eggless chocolate cake recipe with step by step photos – a simple, easy and delicious recipe of a one bowl eggless whole wheat chocolate cake. yes the cake is made from whole wheat flour. so one can have the cake and eat it too 🙂
i have already made this chocolate cake a couple of times to use it a basic cake for various chocolate frostings. i have even made eggless black forest cake from this chocolate cake.
the texture of this eggless chocolate cake is soft and moist. this chocolate cake recipe is vegan as i have used oil. but you can add melted butter too.
i have also shared the method of cocoa frosting which is very easy. in the frosting recipe, i have used butter, but a neutral flavored oil can also be added.
you can serve the cake as it is plain or with the chocolate frosting. but with the chocolate frosting its better 🙂
i have compiled a list of frequently asked questions and some tips from the comments section of this eggless chocolate cake recipe.
faq and tips to make eggless chocolate cake
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.
yes, you can double this eggless chocolate cake recipe.
baking soda is the only leavening ingredient added in the recipe. so it cannot be skipped.
baking powder cannot be used instead of baking soda.
you can easily bake this eggless chocolate 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.
you can make the chocolate cake in a cooker. in a pressure cooker the time taken will be less as compared to an oven. to see how a chocolate cake can be made in a pressure cooker, you can check either of these 2 detailed step by step recipes:
a) – cooker cake recipe
b) – how to make cake without oven
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 chocolate cake spongy and light.
its 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.
so to check the freshness of baking soda, add about ½ teaspoon of baking soda in 1 tablespoon vinegar + 1 tablespoon of water mixture. the solution should fizz and bubble. if the solution does not fizz and bubble, the baking soda is not active and fresh.
dry fruits and nuts like almonds, pistachios, cashews can be added in the cake 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.
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 chilled.
avoid adding honey. according to ayurveda, honey should not be heated as it becomes toxic. you can add jaggery, coconut sugar or palm sugar instead.
you can easily use vinegar instead of lemon juice. use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
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.
if you are looking for more eggless cake recipes then do check:
eggless chocolate cake
Ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)
for eggless chocolate cake
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (atta), levelled OR 120 grams atta (you can use all purpose flour-maida also)
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- ¾ cup sugar or 150 grams sugar ( i have used unrefined cane sugar, regular sugar can also be used)
- 1 cup cold water, 250 ml
- ¼ cup oil or melted butter, 62.5 ml
- 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice (can also use vinegar instead of lemon juice)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder or vanilla essence
for the cocoa frosting
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 4 tablespoons sugar or add as required
How to Make Recipe
preparation for eggless chocolate cake
- 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 making eggless chocolate cake batter
- seive 1 cup whole wheat flour, 3 tbsp cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, ½ tsp baking soda in a plate. use good quality cocoa powder.
- in another pan or bowl, take ¾ cup sugar.
- add 1 cup cold water and stir so that the sugar dissolves.
- now add ¼ cup oil or melted butter. i added oil. stir briskly so that everything is mixed well.
- next add 1 tbsp lime juice. stir again.
- now add ½ tsp vanilla extract or powder.
- 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 not thick but thin.
- 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 eggless chocolate cake in a preheated oven for 200 degrees celsius/392 degrees fahrenhiet 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 the 30 to 35 minutes.
- for doneness check the cake with a tooth pick. the tooth pick should come out clean. once the chocolate cake becomes warm or cools down, unmold and place it on a wired rack.
- if the tooth pick 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 for cake
- take 2 tbsp butter and 4 tbsp sugar in a saucepan.
- heat and melt the butter. also the sugar should dissolve. once the sugar has dissolved switch off the stove top. the sugar should be just dissolved. we don’t need to cook the sugar in its various stages.
- next add 4 tbsp cocoa powder.
- with a spatula stir so that the cocoa powder gets mixed evenly with the butter-sugar mixture.
- add 3 tbsp milk. stir very well. to make a slightly thick frosting, you can also add 2 tbsp milk. the cocoa frosting is ready.
icing chocolate cake
- while still hot, spread the frosting on the chocolate cake as well as the sides with a 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. this time i just kept the cake directly on the plate. keep the chocolate cake covered in the fridge for the frosting to set. 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. i kept overnight.
- next day, sieve some icing sugar and cocoa powder on the chocolate cake. this is optional.
- slice and serve the the eggless chocolate cake.
Notes
- instead of lime juice, add same quantity of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
- you can use ½ to ⅔ teaspoon eno instead of baking soda.
- you cannot use baking powder instead of baking soda.
how to make eggless chocolate cake
for ease of understanding, i have divided this cake recipe post in 3 main parts:
- step 1 – making batter for eggless chocolate cake
- step 2 – baking eggless chocolate cake
- step 3 – making chocolate frosting for cake
lets start with step 1 – making batter for eggless chocolate cake
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.
2. seive 1 cup whole wheat flour (you can use all purpose flour/maida also), 3 tbsp cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, ½ tsp baking soda in a plate. use good quality cocoa powder.
3. here are the sieved dry ingredients.
4. in another pan or bowl, take ¾ cup sugar. i have used unrefined cane sugar, regular white sugar can also be used.
5. add 1 cup cold water and stir so that the sugar dissolves.
6. now add ¼ cup oil or melted butter. i added oil. if using butter, the let the butter come at room temperature after you melt it. or you can also use butter which has softened at room temperature. then you just have to mix and whip them till the mixture looks homogeneous – meaning the water and butter should not look separate. you can also use an electric beater if required. the butter will solidify due to the cold temperature of water, so the only way to mix it evenly with the water is by briskly beating with a wired whisk or with an electric beater. use a wide deep bowl, so that the mixture does not spill out while mixing with the electric beater.
7. stir briskly so that everything is mixed well.
8. next add 1 tbsp lime juice. stir again.
9. now add ½ tsp vanilla extract or powder. here i added vanilla powder.
tip from reader manasi – you can also add chocolate extract or chocolate essence instead of vanilla.
10. add the sieved dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
11. using a wired whisk, mix everything well.
12. there should be no lumps in the chocolate cake batter. the batter is not thick but thin.
baking eggless chocolate cake
13. pour the chocolate cake batter in the prepared cake pan.
14. tap the sides so that the extra air bubbles are let out.
15. bake the eggless chocolate cake in a preheated oven for 200 degrees celsius/392 fahrenhiet 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 for 15 minutes. then bake the cake at 180 degrees celsius for the 30 to 35 minutes.
16. for doneness check the cake with a tooth pick. the tooth pick should come out clean. once the eggless chocolate cake becomes warm or cools down, unmold and place it on a wired rack. if the tooth pick is sticky, then place the chocolate cake back in the oven and continue to bake for some more minutes. before frosting, let the chocolate cake cool completely.
making cocoa frosting for chocolate cake
17. take 2 tablespoons butter and 4 tablespoons sugar in a saucepan. for the frosting its best to use superfine sugar or fine sugar. the regular large refined sugar crystals may not melt. powdered sugar can be also used. i have used organic refined cane sugar which has fine crystals so they melt easily. if you do not have fine sugar, then grind 4 tablespoons sugar in a small mixer-grinder jar to a fine powder and then use it for making the frosting.
18. heat and melt the butter. also the sugar should dissolve. once the sugar has dissolved switch off the stove top. the sugar should be just dissolved. we don’t need to cook the sugar in its various stages.
19. next add 4 tbsp cocoa powder.
20. with a spatula stir so that the cocoa powder gets mixed evenly with the butter-sugar mixture.
21. add 3 tbsp milk. to make a slightly thick frosting, you can also add 2 tbsp milk.
22. stir very well. the cocoa frosting is ready.
icing eggless chocolate cake
23. while still hot, spread the frosting on the chocolate cake as well as the sides with a 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. this time i just kept the chocolate cake directly on the plate. keep the chocolate cake covered in the fridge for the frosting to set. 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.
23. while still hot, spread the frosting on the chocolate cake as well as the sides with a 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. this time i just kept the chocolate cake directly on the plate. keep the chocolate cake covered in the fridge for the frosting to set. 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.
24. the frosting will set after some hours. i kept overnight.
25. next day, i sieved some icing sugar and cocoa powder on the cake. this is optional.
26. the eggless chocolate cake is ready to be served. for more delicious chocolate recipes, you can check this collection of 21 eggless chocolate recipes.
At the given temperature and 30 minutes, my cake got burned. Easy to prepare but missed the opportunity to eat good cake! Used regular oven
every oven is different and the temperature varies with the size, type and built of the oven. in most of the baking recipes shared on blog, i always mention to keep a check on the baking as each oven is different. if the oven gets hot very fast than the baking will also be faster. so what may take 30 minutes will take 20 or even less minutes. the time mentioned is like a benchmark and depending on the oven can be more or less. also do not keep the oven close to the top heating element as the browning or burning will happen faster if kept near the top heating element.
usually, it works to use the bake mode of an OTG (only lower heating element on) or use both the heating elements (toast mode). keep the pan on the center rack for even baking. there is also a possibility that your oven is baking at a more higher temperature than 200 degrees celsius. there are ways to check this and in google you can search with the words – calibrate oven.
Hi , dassna ,when ever i make cake ,the cake becomes very hard ,so can u suggest me what should i do!!!!!!
firstly do not mix batter too much. the batter should feel light and not heavy. also make sure that the baking powder or baking soda used in the recipe is fresh and active. do not over bake too. hope this helps.
Hi Dassana,
Have a few question on the eggless chocolate cake:
1. Can i use ghee instead of oil/butter? if yes, would the qty be same?
2. can i also use half ragi flour & half whole wheat flour or any any other proportion?
Thanks,
priti,
1. yes you can use ghee. add 1/4th cup ghee or butter.
2. yes half ragi and half whole wheat flour can be used. but with ragi, you may need to add some more water. you can even use 1/4th cup of ragi and 3/4th cup of atta.
Hi Dassana I love your recipes. A question on baking (I am a novice). Some recipes call for curd, yours don’t. Also this cake batter is way thinner than other cake recipes you have made. Could you guide on what the science is behind these two? Would like to understand the logic! Thank you.
thanks ashu. this chocolate cake recipe is very different from the ones using curd. curd helps the chocolate cake to have more softness and moisture in it and thus makes it slightly heavy. i have made chocolate cakes with both curd and without curd so i know. since curd is not used in this recipe, its light similar to a chocolate sponge cake. so for making frosted chocolate cakes, this cake works very well as base cake since it is light and has a structure. so the frosting or icing does not weigh the cake down. cake batters’ consistency depends on the ingredients that go in the batter and also the kind of cake that is being made.
baking soda or baking powder is added in eggless cakes as it reacts with the acidic ingredients in the cake. in this chocolate cake recipe, the acidic ingredient is vinegar or lemon juice. in recipes where curd is added, the acidic ingredient is curd itself. hope this helps.
Wow! There is so much to this! Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Have a wonderful day!
welcome ashu.
Awesome cake turned out perfect.. ThAnks dassana
welcome and thanks for the feedback prajwalita.
Hi Dassana,
It is a healthy recipe and a tasty one to convince my daughter ‘s craving for chocolate cake.. I don’t encourage buying from bakeries as they use sugar and maida. And I never baked before and this is my first attempt and it turned out great… Thanks for giving us nice and detailed recipes and I hope I would bake frequently henceforth..love and thanks in a ton..
thank you prabhaa. same here, i avoid buying cakes from bakeries as they use vegetable fat, trans fat, maida, additives etc. its best to bake at home. at least you know what ingredients you are adding in the cake or cookie. do try some more baking recipes and i am sure you will like them. thanks again.
Hi , I made the cake as per your instructions but it’s little rubbery or rather dense and I felt so heavy after eating a small piece . The cake was done in 35-40 mins and the toothpick came out clean but there were no crackes on top as generally is seen on cakes. This is the 1st time I made no egg cake and I’m feeling so bad it didn’t turn out well. Please advice .
which oven did you use for baking cake. did you bake using the microwave mode of an oven. secondly was the baking soda fresh or active. if the baking soda is not fresh or active, the cake won’t rise and be light and fluffy. there will be denseness in the texture. let me know.
HI dassana, you know what it turned out to be perfect after few hours….wondering what happened ?
It tasted awesome and was over in a day.
I’m making it again today
By the way : the baking soda was fresh and I used my regular OTG for baking .
Thank you
thanks for letting me know ashwini. sometimes the texture of a cake and even breads change dramatically after they cool down or after a couple of hours. glad that the chocolate cake was over in a day. thanks again.
Hello, Dassana, This is an amazing reciepe. I have made this cake numerous times without frosting and once or twice with frosting. What inspires me is that it has all healthy ingredients and it is eggless 🙂 Your clear instructions make it so much easier. Great job and keep posting.
thank you shailaja for sharing this lovely feedback on eggless chocolate cake. yes the cake tastes good with or without frosting. sure i will add more recipes. thanks again.
Can we use salted butter or oil for frosting?
you can use salted butter and oil. for oil use a neutral flavored oil. with salted butter there will be faint hints of salt taste, but its not distinctly felt.
Thanks so much for such a fantastic and easy recipe. The chocolate cake with the frosting came out absolutely delicious! I don’t think I’ll ever be tempted to buy cakes outside anymore!
As you’ve heard enough times by now, thanks to your detailed, precise recipes, I feel like quite an awesome cook :). The most amazing part being that your recipes are always as healthy as can be, can’t appreciate that enough! Thanks a ton.
thank you neha for this splendid feedback on eggless chocolate cake recipe. i do try to make recipes healthy wherever possible, but in baking it does not work every time. i so agree that after one makes cakes or cookies at home, one does not feel like buying them from outside.
Hi, can we use Pillsbury or ashirvad attack for wheat flour.
yes you can use pillsbury or ashirvad atta.