Eggless Chocolate Cake

4.93 from 14 votes

Soft and moist Eggless Chocolate Cake makes the perfect cake for just about any celebration! This easy recipes comes together in no time! 

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It’s the season for cookies and cakes and I thought this will be the perfect time to share my easy and perfect Eggless Chocolate Cake recipe with you guys!

This eggless chocolate cake recipe is almost same as my recipe for eggless chocolate cupcakes. Ever since, I posted those chocolate cupcakes, I have received tons of emails and messages from you guys asking me to post an eggless chocolate cake recipe and well here it is!

eggless chocolate cake on a black cake stand, covered with chocolate ganache and sprinkles

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It’s one of those easy recipes which I make when I really want to make a dessert quickly. Like for our wedding anniversary this year, I had not really planned for making a cake.

But then at the very last moment, I felt like baking a cake. Haven’t I told you guys so many times already that I am not a planner. Yeah, this is another example!

So at the last minute, when I wanted to a bake a cake for our anniversary, I chose to bake this eggless chocolate cake. First of all, I had all the ingredients in my pantry and that’s the good part about this recipe- it calls for basic pantry ingredients.

The second good thing about this cake is that it comes together very quickly, the batter part takes no more than 15 minutes. Just sift the dry ingredients, whisk in the wet ingredients and then combine the too and bake.

Super easy!

However, even though it’s simple you have to keep few things in kind to bake a good Eggless Chocolate Cake!

slice of eggless chocolate cake in a blue plate with a fork on the side with another plate and cake stand in the background

How To Make the Perfect Eggless Chocolate Cake

Use good quality ingredients: starting with the very basic and that is to use good quality cocoa powder. The taste of chocolate in this chocolate cake depends on the type of cocoa powder you use so make sure you use a good one. My recommendation – Anthony and Rodelle.

Also make sure your leavening agent aka baking soda in this case is new and not expired. Old baking soda will ruin the cake.

I have also used a teaspoon of instant coffee powder in this recipe but that’s optional. You may skip it, I like adding coffee as it intensifies the chocolate flavor but it’s just as good without the coffee.

Sift the dry ingredients: okay, I hate sifting and avoid it whenever I can. However, you cannot skip it in this recipe. For an eggless cake to have a nice crumb and lightness, you need to sift the dry ingredients. I usually sift 2 to 3 times and I suggest you do the same.

Pre-heat your oven: make sure your oven is pre-heated for at least 15 minutes before you put the cake pan in.

Don’t over-mix the cake batter: I always say, this is the worst thing that you can do to your cakes and muffins. Do not over-mix the batter. More mixing > more gluten> tough cake.

Mixing the wet ingredients well is fine but once you have combined the wet with dry ingredients, mix until just combined. In fact, a few specks of flour is okay.

Once your cake is done, let it cool down for 5 minutes in the pan and then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

eggless chocolate cake batter being whisked in a bowl

Frostings For Eggless Chocolate Cake

Once you have made the cake, you obviously need to jazz it up with some frosting. I am sharing not one, but two of my favorite frostings which go so well with this chocolate cake!

Chocolate Ganache 

This is the easiest and probably my favorite frosting for this chocolate cake. You only need 2 ingredients to make this ganache – chocolate and cream. And a little butter if you want the ganache to look shiny, but it’s totally optional.

Even though ganache is easy, yet for it to taste amazing you need to use a good quality chocolate. I myself have used chocolate chips for ganache many times but trust me, a good chocolate makes all the difference.

When I baked this cake for our anniversary, I used dark chocolate that I got from Switzerland and the ganache turned out amazing. I literally wanted to drink it, haha.

chocolate bar with knife

eggless chocolate cake covered with chocolate ganache and sprinkles on a wire rack

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

This is another favorite frosting of mine for chocolate cakes. I am not a huge fan of American buttercream but you add in some cream cheese? Then, I love it!

This recipe results in a sturdy chocolate cream cheese frosting. We first beat the butter for 2 to 3 minutes until it becomes light and then add in the cream cheese and beat until it’s all smooth and without any lumps.

Then add in the sugar and mix. Always remember to let the mixer run at lowest speed when you add in the sugar. Once the sugar combines with rest of the ingredients, you then increase the speed. If you mix at high speed initially, then there will be sugar all over your face and clothes- not fun!

I usually add a couple of tablespoons of cream at the end if I find the frosting to be super thick. It’s optional and if you think the consistency is fine, then you don’t need to add it.

eggless chocolate cake covered with cream cheese frosting on a red cake stand

I hope you guys like easy Eggless Chocolate Cake recipe, it’s a simple cake which is good for just about any celebration. You can either top it with chocolate ganache or the chocolate cream cheese frosting, it’s good either way.

Method

* Pre-heat oven to 350 F degrees. Line a 8-inch round pan with parchment paper round and set it aside. If you don’t have a parchment paper round, spray the pan with a non-stick spray and set aside.

1- In a bowl sift together all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and instant coffee powder (if using). Sift the ingredients twice. This results in a nice cake texture so do not skip this step of sifting. Set it aside.

2- Add 1 cup milk to another bowl or measuring jar and then add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to it. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the milk curdles a little. You may also directly use 1 cup buttermilk in place if you have that handy.

3- Then add sugar to the milk-vinegar mixture and mix until sugar dissolves.

4- Add in the oil. You can use any flavorless oil.

step by step picture collage for eggless chocolate cake

5- Add in the vanilla extract and mix until everything is well combined.

6- Now, transfer the wet ingredients to the sifted dry ingredients.

7- Mix until everything is combined and the batter is smooth and there are no lumps. The most important thing to remember here is to not over-mix the batter. I mixed only for 30 to 40 seconds until everything was just combined. Few specks of flour is totally fine.

8- Transfer batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake at 350 F degrees for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Take the pan out of the oven, let it remain in the pan for 5 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Let the cake cool completely before frosting. You can either frost with chocolate ganache or chocolate cream cheese (recipes below).

step by step picture collage for eggless chocolate cake

Chocolate Ganache

Make the frosting while the cake is baking in the oven.

9- For the chocolate ganache, add the chopped chocolate and heavy cream to a glass bowl. Place this bowl on top of a pan with barely simmering water (not boiling).

The bottom of the glass bowl should not touch the water in the pan.

10- Stir until the chocolate melts and mixes with the cream completely. You may also do this in your microwave. I just prefer the stove-top (double boiler method).

11- This is optional but if you want the ganache to look shiny, add in a teaspoon of unsalted butter at this point and mix.

12- Let the ganache cool down a bit and then pour over the cooled chocolate cake. You may cover the entire cake with the ganache or just let it drip from the sides.

step by step picture collage for eggless chocolate cake

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

First of all, sift your powdered sugar and cocoa powder – don’t skip on the sifting, it does make a difference.

13- For the chocolate cream cheese frosting, start by beating the room temperature butter using a stand or hand mixer, until it turns light in color, around 3 minutes. Then add in the softened cream cheese and beat it all together until it’s smooth and lump-free.

14- Start adding the sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Beat at the lowest speed when you add in the sugar and once it’s incorporated, increase the speed of your stand or hand mixer and beat for a minute until it’s all smooth.

15 – Add in the sifted cocoa powder, salt and vanilla extract and mix at lowest speed at first and once it’s incorporated with the mixture, increase speed to high until well combined.

16- Beat for a minute or so after adding everything until the frosting looks fluffy and smooth. You may also add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream here in case the frosting is very thick and you want to thin it out. I did add a tablespoon of cream.

Frost the cooled chocolate cake with this frosting.

step by step picture collage for eggless chocolate cake

Enjoy a slice of this eggless chocolate cake, I love it with my coffee!

eggless chocolate cake on a black cake stand, covered with chocolate ganache and sprinkles

If you’ve tried this Eggless Chocolate Cake Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen!

Eggless Chocolate Cake

4.93 from 14 votes
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 8
Soft and moist Eggless Chocolate Cake makes the perfect cake for just about any celebration! This easy recipes comes together in no time! 

Ingredients 

  • 1.5 cups all purpose flour` 195 grams
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder 48 grams
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee optional
  • 1 cup milk 8 oz/240 ml, I used 2%
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar 15 ml
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar 210 grams
  • 1/2 cup oil 4 oz/120 ml, I used canola oil, you can use any flavorless oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 ml

Chocolate Ganache (Option 1)

  • 4 oz chocolate chopped, use good quality chocolate
  • 4 oz heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon unsalted butter optional

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (Option 2)

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter 115 grams/1 stick, at room temperature
  • 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar sifted, 345-460 grams
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder sifted, 48 grams
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream 15-30 ml, optional, if required
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Instructions 

Eggless Chocolate Cake

  • Pre-heat oven to 350 F degrees. Line a 8-inch round pan with parchment paper round and set it aside. If you don't have a parchment paper round, spray the pan with a non-stick spray and set aside.
  • In a bowl sift together all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and instant coffee powder (if using). Sift the ingredients twice. This results in a nice cake texture so do not skip this step of sifting. Set it aside.
  • Add 1 cup milk to another bowl or measuring jar and then add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to it. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the milk curdles a little. You may also directly use 1 cup buttermilk in place if you have that handy.
  • Then add sugar to the milk-vinegar mixture and mix until the sugar dissolves.
  • Add in the oil. You can use any flavorless oil.
  • Add in the vanilla extract and mix until everything is well combined.
  • Now, transfer the wet ingredients to the sifted dry ingredients.
  • Mix until everything is combined and the batter is smooth and there are no lumps. The most important thing to remember here is to not over-mix the batter. I mixed only for 30 to 40 seconds until everything was just combined. Few specks of flour is totally fine.
  • Transfer batter to the prepared cake pan. Bake at 350 F degrees for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Take the pan out of the oven, let it remain in the pan for 5 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  • Let the cake cool completely before frosting. You can either frost with chocolate ganache or chocolate cream cheese (recipes below).

Chocolate Ganache

  • For the chocolate ganache, add the chopped chocolate and heavy cream to a glass bowl. Place this bowl on top of a pan with barely simmering water (not boiling).
    The bottom of the glass bowl should not touch the water in the pan.
  • Stir until the chocolate melts and mixes with the cream completely. You may also do this in your microwave. I just prefer the stove-top (double boiler method).
  • This is optional but if you want the ganache to look shiny, add in a teaspoon of unsalted butter at this point and mix.
  • Let the ganache cool down a bit and then pour over the cooled chocolate cake. You may cover the entire cake with the ganache or just let it drip from the sides.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

  • First of all, sift your powdered sugar and cocoa powder - don't skip on the sifting, it does make a difference.
  • For the chocolate cream cheese frosting, start by beating the room temperature butter using a stand or hand mixer, until it turns light in color, around 3 minutes. Then add in the softened cream cheese and beat it all together until it's smooth and lump-free.
  • Start adding the sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Beat at the lowest speed when you add in the sugar and once it's incorporated, increase the speed of your stand or hand mixer and beat for a minute until it's all smooth.
  • Add in the sifted cocoa powder, salt and vanilla extract and mix at lowest speed at first and once it's incorporated with the mixture, increase speed to high until well combined.
  • Beat for a minute or so after adding everything until the frosting looks fluffy and smooth. You may also add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream here in case the frosting is very thick and you want to thin it out. I did add a tablespoon of cream.
  • Frost the cooled chocolate cake with this frosting.

Notes

The nutritional information given here is for the chocolate cake with chocolate ganache.

Nutrition

Calories: 464kcal, Carbohydrates: 56g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 232mg, Potassium: 203mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 34g, Vitamin A: 275IU, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 2.2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
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Hi, I’m Manali!

Bringing you easy, delicious vegetarian & vegan recipes! Eating veggies can be fun, you just need to get creative in the kitchen with the right set of ingredients!


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Recipe Rating




79 Comments

  1. Hi tried this recipe yesterday. The cake turned out to be soft and yumm but broken though on one side when i inverted the cake..what could have gone wrong? Thx

    1. let the cake cool completely before inverting, either that’s the reason or you didn’t grease the pan well

  2. Hi Manali. I want to double the size of the original cake. How do I go about it? Does the baking soda double too?

    P. S. I’ve tried your chocolate mousse cake and it was a hit. Thank you for the eggless recipes.

  3. 5 stars
    Hi i did this. Used milk and vinegar. Followed the recipe exactly, and the cake is very very good! Made ganache not buttercream, and it’s a hit. Thanks for this

  4. 5 stars
    Made this cake last night for my family dinner and replaced the vinegar with 1 cup plain Greek yogurt. It was so moist and flavorful. I then made a peanut butter chocolate frosting because my family didn’t want all chocolate cake. Frosting: 2 c confectionery sugar, 2 tbs cocoa, 3/4 c peanut butter 2 tbs vanilla and 1 c milk

  5. I added a cup of plain Greek yogurt (and left out the lemon and vinegar ) which I believe would give the same taste. It’s in the oven now! Looks so good and smells incredible! I can’t wait for my family to try this!

    1. the vinegar is not for taste, we make buttermilk with milk and vinegar which reacts with the leavening agent to give the cake a good rise.

      1. 5 stars
        I wish I could post the pic of it. The yogurt must have done the same thing. It turned out perfect! I frosted it with a chocolate peanut butter frosting! Everyone loved this cake! It was easy and delicious! Thanks for sharing!

  6. 5 stars
    This turned out amazing !
    The recipe is sure a keeper!
    Made it to celebrate my son’s 18th month birthday and the toddler couldn’t keep away from it! I had to hide it from him after a point !
    Thank you so much !

  7. I have tried this recipe. It was amazing. Now,I just need a bit help from you. What if I use 1cup maida instead of 11/2cup..and then how the amount of other ingredients will change? Please..help me out.

  8. Hi Manali,

    I would like to make this for my husbands birthday. Is there an alternative I could use instead of white vinegar? What is the purpose of the vinegar?
    Also, is the ganache sweet? I wanted it to taste sweet but rich and creamy too. Any suggestions?
    Thanks

    1. for this recipe there’s no alternative, vinegar is the acid that we need to react with baking soda to leaven the cake. You can look up for a recipe using yogurt and make that. the ganache is sweet yet since I have used a good quality chocolate.

  9. Hi,
    I have already baked the cake but want to use it tomorrow for my dad’s birthday. Shall I add the chocolate ganache today or tomorrow only?

  10. 5 stars
    Hi ,
    Have used this recipe…it’s really good … Just a feedback… I am using the 2x setting measurements on the recipe … Although measurements change …your recipe on the website doesn’t change …So was a bit confusing and took me a while to figure this out … specially for the milk …

  11. Hi Manali – I want to try this recipe for my son’s birthday next week. Quick question: I didn’t see baking powder in your list of ingredients. Is it not needed? And since I am a newbie wondering what baking powder does to the cake of added? Thanks in advance!

    1. baking soda is the leaving agent here which reacts with vinegar to make the cake rise. Baking powder is also a leavening agent, but it doesn’t need an acid to react (unlike baking soda). Since this recipe uses vinegar (an acid), baking soda works better here.

  12. 5 stars
    Hi Manali,

    Thanks Manali for the receipe. The cake was very yummy .I kept in the fridge so that it could be set but it started to turn hard. Why did it turn hard ? Is there some way to keep it moist ? The store brought icing cakes do not turn hard for many days even after cutting and keeping in fridge .

  13. Hi Manali, This recipe is great and the Cake was too tasty.
    Could you please clarify my doubts, I baked in 7″ pan for 45mins and the cake was perfect in the center but it was little burnt at the bottom.If I bake it for 35mins, it is still gooey at the center but baked to perfection at other places. Can you please tell me what mistake I am doing?

    1. batter probably will be a bit too much for 6-inch so bake the excess batter as cupcakes. Also check the cake around 22 to 25 minutes

      1. Can you suggest recipe according to 6 inch pan..it will be really helpful..as i wish to make it in 3 layers cake.

      2. use the same recipe, you can double it for more layers. Bake for around 22 to 25 minutes!

    1. This recipe didn’t work for me:(
      Did everything as said in the recipe. But it sank in the center and was very crumbly. The taste was good.

      1. sorry to know it didn’t work for you. Usually cakes sink in center when you either opened the oven door in the beginning or whisked the batter too much incorporating too much air into it.

  14. Hello

    I am planning to bake this cake tomorrow. I want to make a double layered ganache cake . Can I double the weight and make two cakes for the same amount and the single layered sliced to two will do ?

  15. Hi Manali,
    I really like your recipes. But whenever I bake a cake, it gets burnt from top and sides. Can you suggest what can be done to avoid it?

    1. looks like something is wrong with your oven, get it checked. Else no reason why a cake should burn always.

  16. Hi Manali!
    Tried your choco chip cake recipe,turned out really well.I somehow hesitate to try frosted cakes as I have never been clear about which cream to use,how to whip it and at what temperature.Just once long ago tried whipping the dairy store bought cream ,it just went flat and runny,didn’t fluff.Please enlighten me on these two-the cream used in the ganache and cream cheese,where to buy from,which brand and how to whip it for creating a beautiful fluffy desired effect.Thanks in advance!

    1. Hi Parul, I live in US and here everything is easily available and clearly marked. Any cream that you use for whipped cream must have at least 35% fat content. The Amul cream that you get in India I know is low-fat and you will have difficulty whipping it. Look for heavy cream with fat content of 35%+. The ganache also uses the same cream. Cream Cheese is cream cheese, I don’t know about the brands in India since I don’t live there, so you will have to look for it and figure it out.

  17. Hi Manali,

    Wonderful recipe. This recipe worked for me after many failures. I tried this and cake came out well. But my cake didn’t raise at the sides but raised at the middle. What could be the reason?

    I want to bake it again. Can we double the recipe? If we can’t then can you please provide recipe for the larger cake like 2kg.

    Thank you.

    1. You can double the recipe. I haven’t measured the cake so I don’t know how much is weighs, you will have to check that yourself. And cake not rising can be several reasons. Don’t over-mix the batter, make sure your baking soda is fresh, do not open oven door in the beginning of the baking time to check the cake. All these can have an effect on the rising of the cake.

  18. Hi.. I am going to make this cake today.. just baking soda is enough right? I won’t require baking powder

  19. Hi Manali, thanks for the amazing recipe. It turned out good, however my cake didn’t rise as much. Baking soda was new, all ingredients were fresh. Could it be less vinegar or more beating the batter? Also I baked it in Pyrex glassware, could that be the reason? Please let me know your thoughts.

  20. 4 stars
    Hey Manali,
    I tried this cake. When I put the cake in over, it sank from the middle and rose from the sides in the beginning. Then I covered it with parchment paper. It came out perfect.
    Any idea why this could have happened?

    Anyhow thans for the awesome recipe.

    1. Hi Kriti, there could be several reasons why a cake sinks in the middle. One is that you overbeat the batter thus incorporating too much air into the batter which can lead to collapsing. Did you open the door of the oven to check, especially in the beginning of the baking process? was you baking soda new? did the batter sit for too long before you baked it? There are so many things that can cause that. Don’t worry, put some frosting over it and enjoy!

      1. Yes I opened the oven after it started sinking. Also the baking soda was new. And I had put the batter in the oven , as soon as I was done mixing it.

    1. No, baking soda is needed in this recipe to react with vinegar (an acid) to raise the cake. can’t replace.

  21. Hello,

    We tried this a few days ago for my son’s birthday and it turned out to be a super hit! Thanks for sharing this simple recipe that ensured our lockdown cake was a success 🙂

    Some feedback:

    we didn’t have canola oil so used half vegetable oil and half olive oil.

    we have to bake it for a longer duration I guess we baked it for 38 mins or so..

    1. olive oil will give a different taste to the cake so won’t recommend and I am sorry I have no experience with baking cakes on stove. But if you know how to do it, then go ahead!

  22. Hi we plan to make this cake for my son’s birthday but we plan to bake the cake before day and so it ok to refrigerate it with the ganache or frosting? Will it be soft the next day?

  23. 5 stars
    Baked this cake today. It was very soft, moist and yum. It will be my go-to eggless chocolate cake recipe now on. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. Keep up the good work.

  24. 5 stars
    Really good. Baked for the first time in life and it came out perfect bcoz of the detailed recipie. Thanks so much. God bless..

  25. 5 stars
    Hi manali i tried this recipe..everyone love this cake ..thanks for recipe because i made first time cake ? its very yummy because of you ??