This rich chocolate cake is a true showstopper with its moist, fudgy layers and smooth 2-ingredient chocolate mousse. The flavor is unique and deeply chocolate, and the cake is dairy-free. Whether you're hosting a special occasion or simply treating your family, this recipe is bound to impress.
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Wonderful dairy-free cake
I'm not used to making vegan desserts; this chocolate cake was my first time experimenting with one.
I wanted to see how it compared to my usual chocolate cake and flourless chocolate torte. It's truly unique in texture and flavor.
It has none of the traditional ingredients we are used to finding in a cake, like butter, eggs, and milk.
A dairy-free, moist chocolate cake recipe that is utterly delicious and a must-try for chocolate lovers, even if you don't follow a plant-based diet.
If you're not used to vegan baking like me, when you read the list of ingredients in this cake, it feels like some non-foodie editor forgot a part of the recipe.
Although it's common to replace butter with oil, the idea of replacing eggs with vinegar is mind-blowing. At least to me. Here they are omitted and not missed at all.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Chocolate: use your favorite dark semisweet chocolate.
- Cocoa powder: always use unsweetened. In my experience, the dark ones are the best (this does not apply to the super dark used for making homemade Oreo cookies known as dark cocoa powder).
- Vegetable oil: sunflower, coconut, canola.
- Vegetable milk: soy milk and almond milk work very well.
- Baking powder and baking soda: make sure they aren't expired.
- Vinegar: white is the most neutral, but I've used red wine and apple cider vinegar for this cake with great results.
- Strawberries: fresh are always the first choice, but a vegan strawberry sauce also works. It will render a sweeter cake.
- Water and ice cubes: for the chocolate mousse process.
How to make the cake batter
Use an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
One or two layers: I like the single-layer cake (9-inch springform pan), but you can use 2 round 8-inch cake pans, use the mousse as filling and topping, and make a naked cake (no frosting on the sides).
- You'll have a shiny and smooth batter, just like in a regular chocolate cake mixture.
- The cake will sink in the middle as it cools, which is fine. The chocolate mousse will fill the indentation.
2-ingredient chocolate mousse
Chocolate mousse is a wonderful thing, but it can be time-consuming to make, and you end up with a pile of dirty bowls on top of the ones you used for the cake.
So this decadent chocolate mousse filling is magic.
It does work so well and so simply. Chocolate mousse in no time. It is perfect for filling. The chocolate flavor is absolute, so use one you love straight from the packet.
- There are just two ingredients: dark chocolate and hot water. Chocolate is ruined if you add a few drops of water, but not if you add a lot.
- Melt chocolate in a large bowl, add hot water and beat at high speed over a bowl of ice water. Nothing will appear to happen for the first few minutes. But just wait and see. It'll start getting cold and stiff suddenly, like a regular mousse.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
If the mousse gets too firm to spread, add a few teaspoons of hot water and beat some more until it loosens up and you reach the desired consistency and creamy texture.
Berry topping
- Fresh strawberries: we might debate that it's an optional ingredient, but I highly encourage you to add some. They're tangy but sweet and balance out the richness of the mousse.
- Strawberry sauce or topping is another alternative. I find it to be too much on top of the mousse, but it works if you like sweeter desserts, as this vegan cake is not very sweet.
- Other fresh berries: use one, like raspberries, or a mix with blackberries and blueberries. This can be instead or in addition to the strawberries.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Chocolate mousse: use it immediately, so make it when the cake is completely cool and ready to be filled.
- Make ahead: the cake layer can be made several days before and kept well wrapped in the fridge or frozen for a month.
- Serving: due to the chocolate mousse topping, this cake is best served slightly cold and not at room temperature as I usually recommend with chocolate cakes.
- All chocolate cake: omit the strawberries and add some chocolate shavings or drizzle chocolate ganache on top of the mousse.
Related recipes you might like:
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Chocolate Mousse Cake (dairy-free)
Ingredients
For the cake layer:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 ¾ cups soy or almond milk
- 2 teaspoons white or red wine vinegar
- 1 ⅔ cups sugar
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil, sunflower, coconut oil, or light olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
For the chocolate mousse layer:
- 10 ounces dark semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- ¾ cup hot water
- ice, to bring down the temperature
- 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- powdered sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Butter or grease a 9-inch springform cake pan. You can also use two 8-inch round cake pans and fill the layers with the mousse.
- In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine and make a well in the center.
- Add 1 ¾ cups soy or almond milk, 2 teaspoons white or red wine vinegar, 1 ⅔ cups sugar, 1 ¼ cups vegetable oil and 2 tablespoons vanilla extract. Beat or whisk until very well combined. The batter will be quite runny.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with almost no crumbs attached. It will feel springy to the touch.
- Let cool on a wire rack and then unmold onto the serving platter.
- Cover the top with the chocolate mousse and decorate with 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries, sliced. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and serve.
For the chocolate mousse:
- Begin making the mousse right after the cake is cooled and removed from the pan. Have ready a large bowl with ice and cold water (ice water), enough so that the bowl with the chocolate fits comfortably.
- Melt the chocolate: start with 10 ounces dark semi-sweet chocolate, chopped, in a microwavable or glass bowl. You can use the microwave (short 10-15 second spurts stirring well between each one until it's fully melted) or a double boiler with the bowl containing the chopped chocolate not touching the water. In both cases, make sure it doesn't scorch.
- Add ¾ cup hot water to the chocolate all at once and immediately put the bowl over the ice water.
- With an electric mixer, start beating at high speed. It will not thicken for the first few minutes, but it will start to do so unexpectedly. And it will stiffen pretty quickly.
- If the mousse is too thick to spread, add a few teaspoons of very hot tap water and beat until smooth until spreadable. Use immediately.
Notes
Adapted from Tea with Bea
Dru @ Teenage Cakeland says
I've never seen mousse made this way! I'm glad I found a vegan version. The cake is beautiful and looks delicious!
Laura Dembowski says
I am not vegan either but some people I know are and I am always intrigued by vegan recipes. This looks so decadent and decidedly un- vegan.
Renee says
Your cake looks utterly sensational!
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
Paula, your vegan chocolate strawberry mousse cake looks like an ultra rich treat of a cake, perfect for any celebration or just because chocolate and strawberries go so very well together!
Have a wonderful weekend!
laurasmess.me says
That mousse looks so deliciously fluffy, creamy and delicious! I can't believe that it's been made with just... chocolate and water?! Wow. I have a very similar food philosophy to you Paula. I have several friends whom, over the past year, have decided that they're either vegan, lactose-intolerant, gluten-intolerant, vegetarian or all of the above (after spending a perfectly normal 25+ years eating everything). I've respected all of their choices but I don't completely understand them. Lots more I could say on this topic but I'll abstain! Thanks for this gorgeous recipe!
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
"I don´t think our bodies are made to abstain completely from certain food groups" - Amen!
Your cake looks fantastic. And who cares if it sunk in the middle when you have all of that lovely chocolate mousse to fill it with. 🙂
Angie Schneider says
Love the contrast of the colours. The cake looks really moist and the flavours are divine.
Miss Messy says
This looks so good! and its vegan! 🙂
The Ninja Baker says
Food philosophies aside, this is one must-have chocolate cake in my daily required nutrients =)
Thank you, too, for the fantastico quick and easy road to chocolate mousse.
FYI. Your tantalizing photos have been Pinterested!
Inside a British Mum's Kitchen says
Isn't it amazing how delicious a cake can taste without dairy!! this looks so beautiful - I'd LOVE a large piece right now!
Mary x
mividaenundulce says
So the frosting is made with chocolate AND water...!!!??? that is wonderful. When I started reading you post I was thinking on how you obtained the mousse in a vegan way, that is, without cream or milk.
Looks sooooo good...!!!
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I'm not a vegan either and I going to take you would that this is delicious...it certainly looks like it is.
Erika says
Wow! What a gorgeous looking cake. I'm so intrigued by this idea of making mousse with just chocolate and hot water--can't wait to give it a try! Congrats on making such a successful vegan cake on your first attempt!
Guru Uru says
I need this cake in my life, it looks spectacular 😀
Cheers
CCU
Deb says
I've never tried baking a vegan cake and am in awe of your beautiful Chocolate Mousse Cake! It's a joy to know that a splendid dessert can be made without eggs and butter!
www.you-made-that.com says
What a lovely cake and I feel pretty much the same about respecting the way people chose to eat. And your right it sure doesn't look like anything is missing from this cake it looks heavenly, great job!
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
This cake is lovely. I do see your point about the cows and the milk. I was once reprimanded by a vegan because I didn't know that you can't eat honey if you're a strict vegan. I guess I don't understand that. Won't the bees make the honey, whether people eat it or not? Seems like all that honey would just go to waste if we don't eat it...
seyon says
The honey are produced from the bees to the bees, it has simple has that. 🙂
And, normaly in some honey productions they kill an elevated amount of bees in order to keep the production up.
Liz Berg says
Vegan or not, my family will want your mousse cake! Decadent and GORGEOUS!!! xo
Bam's Kitchen says
A very pretty vegan cake. Using red wine vinegar instead of eggs as a binder is not anything I have tried yet. Technically I have an intolerance to eggs. It is kind of hard to replace them. Did you know that even the powdered egg replacers are not gluten free. It is always something. I am looking forward to giving your recipe a go. Wishing you a super weekend. Take Care, BAM
Rhu Sam says
May I join the party?!! chocolate!!! siii!!! 😉