Vegan Birthday Cake

This vegan birthday cake recipe is made without milk, butter or eggs, making it a delicious plant-based dessert for vegans and omnivores alike. It’s a two-layer frosted cake that combines common pantry ingredients and is perfect for any celebration. Just mix the ingredients together, bake the cake layers and let them cool. Finish the cake with our rich, fluffy vegan chocolate frosting for a perfectly delicious dairy-free dessert.

Seriously, you won’t be able to tell the difference between a cream and egg-laden chocolate cake and this plant-based cake.

Ingredients for Vegan Birthday Cake

• All-purpose flour: A layer cake needs to stand strong and tall but still have a tender, moist crumb. All-purpose flour’s mix of hard and soft wheat achieves just that.
• Leavening agents: We use not one but two leavening agents to make these cake layers rise. Test your baking powder and baking soda if you’ve had them for a long time (more than six months) to make sure they’re in good, working order.
• Coconut milk: You may be able to use another type of nondairy milk alternative, but we opted for coconut milk because of its high fat content. That makes this vegan birthday cake completely delicious! In testing, we used refrigerated unsweetened coconut milk, not canned coconut milk.
• Sugar: Did you know that not all sugar is vegan? A lot of sugar is processed with animal bone char to give it that stark-white color. Look for “organic” or “unrefined” cane sugar—these sugars are not processed with bone char. Beet sugar is also a great plant-based option.
• Canola oil: We use canola oil instead of butter to enrich the plant-based cake layers.
• Apple cider vinegar: A touch of apple cider vinegar helps the baking soda react, producing the air bubbles that allow the cake to rise in the oven. Vinegar also tenderizes the cake layers and adds a slight tangy taste to break up any heavy richness.
• Vanilla extract: Since the cake layers really lean on vanilla for most of their flavor, it’s a good excuse to splurge on one of the best vanilla extract brands.
• Vegan chocolate frosting: Our plant-based chocolate frosting consists of softened dairy-free margarine, confectioners’ sugar, baking cocoa and a bit more vanilla extract. Choose organic confectioners’ sugar, which is almost always vegan.
• Vegan sprinkles: While optional, we love the look of this cake when it’s decorated with vegan sprinkles. Unfortunately, not all brands are created equal. Keep an eye out for confectioner’s glaze, beeswax and gelatin on the ingredients list, as these items are not always vegan.

Directions

Step 1: Mix the batter

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, sugar, canola oil, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract.

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Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just moistened.

Step 2: Bake the cake

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Pour the batter into two greased 9-inch round baking pans.

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Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Let the cake cool

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Remove the cakes from their pans and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely to room temperature.

Step 4: Make the frosting

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To make rich vegan chocolate frosting, beat the softened dairy-free margarine in a large bowl until it’s light and fluffy.

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Add in the confectioners’ sugar, baking cocoa and vanilla extract. Continue to beat on low at first, then high, until the frosting is silky smooth.

Step 5: Frost and decorate the cake

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Frost the top of one cake.

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Stack the other cake on top. Frost the top and sides to make a two-layer cake. Top with sprinkles, if desired.

Editor’s Tip: For those of you who are new to assembling a layered cake, follow our step-by-step guide (with pictures!) on how to frost a cake the easy way. Once the cake is built, add your favorite cake-decorating ideas, like adding a drip, using ombre frosting or (gasp!) making a naked cake.

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Recipe Variations

• Change the number of layers: According to our handy dandy baking pan conversions guide, you can bake this cake in three 6-inch round pans instead of two 9-inch round pans if you prefer a taller cake. Or, for those interested in making a single-layered cake, bake the batter in a 13×9-inch baking dish.
• Make it gluten-free: To make a gluten-free version of this homemade vegan birthday cake recipe, simply replace the all-purpose flour with one of the best gluten-free flour blends.
• Bake it into cupcakes: Yup, you can turn this recipe into vegan vanilla cupcakes with vegan chocolate frosting (although chocolate lovers might be more inclined to bake our vegan chocolate cupcakes recipe). Prepare the batter as directed, then fill paper-lined muffin cups half full. Bake the cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the cupcakes at room temperature in their pans for 10 minutes, then remove them to wire racks. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.

How to Store Vegan Birthday Cake

Leftover cake can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to a week. A cake dome comes in handy, as it won’t smudge the frosting and decorations. You could also turn your largest bowl upside down and place it over the cake to keep it covered. Otherwise, storage wrap will do, but it will smudge the cake a bit.

Can you freeze vegan birthday cake?

Yes, you can absolutely freeze cake! Unfrosted and frosted vegan chocolate cake can be frozen for up to two months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying.

• How to freeze a decorated cake: Cut the cake and wrap individual slices in storage wrap. Place the wrapped cake slices in a freezer-safe container or wrap them in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
• How to freeze unfrosted cake layers: Allow the cake layers to cool completely to room temperature. Wrap them in storage wrap and place them on a flat surface in your freezer (no haphazard balancing, or the cakes can warp!).

Vegan Birthday Cake Tips

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Why is my vegan cake so dense?

To avoid a dense cake, make sure to measure each ingredient properly and use fresh baking soda and powder. This cake has no eggs, so the leavening agents need to have oomph for the cake to rise and become light and airy.

Why did my vegan cake fall apart?

There are a few reasons why vegan cake might fall apart or have a crumbly, dry texture. The first reason could be overbaking. Be sure to watch your cake toward the end of the baking time and test it with a toothpick to know if it’s finished. Not resting the cake long enough is another reason it might fall apart. Let the cake rest for a full 10 minutes before removing it from the baking pan. Finally, vegan cake may crumble if it’s sliced when cold. It’s best to cut the cake at room temperature.

How do I keep my vegan cake moist?

To keep your cake moist, store it in an airtight container. Also, be sure to use softened dairy-free margarine and don’t overmix the batter before baking. This could over-develop the gluten, making your cake layers tough and dense.