Doesn't chocolate just make everything better? Yes, a plain vanilla cake is always great but a chocolate vanilla cake is a level up for sure! If you love cakes with neutral flavours, you'll also love my eggless red velvet cake loaf with oreos which is super tasty.
Many people love to use fancy vanilla pods in their cakes but I find that standard vanilla essence or extract will usually do that trick. The chocolate buttercream compliments the cake so nicely. I really hope that you enjoy it!
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INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE
- Soy milk – In my opinion, this is the plant milk you want to use when baking vegan loaf cakes.
- Apple cider vinegar – Mix it into the soy milk to create your vegan ‘buttermilk’.
- All-purpose flour – This is the best type of flour for this recipe.
- Granulated sugar – You can also use caster sugar as an alternative.
- Baking powder & Baking soda – The leavening agents that you can't make your cake without.
- Salt – Fine sea salt works best for this recipe.
- Rapeseed/Canola oil – These are the same thing.
- Vanilla Extract – Lifts the flavour within the cake.
- Vegan butter block & Powdered sugar – For the buttercream.
- Cocoa Powder - Add this to your buttercream.
HOW TO MAKE MY VEGAN CHOCOLATE VANILLA CAKE LOAF
For the full method and ingredient amounts, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
STEP ONE
Mix the apple cider vinegar into your plant and wait until it curdles.
STEP TWO
Add all of the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and combine.
STEP THREE
Next, pour the curdled 'buttermilk' into the dry ingredients.
STEP FOUR
Add the remaining wet ingredients to the mixture.
STEP FIVE
Next, fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Don't mix at all. Keep folding until the mixture is nicely combined and there are no pockets of flour left.
STEP SIX
Now, equally pour the folded mixture into your two greased loaf pans. Bake the cakes in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
STEP SEVEN
Take your cake halves out of the oven and let them cool completely.
For instructions on how to make the glaze and buttercream frosting, see the full method on the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
TIPS FOR MAKING AN EGGLESS CAKE
- Pre-heat your oven for at least 15-20 minutes before you start baking. Prior to baking your vegan loaf cake cake, make sure that the oven has reached the suggested temperature. This will allow your cake to bake thoroughly and have the perfect texture.
- Use two loaf pans (20cm x 10cm). This way you will end up with two evenly-sized cake halves to add your buttercream to.
- Make vegan buttermilk instead of adding ingredients separately. To make your vegan ‘buttermilk’, add apple cider vinegar to your prepared soy milk. Mix it together. Buttermilk contains lots of acidity which therefore, gives a vegan cake a fantastic texture. Buttermilk also breaks down gluten.
- Instead of mixing, fold instead. Over mixing your batter will usually give your final cake an unpleasant texture so try not to mix the batter at all. When I’m baking a cake, I constantly fold the mixture delicately over itself until there are no pockets of flour. Try to be as patient as possible.
- Each oven is different! Some ovens will heat up to inaccurate temperatures. If you don't have a thermometer, you can always test the readiness of your cake with a toothpick. When it comes out of your cake completely clean, it’s ready to come out of the oven.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY IS MY VANILLA CAKE SO DENSE?
A dense cake is usually because the cake batter has been over-mixed. I recommend folding the batter instead.
WHY ARE MY VANILLA CAKES ALWAYS DRY?
If you are adding the correct ingredient ratios then this could mean that you're simply leaving the cake in the oven for too long. Perhaps, you cake was too high up in the oven. Always place it into the centre.
HOW TO STORE MY CHOCOLATE VANILLA CAKE LOAF
It is recommended that you store your vegan vanilla cake inside an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. This preserves the cake nicely. If you wish, you can refrigerate your cake for up to 4 days (also in an airtight container). Please don't freeze the cake.
Eggless Vanilla Cake Loaf With Chocolate Buttercream
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 200 ml soy milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 200 g all-purpose flour sifted
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 50 ml rapeseed/canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the chocolate buttercream:
- 225 g vegan butter block* see notes
- 240 g powdered sugar* see notes
- 35 g cocoa powder
Instructions
Vanilla Cake:
- Pre-heat your oven to 177 Celsius (350 Fahrenheit). Grease two 20cm x 10cm cake loaf tins with vegan butter then set aside.
- Make your vegan buttermilk. Measure out the soy milk then add the apple cider vinegar to it. Give it a mix then set aside for 7-8 minutes until it curdles. Measure out the other ingredients while you wait.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Mix well.
- Next, pour in the curdled soy milk, oil and vanilla. Don't mix at all. Using a wooden spoon, fold the ingredients together by slowly scooping the mixture over itself. Keep folding the dry into the wet until there are no more pockets of flour. This takes a little longer than mixing but it results in a much better cake. Patience is key!
- Equally divide the cake batter between the two greased loaf tins and bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. A skewer should come out clean at this point.
- Remove your cakes from the oven and let them cool in the tins for 15 minutes. Then remove the cakes from the tins and transfer them to a cooling rack to cool fully. Don't apply anything to the cakes until they have completely cooled down.
Chocolate buttercream:
- Add the vegan butter block to a stand mixer or a large bowl and cream for 2 minutes.
- Next add half of the powdered sugar. Beat the buttercream mixture until it is fully combined and has began to thicken. Then add the rest of the powdered sugar. Beat again until your buttercream is nice and thick.
- Now add the cocoa powder. Mix until it is fully combined within the buttercream.
- Spread half of your chocolate buttercream in between the cake halves and spread the other half on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use a block of vegan butter instead of spread. I love to use the Flora plant butter block and the Naturli vegan block. These create a much thicker vegan buttercream than a spread.
- Not all powdered sugar is vegan. Be sure to check.
Anonymous says
I make eggless cakes a lot and this one tasted so good. Thanks.