Chocolate Vegan Cake | Refined Sugar-Free
This beautifully decadent Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe is not only amazingly delicious, but it also happens to be vegan and completely refined sugar-free. It’s perfect for birthdays, parties, and holidays!
When you think about a cake being vegan AND free of refined sugar, you might think that it will be dry and dull, but I promise that’s not the case with this scrumptious chocolatey piece of heaven. Believe it or not, the dairy-free chocolate frosting is made with sweet potatoes and dates!
We have more delicious chocolate vegan dessert recipes on this website like this easy chocolate cashew cream, my chocolate-stuffed vegan sweet potatoes, and our chocolate dairy-free mousse pie.
Reasons you will love this cake
- Guilt-Free Indulgence: This vegan chocolate cake is made without refined sugars, offering a healthier way to satisfy your sweet tooth without compromising on flavor.
- Rich and Moist Texture: Enjoy a deliciously rich and moist cake that delivers all the chocolatey goodness you crave, thanks to high-quality, plant-based ingredients.
- Perfect for Special Diets: Ideal for those following a vegan or dairy-free diet, this cake is free from animal products, making it suitable for a wide range of dietary preferences.
Ingredients you will need
- Flour- Whole wheat flour provides a denser texture and a slightly nutty flavor, enhancing the overall taste and making the cake more filling and satisfying.
- Cocoa powder- It imparts a deep, rich chocolate flavor without the need for added fats or dairy. It blends seamlessly into the cake batter, ensuring a smooth texture and intense cocoa taste.
- Dates- They provide natural sweetness without refined sugars, helping to maintain a healthier profile. They also add moisture and a rich, caramel-like flavor that enhances the overall taste and texture of the cake.
- Applesauce- It acts as a natural fat replacer, adding moisture and a tender crumb without the need for added oils. It also provides a subtle sweetness and a slight fruitiness that complements the chocolate flavor.
- Plant milk- Provides the necessary liquid to blend ingredients smoothly and achieve a desirable cake texture without dairy.
- Sweet potatoes- Using sweet potatoes to make the frosting provides a naturally sweet flavor and creamy texture without the need for added sugars or oils.
- Almond butter- Creates a rich, nutty flavor and a creamy texture, enhancing the overall taste and consistency of the frosting.
Tips & Suggestions
- Make cupcakes- This recipe is very versatile and can be made into a cake or cupcakes.
- Cooking times & pans- Cooking times will vary with the size of the pan used. Cupcakes should take about 25 minutes and 8″-9″ pans will cook the cake in about 30-35 minutes. Oven temperatures vary.
- Make it gluten-free- This cake recipe is not gluten-free, but Minimalist Baker has a great GF Baking Guide that can help convert this cake.
How to make chocolate vegan cake
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and make some date paste. If you’re using dry granular sweetener for the cake, you can skip this part. For the cake, I actually prefer to use granular sugar such as date sugar, maple sugar, or pure cane.
If you’re going to use date paste, it is super simple to make in a blender or food processor. One great thing is that once you make it, any leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
I have written an entire article–How to Make Date Paste–if you want to take a look, but it is super easy. Just add dates and water to a blender or food processor and mix well. One cup of tightly-packed dates + 2/3 cup of water is what you need.
Once the date paste is ready, set it to the side to be added to the wet ingredients shortly.
STEP #2: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Place all of the dry ingredients–flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, (granular sugar if using)–in a large mixing bowl and whisk together well.
If you’re using sugar instead of making date paste, add the dry sugar in this step. Some good options are date sugar, maple sugar, sucanat, or pure cane sugar. Using glandular sugar is my preference.
STEP #3: In a medium-sized bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients–applesauce, plant milk, vanilla, vinegar–and whisk together thoroughly.
If you are using date paste, this is where you will add it.
STEP #4: Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk together well. It should be nice and thick.
STEP #5: Decide which size and type of pan or pans you would like to use. Personally, I like to use non-stick silicone baking pans because they don’t require any oil and work perfectly for baking.
You can choose to use a number of different sizes of pans including round 8″ or 9″, or even square or rectangle pans. I love my heart-shaped pan for Valentine’s Day and other special occasions. The batter will make approximately two 8″ round cake pans.
Muffin pans are also a terrific idea for making cupcakes. I’ve put some cooking time adjustments for pans in the Tips section below.
STEP #6: Bake at 350°F for approximately 30-35 minutes for the circular 8-9″ pans.
Oven temperatures vary, so around the 25-minute mark, remove the cake from the oven and test for doneness. To do this, insert a toothpick into the center point. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. Otherwise, place back into the oven and test again in 5-10 minutes.
Once the cake and/or cupcakes are done, remove from the oven and allow to cool before frosting.
STEP #7: This frosting is so easy, it doesn’t even require a bowl! While the cake is cooking is the perfect time to make the frosting.
I like to take the easy way out and cook my sweet potato quickly by poking a few holes in it with a knife, wrapping it in a wet paper towel, and placing it in the microwave for about 5-6 minutes depending on the size of the potato.
Once it’s done, remove the peelings and use the potato flesh in this frosting recipe.
STEP #8: Simply place all the frosting ingredients–including the cooked sweet potato– in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
I use my Vitamix blender, and it works like a charm because it has a tamper that allows for keeping the ingredients moving in thick recipes like this vegan chocolate icing. However, if you have a less powerful machine, you’ll need to stop, scrape the sides down, and continue to blend until smooth.
Once the cake and/or cupcakes have fully cooled, it’s time to frost and serve!
I love to add a few strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or a combination of them to this cake because it makes a beautiful display. If you want to really take it over the top, sprinkle a little Homemade Powdered Sugar over the top.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, but Minimalist Baker has a great GF Baking Guide that can help convert these cupcakes. The frosting is already gluten-free.
No. I actually prefer granulated sugar. 2/3 or 3/4 cup less refined sugar such as pure cane sugar or date sugar will work for the cake. Use another 3/4 cup in the frosting.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. It freezes well too.
For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!
If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!
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Chocolate Vegan Cake | Refined Sugar-Free
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup date paste or 3/4 cup unrefined sugar for those not doing sugar-free (my preference)
- 3/4 cup applesauce
- 1.25 cups plant milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Frosting
- 1 cup cooked sweet potato peeled
- 1/2 cup almond butter or cashew butter
- 3/4 cup dates pitted (3/4 cup less refined sugar for those not doing sugar-free)
- 1/4 cup plant milk
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Place all of the dry ingredients–flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, (granular sugar if using)–in a large mixing bowl and whisk together well. If you're using a less refined granular sugar instead of making date paste, add it in this step. Some good options are date sugar, maple sugar, sucanat, or pure cane sugar. Using glandular sugar is my preference.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients–applesauce, plant milk, vanilla, vinegar, and whisk together thoroughly. If you are using date paste, this is where you will add it.
- Next, pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk them together well.
- Pour the cake batter into a silicone baking pan (or line a regular pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking) and bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes. This recipe will make two 8" round cake pans.
- Oven temperatures vary, so around the 25-minute mark, remove the cake from the oven and test for doneness. To do this, insert a toothpick into the highest center point. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. Otherwise place back into the oven and test again in 5-10 minutes.
- Once the cake or cupcakes are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool before frosting.
- The heart cupcake pans are also great if you would rather have cupcakes.
Frosting
- I like the take the easy way out and cook my sweet potato quickly by poking a few holes in it with a knife, wrapping it in a wet paper towel, and placing it in the microwave for about 5-6 minutes depending on the size of the potato.
- Once it’s done, I simply remove the peelings and use the potato flesh in this frosting recipe.
- Simply place all the frosting ingredients–including the cooked sweet potato– in a blender or food processor and mix until smooth. More frosting tips can be found in the article above.
- When the cake or cupcakes has cooled, frost and serve!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
I love this cake so much. I’ve made it three times! I’m wondering if you’ve ever tried making it with sourdough starter. I think I’m going to experiment!
Hi Sara- I haven’t tried that before. Let us know how it turns out, please.
I made this cake for my birthday in December and liked it a lot. Froze half and have been eating it now and then, and oddly, it just gets better and better. I think I’m going to plan to always have this in the freezer! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
Hi Sara- Well, that’s amazing to hear, and happy belated birthday to you!
Is this American cups or Uk please?
Hi Jen- This is American cups.
Can stevia be used in this recipe?
Hi Heidi- Sure, stevia would work just fine in this recipe.
Hi, looks great! can I sub for whole spelt flour?
Hi Maayan- Yes, spelt would be a great flour to use in this recipe. Enjoy!
Can I sub the whole wheat flour for all purpose flour?
Hi Sophia- Yes, subbing it out shouldn’t affect the cake baking outcome.
Looks lovely, do you have a red velvet recipe, or can I use this one and change a few things?
Hi James, I don’t have a red velvet cake recipe, but if you find a way to use this recipe and tweak it to make one I would love to hear about it.
This is a delicious cake. Came out very well. Is it freezer friendly and if so for how long?
Hi Clara- I’m so glad that you enjoyed the cake. It is freezer-friendly and should keep for about 3-months and maybe a little more. Thanks for the great feedback!
Made this for my four year olds birthday. Cake was alright. I found it dense and not quite sweet enough. Might be because I soaked the dates but I was confused on the date paste recipe and didn’t use enough soaking water I think (didn’t realize you gave instructions for that until it was done). I don’t think that would’ve changed texture of cake though but still not bad. The frosting on the other hand was really good. I added about a tbsp maple syrup though as well. I plan on using it as a vegan pudding though! I used a regular sweet potato (white flesh) so I think that made it a little drier to so I also added a splash extra of soy milk
Hi! Great recipe! Do you use store bought or home made applesauce? All store bought apple sauce seems to contain sugar..
Ruby- I like to make my own and included a link to the easy recipe I use. When I do buy applesauce, it’s always the unsweetened version. Hope you enjoy the cake.
Hi Terri.
Re Frosting for your Chocolate Vegan Cake | Sugar-Free what can i add instead of almond butter (or cashew butter or any nut butters for that matter.) if possible . I have heart disease and need to reduces by intake of fats so avocados and coconut not allowed either. I must keep it very low fat. Thanks. Peter
Hi Peter- I haven’t tried leaving the nut butter out before but it might work. If you give it a try, I would love to hear how it turns out.
@Peter, I used pb2 (defatted peanut butter powder) and it was really good! Wrote about it in the comment above. Good luck!
I made the frosting first with 3/4 cup of date paste because I had it and needed to use it up. I also used water instead of plant milk because I had run out, and pb2 instead of almond butter to reduce fat. It was so good! I didn’t actually get around to making the cake for reasons but I ate some of that frosting with a spoon, it was so good. It was also very sweet so if I have date paste to use up again, I will likely use less of it–maybe 2/3 or 1/2 a cup of date paste or dates. I expected it to be good, but not such a dead ringer for frosting I remember in my pre-McDougall days. Thank you for this recipe! I look forward to making the actual cake! 😀
Hi Amelia- WooHoo! I love dead ringers! It’s also great to know that those variations and substitutions didn’t make a difference in the texture and flavor. Great feedback. Thank you. 🙂
I am new to plant based baking. I don’t normally comment on recipes, but this is absolutely delicious and satisfying. Made as directed with no changes. Next time I might switch up the almond butter for peanut butter, yum!
Hi Diana- Welcome to the plant-based community, and I’m glad that the cake recipe was a keeper! Thanks for the great feedback.
Tried this cake for my son’s 3rd birthday. And Oh my! didn’t expect this guilt-free cake to be so amazingly delicious as well. This recipe is a keeper, it’s gonna make appearance at all our special occasions. Thank you so much for sharing this!
Hi Akanksha- YAY! I’m so glad that you enjoyed it and that you’ll be making it for all those special occasions. Thanks so much for letting me know. 🙂
Can peanut butter be used instead of almond butter in the frosting (I always have it on hand)?
Hi Natalie- Sure, peanut butter would be a good replacement for almond butter. Enjoy!