This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache. Sogt, Moist Fudgy Chocolate Layer Cake! Use sunbutter or coconut cream to make nut-free. Vegan Soy-free Palmoil-free Recipe.  Jump to Recipe Â
Lets get on with some chocolate goodies for Valentine’s day, shall we. And Make this gorgeous vegan chocolate layer cake! I made this for our anniversary weekend and it worked like a charm to bring a huge smile on hubbs face with each bite. The cake is Moist, not too sweet and just the right amount of decadent for us.
This easy Vegan Chocolate Cake is layered with a smooth chocolate nut butter ganache glaze. I use smooth almond butter. Any smooth nut or seed butter should work. The cake ages really well and tastes best the next day as the ganache adds more moisture to it. Add fruit preserves like raspberry, apricot, blackberries between the layers. I use raw unrefined sugar in this cake, that I blend to powder in my blender before use. Use any fine or powdered sugar of choice.
This makes a big 8 inch layer cake. Don’t want the huge cake? make this individual Chocolate Layer Cake for One. No Bake.
What are your plans for the weekend?
More chocolate goodness from the blog
- Peanut or almond Butter, Chocolate Marble Cake.Â
- Brownies, loads of Brownies
- Vegan Almond Butter Blondies with Chocolate Chips
- Vegan Chocolate Pumpkin Cake and Cake Mix In a Jar
- Vegan Chocolate Layer Cake for One. No Bake. Made on stove top.Â
Some No Bake Chocolate Pies here.Â
These sharp and beautiful slices are by my new Kramer knife that hubbs got for me. He knows what will be appreciated!Â
And while you are here, please do read this National Geographic article about how the Tiger Temple in Thailand, one of the premier attractions which claims monks live in harmony with the tigers, is connected to Wildlife parts trade, drugging and abusing of these magnificent wild beings. Updates about the temple can be followed on this facebook page. Â
Vegan Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache
Ingredients Â
Cake : makes two 8 inch pans
Dry:
- 1 cup wheat flour
- 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/4 cup powdered vegan sugar, , 2 Tbsp more for sweeter - blend raw sugar to fine powder to use or use wholesome sweeeteners vegan powdered sugar
- 1/2 scant tsp salt
Wet:
- 1 1/2 cups non dairy milk, divided
- 1/3 cup non dairy chocolate chips or bar, semi sweet chips, or dark chocolate for dark/bittersweet cake
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1 tsp vinegar, apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
Glaze:
- 1/2 cup non dairy milk
- 1/3-1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup or more non dairy semi sweet chocolate like Enjoy Life
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter or almond butter or other seed or nut butter
- Fruit preserves like raspberry, apricot, cherry (optional)
InstructionsÂ
Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F / 170ºc. In a bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients for the cake really well.
- In another bowl, heat 1 cup of non dairy milk and chocolate until just about hot (heat in the microwave or stove top). Whisk until chocolate is melted. Add in the rest of the wet ingredients and 1/2 cup non dairy milk and mix in until smooth..
- Add the dry to the wet and mix to make a smooth batter.
- Transfer batter to two greased or parchment lined 8 inch cake pans.
- Bake at 350 degrees F / 170ºc for 30 to 34 minutes. or until toothpick from the center comes out clean. Do not overbake as the cakes can get crusty or dry.
- Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes then remove from the pan and cool on the rack completely before adding a glaze or ganache. Cover the cakes with a towel while it is cooling to prevent drying out. To shorten the cooling time, cover the cakes with a towel or parchment or a lid and place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
Ganache:
- Heat the non dairy milk + sugar in a pan over medium heat, until just about hot. Mix well. Add in the chocolate, mix once and take the pan off heat. Keep mixing until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Add in the vanilla and peanut butter or other nut butter. Mix until smooth. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes to thicken to desired consistency.
- Pour some of the ganache on one cake. Spread using a spatula to even out if needed. Let the ganache set in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes or freezer for 10.
- Add a thin even layer of fruit preserves on the other cake (optional) (warm the preserves to make them easier to spread if needed). Place this cake on top of the cake with the ganache glaze. Pour the rest of the glaze over the top cake. Spread using a spatula if needed. Let the ganache set in the refrigerator for half an hour. If you have more ganache left, pour over the set glaze for another layer. Cover the cake and let it chill for a few hours before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tips to make a great vegan chocolate cake
- Chocolate cakes can tend to dry out or get hard edges if baked too long. If your cake tends to do that, reduce the baking time by 5 mins. Ovens heat differently, the pans, cocoa/chocolate brand etc add to the iffy behavior.
- A ganache or glaze will help add moisture to the cake. Let the cake chill with the ganache for a few hours for best results of overall moisture.Â
- If the cake is overbaked (too dry). crumble it up, add some ganache and make into cake snack balls
- Use good quality chocolate. It adds amazing flavor and texture.
Made this tonight for my son’s birthday- huge hit! He isn’t vegan but he is lactose intolerant. Everyone said it was delicious. The recipe says it serves 4!
serves 8. updating.
Does it need to be refrigerated?
Yes, the cake keeps refrigerated well for 4 days, else finish it within the day on the counter.
I made this and it’s very good but definitely not as fluffy as it looks in the picture. I used rice milk in the recipe and when I was making the ganache the heat from the stove brought out a weird flavor in the milk so the ganache tastes a little off, but other than that it’s pretty good.
The cake would depend on various conditions, ingredients, baking powder, oven etc. I should probably add the non dairy milks that work best for the ganache. I like coconut milk, soy milk and almond milk best. i havent tried rice milk.
How trasportable is the cake. I’d like to travel on a plane with it…I’d keep the cake and ganach separate until I arrived
separately it should work out fine. Pack the cake in wrap or ziplock and then in a hard container so it doesnt get squished.
Made this recipe all in one cake tin and it was delicious – great hit with all the staff!
Hi Richa,
Recipe says it serves 4? I wanted to make it for at least 12 people, would I need to increase the ingredients for that?
Thanks
It should serve 6 to 8, depending on the size of the slices. Make 2 cakes. You want to make one to see how it turns out and then make another one, so just repeat the recipe.
Thank you 🙂 will let you know how it came out.
Can I use more regular flour in place of the wheat flour?
yes
could i use coconut sugar instead of the powdered sugar
yes you can. it will add a bit of coconut flavor, like coconut caramel chocolate.
Hey Richa,
There is no baking powder in recipe, I am right? The cake is in the fridge but I had several problems. My glaze was too runny, next time I put some butter or more chocolate as I have read in the comments section. My main problem was that the cake has lifted too much in the pans, I put it on cooling rack, I tried to put one the lifted side on the bottom so it become more flat (but it broke instead). So when I wanted to put one on the other, it has left me a huge gap on the side of cake, and as my ganache was too runny I could not fill it up and both of the pieces of cake were not stable, they were moving all the time. I hope you understand what I mean. What should I change next time? Cut the part of the cake that has lifted too much? Will it not break? Thank you, have a nice day
for the cakes, use a sharp knife and slice the top to even it out.
For the ganache, yes use more chocolate. you can fold in melted chocolate into the ganache. Also chill it longer. It will firm up in the fridge. You can also pour the ganache and then chill and repeat for another pour and chill. This will create a thicker ganache that will set on chilling. And then place the cake on the set ganache. runnier ganache will make the cake unstable. if in a hurry put it in the freezer for half an hour. Hope this helps.
the chocolate and nut butter brands vary in the amount of oils in them, so the ganache can sometimes vary from a bit too thick to a bit runny. But the good thing is that you can reheat thee ganache to adjust the consistency and chill well for thicker.