Vegan Chocolate Cake with Cashew Cream Icing

This is the perfect simple vegan chocolate cake from scratch. Moist, rich dark chocolate cake topped with a date-sweetened cashew cream icing. Perfect for any occasion that calls for cake!

Cooking Time:

1 hour

Cooking Method:

Baking · Blending · Mixing

Main Ingredients:

apple cider vinegar · applesauce · baking powder · baking soda · cashews · cocoa powder · coconut oil · flour · plant milk · salt · sugar · vanilla extract

Yield:

12+ servings

Recipe Category:

Dessert · Vegan

Suitable for Diet:

Plant-Based · Vegan · Vegetarian
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vegan-chocolate-cake-carley-papi (5)

 

Ingredients

FOR THE CAKE

2 c flour

1.5 c sugar

1 c cocoa

2 tsp baking powder

1.5 tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp salt

1 c plant milk (I use cashew-hemp)

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

0.5 c coconut oil (melted) – can sub another neutral oil

2/3 c applesauce – can sub mashed banana or 2 flax eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

0.75 c + 1 tbsp very hot water (almost boiling)

 

FOR THE ICING

1 c raw cashews (soaked in fridge for 4+ hours, or in hot water for 20+ minutes)

3 tbsp coconut oil (melted)

0.5 tsp vanilla powder (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)

2 dates

0.25 tsp salt

8+ tbsp plant milk (cashew-hemp is my recommendation)

3 tbsp cacao

3+ tbsp powdered suga

 

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
  2. Combine plant milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside to curdle for a few minutes, until needed.
  3. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt) and mix well.
  4. Add coconut oil, applesauce, plant milk/vinegar mixture, and vanilla extract to the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
  5. Add hot water and mix again. The batter will be thin, don’t be alarmed.
  6. Grease a 9×13″ pan or two 9″ round cake pans. Pour the batter in.
  7. Bake at 350 F for 35-38 minutes (9×13″) or 30-32 minutes (9″ round pans).
  8. Combine soaked cashews, coconut oil, vanilla, dates, salt, and plant milk in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding plant milk as needed. Be careful not to add too much!
  9. Once it is very creamy, pulse to blend in cacao and powdered sugar. Add more milk to taste/consistency. I like to make the icing a bit thinner and add on top of each individual slice with some berries. The icing will thicken with refrigeration, so if you want it thicker you can always make it ahead and give it time to chill.