This the best Vegan Chocolate Loaf Cake because it is so moist, chocolatey, and insanely delicious! No eggs or dairy needed! It's the perfect chocolate cake recipe to use for any special occasion. It's vegan and gluten-free friendly but no one would ever guess! This is a crowd pleasing vegan dessert that everyone will love. You can enjoy this cake on its own or top it off with a dreamy vegan vanilla frosting!
If you are crazy about chocolate, then this Vegan Chocolate Cake loaf is perfect for you. It is a chocolate lover's dream! I love to make this chocolate cake for birthdays, holidays, or even just because I need a little something sweet!
Vegan Chocolate Loaf Cake Ingredients Needed
My easy, one-bowl vegan chocolate cake uses pantry staples to create a decadent dessert! Here's what you'll need:
- Vegan Milk & Butter: I like to use almond or oat milk as my plant-based milk here. The combination of vegan milk and butter add moisture and flavor to the cake. If you are not vegan or dairy-free, regular milk and butter will work.
- Sugar: Regular cane sugar is best for this moist vegan chocolate cake.
- Vanilla: A bit of vanilla adds a lot of flavor!
- Cocoa Powder: Try to use high quality cocoa powder for that rich, dark chocolatey taste.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Both baking soda and baking powder help the cake to rise in the oven!
- Flour: I used all purpose flour here. You can use gluten-free flour like King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour to make this a gluten-free chocolate cake!
- Chocolate Chips: This is optional but the added chocolate chips make this loaf even more dense, rich, and chocolatey. Use regular or vegan chocolate chips as desired.
- Vegan Frosting: Top it all off with an easy vegan frosting made from powdered sugar, vegan butter, almond milk and vanilla!
How to Make Vegan Chocolate Loaf
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In one bowl, use a fork to mix the melted vegan butter, sugar, vanilla, almond or oat milk, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder.
Step 2: Once your mixture is smooth, mix in the flour until just combined. Be careful not to over work your batter or the cake can become dense.
Step 3: Bake your cake in a loaf pan for 30-40 minutes or 25-30 minutes in a round cake pan. Be careful not to over bake as this cake will become dry. When you remove it from the oven, it might seem soft in the center but once you allow it to cool it will be done in the middle and super moist. While baking, use a whisk or hand mixer to mix your frosting ingredients.
Step 4: Once the cake is done baking, allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes and then spread the frosting over it. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Prefer Chocolate Frosting? Add some cocoa powder to the frosting for a chocolatey flavor!
- Don't Over Mix The Cake Batter! Once the flour is added to the batter, make sure you don't over mix. The flour will start to develop gluten once added to wet ingredients and can get tough and dense if over worked.
- To Ensure the Chocolate Cake Doesn't Stick to The Pan: Grease the pan with non-stick spray or line the whole cake pan with parchment paper to make sure it is super easy to get out of the pan!
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! You can even double the recipe and freeze one of the cakes to have for later. Once the cake is baked and cooled, wrap it well in plastic wrap and put it in an airtight container or freezer bag. This cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight and top it off with frosting before serving!
Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week!
More Vegan Cake Recipes to Try
- Vegan Cinnamon Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Super Moist Strawberry Cake
- Vegan Cookies & Cream Cake
- Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake
Vegan Chocolate Loaf Cake
Ingredients
Vegan Chocolate Loaf
- 1 ¼ cup almond or oat milk regular milk works if not vegan
- ¾ cup melted vegan butter regular butter works if not vegan
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour or gluten free all purpose flour If gluten-free, I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. Please don't substitute any other flour such as almond flour, baking flour, etc.
- 1 cup chocolate chips optional, for extra chocolate flavor, use regular or vegan
Vegan Frosting Recipe
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon softened vegan butter regular butter works if not vegan
- 1 tablespoon almond milk regular milk works if not vegan
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
Super Easy & Moist Vegan Chocolate Loaf Cake
- Preheat oven to 375. In one bowl, use a fork to mix the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, almond or oat milk, cocoa, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Once the mixture is smooth, mix in the flour until just combined. Be careful not to over work your batter or the cake will become dense. Option to fold in chocolate chips. Transfer the batter into your baking pan.
- Bake your loaf for 30-40 minutes (oven times vary) or 25-30 minutes for a round cake pan. Be careful not to over bake this loaf or it will become dry. When you remove it from the oven, it might seem soft in the very center but once you allow it to cool it will be done in the middle and super moist. While baking, use a whisk or hand mixer to mix your frosting ingredients!
- Once the loaf is done, allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes and then spread the frosting over it. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The recipes on Peanut Butter and Jilly can easily be adapted to fit a vegan lifestyle, a gluten-free lifestyle, or both depending on the ingredients you use. Please review the ingredients lists carefully and refer to our recommendations in the Notes of the recipe card to make this recipe compatible with your needs. Nutrition information provided is an estimate, and will vary based on specific brands of ingredients used and cooking methods.
Mayen Ekanem says
This recipe looks amazing. I do have a question though. The recipe is called Super Easy & Moist Vegan Oreo Loaf Cake but the recipe provide below is for a vegan chocolate cake recipe. Are Oreos meant to be added for this recipe?
JillianGlenn says
It was just a fun name for the recipe because the cake looks like an oreo 🙂
Brooke says
Hey, thank you for your amazing recipes!
Can we have them in grams?
When converting each website says something different.. I do not know if you got an reliable one, or mayble your are familiar with this unit of measurement?
Thank you in advance, for your work and your answer
JillianGlenn says
Hi Brooke, this is something that I'd love to do in the future but I do not currently have that capability on my site!
Cristina says
Can the frosting be refrigerated and if so for how long? Also can I freeze the frosting?
JillianGlenn says
Yes, 2-3 days for fridge. I usually freeze my frostings and they last 30 days or so.
Fay says
Hi. Do we use the same amount of gluten free flour is we are subbing it for regular flour? I'm new to gluten free baking.
Jillian Glenn says
Hi Fay! Welcome! Yes, the same amount of gluten-free flour can be used to replace the regular flour.
Heather casillas says
This recipe is amazing!! How do you store it to keep it moist and fresh for the next day?
JillianGlenn says
Thank you! I'm so glad you like it! I wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and leave it on the counter. Don't put it in the fridge!
Karen Banegas says
What size of loaf pan you use??
JillianGlenn says
9x5 inch metal loaf pan 🙂
Kara says
Hi! Would I be able to substitute maple syrup for sugar in this recipe?
Jillian Glenn says
That sounds tasty! I say go for it!
Anna says
Would Hersey’s Cocoa, 100% Cacao unsweetened be okay for this recipe?
Jillian Glenn says
absolutely! I've used it myself!
Alessia says
Hi!! Do you think I can turn this into muffins? If so, how long do you think I should bake them for?
Alternatively, do you have a similar recipe for muffins? I’ve been looking for the moistest muffins recipe!
??
Jillian Glenn says
They there! I have lemon cupcakes that you could leave the frosting off of to make muffins. You can search for them on my site 🙂
Jen says
I hadn't fully read the recipe and substituted the flour with cake flour. I also used salted whipped butter too and baked this for 25 minutes. It came out super delicious and really soft.
Jillian Glenn says
So happy to hear the recipe worked well for you! Thank you for trying it, Jen!
Naomi says
Hi Jill! I love your recipes! Any idea how many calories this treat is?? (I'm dieting but ready to make a semi-healthy dessert for myself this Valentine's Day 🙂 )
Jillian Glenn says
Hi Naomi, I have updated the nutritional info for this recipe 🙂
Caitlin says
Hey Jill
I just made this cake for the first time and from the taste of the batter I know it will be good ??
Just a quick question, I baked it for 40 minutes but it still seemed very moist (still batter like) in the middle, is this normal? or should I have continued baking for a couple more minutes?
Jillian Glenn says
Hi there, I am glad you tried my recipe and liked the taste of the batter! You could certainly bake for longer time but be careful not to over bake it as it could become dry! This is a super moist loaf and the key to that is not overcooking it 🙂
Christina Gonzalez says
For the chocolate loaf vegan GF recipe can you use coconut sugar ?
Jillian Glenn says
Sure! Sounds delicious!
Shannon says
Hi!! All of your recipes are making me want to die of happiness...the only thing that might get in the way is the almond milk. ? We only have regular milk, do you think it would be ok to use that instead??
Jillian Glenn says
regular milk will work great in this recipe 🙂
Najia says
Hello! Can I use oat milk instead of almond milk?
Jillian Glenn says
Hi Naja, absolutely!
kdleclair5 says
Hey there, love this recipe and so does my hubby!! Can you use a different pan?? Like a 8x11
Katie
Jillian Glenn says
Hi there! I am so happy that you and your husband like my recipe! Absolutely - you can use a more shallow 8x11 but I would recommend reducing temperature to 350 and baking less time 🙂
Tasman says
Yum!!! This was SOO GOOD!! My family loved it.
Jillian Glenn says
So happy everyone loved it! Thank you for trying my recipe!!
Dila says
Could I use rice milk instead of nut milk?
Jillian says
I think that will work out perfectly!
Javi says
Hi :), it’s looks amazing!. I have a question, can I substitute the vegan butter but something else but not oil?.
Thank you so much ?
Jillian says
Hi there! I have only tested this with vegan butter and coconut oil. You could potentially try using applesauce or non-dairy yogurt. I don't think the cake will be as moist without butter or oil, though!
Lindsay says
Would this loaf recipe work in a bunt pan? If so what cook time would you suggest?
Jillian says
Hi there! Yes absolutely, I'd start with 30 minutes.
Myra says
Hi looks amazing!
Can you substitute coconut oil for vegan butter?
Jillian says
Absolutely!
Kaila Mays says
Hey there Jill! I’ve read all the comments and didn’t see about making this just a regular round cake. Would you use the same temp and just start at 30mins? Thank you!!
Jillian says
Hey there! My recommendation would probably be a slightly lower temp (350) for less time, 30 minutes or so!
Abby says
Could I substitute the vegan butter for coconut oil?
Where do you get your vegan butter from?
Jillian says
Hi Abby, coconut oil will definitely work but I would recommend adding a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness from the coconut oil!
Kiki says
Hi! Just wanted to point out that it is incorrect that "the flour will start to develop gluten once added to the wet I gradients." Gluten is a protein found in wheat and some other grains. If you use gluten-free flour, gluten will not form no matter how much you mix it. I believe over-mixing causes cakes to become dense because it removes air from the batter.
Jillian says
Thank you for your feedback!
Nathalie says
I made this cake for an office potluck. None of my coworkers are vegan. They were shocked at how moist the cake was! My non-chocolate-loving supervisor even ate a piece (or two) and loved it!
Sara says
Question: why is there so much more butter in this loaf cake compared to your vanilla or yellow cake (1/3 or1/2 vs. 3/4)
Jillian Glenn says
Great question! Feel free to cut back to 1/4 cup like the other recipes, but I find cocoa powder to be more drying and the key to this cake is making it moist and almost brownie-like which is why I recommend using more butter.
Sarah Rixen says
I will try, but metric measurements would be awesome!