This Eggless Chocolate Cake is a simple and easy one bowl recipe. A delicious chocolate cake made with whole wheat flour. Unbelievably soft and spongy, this eggless cake recipe will satisfy chocolate lovers and cake lovers alike.
Table of Contents
About this Eggless Chocolate Cake
Soft, moist and chocolaty, this chocolate cake made without eggs makes great base for various chocolate frostings and chocolate cake desserts. I also make Black Forest Cake from this spongy eggless cake recipe.
Not only does this cake taste good, it is also quite a bit healthier than your classic chocolate cake. However, even though healthier ingredients are used, the cake still has a soft and moist texture, which means that yes, you can have your cake and eat it too.
This vegan recipe uses sunflower oil instead of butter. I have also shared an easy and delectable vegan cocoa frosting recipe which uses sunflower oil instead of butter. You could use any neutral tasting oil.
In this basic version of the recipe, you can serve the eggless chocolate cake plain or with the chocolate frosting. As I’m sure you’ve guessed, it tastes better with the chocolate frosting!
This recipe may resemble the whacky cake, but it is not a whacky cake. The recipe proportions for this eggless chocolate cake is different from the proportions of the whacky cake and also uses whole wheat flour.
Moreover chilled cold water (which helps in making the cake spongy) is used in the recipe unlike the whacky cake.
Why this Eggless Cake Recipe Works
Making an eggless cake is always a challenge as it can be hard to get that perfect cake consistency without using eggs.
Making this eggless chocolate cake with whole wheat flour added another element to that challenge as this usually causes a cake or bread to be much denser than those made with all-purpose flour.
The secret to achieving the light and spongy consistency in this eggless cake is the reaction between the baking soda and lemon juice.
These two ingredients work together to cause the cake to rise perfectly and gives it the soft, moist texture that we’re looking for.
Ingredients you need
- Cocoa Powder: The most important ingredient contributing to the flavor of the eggless chocolate cake is cocoa powder. It is important to use a good quality cocoa powder as this will affect the overall taste of the cake. Do not use dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Whole Wheat Flour: This cake does not have the denseness or heaviness which wheat flour cakes may have. It is too difficult to guess or believe that this eggless cake is made from whole wheat flour if the texture is considered. It is incredibly light and soft. Though you will get a nutty wheat flour flavor in the cake. Use any good brand or good quality whole wheat flour.
- Baking Soda: The most important ingredient affecting the texture of the cake is the baking soda and it is important that it is fresh. If the baking soda is not fresh or past its shelf life, the eggless cake will not rise. In the FAQ section below, I cover how to test the freshness of your baking soda.
- Lemon Juice: As explained earlier, the lemon juice is also crucial in causing the eggless cake to rise properly. However, if you don’t have lemon juice, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar can be used for the same effect.
- Oil: Do use oil which has neutral flavors. For all my cake recipes, I always use sunflower oil as it is bland, neutral and there is no after taste felt in the cake. Oil also helps in making the eggless cake soft and moist.
How to make Eggless Chocolate Cake
For ease of understanding, I have divided the step by step pictorial in 4 main parts.
- Step 1 – Making the Batter
- Step 2 – Baking Eggless Chocolate Cake
- Step 3 – Making Chocolate Frosting
- Step 4 – Icing the Eggless Cake
Step 1 – Making the Batter
1. First grease a round baking pan of 7.5 inches diameter x 2 inches height with oil. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes.
2. Sieve 1 cup whole wheat flour (you can also use all-purpose flour) and 3 tablespoons cocoa powder. Use good quality cocoa powder. Keep a plate or tray below the sieve.
3. Add a pinch of salt and ½ teaspoon baking soda.
4. Sieve the ingredients on to a plate.
5. Keep the sieved dry ingredients aside.
6.In another pan or bowl, take ¾ cup sugar. I have used raw unrefined cane sugar, however regular white sugar can also be used. Add 1 cup cold water. The water has to be cold and chilled.
7. Stir with a small whisk till the sugar dissolves.
8. Now add ¼ cup oil. I added sunflower oil. I would not suggest adding butter as a few readers did tell me that the butter solidifies and it becomes difficult to get it to a homogenous mixture.
9. Stir briskly so that everything is mixed well.
10. It should be a homogenous mixture.
11. Next add 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Stir again. You could even use 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar in place of lemon juice.
12. Now add ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. You can also add chocolate extract or chocolate essence instead of vanilla.
13. Mix very well.
14. Add the sieved dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
15. Using a wired whisk, mix everything well.
16. There should be no lumps in the eggless cake batter. The batter is slightly thin and not thick.
Step 2: Baking Eggless Chocolate Cake
17. Pour the eggless chocolate cake batter into the prepared cake pan.
18. Tap the sides so that the extra air bubbles are let out.
19. Bake the eggless chocolate cake in a preheated oven for 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) for 35 to 40 mins.
Since temperatures vary from oven to oven be sure to keep an eye on it. Do not open the oven door many times. Only open it after three-fourth of the baking is done.
For baking in a convection mode of a microwave oven, preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius (355 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes.
Then bake at 180 degrees celsius (355 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30 to 35 minutes.
20. For doneness check the chocolate cake with a bamboo skewer or toothpick. The bamboo skewer should come out clean.
Once the eggless chocolate cake becomes warm or cools down, remove and place it on a wired rack.
If the toothpick is sticky with the batter, then place the eggless cake back in the oven and continue to bake for some more minutes. Before frosting, let the eggless cake cool completely.
Step 3: Making Chocolate Frosting
21. This frosting recipe makes for a thin frosting. Take 1 tablespoon sunflower oil, ¼ cup almond milk and ¼ cup raw sugar in a small saucepan.
To make a slightly thick frosting, add 2 tablespoons almond milk. You could use any nut milk, vegan milk in place of almond milk.
22. Keep the pan on stove top and begin to heat on a low flame. Mix very well and stirring often heat the almond milk, so that the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil the almond milk, but just make it lightly hot enough to dissolve the sugar.
23. Keeping the heat to a low, when the almond milk is just lightly hot and after all the sugar has been dissolved, add 3 tablespoons cocoa powder.
24. With a small wired whisk mix and stir so that the cocoa powder gets mixed evenly.
25. The cocoa frosting is ready now. Switch off the flame.
Step 4: Icing the Eggless Cake
26. While still hot, pour the frosting on the top and sides of the eggless chocolate cake.
27. With an offset spatula or a silicon spatula spread the icing evenly all over on top and the sides of the eggless chocolate cake. You can also slice the eggless cake in half and spread frosting in the center and then on the top.
Usually I wrap a medium sized plate with aluminum foil and then place the cake on it. This makes the frosting work easier. Keep the eggless cake covered in the fridge for the frosting to set for a couple of hours.
You can use a dome-shaped bowl to cover the cake. Make sure there is enough space between the cake and the bowl which you are using for covering.
The frosting will set after some hours. I kept it in the fridge overnight.
28. The next day, I topped the eggless chocolate cake with some cacao shavings. You can even add sprinkles or sliced nuts. You can also sift some icing sugar and cocoa powder on the eggless cake. This step is optional.
29. The eggless chocolate cake is ready to be served.
Expert Tips & FAQs
Yes. You can easily add all-purpose flour in the recipe. Depending on the quality of flour, you can add slightly less water than what is mentioned in the recipe. You can even use pastry flour.
Yes, you can double this eggless chocolate cake recipe.
No. Baking soda is the only leavening ingredient added in the recipe. So it cannot be skipped.
No. Baking powder cannot be used instead of baking soda.
Yes. You can easily bake this eggless cake in a convection oven instead of a regular oven or an OTG. You can even bake this cake in a microwave convection oven. The timing will be less for convection ovens as they bake faster than an OTG or regular ovens.
Yes. You can make the eggless cake in a cooker. In a pressure cooker the time taken will be less as compared to an oven. To see how an eggless cake can be made in a pressure cooker, you can check either of these 2 detailed step by step recipes:
1. Cooker Cake
2. How to make cake without oven
Yes. Vanilla powder can be added instead of vanilla extract. You can even add vanilla essence instead of vanilla extract.
In this chocolate recipe, only one leavening ingredient is used. That leaving ingredient is baking soda. The reaction of baking soda with the lemon juice helps in making this eggless cake spongy and light. It is always better to check the freshness of baking soda before you proceed with the recipe. If the baking soda is not fresh or past its shelf life, the cake won’t rise.
Add about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of baking soda in a mixture of 1 tablespoon vinegar + 1 tablespoon of water. The solution should fizz and bubble. If the solution does not fizz and bubble, the baking soda is not active and fresh. So do not use it.
Yes. Dry fruits and nuts like almonds, pistachios, cashews can be added in the batter. But before adding the dry fruits, mix them with a bit of flour, so that they do not settle down at the bottom of the cake while baking.
Yes. Milk (dairy or vegan milks like almond milk, cashew milk or soy milk) can be added instead of water. Make sure that the milk is cold and chilled.
No. Avoid adding honey. According to Ayurveda, honey should not be heated as it becomes toxic. You can add jaggery, maple syrup, coconut sugar or palm sugar instead.
Yes. You can easily use vinegar instead of lemon juice. Use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Yes. You can use eno in this eggless chocolate recipe. So I would suggest to add about ½ to ⅔ teaspoon of eno in the eggless chocolate cake recipe.
More Eggless Cake Recipes For You!
This recipe post from the archives (December 2014) has been republished and updated on 17 May 2020.
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Eggless Chocolate Cake
By Dassana Amit
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour – leveled or 120 grams (you can use all-purpose flour also)
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- ¾ cup raw sugar or 150 grams sugar ( i have used unrefined cane sugar, regular white sugar can also be used)
- 1 cup cold water, 250 ml
- ¼ cup sunflower oil 62.5 ml, or any neutral tasting oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (can also use vinegar instead of lemon juice)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or or vanilla powder or vanilla essence
For the Chocolate Frosting
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil or any neutral tasting oil
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ¼ cup almond milk or any nut milk
- ¼ cup unrefined raw sugar or white sugar
Instructions
Preparation
- First grease a round baking pan of 7.5 inches diameter x 2 inches height with sunflower oil.
- Preheat your oven to 200 degrees celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit).
For Eggless Cake Batter
- Sieve whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda in a plate. Use good quality cocoa powder.
- In another pan or bowl, take the raw sugar.
- Add the cold water and stir so that the sugar dissolves.
- Now add the sunflower oil. Stir briskly so that everything is mixed well and you get a homogenous mixture.
- Next add the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Stir well again.
- Add the sieved dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Using a wired whisk, mix everything well.
- There should be no lumps in the cake batter. The batter is slightly thin and not thick.
- Pour the chocolate cake batter in the prepared cake pan.
Baking Eggless Chocolate Cake
- Tap the sides of the cake pan so that the extra air bubbles are let out.
- Bake the chocolate cake in a preheated oven for 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit) for 35 to 40 mins. Since temperatures vary from oven to oven, do keep a check.
- For baking in a convection mode of microwave oven, preheat the oven at 180 degrees celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit) for 15 minutes. Then bake the cake at 180 degrees celsius (356 degree Fahrenheit) for 30 to 35 minutes.
- For doneness check the cake with a bamboo skewer or toothpick. The skewer or toothpick should come out clean. Once the chocolate cake becomes warm or cools down, remove it gently from the pan and place it on a wired rack.
- If the toothpick is sticky, then place the cake back in the oven and continue to bake for some more minutes. Before frosting let the chocolate cake cool completely.
Making Chocolate Frosting
- Take the sunflower oil, almond milk and sugar in a small saucepan.
- Keep the saucepan on a low heat and stirring often mix till the sugar is dissolved. Then add the cocoa powder. On a low heat stir and mix till all the cocoa powder is dissolved. Switch off the flame.
Icing the Eggless Cake
- While still hot, pour the frosting on the chocolate cake on the top and sides of the cake. Spread it evenly with an offset spatula. You can also slice the chocolate cake in halve and spread frosting in the center and then on the top.
- Usually I wrap a medium sized plate with aluminium foil and then keep the cake on it. This make the frosting work easier.
- Keep the chocolate cake covered in the fridge for the frosting to set for a couple of hours. You can use a dome shaped bowl to cover the cake. Make sure the there is enough space between the cake and the bowl which you are using for covering the cake.
- The frosting will set after some hours.
- Next day, top the cake with some chocolate shavings or cacao shavings. You can also sprinkle some dry fruits or sprinkles. Some icing sugar and cocoa powder can also be sifted on the chocolate cake. This step is optional.
- Slice and serve the eggless chocolate cake.
Video
Notes
- For Lemon Juice: Instead of lemon juice, add same quantity of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- For Baking Soda: You can use ½ to ⅔ teaspoon eno instead of baking soda.
- For Baking Powder: You cannot use baking powder instead of baking soda.
- For Whole Wheat Flour: Replace with the same amount of purpose flour (maida) or pastry flour.
- For Almond Milk: Instead of almond milk, you can use any nut milk, vegan milk. You can even add dairy milk.
- For Sunflower Oil: Instead of sunflower oil use any neutral tasting oil in the cake batter.
- Cocoa Powder: Use the regular cocoa powder which is non-alkalized. Do not use dutch-process cocoa powder.
- In the frosting, you can use dairy butter or vegan butter instead of sunflower oil.
- For a thick frosting, add less almond milk.
Nutrition Info Approximate values
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Hi Dassana,
I tried the eggless chocolate cake and it came out really well. Thank you so much 🙂 .. It’s yummy😋
Hi Anjali, thanks for the feedback and the rating. Glad to know and welcome.
Cake turned out super moist and soft,
But it had lots of cracks on top..
And the cake crumbled into pieces as soon as I flipped it..
Could you please advise why this happened
Firstly while baking, do not open the oven door many times. Only open the door after three-fourth of the cake is baked. Use the correct pan. Do not over-mix the batter. This will avoid cracks happening at the top. The cake has to be cooled completely before you remove from the pan, especially for this cake as it is has a soft and light texture. Even removing while warm can crumble it as it is soft. I hope this helps.