Eggless Chocolate Cake

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.

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 33

Cooling and Decorating time 2 30

Total Time 3 23

Equipment

3 8-inch cake pans

1 large mixing bowl

Wisk and Silicone Spatula

Offset spatula - (optional but is helpful for spreading the frosting)

Ingredients

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.

Notes

Measure your flour correctly: If you don't have a kitchen scale to measure in grams, spoon the flour into the measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. If you scoop directly in a bowl of flour you can get way too much flour and result in a dense/dry cake.

Placing the cakes on the cooling rack allows air to circulate underneath the pan while it cools.

The espresso powder can really enhance the chocolate flavor. However, you can omit the espresso powder and its still delicious.

Oven temperatures can greatly vary. Check on the cake early on and add a few minutes as needed. You don't want to overbake your cake.

Alternative Cake Sizes

Sheet Cake: This recipe will fit in a 9×13 pan, but it will need a bit more bake time so keep an eye on it until a toothpick comes out of the center clean.

Cupcakes: Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake at 350°F for approximately 16 to 20 minutes.

See the allergy-friendly swap section above for suggestions to make this recipe gluten-free or dairy-free

Keyword Allergy-friendly Chocolate Cake, birthday cake without eggs, Chocolate Cake without Eggs, Egg-free Chocolate Cake, eggless cake recipe

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!