This easy (one-bowl!) Eggless Chocolate Cake is a simple vegan recipe you’re sure to come back to time and again. Unbelievably soft and light, you won’t believe that this decadent, chocolatey sponge cake is actually made with healthy whole wheat flour. Make this Chocolate Cake today (with or without frosting) following my video and detailed recipe with stepwise photos.
Why You’ll Love This Eggless Chocolate Cake
Soft, moist and deeply chocolatey, this eggless chocolate cake makes an excellent starting point for a multitude of chocolate cake-based desserts and a perfect vehicle for any number of delicious frostings. In fact, I make my Black Forest Cake from this spongy vegan chocolate cake recipe!
Not only does this recipe taste good, it is also quite a bit healthier than your classic chocolate cake. Don’t worry though.
Even though healthier ingredients are used, this sponge cake still has a soft and moist texture. So yes, my friends. You can have your cake and eat it too. You’re quite welcome!
Table of Contents
My eggless chocolate cake is also super easy to put together. Made in just one bowl and without a mixer, this cake batter is a lazy baker’s dream!
With just about 10 minutes of active prep time, you can have a rich, dark, delectable chocolate cake in the oven. How amazing is that?
You’ll have to bake this eggless cake to really believe it – it’s insanely moist, perfectly spongy and is just the thing to cure your chocoholic cravings.
And while you’re more than welcome to serve this it plain, I’ve also included a recipe for a vegan chocolate glaze. As I’m sure you’ve guessed, it tastes better with the chocolate frosting!
Making Eggless Cakes is always a challenge as it can be hard to achieve the perfect, light consistency we associate with good cakes without using eggs.
Adding to that challenge, the addition of whole wheat flour can often cause a cake to be much denser and stodgier than those made with all-purpose flour.
The secret to achieving the light and spongy consistency in this vegan chocolate cake is the reaction between the baking soda and lemon juice.
These two ingredients work together to cause the cake to rise perfectly, giving it the soft, moist texture that we’re looking for.
Note: This recipe may resemble chocolate wacky cake or depression cake, but it is not the same. The ingredients’ proportions for this eggless chocolate cake are different from the wacky cake.
My eggless chocolate cake is also made up of whole wheat flour that is never added to a wacky cake. Moreover cold water is also not included.
Ingredients & Possible Substitutions
- Cocoa Powder: The most important ingredient contributing to the flavor of the eggless chocolate cake is cocoa powder. It is important to use a good quality, naturally processed cocoa powder as this will affect the overall taste and consistency of the cake. Do not use dutch-process cocoa powder, or you might end up with a dense, stodgy result.
- Whole Wheat Flour: This vegan chocolate cake is incredibly light and soft. If you were only to judge the cake based on texture, you would never guess that it was made with whole wheat flour.
That said, the choice of healthy whole wheat flour will provide an almost nutty flavor in the cake. This recipe has been tried and tested with the Indian wheat flour (used to make roti) and the wheat flour available in USA and Europe. Use any good quality whole wheat flour. You can also opt to substitute all-purpose flour instead. - Baking Soda: The most important ingredient affecting the texture of the cake is the baking soda, so it is important that it is fresh. If the baking soda is not fresh or is past its shelf life, the cake will not rise.
In the FAQ section below, I cover how to test the freshness of your baking soda. Please note: Baking powder cannot be used instead of baking soda. You can use eno (fruit salt) instead of baking soda in this eggless chocolate recipe. I would suggest adding about ½ to ⅔ teaspoon of eno. - Lemon Juice: As explained earlier, the lemon juice is also crucial in causing the vegan chocolate cake to rise properly. However, if you don’t have lemon juice, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used for the same effect.
- Oil: Use oil which has neutral flavors for the best result. For all my cake recipes, I always use sunflower oil as it is neutral and leaves no aftertaste in the cake. Other options include vegetable oil, corn oil, grapeseed oil or avocado oil. Oil also helps in making the cake soft and moist.
- Flavorings: Vanilla powder can be added instead of vanilla extract. You can even add vanilla essence instead of vanilla extract.
- Liquids: The only liquid I have added to the cake batter is water. Milk (dairy or vegan milks like almond milk, cashew milk or soy milk) can be added instead of water. Make sure that the milk is cold and chilled.
- Sweeteners: For the sweeteners, you can opt to use raw sugar (like I have done) or swap in white sugar or brown sugar. You can also add jaggery, maple syrup, coconut sugar or palm sugar instead but the taste of the cake will be different. Avoid adding honey. According to Ayurveda, honey should not be heated as it becomes toxic.
How to make Eggless Chocolate Cake
Prep Pan and Sift Dry Ingredients
1. First grease a round baking pan of 7.5 inches diameter x 2 inches height with oil. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes.
2. Sieve 1 cup whole wheat flour (you can also use all-purpose flour) and 3 tablespoons cocoa powder. Keep a plate or tray below the sieve.
3. Add a pinch of salt and ½ teaspoon baking soda.
4. Sift the ingredients on to a plate.
5. Keep the sieved dry ingredients aside.
Make the Liquid Mixture
6. In another pan or bowl, add ¾ cup sugar. I have used raw, unrefined cane sugar, however regular white sugar can also be used. Add 1 cup cold water. The water has to be very cold.
7. Stir with a small whisk till the sugar dissolves.
8. Now add ¼ cup oil. I added sunflower oil.
Note: I would not suggest adding butter as a few readers did tell me that the butter solidifies and it becomes difficult to get it to a homogenous mixture. Stick with oils that are not solid at room temperature for this cake.
9. Stir briskly so that everything is mixed well.
10. It should be a homogenous mixture.
11. Next add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Stir again.
Tip: No lemon? No problem. We just need something acidic here. You could use 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar in place of lemon juice.
12. Now add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Feel free to add chocolate extract or chocolate essence instead of vanilla.
13. Mix very well.
Make Chocolate Cake Batter
14. Add the sieved dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
15. Using a wired whisk, mix everything well.
16. There should be no lumps in the cake batter. The batter should also be slightly thin, not thick like a brownie batter.
17. Pour the eggless chocolate cake batter into the prepared cake pan.
18. Tap the sides so that the extra air bubbles are let out.
Bake Eggless Chocolate Cake
19. Bake the eggless chocolate cake in a preheated oven for 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) for 35 to 40 mins.
Tip: For baking in a convection mode of a microwave oven, preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius (355 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes. Then bake at 180 degrees celsius (355 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30 to 35 minutes.
Note: Since temperatures vary from oven to oven be sure to keep an eye on it. Do not open the oven door many times as this will cause your chocolate cake to sink in the center. Only open the door after three-fourth of the baking is done.
The temperature vary widely from oven to oven, which is why I recommend getting a stand-alone oven thermometer. Generally it takes 35 minutes for this cake to bake. But if your oven is very hot or cool, it will take less or more time for baking.
20. For doneness check the chocolate cake with a bamboo skewer or toothpick. The bamboo skewer should come out clean.
If the toothpick is sticky with the batter, then place the chocolate cake back in the oven and continue to bake for some more minutes.
Once the eggless chocolate cake cools down enough to handle, remove it from the baking tin and place it on a wired rack to finish cooling. Before frosting, let the cake cool completely.
Make Cocoa Frosting
21. This frosting recipe makes for more of a thin chocolate glaze. Take 1 tablespoon sunflower oil, ¼ cup almond milk and ¼ cup raw sugar in a small saucepan.
Tip: If you prefer a slightly thick frosting, reduce the almond milk to just 2 tablespoons. You can substitute any dairy or alternative milk in place of almond milk.
22. Begin to heat the pan on a low flame. Mix very well, continuing to stir, so that the sugar is dissolved into the milk. Do not boil the almond milk, but just make it lightly hot enough to dissolve the sugar.
23. When the almond milk is just lightly hot and after all the sugar has been dissolved, add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder.
24. With a small wired whisk, mix and stir so that the cocoa powder gets mixed evenly.
25. The cocoa frosting is ready now. Switch off the flame.
Frost Cake
26. While still hot, pour the frosting on the top and sides of the eggless chocolate cake.
Tip: Usually I wrap a medium sized plate with aluminum foil and then place the cake on it. This makes the frosting work neater.
27. With an offset spatula, spread the icing evenly all over on top and the sides of the eggless chocolate cake. If you want a layer cake, you can slice the chocolate cake in half and spread frosting in the center and then on the top.
Keep the vegan chocolate cake covered in the fridge for the frosting to set for a couple of hours. I like to use a dome-shaped bowl to cover the cake. Make sure there is enough space between the cake and the bowl which you are using for covering.
The frosting will set after a few hours. I kept it in the fridge overnight.
28. For a little added pizzazz, feel free to top your cake with some simple decor. I recommend chocolate shavings, sprinkles or sliced nuts. If they are in season, fresh berries are also a nice complement to chocolate cake.
If you want to make a more intricate design, try holding a doily over the top of the cake and sift icing sugar or cocoa powder over the top to look like lace.
29. The eggless chocolate cake is ready to be served. Slice and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Serve the chocolate cake as it is as an after meal dessert or whenever the chocolate craving strikes! It is simple enough to enjoy with your afternoon tea, and decadent enough to serve at a dinner party.
For a more luxurious treat, enjoy with a scoop of ice cream (vanilla, strawberry, coffee or mint chocolate chip would all be great) or some lightly sweetened whipped cream. You can also flavor your whipped cream if you prefer something outside of the traditional vanilla.
Storage
Place the remaining chocolate cake (whole or slices) in a covered box or container and refrigerate for up to a week.
Expert Tips
- Cooling the cake: Be sure to let the cake cool completely before frosting. If the cake is even slightly warm, the glaze will simply run off of the cake.
- Oven thermometers: If you like to bake often, I recommend investing in a stand alone oven thermometer. Oven temperature gauges can vary widely, which can affect your bakes. By using an oven thermometer that you can calibrate yourself, you will have much better luck with all of your favorite recipes!
- Variations: Feel free to use the eggless chocolate cake recipe as the base for any chocolate cake. Switch up the frosting flavors, add jam between two layers, or even use as the base for an ice cream cake.
- Nuts: Want to add a little texture to your eggless cake? Feel free to add up to a cup of chopped, roasted nuts, chocolate chips or dried fruit to the cake. Simply dust them in flour prior to adding to the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
FAQs
Yes, you can double this eggless chocolate cake recipe. In fact, I recommend doubling the recipe if you are wanting a vegan chocolate layer cake!
Yes. You can easily bake this chocolate cake in a convection oven instead of a regular oven or an OTG. You can even bake this cake in a microwave convection oven. The timing will be less for convection ovens as they bake faster than an OTG or regular ovens.
Yes. You can make the vegan chocolate cake in a cooker. In a pressure cooker the time taken will be less as compared to an oven. To see how a cake can be made in a pressure cooker, you can check this Cooker Cake recipe.
In this chocolate recipe, only one leavening ingredient is used. That leaving ingredient is baking soda. The reaction of baking soda with the lemon juice helps in making this eggless chocolate cake spongy and light.
It is always better to check the freshness of baking soda before you proceed with the recipe. If the baking soda is not fresh or past its shelf life, the cake won’t rise.
Add about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of baking soda in a mixture of 1 tablespoon vinegar + 1 tablespoon of water. The solution should fizz and bubble. If the solution does not fizz and bubble, the baking soda is not active and fresh, so do not use it.
Yes. Dried fruits and nuts like almonds, pistachios, cashews can be added in the batter. But before adding the dry fruits, mix them with a bit of flour, so that they do not settle down at the bottom of the cake while baking.
More Eggless Cake Recipes!
Cake Recipes
Cake Recipes
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Eggless Chocolate Cake (+Vegan & Whole Wheat)
Ingredients
For Chocolate Cake
- 1 cup whole wheat flour – leveled, 120 grams or 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- ¾ cup raw sugar or white sugar – 150 grams
- 1 cup cold water
- ¼ cup sunflower oil or any neutral tasting oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice – swap with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder or ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
For Chocolate Frosting
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil or any neutral tasting oil
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ¼ cup Almond Milk or any nut milk
- ¼ cup raw sugar or white sugar
Instructions
Preparation
- First grease a round baking pan of 7.5 inches diameter x 2 inches height with sunflower oil.
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit).
Sifting
- Sieve whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda in a plate or bowl. Before sifting keep a plate, bowl or tray below the sieve. Use a good quality cocoa powder.
- Place the sifted dry ingredients aside.
Making liquid mixture
- In another pan or bowl, take the raw sugar.
- Add cold water and stir with small whisk until all of the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the sunflower oil. Stir briskly so that everything is mixed well and you get a homogenous mixture.
- Next add the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Stir well again.
Making batter
- Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture. With a wired whisk, mix everything well.
- Ensure that there are no lumps in the batter. This chocolate cake batter is slightly thin and not thick.
- Pour the batter in the prepared pan.
Baking eggless chocolate cake
- Tap the sides of the pan so that the extra air bubbles are let out.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) for 35 to 40 mins. Since temperatures vary from oven to oven, do keep a check.
- For baking in a convection mode of microwave oven, preheat the oven at 180 degrees celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes. Then bake the cake at 180 degrees celsius (356 degree Fahrenheit) for 30 to 35 minutes.
- For doneness check the cake with a bamboo skewer or toothpick. The skewer or toothpick should come out clean. Place the pan on a wired rack for the cake to cool.
- Once the chocolate cake becomes cool at room temperature, remove it gently from the pan and place it on a wired rack.
- If the toothpick is sticky, then place the cake back in the oven and continue to bake for some more minutes. Before frosting let the chocolate cake cool completely.
Making Cocoa Frosting
- Take the sunflower oil, almond milk and sugar in a small saucepan.
- Keep the saucepan on a low heat and stirring often mix till the sugar is dissolved. Then add the cocoa powder. On a low heat stir and mix till all the cocoa powder is dissolved. Switch off the flame.
Frosting
- While still hot, pour the frosting on the chocolate cake on the top and sides of the cake. Spread it evenly with an offset spatula. You can also slice the chocolate cake in halve and spread frosting in the center and then on the top.
- Usually I wrap a medium sized plate with aluminium foil and then keep the cake on it. This make the frosting work easier.
- Keep the chocolate cake covered in the fridge for the frosting to set for a couple of hours. You can use a dome shaped bowl to cover the cake. Make sure the there is enough space between the cake and the bowl which you are using for covering the cake.
- The frosting will set after some hours.
- Next day, top the cake with some chocolate shavings or cacao shavings. You can also sprinkle some dry fruits or sprinkles. Some icing sugar and cocoa powder can also be sifted on the chocolate cake. This step is optional.
- Slice and serve eggless chocolate cake as a sweet dessert.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve the chocolate cake as it is as an after meal dessert or whenever the chocolate craving strike! Or for a luxurious treat, enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some lightly sweetened whipped cream.
Storage
- Place the remaining chocolate cake (whole or slices) in a covered box or container and refrigerate for a week.
Video
Notes
Substitutions
- For Lemon Juice: Instead of lemon juice, add the same quantity of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- For Baking Soda: You can use ½ to ⅔ teaspoon eno (fruit salt) instead of baking soda.
- For Baking Powder: You cannot substitute baking powder with baking soda in this recipe.
- For Whole Wheat Flour: Swap with 1 cup of all-purpose flour (maida) or pastry flour.
- For Almond Milk: Instead of almond milk, add any nut milk or vegan milk to make the frosting. You can also add dairy milk.
- For Sunflower Oil: In place of sunflower oil use any neutral tasting oil.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Eggless Chocolate Cake recipe from the archives was first published in December 2014. It has been updated on November 2024.
Hi Dassana
Just want to know..Which chocolate is good for making ganache? Compound or couverture?
both can be used shilpa. for couverture chocolate, the tempering has to be done properly. couverture gives a rich taste. personally i prefer couverture as it has cocoa butter and makes very good desserts as well as frostings. i do have a ganache recipe in drafts and will try to add it. in the recipe i have used couverture chocolate.
Hi Dassna, my oven is 1800 watt which is higher than most brands. It gets heated up faster and gets hotter than my previous otg. The temperature you give are best for what wattage? Any conversion metric I can use for recipes on your website?
the temperature i mention is for ovens which do not have a high heat in them and ones where baking takes place gradually and evenly. i have a 2000 watts oven and it does not get heated too much. you can try baking at 180 degrees celsius. for any recipe, you can reduce 15 to 20 degrees celsius from the temperature mentioned in that particular recipe. this is not only applicable to my recipes, but any recipe you find on the web or in books or magazines.
Hi Dassana thks for this yummy cake. This was the first time i baked a cake and it was a big hit! Pls post more whole wheat eggless cakes.
thats nice to know anjana. thanks for sharing. i will try to add more cake recipes made with whole wheat flour.
Thks a lot dassana. Your site is the only site that i have found eggless and whole wheat cakes! My little one loves them, thks to u.
Welcome Anjana. I try to include whole wheat flour in recipes wherever possible. healthy eating.
Can v make this cake without adding milk?can v make it in an otg ?
Smita, in the cocoa frosting, milk is added. in the cake recipe milk is not added. you can skip milk in cocoa frosting and add water instead. i have made in an OTG only, so you can make in OTG.
Hi instead of milk can I add soymilk as my daughter is allergic to milk and egg?
you can use soy milk or even almond milk.
Hey! Does using milk instead of water affect the recipe adversely?
i have never tried this chocolate cake recipe with milk. but since i bake often, milk will only make the cake richer. the texture will be same.
Hi Dassana can i use a 9inch pan for this cake?
anjana, 9 inch pan will be slightly larger for this recipe. but still you can give a try. the cake will not have a large width, but will still taste good and have a nice texture.
Hello Dassana
I desperately want to give this cake a try but don’t have a round cake pan. Mine is 16.5 cm by 5 cm flower petal shaped cake pan. Do I need to change the proportion of the ingredients used or will the mentioned proportion work for my cake pan too ? Can I also avoid vanilla extract or vanilla essence ?
sweta, 16.5 cm x 5 cm is a small pan. the batter can flow out from the pan while baking. you can halve the recipe and then use this pan. you can skip vanilla extract or essence.
Best best cake in this world. I love this recipe. I use to add chocolate chips n walnuts n coffee powder too.
Thanks Gurpreet for sharing your positive feedback and the variation.
Hello Dassana. I try your receipes all the time.I have made 3 of your cakes today for one of my friend’s son wedding who is vegan. The Banana Cake and sponge cake with applesauce turned out amazing but the chocolate cake got stuck to the pan and broke while removing. I used Maida and also used coffee water ( 2 tsp coffee mixed 1 cup cold water) as mentioned in one of the comments. I reduced cocoa quantity to 2 tbsp and 1tsp.
What might have gone wrong?
thanks chandni for letting me know about the success of the banana cake and sponge cake. for the chocolate cake it has a light texture. so first thing, it needs to bake well. if its not baked well, there are chances that it can break while removing from pan. second thing is that it should cool down completely. this applies for any cake. if the cake is removed when its still hot or at times warm, it can break. i am also guilty of this doing this many times. the addition of maida, coffee water and cocoa is fine. i don’t think the problem is due to that. hope this helps.
Thank you so much. Will follow your advise next time I bake. Thanks a lot for your kind advise on frosting alternatives as well.
welcome chandni.
Hi Dassana.
I would like to make this cake as Vegan. Is there anyway to do frosting without butter? Will the cake taste good if I don’t put frosting? Also do I need to make any changes to the measurement if I use Maida instead of Aata?
chandni, you can use coconut cream for frosting. whip coconut cream with some icing sugar till stiff peaks. then you can layer the cake with this cream. you can add some vanilla extract and cocoa powder also to the coconut cream. without frosting also, the cake tastes good. you can use maida instead of atta.
for frosting also, you can use aquafaba. aquafaba is nothing but the water in which chana (white chickpeas) are cooked. refrigerate this water for a couple of hours and then beat it with icing sugar, till you get stiff peaks. aquafaba icing recipes you can easily get on google.
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow!!! I am sure My Kid will love it!!! Thanks For Posting 🙂
Welcome Kian
Thanks a lot for posting this recipe. I come to your page often to get eggless recipes. I have been baking this cake for the past 2 years. Thought I had posted a comment , but I guess I forgot. This is my go to cake. Whenever I get up with a cake craving, this is my recipe. The modification I have done is that I mix a tsp of coffee in 1 cup of water, heat it for 30 s in microwave and then cool it and use it for cold water as called for in the recipe, because I love the flavour of coffee with chocolate. I proportionately reduce the cocoa and add a little drinking chocolate. It comes out very good always- soft, moist, chocolately with a coffee aftertaste. Thank you for posting step by step pictures also because it is very helpful to know the desired consistency of cake batter- as it differs for different cakes, and often makes a difference ! Keep up the great work. Keep sharing
thanks a lot pooja for this detailed comment. i need to try your method. coffee cake is one of my favorite cakes. so will try doing this method. i also need to add some drinking chocolate. will give a try and make both coffee and mocha cake. thanks for sharing. it does help ????
Thanks for the recipe. It came out well. Could you please tell me if I could substitute sugar with honey? Also please let me the measure of honey to be used
i would not suggest to use honey in any baking recipe. honey on heating becomes toxic. instead of honey you can use jaggery.