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Egg-Free and Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Frosting

5 from 11 votes
A decadent chocolate cake and creamy chocolate frosting, made without egg or dairy products.

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (375 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons (232.5 g) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup (88.5 g) unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.8 g) kosher salt
  • 1 cup (240 g) canned coconut milk mixed well
  • 1 cup (236.6 g) hot water or hot coffee
  • 1/2 cup (109 g) vegetable oil
  • 1 tablespoon (14.4 g) white distilled vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract

For the frosting

  • 12 oz. Enjoy Life or other dairy free chocolate chips melted
  • 1/4 cup (37.5 g) unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • 4 1/2 cups (562.5 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 cup (226 g) Earth Balance Vegan Butter or other non-dairy butter
  • 1 cup (190 g) Hi-ratio shortening 
  • 1 teaspoon (4.2 g) pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2.8 g) kosher salt
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup (60-120 g) canned coconut milk mixed
  • *This buttercream recipe makes enough to fill and cover your cake. If you want to add additional piping, you’ll want to make an extra 1/2 batch.
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

FOR THE CAKE

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 8-inch or four 6-inch pans with non-stick baking spray, line the bottoms with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside. 
  • In a medium-sized bowl, combine the coconut milk, water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine all the dry ingredients. Stir for about 10 seconds to mix the ingredients together. 
  • With the mixer on low speed, add the coconut milk mixture. Mix until just combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix again for about 10 seconds.
  • Evenly distribute the batter between the four 6-inch pans or three 8-inch pans. Bake for 25 to 27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it.
  • Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto wire racks to cool completely. Once cooled completely, carefully wrap each layer in plastic wrap and freeze for at least an hour before you start to assemble the cake. Can be frozen in plastic wrap for up to a week. If you freeze the cake longer than a week, wrap in foil as well and place in a zip lock bag.

FOR THE FROSTING

  • Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Set aside. 
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and shortening. Beat on medium until well blended. 
  • With the mixer on low, gradually add the melted chocolate. Mixture will be thin. Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Mix again for about 10 seconds.
  • Keep the mixer on low and gradually add the powdered sugar, followed by the salt and vanilla. Turn the mixer to medium and beat the frosting for a couple of minutes. The frosting should be creamy. If it's a little stiff, add a couple tablespoons of coconut milk.
  • If you don't use the frosting right away, it will thicken as it sits. To get it back to a creamy and spreadable consistency, re-beat the frosting and add more coconut milk.