir again to combine, and let the mixture sit until the cheese has melted slightly. Take the skillet off the heat.
Stuff the peppers.
- Stuff the peppers. Spoon the filling into the peppers, packing it tightly. Sprinkle more cheese on top of the peppers.
- Bake. Bake the stuffed peppers at 350ºF for 40 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. You can also lightly broil the tops for a minute or two, if you like. Keep a close eye so they don’t burn!
Can I Grill These?
Sure! To cook these vegan stuffed peppers on the grill, first, grill the empty peppers for 5-10 minutes until they’re softened. Then, take them off the grill, stuff them with the filling, and return the peppers to the grill over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese over towards the end of the cooking time.
Recipe Tips
- Cook the quinoa ahead of time. You can totally make the quinoa right before you stuff the peppers, but the night before works too, and saves time the next day. Either way, it’s easy and tastes great with all the other ingredients.
- Texture tip: I love my peppers soft, but still intact. If you want them to be super soft and buttery, you can blanch the peppers in hot water before and then drain them. It’s totally up to you!
- Switch up the flavors. That’s one of the best parts about stuffed peppers. They can be made Spanish, Mediterranean, Tex-Mex, pizza, or even Cuban-style . It’s totally up to you!
- Make them “meaty”. Stir vegan taco meat into the quinoa for a heartier, but still meatless, stuffed peppers.
Optional Toppings
Vegan mozzarella is by far my favorite topping for these vegan stuffed peppers. It’s so gooey and delicious! However, you definitely have options:
- Add a dollop of vegan sour cream or vegan yogurt .
- A sprinkle of Italian seasoning or chopped parsley.
- Restaurant-style blender salsa .
- Taco toppings like avocado slices, diced tomatoes, etc.
What to Serve With Vegan Stuffed Peppers
I used large bell peppers for these, and one of them can easily serve a single person for dinner. That said, there’s no reason you can’t bring in some tasty additions to make it a fuller meal! Serve these vegan stuffed peppers with Tex-Mex dishes like vegan fajitas , chips and guacamole , or a refreshing, sharing-style cucumber and tomato salad . These Southwest egg rolls make a great starter, washed down with a peach sangria .
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store leftover quinoa-stuffed peppers in an airtight Tupperware container for 3-4 days.
- Reheat. To reheat, pop them in the microwave or the oven at 350ºF until warmed through.
- Freeze. Freeze your leftover peppers in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before digging in again!
More Vegan Dinner Recipes
- Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Wings
- Slow Cooker Vegan Chili
- Cheesy Taco Pasta
- Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Vegan Pizza
Ingredients
Easy Quinoa Stuffed Peppers (Tex Mex Style)
- 6 large bell peppers
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil , or olive oil or any oil
- ½ large onion , diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 ¾ cups black beans , or 1 can
- 1 cup corn kernels
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- 3 cups cooked quinoa , or cooked rice
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 2 cups vegan mozzarella shreds , reserve ½ cup for the tops
Instructions
Easy Quinoa Stuffed Peppers (Tex Mex Style)
- Preheat your oven to 350℉/180℃. Set aside a casserole dish for the bell peppers.
- Slice the tops off of the bell peppers, and remove the insides and seeds. Place in casserole dish upright, tightly packed against each other. Set aside. Keep the tops to put on top once they’re stuffed to go back into the oven.
- In a skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil. Add in the onions and garlic and sauté until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the black beans, corn, chili powder, ground cumin, sea salt, black pepper, parsley and quinoa. Stir to combine. Add the marinara sauce and 1 ½ cups of the cheese on top in the pan. Stir again to combine and let sit until cheese has melted slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stuff each of the peppers with the mixture, packing them tightly. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the peppers. Top with the bell pepper tops.
- Bake for 40 minutes until tops are golden brown. You can also optionally lightly broil the tops.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Make the Quinoa/Rice Ahead: You can totally make the quinoa right before you make the peppers, but the night before works too, and saves time the next day. Either way, it’s easy and tastes great with all the other ingredients.
- Texture Tip: I love my peppers soft, but still intact. If you want them to be super soft and buttery, you can blanch the peppers in hot water before and then drain them. It’s totally up to you!
- Can I Grill These? Sure! Cooking the peppers for 40 minutes is more to soften the peppers than anything, but you could also do this on a grill if you want. Beautifully charred skin would go SO well with these.
- Switch Up the Flavors: That’s one of the best parts about stuffed peppers – they can be made Spanish, Tex Mex, pizza, or even Cuban style. It’s totally up to you!
- Diet Questions: This recipe is vegan and gluten free.
- To Store: You can store these peppers in an airtight Tupperware container in the fridge.
- To Reheat: You can reheat these in the microwave or in the oven at 350 until warmed through.
These easy vegan stuffed peppers are made Tex-Mex Style with rice or quinoa, black beans, and corn. They are very filling and perfect for quick weeknight dinners and meatless meal prep.
Vegan stuffed peppers are my ultimate convenience lunch or easy weeknight dinner. They’re quick to prepare (set those kitchen timers to 30 minutes!), great to take on the go, and extra flavorful. My recipe has a delicious, savory, slightly spicy meatless filling made from quinoa (or rice), tender corn, black beans, marinara sauce, and melty vegan mozzarella. Try these for your next weekly dinner and I guarantee you’ll love them!
What Makes These Stuffed Peppers Impossible to Resist
- Easy to find ingredients. You more than likely have the ingredients for these meatless stuffed peppers in your pantry and fridge already.
- Flavorful stuffing. Quinoa is filling, foolproof, and easy to make. I love the Southwestern vibes it brings to these spicy, savory stuffed peppers, and recipes like my quinoa enchilada skillet . It’s the perfect filling, but if you don’t have it, rice works great here, too.
- Customizable. I make these vegan stuffed peppers Tex-Mex-style. You can season the filling and adapt the ingredients any way you’d like. And if you love stuffed peppers as much as I do, try this (easily adaptable) stuffed pepper casserole , too.
- Great for meal prep. These vegan stuffed bell peppers store well in the fridge. Hello, meal prep magic!!
Notes on Ingredients
Alrighty, let’s get into the key ingredients for these vegan stuffed peppers. As I mentioned above, I bet you already have a bunch of them. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable recipe with the full amounts.
- Bell Peppers – I like to use red, orange, and yellow. You can use all one color, do a mix, etc. Whatever you feel like!
- Coconut Oil – You can use other cooking oils like olive oil and canola oil, too.
- Onion and Garlic – I tend to use white or yellow onion. Minced garlic adds great savory flavor. Otherwise, you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder per fresh clove. Jalapeños would also taste amazing in the filling!
- Black Beans – I love the texture that canned black beans add to these peppers. Other good choices are pinto beans, navy beans, and kidney beans.
- Corn Kernels – Another great Tex-Mex style addition! You could also shave the kernels from leftover corn on the cob or Mexican elote .
- Seasoning – I throw in some ground cumin, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and chopped parsley, plus chili powder for a touch of heat. Feel free to substitute another seasoning, like cayenne, taco seasoning, or Cajun spice.
- Cooked Quinoa – I have an in-depth tutorial on how to cook quinoa if you need it. White or brown rice is an easy substitution for this if you need it.
- Marinara Sauce – Use homemade marinara sauce or choose your favorite jarred sauce from the store.
- Vegan Cheese – I love to add vegan mozzarella shreds for a cheesy topping. Vegan cheddar would also work well.
How to Make Vegan Stuffed Peppers
These stuffed peppers are as easy as mixing all the ingredients in a skillet over heat, softening the onions and garlic, and then stuffing the peppers. Seriously, easy as pie. Well, savory pie. Here are more in-depth instructions for the best vegan stuffed peppers:
Prepare the peppers.
- Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Meanwhile, slice the tops off the bell peppers, and remove the insides and seeds. Arrange the hollowed-out peppers in a casserole dish upright, tightly packed against each other so they don’t tip.
- Sauté the aromatics. Heat the coconut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, and sauté until slightly translucent. This usually takes about 5 minutes.
Combine the filling ingredients.
- Mix the filling . Next, stir in the black beans, corn, seasonings, and quinoa. Add the marinara sauce and a fistful of vegan cheese. Stir again to combine, and let the mixture sit until the cheese has melted slightly. Take the skillet off the heat.
Stuff the peppers.
- Stuff the peppers. Spoon the filling into the peppers, packing it tightly. Sprinkle more cheese on top of the peppers.
- Bake. Bake the stuffed peppers at 350ºF for 40 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. You can also lightly broil the tops for a minute or two, if you like. Keep a close eye so they don’t burn!
Can I Grill These?
Sure! To cook these vegan stuffed peppers on the grill, first, grill the empty peppers for 5-10 minutes until they’re softened. Then, take them off the grill, stuff them with the filling, and return the peppers to the grill over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese over towards the end of the cooking time.
Recipe Tips
- Cook the quinoa ahead of time. You can totally make the quinoa right before you stuff the peppers, but the night before works too, and saves time the next day. Either way, it’s easy and tastes great with all the other ingredients.
- Texture tip: I love my peppers soft, but still intact. If you want them to be super soft and buttery, you can blanch the peppers in hot water before and then drain them. It’s totally up to you!
- Switch up the flavors. That’s one of the best parts about stuffed peppers. They can be made Spanish, Mediterranean, Tex-Mex, pizza, or even Cuban-style . It’s totally up to you!
- Make them “meaty”. Stir vegan taco meat into the quinoa for a heartier, but still meatless, stuffed peppers.
Optional Toppings
Vegan mozzarella is by far my favorite topping for these vegan stuffed peppers. It’s so gooey and delicious! However, you definitely have options:
- Add a dollop of vegan sour cream or vegan yogurt .
- A sprinkle of Italian seasoning or chopped parsley.
- Restaurant-style blender salsa .
- Taco toppings like avocado slices, diced tomatoes, etc.
What to Serve With Vegan Stuffed Peppers
I used large bell peppers for these, and one of them can easily serve a single person for dinner. That said, there’s no reason you can’t bring in some tasty additions to make it a fuller meal! Serve these vegan stuffed peppers with Tex-Mex dishes like vegan fajitas , chips and guacamole , or a refreshing, sharing-style cucumber and tomato salad . These Southwest egg rolls make a great starter, washed down with a peach sangria .
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Store leftover quinoa-stuffed peppers in an airtight Tupperware container for 3-4 days.
- Reheat. To reheat, pop them in the microwave or the oven at 350ºF until warmed through.
- Freeze. Freeze your leftover peppers in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before digging in again!
More Vegan Dinner Recipes
- Sticky Sesame Cauliflower Wings
- Slow Cooker Vegan Chili
- Cheesy Taco Pasta
- Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese
- Vegan Pizza
Ingredients
Easy Quinoa Stuffed Peppers (Tex Mex Style)
- 6 large bell peppers
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil , or olive oil or any oil
- ½ large onion , diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 ¾ cups black beans , or 1 can
- 1 cup corn kernels
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- 3 cups cooked quinoa , or cooked rice
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 2 cups vegan mozzarella shreds , reserve ½ cup for the tops
Instructions
Easy Quinoa Stuffed Peppers (Tex Mex Style)
- Preheat your oven to 350℉/180℃. Set aside a casserole dish for the bell peppers.
- Slice the tops off of the bell peppers, and remove the insides and seeds. Place in casserole dish upright, tightly packed against each other. Set aside. Keep the tops to put on top once they’re stuffed to go back into the oven.
- In a skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil. Add in the onions and garlic and sauté until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the black beans, corn, chili powder, ground cumin, sea salt, black pepper, parsley and quinoa. Stir to combine. Add the marinara sauce and 1 ½ cups of the cheese on top in the pan. Stir again to combine and let sit until cheese has melted slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stuff each of the peppers with the mixture, packing them tightly. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the peppers. Top with the bell pepper tops.
- Bake for 40 minutes until tops are golden brown. You can also optionally lightly broil the tops.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Make the Quinoa/Rice Ahead: You can totally make the quinoa right before you make the peppers, but the night before works too, and saves time the next day. Either way, it’s easy and tastes great with all the other ingredients.
- Texture Tip: I love my peppers soft, but still intact. If you want them to be super soft and buttery, you can blanch the peppers in hot water before and then drain them. It’s totally up to you!
- Can I Grill These? Sure! Cooking the peppers for 40 minutes is more to soften the peppers than anything, but you could also do this on a grill if you want. Beautifully charred skin would go SO well with these.
- Switch Up the Flavors: That’s one of the best parts about stuffed peppers – they can be made Spanish, Tex Mex, pizza, or even Cuban style. It’s totally up to you!
- Diet Questions: This recipe is vegan and gluten free.
- To Store: You can store these peppers in an airtight Tupperware container in the fridge.
- To Reheat: You can reheat these in the microwave or in the oven at 350 until warmed through.
Vegan Stuffed Peppers (Tex Mex Style)
Ingredients
Easy Quinoa Stuffed Peppers (Tex Mex Style)
- 6 large bell peppers
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or olive oil or any oil
- ½ large onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ¾ cups black beans or 1 can
- 1 cup corn kernels
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup chopped parsley
- 3 cups cooked quinoa or cooked rice
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- 2 cups vegan mozzarella shreds reserve ½ cup for the tops
Instructions
Easy Quinoa Stuffed Peppers (Tex Mex Style)
- Preheat your oven to 350℉/180℃. Set aside a casserole dish for the bell peppers.
- Slice the tops off of the bell peppers, and remove the insides and seeds. Place in casserole dish upright, tightly packed against each other. Set aside. Keep the tops to put on top once they’re stuffed to go back into the oven.
- In a skillet over medium high heat, heat the oil. Add in the onions and garlic and sauté until slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the black beans, corn, chili powder, ground cumin, sea salt, black pepper, parsley and quinoa. Stir to combine. Add the marinara sauce and 1 ½ cups of the cheese on top in the pan. Stir again to combine and let sit until cheese has melted slightly, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stuff each of the peppers with the mixture, packing them tightly. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the peppers. Top with the bell pepper tops.
- Bake for 40 minutes until tops are golden brown. You can also optionally lightly broil the tops.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Make the Quinoa/Rice Ahead: You can totally make the quinoa right before you make the peppers, but the night before works too, and saves time the next day. Either way, it’s easy and tastes great with all the other ingredients.
- Texture Tip: I love my peppers soft, but still intact. If you want them to be super soft and buttery, you can blanch the peppers in hot water before and then drain them. It’s totally up to you!
- Can I Grill These? Sure! Cooking the peppers for 40 minutes is more to soften the peppers than anything, but you could also do this on a grill if you want. Beautifully charred skin would go SO well with these.
- Switch Up the Flavors: That’s one of the best parts about stuffed peppers - they can be made Spanish, Tex Mex, pizza, or even Cuban style. It’s totally up to you!
- Diet Questions: This recipe is vegan and gluten free.
- To Store: You can store these peppers in an airtight Tupperware container in the fridge.
- To Reheat: You can reheat these in the microwave or in the oven at 350 until warmed through.
Nutrition
Vegan Stuffed Peppers (Tex Mex Style) https://jessicainthekitchen.com/easy-quinoa-stuffed-peppers-tex-mex-style/ August 28, 2021
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!
