Vegan Chocolate Cake with Ganache
The best vegan chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting. This depression era inspired crazy cake or wacky cake recipe is dairy free and egg free. Make it in the Instant Pot or the oven!
Vegan Chocolate Cake Ingredients
You may be wondering how to make a cake without eggs or dairy, but it’s actually very easy. The trick is to combine baking soda and vinegar to give the cake lift.
I’ve used more wholesome, less refined ingredients in this recipe than are typically used in cakes.
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Cake or Crazy Cake/Wacky Cake
Whisk the dry and wet ingredients separately to evenly distribute all ingredients. Then combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir together just until combined.
Smooth into a 7-inch springform pan and either bake in the oven or in the Instant Pot pressure cooker.
Instant Pot Cake
This vegan chocolate cake recipe works traditionally baked in the oven or pressure cooked in the Instant Pot. If baking in the oven, you’ll need just a splash more milk. To “bake” a cake in the Instant Pot, you’ll wrap the pan in foil and set on a trivet over a little water.
This cake comes out dense and rich in the Instant Pot, and light and fluffy in the oven.
Vegan Chocolate Ganache Frosting
As this chocolate cake is not overly sweet, it really needs a nice coating of ganache! Ganache has to be the easiest “frosting” around. It’s simply chocolate chunks melted by pouring hot cream or milk over. To make vegan ganache, I use full fat coconut milk (the kind in the can). I usually use Trader Joe’s brand.
If you’re looking for a gluten free chocolate treat, I suggest these Chocolate Banana Muffins. For more of my vegan Instant Pot recipes click here, or grab the new cookbook.
Be sure to try the BEST Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes and Frosting too!
Vegan Chocolate Cake with Ganache
The best vegan chocolate cake with chocolate ganache frosting. This depression era inspired crazy cake or wacky cake recipe is dairy free and egg free. Make it in the Instant Pot or the oven!
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup raw turbinado sugar
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. instant coffee
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¾-1 cup unsweetened almond milk (room temperature)
- 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
Ganache & Garnish
- ¾ cup chopped dark chocolate (dairy-free)
- ¼ to 1/3 cup canned coconut milk, stirred
- ¼ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts, for garnish
- 1 cup fresh raspberries, for garnish
- fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Instructions
Instant Pot Chocolate Cake
- Fit the inner pot with the trivet/steam rack, and add 1 cup of water. Coat a 7-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, instant coffee, and salt.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup almond milk, vinegar, vanilla, and coconut oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer with the back of a spoon.
- Cover the pan with foil and place on the trivet. Lock the lid and ensure the steam release valve is set to sealing. Select cake or pressure cook (high) and set the cook time for 30 minutes. Once the cook time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure. Carefully remove the lid and the cake pan. Remove the foil and let the cake cool completely on a cooking rack.
- Make the ganache. Place the chocolate in a small glass bowl. Heat the coconut milk in a saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Carefully pour the coconut milk over the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the ganache over the top of the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Garnish by arranging the berries, hazelnuts, and mint over the ganache.
- Serve the cake at room temperature with more ganache, raspberries and nuts on the side.
Oven Baked Chocolate Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Coat a 7-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, instant coffee, and salt.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup almond milk, vinegar, vanilla, and coconut oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer with the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Metal pans may cook faster then glass/silicon. Let the cake cool completely on a cooking rack.
- Make the ganache. Place the chocolate in a small glass bowl. Heat the coconut milk in a saucepan until it just begins to simmer. Carefully pour the coconut milk over the chocolate and stir until all the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Pour the ganache over the top of the cooled cake, letting it drip down the sides. Garnish by arranging the berries, hazelnuts, and mint over the ganache.
- Serve the cake at room temperature with more ganache, raspberries and nuts on the side.
Notes
This cake comes out:
- Light and fluffy in the oven.
- Dense and rich in the Instant Pot.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 205Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 204mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 3gProtein: 3g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Nutritionix. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your favorite calculator.
Thanks for sharing the information.
Great article.
Wow, amazing and easy recipe! But why are you using baking powder and soda at the same time? I usually choose one thing. And what is the substitute for coffee if I make a cake for a small kid?
I apologize for the delayed response, ann! You can omit the coffee, it’s just there for a little depth of flavor, though it only uses 1/2 teaspoon. The vinegar and baking soda combination is what replaces the egg, but the carbon dioxide created isn’t enough to properly leaven this amount of cake batter. baking powder is necessary for more lift.
so cute! I very like it, thank for sharing
Thanks for your post, it’s very helpful
I try to eat vegan pastries most of the time because they’re less high-calorie than other bakery products, and for me, they’re easier to cook, so thank you for the recipe! However, I still can’t forget about Costco’s bakery, bagels and muffins there are the best. Well, I check all the nutritional information here to make sure that I don’t excess my diet plan, but sometimes, it’s almost impossible to stop.
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