Everyday Chocolate Vegan Birthday Cake |

Name: Everyday Chocolate Vegan Birthday Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 1/2 cups sugar; 1 cup cocoa powder, sifted; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp salt; 2 2/3 cups non-dairy milk of choice, such as almond or soy; 2/3 cup canola oil; 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar; 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Description

This chocolate vegan birthday cake is rich, soft, and unfussy in the best way. It’s the kind of cake you make when you want something reliable, chocolatey, and party-ready without overthinking it.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

2 2/3 cups non-dairy milk of choice, such as almond or soy
2/3 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
Lightly spray one six-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and line the base with baking paper.
If you’re making the small cakes, grease eight three-inch pans the same way. This helps prevent sticking and makes life easier later.
Alternatively, as in this case, I made cupcakes in cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 cups sugar, 1 cup sifted cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt until evenly mixed. Cocoa likes to clump, so take an extra second here.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 2/3 cups non-dairy milk, 2/3 cup canola oil, 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract. It might look slightly curdled, and that’s exactly what you want. Do not stress about it.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir until just combined.
Don’t overmix. A few small streaks are fine and better than a tough cake.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
Tap them lightly on the counter to release any air bubbles.
Bake for 38 to 45 minutes, depending on your oven and pan size, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
Start checking at 35 minutes for smaller pans.
If baking cupcakes, make sure to check them earlier, around 18-20 minutes.
Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack to cool completely before frosting.
Frost with your favorite vegan chocolate icing once fully cooled. I kept it simple with store-bought vegan chocolate frosting and finished with sliced fresh fruit for a clean, celebratory look.

Notes

Created, prepared, tried, and tested Esme Slabs: SA Tasty Recipes, Saffas Daily Recipes, and EsmeSalon Homemade Recipes