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We need chocolate! And this very Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache is here to satisfy those chocolate cravings, my sweet friends! A pretty cool thing about this super-moist cake is that it has no egg replacements.

It’s also so easy to make. In this recipe we have the best of both worlds, decadent chocolate cake, and rich chocolate ganache! Complete bliss!

This Vegan Chocolate Cake is Ideal For Special Occasions

With Easter coming up, and birthdays left and right, this cake is perfect for celebrating with friends and family. Making it vegan will surprise even the most skeptic people out there. But they’ll soon forgive you after a slice of chocolate heaven. That’s how you lure them to the “Vegan” side…hehe!

It’s a one layer, thick cake, (made in an 8″ pan) which is perfect for those who don’t like messing with double or triple layers. However, as thick as this cake is you could absolutely halve it and make a double layer cake with delicious fruit and more frosting. If you use a larger cake pan, remember to reduce the baking time accordingly.

With no mixer, no complicated equipment or ingredients required, how could you refuse?

vegan chocolate cake finished

What’s Coconut Cream?

Psssst…If you’re unfamiliar with coconut cream, put your can of coconut milk into the fridge for a few hours (or preferably overnight) and do not shake! The coconut milk will separate into coconut cream (that you’ll need in this recipe) and coconut water. Leftover coconut water could be used in smoothies, oatmeals or chia bowls.

If you don’t have coconut cream on hand, you could also use unsweetened almond milk for the frosting. You’ll just want to bump the measurement down to 1/2 cup instead of 1 cup. Do add the powdered sugar for sure, because it can be a little bitter without it, in my opinion. Add it and taste test! 🙂

Of course, if you want a frosting shortcut you could use a store-bought vegan frosting. Perhaps Pillsbury or Duncan Hines. Better yet, check out these Vegan Frosting Brands!

Ingredients

Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe

⅔ cup Vegan dark chocolate chopped (4 oz), Guittard’s 64% and 72% chocolate or something similar, depending on how bittersweet you like your chocolate cake to be) – Or Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 cups plain all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup organic sugar like Zulka
1 cup non-dairy milk room temperature
1/2 cup warm water or coffee
1 tbsp lemon juice
Optional: 1 teaspoon of coffee extract or espresso powder

Chocolate Ganache or 1 tub of vegan chocolate frosting, like Duncan Hines or Pillsbury

1 cup coconut cream
1 cup Vegan dark chocolate chopped, something like Guittard’s 64% and 72% chocolate, or Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels
Optional: ½ cup organic powdered sugar
chocolate shaving sprinkles or other decorations of choice like this cute little vegan dark chocolate bunny!

cake before ganache

Instructions How to Make Vegan Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 ºF and line an 8 inch (20 cm) round cake tin with baking/greaseproof paper.

Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe

In a heat-proof microwave bowl, melt together the chocolate and coconut oil in 30 second increments, stirring each increment until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Add the sugar and whisk well until everything is evenly distributed,.
Mix together the non-dairy milk, warm water/coffee, lemon juice, and (extract or espresso powder, optional) add them to the dry ingredients.
Pour in the melted chocolate/coconut oil mixture, and whisk well for a smooth cake batter.
Transfer the cake batter to the lined cake pan, smooth out the top, and bake at 350ºF or about 1 hour or until an inserted toothpick/skewer comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the baking pan for about 10 minutes, then remove from the baking pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache

In a saucepan, heat the coconut cream until it starts to boil.
Place the chopped dark chocolate into a heat proof bowl, and pour over the hot coconut cream. Allow to stand for 2 – 3 minutes, then stir together until smooth. If you want to add powdered sugar, gradually stir it in now.
Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 2 hours. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days. If it becomes too thick to stir, place in microwave for 15 second increments to get consistency desired, stirring each increment for checking the consistency.
Frost the chocolate ganache on top of the cake.
Decorate with chocolate shavings, sprinkles, fruits or chocolate candies

a slice of cake

Helpful Tips for Vegan Chocolate Cake Bliss

Psssst…If you’re unfamiliar with coconut cream, put your can of coconut milk into the fridge for a few hours (or preferably overnight) and do not shake! The coconut milk will separate into coconut cream (that you’ll need in this recipe) and coconut water left over you could use in a smoothie, so it doesn’t go to waste.

You could also use unsweetened almond milk, if you don’t have coconut cream on hand, just bump the measurement down to 1/2 cup, but do add the powdered sugar for sure, because it can be a little bitter, in my opinion.

Of course, if you want a frosting shortcut, you could use a store-bought vegan frosting, like Pillsbury or Duncan Hines or check out these Vegan Frosting Brands!

And of course, enjoy this Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe with Chocolate Ganache! Anyway you slice it, you can’t beat this one layer of chocolate cake iced with thick chocolate ganache frosting and a super cute bunny or sprinkles!

More Easter Goodies

Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Print Recipe

Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache

We need chocolate! This very Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache is here to satisfy those chocolate cravings my sweet friends! You'll be surprised that this super-moist cake has no egg replacements and it's so easy to make.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: Chocolate, vegan cake, vegan chocolate cake

Ingredients

Easy Vegan Chocolate Cake

⅔ cup Vegan dark chocolate chopped (4 oz), Guittard's 64% and 72% chocolate or something similar, depending on how bittersweet you like your chocolate cake to be) - Or Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
2 cups plain all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup organic sugar like Zulka
1 cup non-dairy milk room temperature
1/2 cup warm water or coffee
1 tbsp lemon juice
Optional: 1 teaspoon of coffee extract or espresso powder

Chocolate Ganache or 1 tub of vegan chocolate frosting, like Duncan Hines or Pillsbury

1 cup coconut cream
1 cup Vegan dark chocolate chopped, something like Guittard's 64% and 72% chocolate, or Enjoy Life Dark Chocolate Morsels
Optional: ½ cup organic powdered sugar
chocolate shaving sprinkles or other decorations of choice like this cute little vegan dark chocolate bunny!

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 ºF and line an 8 inch (20 cm) round cake tin with baking/greaseproof paper.

Vegan Chocolate Cake

In a heat-proof microwave bowl, melt together the chocolate and coconut oil in 30 second increments, stirring each increment until melted. Set aside to cool slightly.
Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. Add the sugar and whisk well until everything is evenly distributed,.
Mix together the non-dairy milk, warm water/coffee, lemon juice, and (extract or espresso powder, optional) add them to the dry ingredients.
Pour in the melted chocolate/coconut oil mixture, and whisk well for a smooth cake batter.
Transfer the cake batter to the lined cake pan, smooth out the top, and bake at 350ºF or about 1 hour or until an inserted toothpick/skewer comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the baking pan for about 10 minutes, then remove from the baking pan and transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache

In a saucepan, heat the coconut cream until it starts to boil.
Place the chopped dark chocolate into a heat proof bowl, and pour over the hot coconut cream. Allow to stand for 2 - 3 minutes, then stir together until smooth. If you want to add powdered sugar, gradually stir it in now.
Let cool, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 2 hours. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days. If it becomes too thick to stir, place in microwave for 15 second increments to get consistency desired, stirring each increment for checking the consistency.
Frost the chocolate ganache on top of the cake.
Decorate with chocolate shavings, sprinkles, fruits or chocolate candies

Notes

Psssst...If you're unfamiliar with coconut cream, put your can of coconut milk into the fridge for a few hours (or preferably overnight) and do not shake! The coconut milk will separate into coconut cream (that you'll need in this recipe) and coconut water left over you could use in a smoothie, so it doesn't go to waste.

You could also use unsweetened almond milk, if you don't have coconut cream on hand, just bump the measurement down to 1/2 cup, but do add the powdered sugar for sure, because it can be a little bitter, in my opinion.

Of course, if you want a frosting shortcut, you could use a store-bought vegan frosting, like Pillsbury or Duncan Hines or check out these Vegan Frosting Brands!

Recipe slightly adapted from The Loopy Whisk.