Vegan Chocolate Cake – Super Fudgy! (gluten-free options)

This vegan chocolate cake is fudgy, super moist, ultra chocolaty and is topped off with an easy whipped chocolate ganache frosting! Can be made gluten-free, whole wheat or with all-purpose flour.

This vegan chocolate cake is fudgy, super moist, ultra chocolaty and is topped off with an easy whipped chocolate ganache frosting! Can be made gluten-free, whole wheat or with all-purpose flour.

Today my little boy turned one year old! In celebration, I’m posting this vegan chocolate cake.

If you’re here just for the cake, scroll down past the baby picture to where it says All About The Cake. If you’re one of my followers who has been wondering what’s been up with the serious lack of recipes the last year, keep on reading!

I’ve reposted a lot of old recipes this year. I’ve mentioned this in a bunch of other posts, but when I’m working on a new recipe, I usually make it 10+ times before I think it’s perfect. And I don’t want to post something unless I think it’s absolutely perfect.

Up until Björn was about 9 months old and became more mobile, he was what you would describe as a very fussy baby. He was rarely happy and everything was a challenge.

This delicious vegan chocolate cake is fudgy, super moist, chocolaty and is topped off with an easy whipped chocolate ganache frosting! Can be made gluten-free, whole wheat or with all-purpose flour. Tastes just like a regular chocolate cake!

So I’ve pretty much taken the year off as maternity leave. If you’ve left a blog comment and it took me a while to reply, I’m sorry. And I haven’t even looked at Instagram in half a year. If you’ve tagged me and I didn’t reply, I’m really sorry. :/

Things are so much better now but I’m still far from having time to develop totally new recipes (starting in February, that’ll change!).

When Björn was a few months old, he started to get eczema. So we did some allergy testing and the number of foods he wasn’t supposed to eat was really hard to deal with. Same with me.

Other than one brand of jam, there’s nothing we can buy premade from the store. I make everything from scratch.

This amazing vegan chocolate cake is fudgy, super moist, chocolaty and is topped off with an easy whipped chocolate ganache frosting! Can be made gluten-free, whole wheat or with all-purpose flour.  Tastes just like a regular chocolate cake!

It wouldn’t be that bad if I could work in the kitchen when he’s awake. But if I’m in the kitchen, he stands at my leg, crying and tries to pull down my pajama pants.

So yeah. I don’t get anything done with him around! But I’m not complaining. We had a really tough start and I’m thrilled that things are getting better and better.

Warning! Some people might consider the next part unappetizing in a post about a dessert recipe. Scroll past the baby picture if you just want cake.

So – on to the cause of our difficult beginning. I had undiagnosed placenta accreta, which is when the placenta grows too deeply into the uterine wall and can’t detach as it is supposed to after childbirth.

This amazingly delicious vegan chocolate cake is fudgy, super moist, chocolaty and is topped off with an easy whipped chocolate ganache frosting! Can be made gluten-free, whole wheat or with all-purpose flour. Tastes just like a regular chocolate cake!

With placenta accreta, part or all of the placenta remains attached. It can even grow onto other organs.

It’s sometimes diagnosed at some point during the pregnancy and from what I understand, you would then have a planned C-section at 34-36 weeks, with a team of doctors prepared for the hemorrhage that most patients have, often followed by a hysterectomy.

Pretty much the entire staff came running in the room while they tried scraping it out. I could feel it all. It was so much worse than the birth! It was chaos. But that didn’t work so they put me under and then I had a 3-hour surgery. I lost a lot of blood but had a transfusion, which helped a ton. The images I had from the part where I was still awake were hard to deal with for a long time. But it’s easier to handle now.

I’m really lucky and thankful to be celebrating Björn’s birthday with him today! I decided to make myself this vegan chocolate cake in celebration. :D Mr. Texanerin got one piece.

Björn didn’t get any. He won’t be partaking in a cake like this for a while if I can help it.

Today we had a little birthday party for Björn and we ate this Healthy Vanilla Chocolate Cake from Feasting on Fruit. She has a ton of vegan, date-sweetened + oat flour based recipes and I’ve made and loved so many of them.

none

All About The Cake

This vegan chocolate cake is seriously the most delicious chocolate cake ever. I think I even prefer it over this whole wheat chocolate cake recipe.

And amazingly, nobody can tell that this cake is vegan or gluten-free! If you prefer, you can use whole wheat flour or even all-purpose flour. White whole white or whole spelt also work.

I’ve also tried this cake with buckwheat flour and found it pretty strange. It tasted floral somehow.

One thing I love about this vegan chocolate cake is that it doesn’t require any usual ingredients. You don’t even need chia or flax seeds to make egg replacements.

This vegan chocolate cake is fudgy, super moist, chocolaty and is topped off with an easy whipped chocolate ganache frosting! Can be made gluten-free, whole wheat or with all-purpose flour. Really tastes just like a regular chocolate cake!

If you’re vegan or egg-free, you most likely already have these at home. But for someone who is looking for a dessert recipe to make their vegan friend, this is a great option!

And the frosting is super easy and not too sweet like buttercream usually is. I used a vegan chocolate ganache that’s just chopped chocolate and coconut milk.

All you do is melt it together, chill and then beat until fluffy. Then you have yourself some whipped ganache frosting!

Oh, and there’s salt in there. 1/4 teaspoon salt. I haven’t really seen that in many ganache recipes but I think a bit of salt makes it even more delicious! Feel free to omit that or only use 1/8 teaspoon.

This vegan chocolate cake is fudgy, super moist, chocolaty and is topped off with easy whipped chocolate ganache frosting! Can be made gluten-free, whole wheat or with all-purpose flour. Tastes just like a regular chocolate cake!

This vegan chocolate fudge frosting would be another delicious option if the whipped ganache frosting doesn’t sound your speed.

If you’ve got any substitution questions, check out the below section! Just one last note.

This recipe uses 1 1/2 cups of water but if you have milk that needs using up, you can definitely use that in place of the water. I wouldn’t say that the cake tastes any different with it so I wouldn’t buy it just for this cake.

The batter will be super runny. Don’t be alarmed! It’s normal.

Questions about this vegan chocolate cake?

  • Can you taste the olive oil? I used extra-virgin olive oil and you can taste it in the batter and while the baked cake is still hot. Once it cools, you can’t taste it. If you’re worried about it, use light olive oil (the light refers to the taste and not calories).

  • Can I use another oil other than olive? You can use canola oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, etc. Anything neutral tasting. Coconut oil also works.

  • This vegan chocolate cake is fudgy, super moist, chocolaty and is topped off with an easy whipped chocolate ganache frosting! Can be made gluten-free, whole wheat or with all-purpose flours. Tastes just like a regular chocolate cake!

  • Can I use butter? I bet you could use butter in this cake for a non-vegan version but it wouldn’t be as moist (butter is 80-82% fat and oil is 100% fat). Same goes for vegan butter.

  • Can I use a different gluten-free flour mix? I used this 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour. If you have another brand that works as a sub for all-purpose flour, then you could probably use it here. I can’t say the texture would be as perfect as with the flour mix I used, though.

  • Does the gluten-free version taste gluten-free? This vegan chocolate cake honestly tastes like it was made with all-purpose flour. At least with the gluten-free flour mix I used and after it’s cooled a bit.

  • Can I use almond / coconut / other flours? Unfortunately not. If you want to use other flours like rice flour, buckwheat, whatever – you’ll have to experiment. There’s no direct sub for gluten-free flour mixes.

  • Can I use a liquid sweetener? Unfortunately not without experimenting! You could use a little honey or maple syrup for part of the sugar, but you’d have to reduce the liquid in the cake.

  • Super moist and delicious vegan chocolate cake that can be made with gluten-free, all-purpose or whole wheat flour. Tastes just like a regular chocolate cake!

  • Can I reduce the sugar? You could probably get away with reducing it by 1/3 cup. Reducing sugar also reduces moist-ness so unless you want a dry cake, don’t go overboard and reduce it to 1/2 cup or some small amount.

  • Does the frosting pipe well? I haven’t tried it but it’s pretty firm. It should work but I can’t guarantee it.

  • Can I use a different sized pan?

    Here’s a pan conversion chart that should help. Looks like a 9″x13″ would work, though I haven’t tried it.

  • Can I make this recipe into cupcakes? Yes! This recipe will yield 16 cupcakes. Fill the liners slightly more than half-way full and bake for 16-18. The frosting yields just under 2 cups so that’d be enough for 2 tablespoons of frosting per cupcake.

  • Can I freeze the layers / frosted cake? Freezing the layers would definitely work. I haven’t experimented with the time but maybe up to 1 month? Freezing frosted layers, though? I think it’d work but I’m not 100% sure.

I hope you’ll love this vegan chocolate cake! If you try it out, I’d love to hear what you think. :)

This vegan chocolate cake is fudgy, super moist, ultra chocolaty and is topped off with an easy whipped chocolate ganache frosting! Can be made gluten-free, whole wheat or with all-purpose flour.

Vegan Chocolate Cake (gluten-free, whole wheat, all-purpose flour options)

♥♥♥♥♥
Rated 5.0 by 24 readers
Vegan Chocolate Cake – Super Fudgy! (gluten-free options)
  • Prep Time:
  • Cook Time:
  • Ready in:
  • Yield: 12 slices

Ingredients

    For the whipped ganache frosting:

  • 1 2/3 cups (283 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips (make sure to use vegan chocolate like Enjoy Life)
  • 1 cup (240 milliliters) canned full-fat coconut milk
  • up to 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • For the cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups (355 milliliters) water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) oil (like canola, vegetable, or olive) or 1/2 cup (113 grams) melted refined coconut oil
  • 2/3 cup (133 grams) brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar or raw sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (207 grams) Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour for a GF version or 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) whole wheat flour, white whole wheat flour or all-purpose flour for a non-GF version
  • 1/2 cup (58 grams) cocoa powder
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Note that the frosting needs about 2 hours to chill.
  2. Prepare the frosting:

  3. In a medium or large sauce pot (one big enough for you to use your mixer in), mix together the chopped chocolate and coconut milk. Turn the heat to low and while stirring occasionally, melt the mixture. When no more lumps remain, stir in the salt (I like 1/4 teaspoon but you may want less). Place the pot on a trivet and put in the refrigerator to chill for 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours or until the mixture is cold and has thickened quite a bit (so that it's no longer pourable).
  4. Prepare the cake:

  5. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line two 8" (20-cm) round cake pans with a piece of parchment paper on the bottom. Grease the sides of the pans with baking spray or coconut oil.
  6. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the water, vinegar, oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
  7. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add this to the wet mixture and stir just until combined. It will be almost as thin as water.
  8. Divide the batter between the two pans (about 495 grams of batter in each pan) and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean or with some moist crumbs (not raw batter). Let cool for 5 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  9. Once cooled, finish making the frosting.
  10. Remove the chilled ganache from the refrigerator and using an electric mixer (you could also transfer it to a stand mixer), beat the ganache until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  11. Spread about 2/3 cup of frosting between the two layers of cake, 1/2 cup on top and the remaining on the sides. There's about 2 cups of frosting.
  12. Keep covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Recipe by  | www.texanerin.com

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more info, see my disclosure.

Pin post on Pinterest Share post on Facebook Share post on Twitter Share post on Google+

138 comments on “Vegan Chocolate Cake – Super Fudgy! (gluten-free options)” — Add one!

6 comments are awaiting moderation!

  • Lisa says
    March 26, 2021 @ 8:46 pm

    What size of tin is the recipe for?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Lisa
      March 26, 2021 @ 8:50 pm

      Two 8″ (20-cm) pans. It’s in Step 3. :)

      Reply
  • CJ
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    January 18, 2021 @ 3:30 am

    The cake was amazing! Will definitely make it again. I have one question though. Do you think this recipe would make good cupcakes?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to CJ
      January 18, 2021 @ 7:12 am

      I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for your feedback. The directions for how to make them as cupcakes are in the questions section under “Can I make this recipe into cupcakes?” :)

      Reply
  • Kim
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    October 12, 2020 @ 4:59 am

    I used this recipe to make cookies. For dietary restrictions, I used 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce and only 1/2 cup water so the batter would be thick enough to drop by the spoonful onto the cookie sheet. Everything else was the same. After mixing up the batter I added 1/2 bag Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips. I baked the cookies for 9 minutes at 350. It made 32 cookies. They were so moist and tender and delicious. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Kim
      December 13, 2021 @ 7:46 pm

      I just found your comment in spam. I’m so sorry. 🤦‍♀️ I feel awful! But I wanted to say thank you for sharing your cookie recipe! It sounds wonderful. I’ll have to try it myself! Sorry again and thanks for the great feedback. :)

      Reply
  • Stacey
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    October 3, 2020 @ 6:01 am

    LOVE this cake!! It was absolutely delicious–even the husband thought so! I am vegan, but I’m sure anyone would love these results!! I only had a bread baking dish, so I divided the batter and baked each half in the oven for about 16-18 minutes (I just watched and pricked with a fork for done-ness). Came out amazing!! The frosting I wasn’t thrilled with but I think it was my fault due to the ingredients I had on hand (would try again with better ingredients!). Thank you again for an amazing recipe, this will be the only chocolate cake I ever need!!!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Stacey
      October 6, 2020 @ 2:31 pm

      I’m so glad that you enjoyed it and that your search for the perfect chocolate cake is over! What size was your bread baking dish? I’d love to help you figure out the issues with the frosting, because it should be really tasty, as well. :) Did you make any subs at all? Thanks for your comment!

      Reply
      • Stacey replies to Erin
        October 6, 2020 @ 8:15 pm

        The frosting actually turned out fine when I gave it a second chance! I used light coconut milk (because it was what I had on hand) so I would try full-fat next time but the reason I thought it wasn’t great was because the first time I pulled it out of the fridge to frost the cake, I whipped it up! This changed the consistency of the frosting and because it was light coconut milk, it was just okay. But the next time I pulled it from the fridge, I simply spread it onto the cake without whipping it or disturbing its firm texture and it was much better!! I used Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate because the hubby and I like it and that worked really well.

        I also used a loaf pan, I think the dimensions are 7 in by 3 in by 2 in, and baked the batter for 16-18 minutes. Thanks again!!

        Reply
  • Neha says
    July 10, 2020 @ 5:53 pm

    Hi Erin, thank you for posting this beautiful vegan recipe. I would like to try it. But before that, could i pls check how would the outcome differ if i were to use all white sugar( that means no brown sugar at all)? Thanks in advance :)

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Neha
      July 11, 2020 @ 10:11 pm

      Hi Neha! You’re welcome. :) All white sugar would work great! I’d love to hear how it comes out.

      Reply
  • chinachef
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    May 17, 2020 @ 1:41 pm

    FYI, this cake is amazing, very moist and flavorful. Bakes well in 13″x 9″ pan. For a vegan icing option, used coconut milk with powdered sugar, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt…then topped it with toasted pecans and coconut flakes. Used AP flour this time, but am looking forward to trying the GF option.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to chinachef
      May 26, 2020 @ 6:29 am

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Your frosting sounds lovely. :) And toasted pecans and coconut flakes?! Yum. I’ll have to try that! Thanks for your review. :)

      Reply
  • Linnea says
    April 30, 2020 @ 7:32 am

    Wow it was delicious. The texture was awesome, nice and moist. The frosting kinda ripped chunks off the top so be gentle

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Linnea
      April 30, 2020 @ 7:56 am

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for your feedback. :)

      Reply
  • Elyse says
    April 13, 2020 @ 5:23 pm

    I am recently on a gluten, dairy, egg, nut free treatment plan so I made this cake for Easter! It was so delicious and my entire family loved it! Thank you for this! So simple to put together as well which was an added bonus!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Elyse
      April 22, 2020 @ 10:01 pm

      You’re welcome! I’m really glad that you and your family loved it. :) And I’m happy that you thought it was easy to put together! I hate fussy cakes. ;) Thanks for your comment and sorry for my slow reply.

      Reply
  • Cakegift says
    March 30, 2020 @ 11:22 am

    I also tried this cake as per your instructions. After prepared I tasted it with my friends. It was awesome. Enough that one of my friends asked to me can you prepare this again on my birthday. Thank you so much for sharing with us.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Cakegift
      March 30, 2020 @ 8:02 pm

      Yay! I’m so happy that you and your friends enjoyed the cake. Thanks for your feedback! I hope your friend will be happy to have it again. :)

      Reply
  • Debra says
    March 28, 2020 @ 7:39 pm

    Made this cake for my daughters birthday who is vegan. It was a big hit for everyone! This is definitely a keeper!!!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Debra
      March 30, 2020 @ 8:19 am

      Yay! I’m so happy to hear that! I hope she had a great birthday. :) Thanks for your feedback!

      Reply
  • Katherine says
    January 27, 2020 @ 1:48 pm

    The frosting was delicious – but I could not get the cake to bake, I tried for 20 mins then an additional 20-30 mins and it was totally goopy – would not solidify. I did use vegan butter rather than oil, any other tips???

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Katherine
      February 13, 2020 @ 12:44 pm

      I’m so sorry for just now seeing your comment! We’ve had the flu / other fun stuff for the last few weeks. Did you make any changes or subs (other than vegan butter) at all to the recipe? What kind of flour did you use? I hope we can find out the issue. Thanks for your feedback and sorry again!

      Reply
  • Bincy Anoop says
    December 28, 2019 @ 7:28 pm

    I made this cake for my sons Birthday, and this has been the best recipe so far. I made frosting using ghee to make porcupine face on the cake. The cake was moist and soft. Didn’t feel a bit like I’m eating anything gluten-free.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Bincy Anoop
      December 30, 2019 @ 12:40 pm

      A porcupine face on the cake sounds super cute. :) I hope that he enjoyed it as well! Thanks for your feedback.

      Reply
  • Linda Farnsworth
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    November 26, 2019 @ 1:47 am

    I needed a GF/DF cake for a church function so I doubled this. It was gone in MINUTES! Everyone loved it, and I’ll definitely make it again.
    Just an FYI: I used almond milk and the batter was thick – thicker than even a box mix – more like brownies. And the texture after baked was good, but not fudgey like in the photos. Next time I will do the water (or coffee – I did add instant crystals) cause that ooey-gooey crumb just looks divine!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Linda Farnsworth
      November 28, 2019 @ 1:50 pm

      I’m so glad that it was a hit! How strange about the batter. I’ve made it with almond milk and haven’t had that issue. Did you happen to use coconut oil and it had hardened after melting? Because that would explain the thick batter. Thanks so much for your feedback! :)

      Reply
  • Sarah
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    October 18, 2019 @ 11:44 pm

    I made it and it was absolutely delicious! I used coconut oil! It really did not taste gluten free with the frosting, but I would not advise to serve it without, apart if you know a really good blend of gluten free flour (I had only the cheapest standard gluten free flour at hand). I am not vegan or gluten free, but would def make this again!!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Sarah
      October 22, 2019 @ 10:01 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it enough to make again! With the GF flour blend I listed in the recipe, it really tastes like a normal cake. But I had a friend use her random GF flour blend and it was inedible. :( So it really depends, I guess! Thanks for your feedback. :)

      Reply
  • Holly
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    October 6, 2019 @ 4:11 am

    Hey Erin, just made this…it was outstanding! So moist and tender. I dare anyone to figure out this is gluten free! I used coconut sugar instead of brown sugar and avacado oil. I have a question or two and I just read through the comments and did not see these questions. First of all, can this be frozen after it’s baked and about for how long before it loses taste/texture? Also, do you think this recipe could be successfully halved? I don’t want to make a double layer next time as there is only two of us. You NEVER let me down with your recipes Erin and you are my go-to for all things delicious, fast and easy. Thanks in advance. God bless!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Holly
      October 14, 2019 @ 9:01 pm

      Hello there! I’m sorry for just now seeing your questions. Hopefully you found the answer to the freezing question in the questions section of the post (it’s the last one :)) Also, this recipe halves great! I can’t tell you how happy I am to read that I’m your go-to for easy recipes. Yay! :) Thanks a ton for your kind words (and sorry again for the slow reply!).

      Reply
      • Jenna replies to Erin
        November 6, 2019 @ 5:31 am

        I’ve frozen a large since for a month and it still tasted AMAZING!
        Love this cake! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!!

        Reply
        • Erin replies to Jenna
          November 6, 2019 @ 10:28 am

          Woohooo! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it. We also freeze it and liked like just as much! Thanks a ton for your feedback. :) You’re welcome for the recipe! :D

  • Anamika @ Supplement Crunch
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    September 21, 2019 @ 9:23 am

    This sounds awesome. Going to make some tonight.

    Reply
  • Jaye says
    August 16, 2019 @ 6:04 pm

    love your recipes, can’t wait to make the gf version of this
    So glad you and baby made ut to the other side of accreta. I was a previa mom two times.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Jaye
      August 26, 2019 @ 7:30 pm

      Thank you! I hope you’ll enjoy it. :) I’d love to hear how it comes out for you! And wow. Previa two times. So scary. I’m happy that you’re okay, too! (and sorry for my slow reply – we just got back from vacation!).

      Reply
  • Floranet says
    June 27, 2019 @ 9:40 am

    Amazing work!! Looking for more from you.

    Reply
  • Jeanne says
    June 22, 2019 @ 7:13 am

    Hi, Erin. This cake looks and sounds wonderful. I’m planning to make it tomorrow and have to transport it up a bumpy road the next day. Do you know if it can be frozen before frosting and still hold together when thawed?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Jeanne
      June 22, 2019 @ 10:17 am

      Hi! Thanks. Check out the last paragraph of the post. ;) Chill the frosted cake until time to transport. Enjoy!

      Reply
      • Jeanne replies to Erin
        June 22, 2019 @ 5:25 pm

        OK–fingers crossed on this. It’s traveling 2000 feet up on a crazy rutted road to a retreat on top of a mountain. I’ll let you know how it goes!

        Reply
        • Erin replies to Jeanne
          June 23, 2019 @ 8:35 pm

          I wish you lots of luck! :)

      • Jeanne replies to Erin
        April 25, 2020 @ 4:38 am

        Erin,

        Just to follow up, I have made this cake a half dozen times now. We can’t do coconut, so I whip up a tub of Earth Balance with cocoa and powdered sugar for the frosting. I also have done a 1.5 portion conversion on the cake and make 3 thin 9 inch layers. This cake gets gobbled up BEFORE all other chocolate cakes by people who are not needing gluten-free. I have to chase them away so the gluten-free people have enough cake! Can’t thank you enough.

        Reply
  • Winnigifts says
    June 4, 2019 @ 8:38 am

    I tried the same cake as per instructions in the post, it was really unbelievable for me when my family liked and praised me and even my friend asked me to make again on their birthdays.

    Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Winnigifts
      June 7, 2019 @ 1:03 pm

      Aww, yay! I was super happy to read your comment. :) I love that your friends asked you to make it for them and that it made you feel good. :) Thanks for your feedback!

      Reply
  • Crystal King says
    March 21, 2019 @ 12:06 am

    What a little doll! And the cake looks pretty good too!

    Roby Mitchell, MD, a Texan doctor, has done a ton of work on treating eczema, an autoimmune condition often exacerbated by a leaky gut and vaccines. He has a Facebook page and does long distance consults.

    I hope you can get some help.

    All the best to you and your family!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Crystal King
      March 27, 2019 @ 1:31 pm

      Hi Crystal! I’m so sorry for just now seeing your nice comment. Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely check him out. How cool that he does long distance consults. Thanks again!

      Reply
  • Ashley
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    February 18, 2019 @ 9:31 pm

    Glad you are doing well and healthy again, congrats on a beautiful baby boy! I absolutely love your recipes, this chocolate cake is a new favourite for special occasions! Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Ashley
      February 25, 2019 @ 7:50 pm

      Thank you so much! And I’m super glad to hear that you love the cake and the other recipes. That’s always so nice to hear! Thank you again and sorry for my very slow reply.

      Reply
  • Jules Shepard says
    January 15, 2019 @ 5:44 pm

    Beautiful cake, beautiful boy and great recipe! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  • Patty says
    December 30, 2018 @ 1:31 am

    This is the absolutely best chocolate cake I’ve every made. I’m 75 yrs. young and a very experienced baker. I served this cake for Christmas Eve dessert. It was a tremendous hit. I’m also vegan. The big question is: When adding the dry ingredients to the liquid I got sooo many lumps (which I worked out with my fingers) so I didn’t stir it so much. But I’m wondering if I slowly added the liquid ingredients to the dry if it would mix easier. Also I think I would sieve the dry ingredients to prevent lumps mostly from the cocoa powder.
    This is definitely my keeper all time cake; but about the lumps. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Patty
      January 2, 2019 @ 9:06 pm

      I’m so glad that it was a hit at Christmas Eve! I’ve never actually tried adding the wet to the dry so I’m not sure if it’d really help. My dry mix was totally lump-free so I’m not sure sieving would help, either. Not very helpful, am I? ;) I would recommend adding the dry mix to the wet, a little at a time, and see if that helps. Or try it the other way around! It can’t hurt. And I’m curious. :) I’d love to hear how it comes out! Thanks for your comment.

      Reply
  • Raida says
    December 28, 2018 @ 9:04 am

    Hi
    Would like to try it for my husband birthday. Can I use any gluten free flour or does it have to be Bob’s red Mill ?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Raida
      January 2, 2019 @ 9:25 pm

      Hi! I’m sorry for just now seeing your question. Hopefully you found the answer in the substitution section of the post. :) Can I use a different gluten-free flour mix? I used this (Bob’s Red Mill) 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour. If you have another brand that works as a sub for all-purpose flour, then you could probably use it here. I can’t say the texture would be as perfect as with the flour mix I used, though.

      Reply
  • Joana Miranda says
    December 26, 2018 @ 4:45 pm

    I made this cake for Christmas and I couldn’t believe how wonderful and delicious it turned out! Definitely a crowd pleaser. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Joana Miranda
      January 2, 2019 @ 8:23 pm

      I’m so sorry for just now seeing your comment! I didn’t realize I wouldn’t have internet at my in-laws over the holidays. :/ I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the cake! I also made it over Christmas because it’s just so good. :D Thanks for your comment and sorry again.

      Reply
  • Renee says
    December 25, 2018 @ 2:47 am

    Ok, this cake has great flavor but horrible consistency. I made it twice in one night bc one cake just totally crumbled. Second batch the same. How the heck do you get it to not completely fall apart?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Renee
      December 25, 2018 @ 8:19 pm

      I’ve gotten a lot of reviews on this cake and nobody has mentioned it crumbling. It’s actually super, super moist! So there must be an issue with your ingredients. What kind of flour are you using and are you making any changes or subs at all?

      Reply
      • Renee replies to Erin
        January 7, 2019 @ 10:25 pm

        No I followed it to a T! The second batch the tooth pick came out dry but it fell thorough the cooling rack. It tasted so good! But I just couldn’t keep it together. I don’t think it broke bc it was dry it was just very delicate and I couldn’t move easily from the pan to the drying wrack and then to the plate, even when it was completely cooled

        Reply
        • Erin replies to Renee
          January 14, 2019 @ 12:38 pm

          Hmm. Which flour did you use? It’s so moist that it’s quite delicate but it shouldn’t have fallen completely apart!

  • Taylor
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    December 16, 2018 @ 2:35 pm

    Made this yesterday for a group of non-vegans and they LOVED it! They couldn’t believe it was vegan. It was so moist and the ganache was amazing.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Taylor
      December 17, 2018 @ 10:56 am

      Yay! I’m so happy that everyone loved it, including the non-vegans. :) Thanks for your comment!

      Reply
  • Ana says
    December 7, 2018 @ 8:08 pm

    Is it possible making the ganache without an electric mixer? 😬

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Ana
      December 8, 2018 @ 9:55 am

      You can make the ganache without a mixer but it may be difficult to whip it without a mixer. It’s delicious when it’s unwhipped! It’s like a regular ganache and not a whipped ganache.

      Reply
      • Ana replies to Erin
        December 8, 2018 @ 10:19 am

        Ok thanks!😊 But then (sorry I know nothing about ganache… Never made it before), is it possible letting it get a bit cold (until it’s not liquid, or until it gets kind of like a nuttela consistence🙄) and then put it on the cake and then put the cake in the fridge so it gets firm there? 🤔 I was watching people on YouTube making ganache and pouring it on the cake without the 2 hours in the fridge step.. So I’m confused about the process😅 Anyway, I’ve asked Santa for and electric mixer! 🎅😁

        Reply
        • Erin replies to Ana
          December 8, 2018 @ 10:28 am

          Yes, you can! When you first mix it together, it’ll be too runny to pour on the cake. So put it in the fridge, check on it often, and once it’s thick enough (should be thinner than Nutella and thin enough to pour, but not so thin that it runs all over the plate), pour over the cake. Maybe 15-30 minutes? But it really depends on the size of pot you use. If you let it chill to long, put on low heat until it’s a little melty, stir really hard to combine the melty parts with the non melty parts, and put back in the fridge for a while. :)

        • Ana replies to Ana
          December 8, 2018 @ 10:35 am

          So happy to read this! This I’ll do then!! :))) Thank you!!!

        • Erin replies to Ana
          December 9, 2018 @ 10:14 am

          You’re welcome! Good luck. :)

  • Jennifer says
    December 6, 2018 @ 8:09 pm

    Silly question I’m making a chocolate and vanilla cake, will this recipe work out ok for the vanilla if I just omit the cocoa powder?

    Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Jennifer
      December 7, 2018 @ 10:25 am

      Hi! Unfortunately not. :( The whole recipe would have to be reworked if you omit the cocoa. Definitely find a vanilla cake recipe!

      Reply
      • Jennifer replies to Erin
        December 7, 2018 @ 8:36 pm

        Thank you for the quick reply, saved me from making a big baking mess! I did bake the chocolate cake last night. Great recipe thank you!!

        Reply
        • Whitney replies to Jennifer
          February 28, 2019 @ 10:49 pm

          I actually did omit the cocoa and it worked.opps

        • Erin replies to Whitney
          March 4, 2019 @ 8:44 pm

          And it tasted like a good vanilla cake? I just can’t imagine how that’d work! Was it super sweet? Because when you add cocoa powder, a lot of sugar is needed. Without the cocoa powder, you wouldn’t need so much sugar.

  • Monica
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    December 6, 2018 @ 7:45 pm

    This looks like the most perfect chocolate cake ever! I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
  • Maha says
    November 29, 2018 @ 8:57 pm

    I just made the cake and realized that i forgot to add the oil because it was not mentioned in the direction 🤦🏻‍♀️ I hope it works anyway ؛(

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Maha
      November 29, 2018 @ 9:04 pm

      Oh my gosh. I am so very sorry about that! I am horrified. :( I just fixed it. I’ve gotten lots of reviews of the cake on Instagram but nobody mentioned this until now so thank you very much! I really am sorry. :(

      Reply
  • Daphne says
    November 29, 2018 @ 7:47 pm

    Very glad to hear everything turned out okay for the both of you.I hope things only continue to get easier and better for you guys!! Awesome recipies!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Daphne
      December 2, 2018 @ 7:23 pm

      Thanks so much for your nice comment! I hope you’ll get to try out the recipe. :)

      Reply
  • Julie
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    November 28, 2018 @ 5:47 am

    Hi! I want to say the cake came out amazing! I will definitely be making it again. Do you ever have a hard time getting them out of the pans? I didn’t use parchment, just avocado oil on the bottom and sides and they were not so easy to come out. I managed and fixed it with the amazing frosting! Keep up the great work with your recipes!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Julie
      December 17, 2018 @ 11:00 am

      Hi Julie! I’m so very sorry for just now seeing your comment. It landed in spam for some weird reason! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the cake. :) I haven’t had any issues with it coming out, but I always use parchment on the bottom and coconut oil on the sides. Thanks for your nice comment and sorry again for just now seeing it!

      Reply
  • Giulia says
    November 26, 2018 @ 4:07 pm

    Do I use the whole can including the coconut water or just the firm coconut cream part in the ganache?

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Giulia
      November 26, 2018 @ 6:37 pm

      You just use 1 cup (240ml) of the milk. So mix the cream and water together and use 1 cup of that. I’d love to hear how it comes out!

      Reply
  • Jenny says
    November 24, 2018 @ 11:04 pm

    Thank you for another beautiful recipe, Erin. We so appreciate you!! Hang in there. You’ve been through such a rough experience, poor girl, but wonderful times are right around the corner. A fussy baby is so hard, but they end up being your best friend. Trust me on this…and now my fussy son’s wife is giving me a grand daughter this spring. Thank you once again. Your hard work has been so valuable to me. Your recipes allow me to bake delicious treats for my gluten-free Texan daughter-in-law.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Jenny
      November 25, 2018 @ 8:30 pm

      Thanks for your super nice comment! I’m really happy that you and your daughter-in-law enjoy and appreciate the recipes. :) And that’s good to hear about the fussy baby thing. It’s already gotten so much easier, so that’s good! Congratulations on your coming grandchild and thanks again. :)

      Reply
  • Laura
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    November 22, 2018 @ 12:09 am

    Oh Erin I was wondering how you were doing this past year adjusting to motherhood! What a scary beginning, but now look at that healthy happy little boy with lashes that just won’t quit! I’m so glad you are both doing better! Just remember, recipes will always be here but your sweet baby will only be little for *such* a little while. My son was super difficult too, and I think if I would’ve been blogging when he was born I would’ve quit! LOL! Glad to have you back doing what you can!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Laura
      November 25, 2018 @ 7:58 pm

      Aww, thank you! What a nice comment. :) And yes – that’s the attitude I’m trying to have. I can continue working when he’s a little older! I’m not going to let myself get worked up over not being able to work for more than about 2 hours a week anymore. I hope your son is less difficult now. :D Thanks again for your nice comment!

      Reply
  • Juanita says
    November 21, 2018 @ 9:02 pm

    Can I use only coconut sugar? Or both are required? Thanks a lot!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Juanita
      November 21, 2018 @ 9:33 pm

      Only coconut sugar works! I’d love to hear how it comes out. :)

      Reply
  • Sara (Orange Expressions) says
    November 20, 2018 @ 10:01 pm

    This is hands down a new favorite in our house! I have been baking gluten free & dairy free for years. I know it can be hard to find a recipe that turns out as good as it looks in pictures. But this recipe will win you over, I promise. We won’t be waiting for birthdays to make this. I will find an excuse to make this regularly.😍

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Sara (Orange Expressions)
      November 25, 2018 @ 7:40 pm

      Aww, yay! I’m really so happy that it was a big hit for you. :) And I’m with you. I’ll always be on the lookout for an excuse to make this. :D Thanks a ton for your feedback (and your IG post!).

      Reply
  • Carla says
    November 20, 2018 @ 10:12 am

    I don’t usually bake cakes since it’s just the two of us but with the holidays coming up I might have to deal with eating chocolate cake for breakfast! Congrats on the birthday and thanks for sharing your story and hope it only gets better from here.

    As an aside, since going vegan here in Germany, buying a small chest freezer has been a wonderful investment. It really helps when you are already making everything yourself to make extra to freeze. Happy T-day, if you celebrate. We don’t anymore. ; D

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Carla
      November 25, 2018 @ 7:35 pm

      Chocolate cake for breakfast isn’t the worst thing. ;) Thanks for the kind words! And we have an extra freezer, too. I can’t understand how we ever got by without it! Hope you had a nice Thursday. :D

      Reply
  • Amina says
    November 18, 2018 @ 9:16 pm

    So the chocolate in the ganache is dairy free chocolate?!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Amina
      November 18, 2018 @ 9:27 pm

      Yup! Most semi-sweet chocolate is vegan and dairy-free. At least where I live. :) But I’ve also linked to a brand in the recipe if that helps.

      Reply
  • Monica
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    November 14, 2018 @ 3:07 am

    This chocolate cake looks absolutely delicious! I can’t wait to give it a try!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Monica
      November 18, 2018 @ 6:42 pm

      Thanks! Hope you’ll love it. :)

      Reply
  • jenna | the urben life says
    November 14, 2018 @ 12:11 am

    I’ve never tried to make vegan cake but I miss it sooo much!! I’ll have to give it a try after the holiday madness haha

    Reply
  • Terri K
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    November 12, 2018 @ 7:40 pm

    I absolutely love all your vegan recipes. Your baby is so beautiful. The only thing I change is instead of coconut sugar I use “Lakanto golden monk fruit” it is expensive but it has such a delish!! taste.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Terri K
      November 18, 2018 @ 6:47 pm

      Thanks, Terri! And good to know about Lakanto. Do you have good luck with using it as a 1-to-1 sub? I have a bag of it but haven’t had much success with it. Thanks for your comment and sorry for just now seeing it!

      Reply
  • Charlotte Moore
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    November 12, 2018 @ 7:59 am

    Oh, what a cutie he is. How can he be a year old already?? WOW!!

    My goodness I have never heard of the condition you had. What in the world did they do when they discovered it? That seems a bit scary. No wonder you have been taking time off. You needed it.

    This cake looks really moist.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Charlotte Moore
      November 12, 2018 @ 7:13 pm

      Thanks so much! And yes, it was very scary. Pretty much the entire staff came running in the room while they tried scraping it out. I could feel it all. It was so much worse than the birth! It was chaos. But that didn’t work so they put me under and then I had a 3-hour surgery. I lost a lot of blood but had a transfusion, which helped a ton. The images I had from the part where I was still awake were hard to deal with for a long time. But it’s easier to handle now. :)

      Reply
  • Natalie
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    November 12, 2018 @ 6:24 am

    This cake looks so delicious and festive! I love it that it’s vegan!

    Reply
  • Kelly
    ♥♥♥♥♥
    says
    November 12, 2018 @ 5:40 am

    This looks fantastic! I love gf/df chocolate cake. You never know it is gf and df and people look at ya kind of funny when you tell them it is and they think it tastes awesome too!
    Happy Birthday to your little one. I am sorry to hear about all of your struggles but it does get better as they get older.

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Kelly
      November 12, 2018 @ 7:14 pm

      Thank you! And yes. It’s definitely been getting easier! Every day I tell myself how happy I am that things are so different and better than the first 6 months. :)

      Reply
  • Lea says
    November 12, 2018 @ 3:04 am

    Happy birthday! And wow mama you’re awesome!!!! Since I’m a birth story nerd/junkie, gotta ask- did you have to have a hysterectomy after all? What a treasure Björn must be!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Lea
      November 12, 2018 @ 7:22 pm

      Thank you! And haha… a birth story nerd. :D I wrote a little bit about it in one of the comments above yours. They did everything they could to not do a hysterectomy. The doctor said that’s what’s normally done but just that surgery alone, done under the most planned circumstances, comes with a host of problems. So it’s good that it wasn’t done on top of everything else! The experiences I’ve read from other people with accreta have been terrifying. Bed rest in the hospital for months, babies in the NICU for 2 months, several blood transfusions during the surgery, awful side effects from all the transfusions, hemorrhaging at home a week after the birth, heart failure, organ damage, organ repair surgery, side effects from those surgeries and on and on. I had a really hard time and was very weak for a long time but I’m really lucky and so thankful that it ended so well!

      Reply
      • Lea replies to Erin
        November 12, 2018 @ 11:22 pm

        Just wow girl, so glad you made it through and are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I have 7 kiddos, and we had some stories to tell, but yours is just WOW that you and sweet boy made it alive and well!. Love that sweet little face!

        Reply
        • Erin replies to Lea
          November 16, 2018 @ 8:59 am

          Thank you, thank you! And wow. Seven! You are brave. :) Thanks again for your nice comment!

  • Brigitte says
    November 12, 2018 @ 1:39 am

    Glad you’re back Erin, we missed you!! Sorry you had such a difficult time :(. Björn is such a cutie!!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Brigitte
      November 12, 2018 @ 7:22 pm

      Thanks so much! It’s great to hear from you. :)

      Reply
  • Emma says
    November 12, 2018 @ 1:33 am

    Awww, happy birthday to your baby boy! He looks so sweet. I’m so sorry you’ve had a difficult beginning – as much as I love all your recipes, I totally understand why you’ve taken some much-needed time off from your blog. I hope that things keep improving and getting smoother for both of you!

    Reply
    • Erin replies to Emma
      November 12, 2018 @ 7:26 pm

      Thanks so much, Emma! :) I’m very confident that things can only get better. Today Björn let me peel some potatoes in the kitchen while he stood in his learning tower and threw things off the counter. It was amazing! Haha. It’s definitely a big step for us! Thanks again. :)

      Reply

Comments? I’d love to hear from you!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *


*

Comments are moderated. If you don’t see your comment immediately, don’t panic… it went through! Thank you so much for taking time to leave feedback!

Please help others by rating the recipe: