37 Vegan Cake Recipes for Every Occasion
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Vegan cakes have come a long way from dry, crumbly slices that nobody wanted seconds of. The recipes in this collection are legitimately great cakes that happen to be dairy-free and egg-free. Chocolate cakes with rich ganache, layered strawberry shortcakes, fluffy vanilla birthday cakes, and specialty flavors like matcha and biscoff are all here.
This roundup covers 37 vegan cake recipes organized by type, so you can jump straight to what you’re looking for:
Chocolate Vegan Cake Recipes
Chocolate cakes are where vegan baking really shines. Cocoa, coffee, and dark chocolate all intensify without dairy getting in the way. Most of these use the boiling water or vinegar trick that makes vegan chocolate cake impossibly moist. For even more chocolate desserts, check out our vegan chocolate desserts roundup.
Vegan Chocolate Cake – Cupcake Savvy Kitchen
Rich cocoa and subtle coffee notes with a silky dairy-free ganache on top. The combination of coffee and chocolate deepens the flavor in a way that straight cocoa alone can’t match.
One-Bowl Vegan Chocolate Cake – Baked Collective
A snacking cake that comes together in one bowl. The frosting uses mashed sweet potatoes for a lighter, less sugary finish that still tastes rich.
Eggless Chocolate Layer Cake – Chew Out Loud
Tender, moist, and packed with chocolate flavor. This one-bowl recipe makes a solid layer cake that works for birthdays, holidays, or a random Tuesday when you want chocolate cake.
Moist Chocolate Loaf Cake – The All Natural Vegan
A simpler format than a layer cake but just as satisfying. Wholesome ingredients keep it from being overly sweet, and the loaf shape means you can slice it thin for snacking or thick for dessert.
Chocolate Vegan Bundt Cake – Pastry Wishes
A bundt cake that looks impressive with minimal decorating effort. The shape does the work for you. Rich, moist, and a good option when you want something that looks like it took more time than it did.
Vegan Oreo Drip Cake – Earthly Provisions
Moist chocolate cake layers stacked with vanilla frosting mixed with crushed Oreo cookies, then topped with ganache drip and more cookies. A cookies-and-cream lover’s dream cake. If you like Oreo desserts, see our Oreo marshmallow brownies too.
Vegan Black Forest Cake – Addicted to Dates
Layers of moist chocolate cake with dairy-free whipped cream and Kirsch-infused cherries. A classic European cake made entirely without eggs or dairy, and the cherry-chocolate combination is hard to beat.
Salted Caramel Chocolate Banana Cake – Avocado Skillet
A gluten-free cake that uses ripe bananas for moisture and dates for a caramel frosting. The salted caramel and chocolate combination makes this taste far more indulgent than its ingredient list suggests.
Classic & Vanilla Vegan Cake Recipes
The classics are the hardest to get right without eggs and dairy, because there’s nowhere to hide. These vegan vanilla cakes, birthday cakes, and traditional flavors nail the texture and taste that people expect from a “real” cake. DVM has its own vegan chocolate cake with ganache and carrot cake if you want to browse more classics.
Ultimate Vegan Vanilla Cake – Daily Vegan Meal
A single-layer naked cake that’s moist, fragrant, and doesn’t need anything fancy to look great. The vanilla frosting is creamy and light. Sometimes the simplest cakes are the ones people remember.
Vegan Vanilla Cake – Vegan Huggs
Apple sauce and non-dairy buttermilk replace the eggs and dairy, giving this cake a tender crumb that stays moist for days. A two-layer cake with classic vanilla frosting that works for any celebration.
Vegan Birthday Cake – Earthly Provisions
The classic yellow cake and chocolate buttercream frosting combination. This is the birthday cake you grew up with, minus the dairy and eggs. Crowd-pleasing in the truest sense.
Vegan Vanilla Birthday Cake – My Quiet Kitchen
Fluffy vanilla cake with silky buttercream that you can customize with extracts, fruit, or food coloring. The sprinkle cake version in the photo is a great option for kids’ parties. For more ideas on planning a vegan celebration, check out our vegan party recipes.
Vegan Red Velvet Cake – Rainbow Nourishments
Soft, fluffy, and moist with that distinctive red velvet flavor from cocoa and a touch of vinegar. Comes together in one bowl with common pantry ingredients. The cream cheese frosting ties it all together.
Gluten-Free Vegan Carrot Cake – Strength & Sunshine
A one-bowl carrot cake that’s both gluten-free and vegan, with just the right amount of spice and texture. The dairy-free cream cheese frosting is tangy and smooth. A great option for guests with multiple dietary needs.
Vegan Sponge Cake – Baked by Clo
Light and airy, filled with strawberry jam and dairy-free buttercream. This British-style sponge cake tastes traditional despite being completely plant-based. A staple recipe for afternoon tea.
Easy Vegan Banana Cake – Delightful Adventures
Fluffy, moist, and full of banana flavor with a hint of warm spice. You can top it with cream cheese frosting or leave it plain. A good way to use up overripe bananas when you want something fancier than banana bread.
Gluten-Free Vegan Pound Cake – Savor the Spoonful
Buttery vanilla flavor with a dense, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Uses applesauce and gluten-free flour to stay moist without eggs or butter. A great base cake that pairs with fresh berries, glaze, or just a cup of coffee.
Fruit & Berry Vegan Cake Recipes
Fruit cakes (the good kind, not the holiday brick) are some of the best vegan cakes you can make. Fresh and frozen fruit adds natural moisture, sweetness, and flavor that works with plant-based batters. DVM has several fruit cakes worth checking out: our strawberry buttermilk cake, caramel apple cake, and lemon pound cake.
Vegan Blueberry Upside Down Cake – Daily Vegan Meal
Soft, tender cake topped with a glossy layer of juicy baked blueberries. Made with whole grain flours and naturally sweetened with maple syrup and coconut sugar. The blueberries caramelize on the bottom of the pan and become the topping when you flip it.
Vegan Hummingbird Cake – A Virtual Vegan
A Southern classic made vegan. Banana, pineapple, and pecans create a moist, flavorful cake that’s smothered in cream cheese frosting. The tropical fruit keeps this cake incredibly tender.
Vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake – Organically Addison
Caramelized pineapple rings on top of a sweet, moist cake. This retro classic looks impressive but is straightforward to make. The pineapple caramelizes in the pan and creates its own sticky glaze.
Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake – The Vegan Larder
Light and fluffy with a bright lemon flavor and the subtle crunch of poppy seeds. A great afternoon cake with tea or coffee. The balance of tangy citrus and sweet frosting is spot on.
Easy Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake – The Vegan Larder
Tangy lemon and juicy blueberries in a soft, moist cake. The blueberries burst during baking and create pockets of fruit throughout each slice. Simple enough for a weeknight but nice enough for company.
Vegan Strawberry Cake – My Quiet Kitchen
Loaded with fresh strawberries in both the cake and the frosting. The strawberry flavor comes through clearly without tasting artificial. A standout for spring and summer celebrations.
Vegan Strawberry Shortcake Cake – Earthly Provisions
Fresh strawberries layered with vegan chantilly whipped cream instead of buttercream. Lighter than a traditional frosted cake, which makes it a great warm-weather dessert. The whipped cream keeps it from being too heavy.
Vegan Strawberry Charlotte Cake – Addicted to Dates
A French-inspired cake with ladyfingers, strawberry mousse filling, and fresh strawberries on top. This is the centerpiece dessert that gets people talking at a dinner party. More complex than most on this list, but worth the effort for a special occasion.
Apple Vegan Cake – Savor the Spoonful
Naturally sweetened with applesauce, maple syrup, and coconut sugar, with fresh apple chunks baked right in. Refined sugar free and still tastes indulgent. A solid fall dessert that works for Thanksgiving or any autumn gathering.
Vegan Raspberry Lemon Cake – Chef Ani
A summer cake that pairs tart raspberries with bright lemon. The berries add moisture and color throughout each layer. If you can get fresh raspberries in season, this is a great way to use them.
Spiced Vegan Pear Cake – Veggie Inspired
Juicy pears with warm spices and a crumbly streusel topping. The combination of soft cake, tender fruit, and crunchy streusel gives you great texture contrast in every bite. An underrated fall flavor that deserves more attention.
Specialty Vegan Cake Recipes
Beyond the classics and fruit cakes, these vegan cake recipes bring unique flavors and formats to the table. Biscoff, matcha, gingerbread, coconut, and more. If you’re baking for someone who’s tried every chocolate and vanilla cake out there, start here. Our vegan blueberry coffee cake is another option if you want something a little different.
Vegan Protein Coffee Cake – Daily Vegan Meal
A date-sweetened oat flour coffee cake with 46g of protein per serving from pea protein. Dense, moist, and topped with a chewy oat streusel. No refined sugar and genuinely high protein, which is rare for a cake.
Vegan Biscoff Cake – Baked by Clo
A three-layer cake with a sweet, lightly spiced crumb and creamy Biscoff frosting. If you’re a Biscoff fan, this is the cake to make. For more Biscoff desserts, try our vegan Biscoff mousse.
Vegan Matcha Cake – Hassle Free Vegan
Fluffy and moist with a subtle, earthy matcha flavor and whipped matcha frosting. The green color is naturally vibrant without food dye. A unique option that stands out on any dessert table.
Vegan Gingerbread Cake – Delightful Adventures
Soft, moist cake filled with molasses and warm gingerbread spices. A holiday season staple that tastes like Christmas. The molasses keeps the crumb incredibly moist for days after baking.
Vegan Coconut Cake – Vegan Huggs
Tender cake brimming with coconut flavor throughout. Coconut milk in the batter and shredded coconut on the outside give you coconut in every layer. A tropical cake that works year-round.
Vegan Almond Cake – A Virtual Vegan
A fragrant, delicate cake made with almond flour that’s naturally gluten-free. A pop of lemon brightens the almond flavor. Serve it plain or dress it up with fresh berries and dairy-free cream.
Vegan Olive Oil Cake – Feasty Travels
Made with almond flour and olive oil for a tender, moist crumb with a subtle Mediterranean flavor. Gluten-free and uses minimal ingredients. A rustic cake that lets the quality of the olive oil come through.
Vegan Mango Coconut Cake – JCo Cooking Odyssey
A tropical combination of mango and coconut with a sweet lime drizzle on top. Fluffy, moist, and bright. This is the cake to bring to a summer party when everyone else is showing up with brownies.
Vegan Vanilla Loaf Cake – Serene Trail
Sweet vanilla and buttery flavors in a simple loaf format. Plant-based yogurt keeps the crumb soft and moist. Top it with a glaze or eat it plain with tea. Sometimes a good loaf cake is all you need.
Microwave Vanilla Mug Cake – Home Cooked Roots
A single-serving cake ready in minutes with just a few pantry staples and a microwave. No oven, no waiting, no leftover cake tempting you from the counter. Add a scoop of vegan ice cream and you have an instant dessert.
That’s 37 vegan cake recipes covering chocolate, classic, fruit, and specialty flavors. The best way to pick is to start with whatever flavor you’re craving and go from there. Most of these freeze well, so baking ahead for events is always an option.
For more DVM cake and dessert recipes, try our vegan apple fritter cake, blueberry upside down cake, or browse our vegan cheesecakes roundup.
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What a beautiful collection of vegan cakes. Thank you for sharing my recipe.
You are very welcome! Thank you!