You're going to love this over the top fudgy and delicious chocolate cake. And if you leave off the whipped cream it's completely vegan...
This is the most delicious Vegan Chocolate Fudge Cake you’ll ever taste!
One of my great childhood memories will always be chocolate cake for breakfast…sigh. It was a wonderful thing! But that was in the days of Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker when mixes somehow began taking the place of homemade cakes. Now I’m not knocking the mixes, everything has its time and place, and they did come up with some pretty darn good cakes. But even as good as they were, they’re not homemade.
I came across an old recipe for a Vegan Chocolate Cake, although at the time they had no idea it was Vegan, or even what a Vegan was, but they knew what delicious was! It was a simple recipe using oil, and vinegar instead of eggs and butter….who knew?
Well evidently those bakers from the depression knew, and when they couldn’t get eggs or butter, they still came up with a recipe for the best chocolate cake I’ve ever had.
With my quest to eat healthier, I’ve been changing my dietary intake whenever possible, using Greek yogurt instead of heavy cream and sour cream, and using coconut oil instead of other oils.
So what could I do but make my favorite chocolate cake of all time, using coconut oil.
I decided to throw a fudge layer in between the layers and used coconut oil instead of butter and it was fudgelicious!
Of course not being Vegan I finished it with mounds of fresh whipped cream…….. it was a beautiful thing!
Of course I made it Vegan first before I slathered on the whipped cream, but either way, you make it I know you’re going to love it!
If you’ve tried my Chocolate Cake recipe or any other recipe on askchefdennis.com please don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know where you found it in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on Instagram @chefdenniseats and @chefdennistravels, Twitter and Facebook.
You're going to love this over the top fudgy and delicious chocolate cake. And if you leave off the whipped cream it's completely vegan...
- 3 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 cups sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup Coconut Oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups cold water
- 1 cup coconut oil
- 1 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon hot coffee
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Mix the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.
- With your mixer on low speed beat in the coconut oil, vinegar, vanilla, and water until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into the two 9″ prepared pans, coated with pan spray.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a cake skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Do not over bake the cake. It should be firm to the touch, and a cake skewer inserted in the middle of the cake should come out clean.
- Put the cake pans on cooling racks and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before removing the cakes from the pans to cool completely.
- Allow to cool completely before frosting.
- mix all ingredients in the bowl of your mixer and whip until well blended
- Place cream, sugar and vanilla in your mixing bowl and whip beginning slowly and increasing speed until cream forms stiff peaks
- place one layer on cake plate and add layer of chocolate fudge.
- place second layer on cake and fill in any spots in the chocolate fudge layer.
- coat sides of cake with chocolate fudge (wet the blade of your spatula while smoothing it will help)
- top cake with whipped cream, cut and serve!
Monica Salvador says
November 20, 2017 at 9:32 pmShould I make any modifications for making this cake in high altitude?
Chef Dennis Littley says
November 20, 2017 at 9:43 pmhi Monica
since I’m not a high altitude cook, I wouldn’t know how to advise you. I would make the changes that you usually do to regular recipes.
Carla says
April 23, 2016 at 5:41 pmI made this cake for my sister’s birthday and it turned out beautifully! It was moist and fudgey which everyone loved! =D Smelled like brownies throughout my house! I made it gluten-free too using Cara’s All Purpose Gluten-Free flour blend (forkandbeans.com) and 1 & 1/2 tsps xanthan gum as a gluten replacer/binder. I also made it dairy-free by using coconut cream instead of heavy dairy cream and used confectioner’s sugar with vanilla extract. I didn’t have the coffee but sprinkled some Enjoy Life’s chocolate chips in and on top. I like that there’s no butter in this and think that the coconut oil in this recipe brings out the richness and creaminess of the chocolate! Coconut oil is so good in baked goods! =) Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe, Chef! I received many compliments from everyone at the party.
Chef Dennis Littley says
April 23, 2016 at 6:37 pmSounds like you made some delicious adjustments to the cake Carla! Thanks so much for sharing them with us, and for stopping by to let me know you enjoyed the cake.
Carla says
April 26, 2016 at 5:40 amCertainly. You’re welcome! =) I wanted others who may have allergies or want to make a cake for someone who does that it is possible to make this gluten-free/dairy-free. It’s a fantastic recipe and turns out well either way! 😉 Thanks, again!
georges says
December 29, 2015 at 7:42 amMade this cake at least 6 times best cake ever!!
georges says
December 29, 2015 at 7:44 amFive stars
Chef Dennis Littley says
December 29, 2015 at 9:21 amThanks for the feedback, I’m happy to hear that you’ve been enjoying the recipe!
Sharon says
June 3, 2015 at 10:06 pmI stumbled upon this recipe because I wanted to make a chocolate cake using coconut oil because I was out of butter. Im not a vegetarian so normally I wouldn’t have even thought to try this recipe, but I guess it was my lucky day because this cake is “to die for” good!! I altered it slightly by substituting the sugar with Stevia and I made one sheet cake instead of a round 2 layer cake.
Chef Dennis Littley says
June 4, 2015 at 11:46 amI’m glad you enjoyed the cake Sharon, it is pretty darn good!
Steve says
March 16, 2015 at 7:42 amListen to the chef – don’t cook it in one tin! I did and it was a disaster! Cooked it for an hour before the skewer came out dry. Cut it in half after cooling to put the frosting in and it is like brown play dough apart from the outer half inch
Smalley says
February 9, 2015 at 5:35 pmSo easy to cook and tastes great!!! I just finished making it for my daughter’s first birthday cake, we were out of butter so thought we would give this a try. I am so glad we did
Chef Dennis Littley says
February 9, 2015 at 5:55 pmthanks for the feedback, I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the cake!
Chef Dennis Littley says
February 13, 2015 at 8:58 amI’m very happy to hear that the cake turned out well for you!
Kitty says
January 17, 2015 at 1:35 pmPur délice! Very moist and tasty! Topped it with whipped coconut cream so it was entirely vegan and perfect. Thx!
Chef Dennis Littley says
January 18, 2015 at 1:45 pmHappy to hear you enjoyed the cake Kitty!
Malorie says
October 16, 2014 at 3:25 amHi, does it make a difference if the cake is cooked in one tin or does it have to be split in 2 tins?
Chef Dennis Littley says
October 16, 2014 at 8:04 amhi Malorie
its going to increase the cooking time if you use only one tin, and may affect the cake by having it be drier on the outside. I haven’t had much success with making one big cake as opposed to layers
Kim says
September 20, 2014 at 9:53 amCan I substitute apple cider vinegar for the white??
Chef Dennis Littley says
September 21, 2014 at 8:54 amyes you can Kim.
Patty says
July 5, 2014 at 8:00 pmI made cupcakes from this recipe topped with a cream and honey icing and fresh blueberries. The cupcakes were divine and the recipe was perfect and easy. A no fail chocolate cake. Also, the cakes were slightly red. Thank you!
Vardit says
June 28, 2014 at 1:06 pmGreat tasting cake. Made it today for the first time especially for my vegan son, but the whole family loved it. One little problem: I refrigerated it and the frosting, as it hardened has white spots from oil separation. This in no way effected the taste of the cake and no one except for me noticed it. Did I not mix the frosting enough?
Chef Dennis Littley says
June 28, 2014 at 2:05 pmit could have used a little more mixing, or possibly your coconut oil was not soft enough to blend in thoroughly.
Vardit says
July 2, 2014 at 11:26 pmI live in a warm climate. My coconut oil is completely liquid. Maybe that is the problem. It had a hard time blending with the cocoa powder. I mixed it for a long time until the texture became smooth. Next time, and there will be a next time, I will refrigerate the oil for an hour or so. Thank you!
Manuela says
June 12, 2014 at 6:58 amHi Dennis, this cake looks gorgeous! Can I substitute maple syrup with honey?
Chef Dennis Littley says
June 12, 2014 at 6:59 amyou should be able to without any problems Manuela, glad you like the cake!
Kristen Y says
May 19, 2014 at 8:20 amHi Chef,
Thank you for this recipe. Eeveryone is always amazed when I tell them there are no eggs or butter! This is my go to chocolate cake recipe! Everyone LOVES it! I am making this for a friends birthday and I grabbed a bag of Valrhona Dutch processed cocoa.I didnt realize there was a difference between the dutch processed and the natual! Should I alter anything with the mix? Would you recomend that I not use it?
Chef Dennis Littley says
May 19, 2014 at 11:35 amI’m happy to hear that Kristen, it is a chocolate wonder. You may notice less flavor with the dutch cocoa but other than that you shouldn’t have any problems, but I can’t tell you for sure since I’ve only used the Natural cocoa
Nisha says
January 12, 2014 at 4:16 pmHi Chef,
I tried your recipe for my husband’s b’day and it came out very well… thanku for the recipe 🙂
Chef Dennis Littley says
January 12, 2014 at 5:23 pmYou’re welcome Nisha, thank you for letting me know!
Melissa says
November 3, 2013 at 10:40 pmHi Chef Dennis,
I just made your cake for my husband’s birthday and it is the most moist cake I’ve ever made. I even used one cup of whole wheat flour (hard white). It wasn’t even a bit crumbly, and just what we were looking for. 10/10.
Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley says
November 4, 2013 at 11:02 amI’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the cake recipe Melissa, thanks so much for letting me know!
Alix says
September 1, 2013 at 11:16 pmCan’t wait to try making this cake! Quick question – should the coconut oil be melted before mixing in to the cake batter and into the fudge frosting?
Thanks!
Chef Dennis Littley says
September 2, 2013 at 6:24 amhi Alix
it doesn’t have to be melted, it just shouldn’t be hard. If you leave it out at room temp it should be easy to incorporate it into the mix.
borigitana says
May 3, 2013 at 2:38 amSo, if one wants to make this cake with eggs since I don’t happen to have vinegar in the house, how many eggs would I use?? I was specifically looking for a good chocolate cake made with coconut oil for my daughter’s birthday tomorrow and found yours..but have everything sans vinegar. Can I make it without the vinegar without destroying it?
Chef Dennis says
May 3, 2013 at 4:42 amI’m sorry but for this specific recipe, I don’t think leaving out the vinegar will give you the desired results and I don’t know what the equivalent of eggs for vinegar would be.
irmina says
January 13, 2013 at 7:55 amSe ve delicioso.
Un saludo.
Christine says
January 8, 2013 at 8:21 amFound you on Pinterest… This cake sounds delish! I want to make for my husbands birthday this week but had a question. The cocoa in the cake ingredients, is that the powdered, unsweetened kind? Just wanted to clarify since it said that for the fudge part but not the cake. Thanks for your help! Going to try making the whipped cream from canned coconut milk (another pinterest recipe). Yum I can hardly wait!
Chef D says
January 8, 2013 at 9:01 amThanks for stopping by Christine and yes the cocoa in the cake is just regular unsweetened, I use Hershey’s most of the time, but any brand will do. You can also substitute olive oil or any other oil in the cake instead of the coconut oil, if you like. The coconut oil, did make the cake a little more firm when chilled.
If my wife liked coconut, I would have topped the cream with some toasted coconut too….sigh I love coconut, but if mama ain’t happy, nobody happy!
let me know how it turns out.
Dennis
Christine says
January 14, 2013 at 4:16 pmOoh, this turned out so good! The fudge frosting was amazing. I used Agave instead of Maple syrup since I was almost out. I couldn’t control myself from sampling, I was hoping there would be enough left to frost the cake ! Thanks for a yummy cake my whole family can enjoy together (I’m vegan, hubs not, and one kiddo with egg/dairy allergy). And the ingredients are staples in most kitchens. Kudos!
Chef D says
January 14, 2013 at 5:30 pmI’m so happy to hear you and your family enjoyed the cake! It’s one of the first cakes I teach my students since its so easy and so good!
thank you!
sanam says
January 6, 2013 at 1:31 pmYour website and the blogs I found on it have been my newest obsession for a few months. What makes it so special is the stories. There’s a down to earth, homey charm to them that makes every recipe a little treasure. Too bad they don’t sell coconut oil where I live. Can I just use canola instead or maybe butter?
Chef D says
January 6, 2013 at 2:05 pmThank you, I’m very happy to hear that you enjoy my blog! You can use canola oil, or olive oil in the cake, and I would use butter in the fudge.
Cheers
Dennis
sanam says
January 11, 2013 at 11:04 amThanks, I did as you said and it turned out great! I just had to try it because there were no eggs involved. Everyone at home thought it was going to be a failure, and they were absolutely amazed at how it turned out! I felt like a magician haha And the frosting… to die for!
Chef D says
January 11, 2013 at 12:18 pmThanks for letting me know how well it turned out! It is a wonderful cake, its also the first one I teach my students. They’re always amazed at how good it is!
Katherines Corner says
December 28, 2012 at 11:03 amOh how divine ,I think it would be perfect for breakfast too, giggle. What a fun memory to share. I love the idea of this healthier recipe. I invite you to share your yummy recipes at my Thursday hops ( it’s still open today) Hugs P.S. thank you for your friendship on Google plus.
Chef D says
December 28, 2012 at 3:07 pmThanks Katherine, It’s been a pleasure getting to know you, and I hope to see you in our community when you have time.
Cocina Silvia says
December 27, 2012 at 3:38 amUna receta genial, me encanta como ha quedado. Fantastica. Felices Fiestas!!!!
Dionne Baldwin says
December 23, 2012 at 8:06 pmI LOVE vegan recipes and inspirations. This cake would make both Yannick and I happy. He loves chocolate. 🙂 Merry Christmas to you my friend!
vanillasugarblog says
December 21, 2012 at 8:45 pmthat is a gorgeous cake dennis!
Rita says
December 21, 2012 at 9:56 amI have not been here is a very long time; so nice to see you on Google+ Your chocolate cake is a master piece. I also have been using coconut oil; really healthy and tasty. I can imagine it would work really well with a cake recipe. Glad I found you again; always enjoyed your journey at the Academy.
Rita
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com says
December 20, 2012 at 9:02 pmDennis, that’s a beauty! I have developed a number of vegan recipes for friends. And it’s a good thing – another family I know (parents and teenage son) have just gone vegan. I’ll have to share this post with them.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
December 20, 2012 at 1:00 amHow stunning, I love the fudge layer!
chitra says
December 20, 2012 at 12:32 amWow, wonderful cake. I am planning to try. Please suggest me an alternate for maple syrup and shall i use ordinary coconut oil. Mine is not extra virgin .. Thanks chef 🙂
Chef D says
December 20, 2012 at 5:44 amhi Chitra,
regular coconut oil should be no problem, and you can use honey in place of the maple syrup, or any liquid sweetener that you like, Let me know how it turns out!
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes says
December 19, 2012 at 9:31 pmIt looks fantastic! So rich and decadent.
Paula @ Vintage Kitchen says
December 19, 2012 at 3:07 pmIt´s so sad that I can´t get coconut oil here. I still think it will catch on at some point and I will be able to get it everywhere. A fabulous chocolate cake!
Diana @ The Chic Life says
December 19, 2012 at 1:11 pmLol – I made vegan desserts and then put whipped cream on them, too! 😛 Looks wonderful!
Wendy Irene says
December 19, 2012 at 12:43 pmThank you for sharing this wonderful recipe Chef Dennis! I am thinking I could make it with coconut milk whip cream on top and that would be wonderful too 🙂 One of my friends made some for me the other day by whipping the coconut cream from the top of the can with confectioners’ sugar. It was delicious. Happy Holidays, my friend!
Muna Kenny says
December 19, 2012 at 11:57 amI can’t believe it’s vegan! It looks moist and chocolaty and as naughty as a chocolate fudge cake can be. I’m in love.
Thanks for the recipe Chef 🙂
Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen says
December 19, 2012 at 11:43 amLooks amazing, Chef!
The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time says
December 19, 2012 at 11:39 amThat’s more healthy? I’d be willing to give chocolate another try with a slice of that gorgeous cake. I can see how moist it is. It’s beautiful.
Betty Ann @Mango_Queen says
December 19, 2012 at 11:29 amChocolate cake never fails to make us all run to the dessert table. And I’m glad you shared one with coconut oil. I grew up in a country that used coconut oil in everything. Glad to see there is a renewed interest in its uses and benefits. Thanks for sharing this, Chef Dennis!
Kate@Diethood says
December 19, 2012 at 11:10 amStunning! I’ll take it with whipped cream, please! 😀
RavieNomNoms says
December 19, 2012 at 8:29 amDennis this sounds amazing!! I really just must try this!
Kimby says
December 19, 2012 at 8:20 amMay I please have breakfast at your house? 🙂
Sandra says
December 19, 2012 at 7:49 amMy holiday baking list is steadily growing. Thank you Dennis, I’ve been on the hunt for more cakes that use coconut oil. Have a Merry Christmas!
Cher says
December 19, 2012 at 5:45 amGreat cake, Chef. I love cakes with coconut oil – it just lends a beautiful back drop in baked good.
Kayle (The Cooking Actress) says
December 19, 2012 at 4:47 amOh my WORD that cake looks so fudgy and decadent and perfect! I love that there’s no butter!!!
Coconut oil is so amazing.
Sandy @Southwestgirl says
December 19, 2012 at 12:51 amThis cake looks amazing! Who needs frosting with such a rich, chocolate cake? Thanks for sharing the recipe, I’ve been looking for ways to use more coconut oil.
Miriam @ Overtime Cook says
December 19, 2012 at 12:10 amWhat a beautiful looking cake! I would never have believed it’s vegan!
Mary says
December 18, 2012 at 11:58 pmThis looks amazing. I bet the coconut oil just took it straight over the top. I would have topped it with piles of whipped cream as well!
Elin says
December 18, 2012 at 10:55 pmChef Dennis, share a slice of your fudgelicious please…I am hungry just looking at it now…bad timing 🙂 Thanks for sharing another good one with us. Here is me wishing you and loved ones, a Joyous Christmas and a Happy New Year ! Have fun with family and friends 🙂
Warm Wishes,
Elin
Kristina says
December 18, 2012 at 8:45 pmDennis this sounds absolutely fantastic, and looks gorgeous as well. I would love a big bowl of the fudgelicious, please!
Abby says
May 3, 2013 at 11:16 pmThis cake was absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to make it again!
Chef Dennis says
May 4, 2013 at 6:03 amThanks for letting us know Abby, I’m So happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Abby says
May 15, 2013 at 7:01 pmChef- Do you have any other vegan dessert recipes? Would love to try some more!
Thanks again!
Chef Dennis says
May 16, 2013 at 10:29 amhi Abby
I don’t think I do, but I would suggest you check out my friend Allyson Kramer, she is amazing http://www.manifestvegan.com/
Dennis