This delicious dairy-free chocolate cake with addictive avocado frosting makes a wonderful vegan birthday cake!
This vegan chocolate cake is my go-to recipe whenever I crave cake in a hurry! It is so easy to make and tastes decadent and delicious as an afternoon treat or a full-blown birthday cake.
The cake uses easy to find ingredients that you will already have in your pantry – nothing unusual or expensive. You simply need flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, your plant milk of choice, apple cider vinegar and oil. I usually make this cake with (melted) coconut oil, but any flavourless oil can also be used.
This cake is an one-bowl wonder that my kids can make on their own. The recipe below makes 2 small layers (15cm/6in) so if you wish to make a larger cake you will need to double it. The raspberry jam is entirely optional but if you do use it make sure you chill the cake before slicing.
Avocado frosting
I was reading this article on Delicious magazine the other day – a spirited anti-avocado rant by Viv Groskop. Not sure where you stand on avocados – I love them and we always have a few in our fruit bowl in various stages of ripeness.
I even tried to grow an avocado tree in my youth but, although it eventually became enormous, it had had almost zero chance of fruiting in the UK. But whatever your views on avocados, I have to say even I was a bit dubious about avocado cake frosting.
Well the proof is in the pudding as the saying goes and any doubts I may have had were completely dispelled when I actually tasted vegan chocolate frosting made with avocado.
It looks amazingly glossy and has the satisfying rich mouthfeel of chocolate but is definitely a lot healthier than your average cake frosting. What’s more, my kids also adored it and neither are avocado fans (yet!). So there you go, kid-approved, delicious and super easy. Seriously, what’s not to love?
Vegan chocolate cake step by step
1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Grease 2x15cm (6in) cake tins and line the bottoms with baking paper. Dust with flour, shaking off any excess.
2. Sift the sugar, flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Use a balloon whisk to stir together.
3. Mix the non-dairy milk, oil, vinegar and vanilla together in a measuring jug and add to the bowl. Use a whisk to mix everything together until you have a smooth batter.
4. Divide between the prepared tins and tap against the countertop so that the batter settles. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
5. Put the avocados, agave nectar, cocoa powder, coconut oil and vanilla in a food processor fitted with a metal blade or a high speed blender. Blitz until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl if needed. Taste and adjust for sweetness to taste.
6. Add frosting to the bottom cake layer and then spread with raspberry jam, if using. Top with the second layer and then add frosting to cover the entire cake. Chill for 30 minutes.
7. Pipe any extra frosting to decorate the cake, top with fresh raspberries and dust with a little icing sugar, if using. Use a potato peeler against a (dairy free) dark chocolate bar to create chocolate curls and sprinkle over the cake.
Have you made my vegan chocolate cake?
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Vegan Chocolate Cake with Avocado Frosting
Ingredients
- For the cake
- 130 g | 4.5oz light brown or caster sugar
- 100 g | 3.5oz plain all purpose flour
- 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 160 ml | 6fl oz non-dairy milk I used coconut milk
- 4 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- a little vegetable shortening and flour to grease cake tins
- For the frosting & decorating
- Flesh of two medium ripe avocados
- 5 tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup, more if needed
- 4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 5-6 tbsp seedless raspberry jam softened (optional)
- 100 g | 3.5oz fresh raspberries
- chocolate curls to decorate optional
- icing sugar to dust optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Grease 2x15cm (6in) cake tins and line the bottoms with baking paper. Dust with flour, shaking off any excess.
- Sift the sugar, flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl.
- Mix the coconut milk, coconut oil, vinegar and vanilla together in a measuring jug and add to the bowl. Use a whisk to mix everything together until you have a smooth batter.
- Divide between the prepared tins and tap against the countertop so that the batter settles. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Put the avocados, agave nectar, cocoa powder, coconut oil and vanilla in a food processor fitted with a metal blade or a high speed blender. Blitz until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl if needed. Taste and adjust for sweetness to taste.
- Add frosting to the bottom cake layer and then spread with raspberry jam, if using. Top with the second layer and then add frosting to cover the entire cake. Chill for 30 minutes.
- Pipe any extra frosting to decorate the cake, top with fresh raspberries and dust with a little icing sugar, if using.
- Use a potato peeler against a (dairy free) dark chocolate bar to create chocolate curls and sprinkle over the cake.
Video
Notes
Kay says
Would it last longer in the freezer?
Lucy Parissi says
I haven’t attempted to freeze this particular cake. You can try freezing one slice, well wrapped in clingfilm then foil to see how it reacts.
Monika says
Amazing recipe! I’m only wandering, how can I substitute agave/maple sirup? Will regular sugar work?
Lucy Parissi says
I think you might find sugar remains a bit granular and gritty. You could use sugar syrup (to make simply bring equal amount of sugar and water to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat soon as it reaches boiling. Cool before using and store any leftovers in the fridge). You could also use liquid sweeteners such as Splenda or Canderel
Louise says
Hi Lucy, I was going to make and ice this cake tonight and leave overnight in the drive, as I have’nt got time in the morning to make it. Will it be ok ??
Thank u.
Lucy Parissi says
I think so – as long as the weather is not too hot!
Grace Choi says
I made this cake for my daughter’s birthday and it was an amazing recipe!! It was so delicious and you would not tell it apart from another cake. I doubled the recipe and I think the next time I make it I will times the recipe by 4x to make a good sized cake. Thank you for the recipe we love it!! Xx
Lucy Parissi says
Oh I am so happy to hear that!! You have made my day 🙂 Happy belated birthday to your daughter
Paula says
Hi Lucy, your recipe looks amazing and super easy! I just want to know how long does the avocado frosting last? do yo keep it on the fridge in case there are some left overs ?
Thanks!
Paula
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Paula, I guess you could keep it for a day or two covered in the fridge but I think it would be at its best used and eaten on the day it is made
Laura says
Hi Lucy! Do you know how long to bake the cake for if I was to double the recipe to make a large cake?
Can’t wait to try it out! Thanks!
Lucy Parissi says
Hi Laura – sorry for not responding sooner this comment was caught in spam filter! If you haven’t yet baked the cake I would say either bake for same time but do two extra layers (for which you will need extra tins). I would not advise baked in a deep tin and cutting in half because the cake is quite fudgy and a little fragile. Let me know if you have made this!
Cathy D says
Hi, this looks great. I have question, as I am new to vegan baking. Does the coconut oil add the TASTE of coconut? or it is just a good fat to use?
I don’t like coconut flavor at all, so I want to know if the flavor comes through, and/ if you have suggestion for a good oil/fat to use instead.
Thank you for sharing this!
Lucy Parissi says
Coconut oil might lend a faint taste of coconut. You can replace with rapeseed (canola) oil if you prefer.
Gwyneth says
Have you tried it with gluten free flour as well??
Lucy Parissi says
I am afraid I haven’t but would love to hear back from you if you try it!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
LOVE THIS RECIPE! My father-in-law made it the other day (think it was only the second cake he’s ever made) and even he made it taste amazing – really foolproof recipe! It’s so rich and fudgy. This will definitely be my go-to chocolate cake recipe from now on, whether I need it to be vegan or not 🙂
Lucy Parissi says
I am so glad it turned out well Becca! It is such a rich cake and people are always amazed when they find out it is vegan and contains avocado. My little party trick 😉
Hannah Hossack-Lodge says
This looks incredible! I've been intrigued by avocado frosting for a while now, but too wary to try it..but now that you've given it the seal of approval I think I'll be brave enough to give it a go! x
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes says
This really looks incredible! 🙂 I love using avocados to make a healthy chocolate mousse, it works so well.
Heather says
Wow this looks amazing, I can't believe it's vegan. I love your video of how to make it.
Laura Denman says
I first looked at this in my office while waiting for some lab results to come through. My office mates are well versed in baked treats seeing as I bring them in all the time. The postdoc from my group who sits next to me came back to his desk while I had it up and immediately said yes please! I've seen avocado icing before but had my doubts – you have done away with any fears though and this has gone high on my list 🙂
Nayna Kanabar says
The cake looks delicious and I would never have guessed that was vegan.
Angela Field says
This looks great Lucy, I'm a bit dubious about the avocado frosting thing I have to admit – but I know you wouldn't lie to me!
Lucy Parissi says
I shared your doubts but it is absolutely delicious! I even made little truffles to have while on my diet. My kids can eat this with a spoon as pudding and you can't really fool children. Trust me – it's fab.
Kate | The Veg Space says
Wow, what a stunning cake! I've been experimenting with vegan baking recently as I did Veganuary and missed cake too much! But made nothing quite as spectacular as this…. I'm definitely trying this one very soon!