8 Delicious Vegan Cake Recipes Worth Drooling Over

Applesauce Spice Cake

Take advantage of apple-picking season with this sweet and spicy cake from Gena Hamshaw at the Full Helping. It could work just as beautifully as a brunch dish as it does as a dessert.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1 cup raisins (regular or golden)
• 1½ cups unbleached, all purpose flour
• 1 cup light spelt, spelt, or whole wheat pastry flour (or an additional cup all-purpose flour)
• 1⅓ cups cane sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 4 teaspoons ground flax or chia seed
• 5 tablespoons warm water
• 2 cups applesauce
• ⅔ cup vegetable oil (such as safflower, grapeseed, or canola)
• Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting (optional)

Get full instructions at the Full Helping.

Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cake

This dense, fudgy vegan cake from Brandi Doming at the Vegan 8 combines two crowd-pleasing flavors—pumpkin spice and chocolate—and calls for less than 10 ingredients.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (148 g) pure maple syrup
• ¼ cup (62 g) Sprouts Pumpkin Spice Applesauce (if you cannot get this, just sub with plain pumpkin puree)
• 3/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons (203 g) roasted pecan butter (or you can sub with almond butter, just make sure it’s a very smooth roasted drippy kind and not stiff and chunky. I make my own butters)
• 2 Tablespoons (44 g) unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap
• 1 ¼ cups (160 g) oat flour (I used gluten-free by Bob’s Red Mill)
• 3 Tablespoons (22 g) tapioca starch
• 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (9 g) Sprouts Pumpkin Pie Spice (See Note for sub)
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ cup (80 g) dairy-free semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for top

Get the full instructions at The Vegan 8.

Vegan Vanilla Birthday Cake

This vegan vanilla cake from the Cake Merchant is rich and buttery—and perfect for your next birthday celebration. (Don’t forget the sprinkles!) Don’t miss the new egg substitute that vegans are loving now.

Ingredients

Vanilla cake

• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) non-dairy milk (soy, almond, rice)
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (230 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (110 ml) vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 2 cups (250 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt

Frosting

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks, 170 grams) non-hydrognated margerine (I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
• 3/4 cup (170 grams) non-hydrogented shortening (I used Spectrum Organics)
• 3 1/2 cups (440 grams) powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) non-dairy milk or creamer

Get the full recipe at The Cake Merchant.

Just Beet It Vegan Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cake

This all-natural vegan cake recipe from Ashley at Blissful Basil gets its vivid red velvet hue from beets. The rich cashew-coconut frosting is a sweet alternative to the traditional cream cheese frosting. And bonus: Cashews are some of the healthiest nuts you can eat!

Ingredients

Red Velvet Cake

• 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
• 1/4 cup cacao powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 6 ounces diced raw beets* (about 1 1/2 medium beets and 1 cup diced
• 3 tablespoons virgin coconut oil, melted
• 2 tablespoons natural unsalted almond butter (stirred well before measuring)
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Vanilla Cashew-Coconut Icing

• 3/4 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) and drained
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or other plant-based milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup melted coconut butter (it should be runny and pourable—see note**)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons coconut flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or the seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (for a cream cheese like tang)
• 1/8 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

Get the full instructions at Blissful Basil.

Ultra-Moist Amazing Chocolate Layer Cake

Want to know the secret ingredient behind the dark, rich vegan chocolate cake from Hannah Kaminsky at Bittersweet? It’s vegan mayo! And since science has shown that chocolate is good for your brain, don’t be afraid to indulge!

Ingredients

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups plain non-dairy milk
• 1 pound semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 cup non-dairy margarine
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Rich Chocolate Cake:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 tablespoons whole flaxseeds, ground
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 cup plain non-dairy milk
• 1 1/2 cup brewed and cooled coffee
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup canola oil

Get the full instructions at Bittersweet.

Vegan Lemon “Cream” Cake

This sweet lemon cake from Goodie Godmother even comes with a rich “cream cheese” frosting. See why dessert is good for you.  Check out these amazing vegan holiday desserts!)

Ingredients

Lemon cake

• 2 c non-dairy milk (I used almond milk)
• 3 c all-purpose flour
• 2 c granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 c neutral-flavored oil (I used avocado)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• zest from 1 lemon
• 1/4 c lemon juice

“Cream Cheese” frosting

• 8 oz package vegan cream cheese
• zest of 1 lemon
• 5-6 c sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• sprinkles, optional

Get the recipe at Goodie Godmother.

Vegan Cheesecake With Chocolate Chip Cookie Crust

Cheesecake may seem like one of those decadent treats you have to give up when you go vegan. But Emilie Hebert of Emilie Eats created a version that gives you that creamy, cheesy mouthfeel without the actual cheese. If you’re new to veganism, try these tips to get started.

Ingredients

 Crust

• 1 tablespoon flax meal + 2½ tablespoons water
• 2¼ cups oat flour*
• 1 cup almond meal/flour
• 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
• 1½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ⅔ cup coconut sugar
• ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips

Filling

• 2 12-ounce packages silken tofu*, drained
• ⅓ cup maple syrup or agave nectar
• ¼ cup coconut sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons oat flour*
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Optional: ¼ cup dark chocolate chips, melted, for topping

Get the full instructions at Emilie Eats.

Blueberry Strawberry Banana Ice Cream Cake

Em from This Rawsome Vegan Life concocted a decadent “ice cream” cake with a “crust” of fresh strawberries and a creamy cashew layer. Check out these 14 amazing vegan ice cream recipes.

Ingredients

Vanilla ice cream cake layer

• 2 cups cashews
• 2 bananas
• 1 cup dates
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• Seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod (or 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
• Vegan milk or coconut water, as needed

Berry layer

• 1 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 cup fave vegan milk or coconut water, use as needed
• 1 cup dates, walnuts or another banana

Get the full recipe at This Rawsome Vegan Life.