Vegan Chocolate Cake with Whipped Coconut Milk Ganache
This moist, decadent vegan chocolate cake is made with simple ingredients and topped with a luscious whipped coconut milk ganache. Rich in chocolate flavor and incredibly fluffy, it's perfect for any occasion—whether it's a birthday, a special celebration, or just a sweet treat to enjoy! Easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser, this cake is the ultimate dessert for vegan cake lovers.
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 365kcal
Ingredients
Cake
- 210 g all-purpose flour (1.5 cups)
- 200 g granulated sugar (1 cup)
- 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder (1/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup hot coffee or hot water
- 75 g extra light olive oil (6 tbs) or any neutral-tasting oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Ganache
- 318 g coconut milk (1.5 cups)
- 212 g dark chocolate (7.5 oz.)
- 2 tablespoons sugar or maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Start by preparing the ganache. Chop chocolate into small chunks and set aside. Whisk coconut milk, sweetener, and salt together in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the mixture starts to release steam but does not come to a boil, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract. Add chopped chocolate and let it sit for 10-20 seconds so that it starts melting. Then whisk the chocolate into the coconut milk until the mixture is glossy and smooth, about 30 seconds.
- Transfer ganache to the bowl of a stand mixer or a mixing bowl if you will be using a hand mixer. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the ganache and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight until the ganache is firm and set.
- Bake the cake while the ganache chills. Preheat oven to 350˚F or 180˚C with rack in the center. Cut an 8” diameter circle out of parchment paper (trace the bottom of an 8” round cake pan onto the paper before you grease the pan or use these pre-cut parchment circles). Grease an 8” round cake pan then press the parchment paper round into the bottom of the pan. Grease the top of the parchment paper then dust the interior bottom and sides with flour or sifted cocoa powder, tapping out excess.
- Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl, then whisk to evenly combine.
- Whisk together hot coffee or water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl or large measuring cup.
- Add wet mixture to dry mixture and whisk to combine for about 30 seconds until you have a smooth, runny batter. Be careful not to over-mix the batter, and don't whisk vigorously.
- Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and bake at 350˚F for 35-40 minutes, until the cake comes away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven.
- Cool cake in pan for 5 minutes then invert the cake pan onto a cooling rack and lift the cake pan off from the cake. The pan should release easily. Peel the parchment paper off of the cake and let the cake cool to room temperature before frosting it.
- When the ganache has set in the fridge, take it out and whip it with a balloon whisk attachment on a stand mixer or with a hand mixer on high speed until it is smooth, shiny, and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer the cooled cake to a serving dish or cake plate with the top of the cake facing up. Spread the whipped ganache in one thick layer over the top of the cake using an offset spatula.
- Cut cake into slices and serve.
Notes
- Left over cake with keep for up to 3 days, well wrapped and refrigerated.
- You can use granulated (caster) sugar, organic sugar, whole cane sugar (aka rapadura/panela), or coconut palm sugar interchangeably in the cake recipe.
- You can use instant espresso or coffee instead brewing coffee. Boil the water and then stir in 1 teaspoon of the instant espresso/coffee granules. If you don’t want to use coffee just use boiling water instead.
- I’ve used canola oil, sunflower oil, light olive oil and extra virgin olive oil in this recipe and they all work. Any vegetable-based liquid oil should work.
- Use regular, full-fat canned coconut milk (or homemade if you make coconut milk from scratch) for the ganache, not the light stuff, and not beverage-style coconut milk.
- It is best to weigh out the coconut milk and chocolate for the ganache to get the right consistency for the finished frosting. This is a kitchen scale I suggest.
- You can use dark chocolate chips instead of chopping a block of dark chocolate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 365kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 246mg | Potassium: 253mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 4mg