Vegan Triple Chocolate Cake (Sugar Free and Gluten Free options)
If you love chocolate, then you are in the right place!! This cake is three layers of moist and rich cake, with a smooth chocolate ganache tucked away between the layers, and a luxurious dark chocolate buttercream frosting around the outside. Drooling yet? It’s also undetectably vegan, and easily made gluten free and sugar free!
Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache Ingredients
- 8oz chopped vegan chocolate
- 8oz coconut cream – JUST the thicker part that rises to the top of the can!
Chocolate Cake Ingredients - note this makes THREE layers
- 3 cups gluten free flour can sub all-purpose if desired. This links to my favorite store bought gluten free flour blend that works best with all of my recipes, or see "Ingredients Needed" section for further info.
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups granulated sugar *if you want a sugar free option, this links to my favorite sweetener, you can substitute it 1:1 in place of regular granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1½ cups non-dairy milk room temperature or slightly warm
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or lemon juice
- 1 cup MELTED coconut oil
- 6 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup filtered water HOT or BOILING
Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan butter cold from the fridge
- 2½ cups powdered sugar *if you want a sugar free option, this links to my favorite powdered sweetener, you can substitute it 1:1 in place of regular powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup Dutch cocoa powder can be regular cocoa powder too, Dutch cocoa powder is what makes it "dark chocolate"
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2-4 tbsp non-dairy milk
Instructions
- There are three major parts to this recipe – the chocolate ganache filling, the chocolate cake layers, and the chocolate frosting. The ganache will need to cool for around 2 hours at room temperature, so that will come first. Then we will make the cake layers while the ganache is cooling, then finally the frosting right before it’s all ready to put together.
- Chocolate Ganache: first important note about the ganache – do NOT shake the can of coconut cream. When left undisturbed the contents of the can will naturally separate with the solid cream part rising to the top and the liquid sinking to the bottom. What you want to use here is just the solid part that rises to the top, not the liquid part on the bottom. When you scoop this part out, it will come out to right around 8oz of this heavy cream consistency, which is what you want since you will be using 8oz of chocolate.Finely chop up 8oz of good chocolate bars – I link my favorites above – and place into a heatproof bowl. Then heat the coconut cream either in a small saucepan, or incrementally in the microwave. You want it to get HOT, just before the point where it would boil, but do not let it boil. I do this on the stove and find over medium heat it takes around 3 minutes, right as it starts creating small bubbles around the edges.As soon as it hits this point, immediately pour it over the chopped chocolate, and make sure all the chocolate is submerged beneath the cream. Let it sit completely untouched for 5 full minutes, then at that time you can slowly mix it up with a whisk or metal spoon. Once it is evenly mixed together and smooth, set it aside to cool for AT LEAST 2 hours at room temperature.
- Chocolate Cake Layers: while the ganache is cooling, this is a good time to make the cake layers themselves. I will note again – the amount here is for a 3-layer cake. If you want more layers or fewer layers, make sure to adjust your amounts accordingly.Start by pre-heating the oven to 350°F and greasing 3 8-inch cake tins and lining with parchment rounds. Then prep your vegan buttermilk by mixing the non-dairy milk with the apple cider vinegar and setting aside for a few minutes to curdle, and also melt the coconut oil. Add the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl and mix together. Then add in the vegan buttermilk, melted coconut oil, applesauce, HOT or boiling water, and vanilla extract, then fully mix using a large spoon or spatula until it is just combined. Pour the batter evenly into the cake tins – I like to weigh each one to make sure the layers will come out the same size. Put into the oven for about 25 minutes, testing for doneness by sticking a toothpick into the center of the cakes and making sure it comes out with just crumbs and not wet batter. Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool in the pans for about 15-20 minutes before moving to cooling racks. I like to then put the layers directly into the fridge to cool completely, as I find it’s easier to frost the cake when it is cold.
- Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: the final step once you are just a few minutes away from putting your cake together is making the frosting. Take the vegan butter directly from the fridge so it is cold and solid, and put into a large mixing bowl. Use either a hand mixer or a fancier mixer to beat the butter until it is soft and fluffy, then add in the cocoa powder and the powdered sugar a little bit at a time, + the salt, mixing and scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Once all the dry ingredients are mixed in, add 1 tbsp of non-dairy milk at a time until you get to your desired consistency. I used about 3½ tbsp in the photos you see here.Note on this portion – I used Dutch cocoa powder in this frosting to give it a dark chocolate taste. You can use any type of cocoa powder you want here.
- Build the cake: Time to put it all together! Important note – I level the tops of the cake layers for this recipe. It’s not necessary, they do not dome that much, but I like having them completely level.Start by splitting your ganache filling into two equal sized portions. Spread half on top of one layer, and the other half on top of a second layer. Very gently now place the layers on top of one another, and the third layer on top. I suggest putting the whole cake in the fridge for a few minutes at this point. The ganache is so soft that if you don’t let it harden in the fridge for a few minutes between the layers, you run the risk that when you’re frosting the cake or cutting into it, it can all ooze out.After 5-10 minutes in the fridge, time to spread the frosting onto the sides and top of the cake. And that’s it! If you are storing the cake in the fridge, I recommend microwaving each slice for about 10-15 seconds before eating it, that way the ganache gets soft and melty again.
- Eat and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!