Eggless Chocolate Cake (Moist + Rich)
When you need a moist eggless chocolate cake recipe that has been well tested, this is the one! No need for eggs at all and you can never tell the difference. This recipe produces a beautiful 3-tiered eggless chocolate cake that everyone will love.
When it comes to this no egg chocolate cake, there are a few things to keep in mind. Using oil and sour cream due to the higher fat content makes all the difference in keeping the cake moist for longer – including the next day! I tested this recipe the most out of all my recipes. I attempted using a butter base, creaming the butter and sugar, and using yogurt. None of them had the right taste and texture. When they finally baked up perfectly, I did a small celebration dance and made sure I took good notes to replicate it over and over again.
This cake has the best chocolate buttercream frosting. This can easily be swapped out though. Be sure to use a frosting you enjoy since it’s a big part of every bite!
Quick Look:
🕒 Total Time: About 3 hours 30 minutes (this includes cooling and decorating time).
🧁 Yields: One 3-layer 8-inch cake.
🔥Ingredients used for the cake batter: all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, white granulated sugar, salt, vegetable oil, sour cream, vanilla extract, boiling water, apple cider vinegar, and espresso powder.
💡 Top Tip: Use full-fat sour cream and don’t overbake the cake. The sour cream provides moisture and structure while the oil keeps the cake soft for days. Start checking the cake a few minutes early, as even a few extra minutes in the oven can dry it out.
❤️ Why You’ll Love It: No eggs, no special egg replacers, incredibly moist, rich chocolate flavor, and perfect for birthdays or special occasions.
Note from Lexi: Why this Recipe Works
My eggless chocolate cake is:
Rich: With the cocoa powder, espresso powder, and the boiling water (to really “bloom” the cocoa powder), it is rich in flavor!
Stunning: The 3-tiered layers produces a seriously impressive cake. It is truly beautiful!
Approachable: Everything is mixed in one bowl for ease. It does take some time to bake, cool, and decorate, but it absolutely doable for any home baker!
No weird ingredients: This recipe uses no weird egg substitutes. Just everyday pantry and fridge staples.
– Lexi with Our Slice of Home
Ingredients and substitutions
Eggless chocolate cake
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
How to make chocolate cake without eggs
Making chocolate cake without eggs is easier than you might think. Instead of relying on eggs for structure and moisture, this recipe uses sour cream, baking soda, baking powder, and vinegar to create a soft, fluffy crumb.
Step one: Mix your dry ingredients together including flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and espresso powder.
Step two: Pour in oil, vanilla, and sour cream. Mix together. The batter will be VERY lumpy and dry.
Step three: Pour in the boiling cup of water and mix until combined. Pour it evenly into the 3 cake pans. In the cake pans I grease the bottom, place a circle layer of parchment paper, and grease the top of the parchment paper. This will ensure the cake can easily be removed.
Step four: Bake for 28 – 33 minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely on wired cooling racks.
Step five: Assemble your buttercream frosting. Remove the cake from the pans. It’s important your cake layers are level for stability. Use a serrated knife to slice off the domed top so the top is flat. Place a layer of frosting (about 1/2 cup) between each layer. Then do a light crumb coat of frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step six: Finish decorating your cake! An offset spatula is very helpful for spreading frosting.
FAQ
Dense cake is usually caused by overmixing the batter, expired baking soda or baking powder, or measuring too much flour. For best results, use gram measurements. If you do not have a small kitchen scale, spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off.
When removing eggs from a recipe you are taking away a source of structure, a lifting agent, and moisture. This recipe uses sour cream and a bit more flour for structure. For leavening agents it uses both baking powder, baking soda, and apple cider vinegar to provide lift. For moisture it uses oil, sour cream, and water. No commercial egg replacers or flax eggs are needed! Just normal everyday ingredients.
Yes. The cake layers can be baked up to 2 days ahead. Allow them cool completely then store them tightly wrapped. You can also freeze the unfrosted layers for up to 3 months.
Yes. Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake at 350°F for approximately 16 to 20 minutes.
Yes. Use a vegan sour cream for the cake batter. For the frosting, use a dairy free butter and milk (see more in the allergy-friendly swap section below).
Espresso enhances the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
Make sure your baking powder or baking soda are not expired. You could have also underbaked the chocolate cake.
This could be from overbaking, next time decrease bake time by a few minutes. Also, ensure you are measuring the flour correctly. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife. If not, you may have too much flour in the cake.
No. It truly tastes like a classic, rich chocolate cake.
More eggless cake recipes
Craving cake? You’ll also love this eggless vanilla sheet or this eggless lemon cake! This eggless apple cake has a thicker crumb and is delightful.
Frosting Pairings
This recipe uses a classic chocolate buttercream frosting, but you could also use a vanilla buttercream frosting. If you are looking for something light, this cream cheese glaze is a great option.
Why this eggless chocolate cake works
When it comes to eggless cakes, having a recipe that was specifically designed to be egg-free is beneficial for so many reasons. This recipe makes sure there is enough leavening agents such as baking powder and baking soda (with apple cider vinegar to activate it). Sour cream is not only used to replace moisture but also add structure. There is no need for weird or expensive egg substitutes. It tastes downright incredible! This moist chocolate cake without eggs is truly delicious. It makes a perfect birthday cake without eggs or for any special occasion.
Equipment needed
- Three 8-inch cake pans
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk and silicone spatula
- Pot to boil water
- Offset spatula for cake decorating/spreading of the frosting
Allergy-Friendly Swaps
This cake is naturally prepared without eggs or nuts (always check ingredient labels!)
To make this cake dairy-free: Use a vegan sour cream in the cake recipe. For the buttercream frosting, use a vegan butter (stick version, not a spreadable kind). Use a dairy-free milk such as oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk.
To make this cake gluten-free: Swap a 1:1 gluten free flour blend specifically for baking such as Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour
Note: These substitutions have been tested individually, meaning gluten free and egg free or dairy free and egg free. I have not tested this recipe with all three modifications together (egg free, dairy free, and gluten free).
How to store
Without frosting: Store in an airtight container on the countertop for up to 5 days.
With frosting: Store in the fridge, covered for up to 5 days.
To freeze: To freeze the unfrosted cake allow to cool completely in the cake pan. Remove from the pan and wrap in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Place the cake on the countertop (still wrapped) to thaw out.
Tips for Success
To prevent a dry cake, avoid overbaking. Check on it early and add a few minutes as needed.
Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting it.
Applying a crumb coat, which is a thin layer of frosting applied to a cake to trap crumbs and create a smooth base for the final layer of frosting. Once you put on the crumb coat, chill the cake for 30 minutes in the fridge. Then apply the final layer of frosting.
If you made this recipe, I’d be so grateful if you left a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a quick comment sharing how it turned out. And if you haven’t already, follow along here:
– Lexi with Our Slice of Home
Eggless Chocolate Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Eggless Chocolate Cake
- 2 cups (260 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (70 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 ml) boiling water
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 cups (340 g) powdered sugar
- 5 tablespoons whole milk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Bake the cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Grease three, 8-inch cake pans then place a circle parchment paper on the bottom and grease the top of the parchment paper. Set aside.
- Sift the cocoa powder to remove any clumps. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt, and espresso powder. Whisk together.2 cups all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 ½ cup white granulated sugar, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- Pour in sour cream, oil, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract. Using a silicone spatula, stir together. The batter will be very thick.½ cup vegetable oil, 1 cup full-fat sour cream, ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour in boiling water and mix together. The batter will now be much thinner and easier to mix.1 cup boiling water
- Pour evenly into 3 cake pans. Tap the cake pans on the countertop to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 28-33 minutes on the center rack of the oven. You'll know the cake is done when a toothpick comes out of the center clean. The cake layers should rise to about 1 inch tall and spring back lightly when pushed in the center with your finger.
- Move the cake pans onto a cooling rack. You can leave the cakes in the pan until completely cool. This will take about 2 hours.
Prepare the frosting
- In a large bowl whip butter with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. This takes about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.1 cup unsalted butter
- Pour in milk, vanilla, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute until well combined. You can add 1 tablespoon more of milk if you need it thinner or a bit more powdered sugar to thicken it.¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 5 tablespoons whole milk , 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 cups powdered sugar
Assemble and decorate the cake
- Run a knife around the edge of the first cake pan and then remove the cake and set it on a plate. It’s important your cake layers are level for stability. Use a serrated knife to slice off the domed top so the top is flat. Spread 1/2 cup of frosting over the top and smooth it with an offset spatula.
- Remove the second cake layer using the same method and cut off the domed top. Spread another 1/2 cup of frosting evenly over the cake.
- Place the third and final cake layer on top. Add another 1/2 cup of frosting to the top and spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and sides of the cake. This is called a crumb coat. It traps crumbs to create a smooth base for the final layer of frosting.
- Place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Chilling the cake allows the frosting to firm up, making it easier to apply the final layer of frosting and decorate as desired.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator and frost with the remaining frosting.
Perfect for any gathering! We had some friends over and it was loved by all