Vegan Chocolate Cherry Cake (Easy Recipe) (2024)

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This moist vegan chocolate cherry cake is a super easy and delicious sponge cake recipe that can be also baked in a loaf pan, on a sheet, or as cupcakes! Served with a scoop of vegan ice cream on top, you’ll quickly convince any skeptics with this stunning cake!

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Vegan Chocolate Cherry Cake

Chocolate, cherries and ice cream – There’s almost nothing better like this incredibly delicious combination! If you love my Vegan Cherry Cheesecake Browniesor the popularGerman Mole Cake or Grandma’s Danube Wave Cake, you’ll also love this easy chocolate cherry cake! Most importantly, this recipe is really super quick and easy to make, so it’ll be surely become one of your new favorite go-to chocolate desserts!

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Ingredients for this recipe

For the chocolate sponge cake you only need a few simplepantry staple ingredients that you may have already in your pantry anyway. Just mix everything together, add cherries and put it in the oven! Of course, you can also use other fruits if you want – here you can get creative!

  • All-purpose or spelt flour: or use gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour instead. A mix of light flour and whole wheat flour also works well.
  • Cocoa powder: please use baking cocoa and not drinking chocolate!
  • Baking powder & baking soda: helps the cake to rise wonderfully!
  • Pinch of salt: to balance out the sweetness.
  • Sugar: I used a mix of raw cane sugar and coconut blossom sugar, but you can use any other kind of sugar you have on hand.
  • Cherries + their juice: Feel free to use other fruit (canned or fresh) and another fruit juice. Or just replace the juice with water or plant milk.
  • Vegetable oil: e.g. sunflower or canola oil or melted coconut oil. If you’re on a low-fat diet you could also replace some of the oil with unsweetened applesauce.
  • Vanilla extract: or ground vanilla for more flavor.
  • Apple cider vinegar: to make the leavening agents react better. However, you can also use another acid such as white vinegar or lemon juice.
  • Cornstarch: or try arrowroot starch.

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How to make Vegan chocolate cherry cake

As always, I recommend checking out these step-by-step instructions first. Then you’ll find the full recipe with exact measurements in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Prepare the cherries

Drain the cherries and reserve the juice. Then carefully mix the cherries with the cornstarch. Also, prepare your baking pan by lightly greasing the sides and lining the bottom with parchment paper.

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Step 2: Make the batter

First sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder into a large bowl. Then add baking soda, sugar, and salt and whisk together. In a measuring jar, whisk together cherry juice, oil, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. Then pour it into the flour mixture and stir with a whisk or spoon until until just combined.

*Note: Do not stir the batter too long, otherwise the cake won‘t be fluffy, but rather dense.If you like, you can stir some vegan chocolate chips or chopped nuts into the batter.

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Step 3: Pour the batter into the pan and bake it

Pour half of the batter into a prepared baking pan and spread half of the cherries on top. Then pour the rest of the batter on top and finally spread the remaining cherries on top. Bake the chocolate cherry cake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Then let cool completely.

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Make your cake extra special!

Once your cake is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely. If you like, you can brush some cherry juice, liqueur or cherry compote on top. This adds not only more flavor to your chocolate cherry cake but it also helps the cake stay moist longer.

Finally, I like to decorate the cake with desiccated coconut and fresh cherries. However, feel free to do that however you like! Served with a scoop of vegan vanilla or coconut ice cream, it tastes even better – especially on warm days in the summer!

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How can I store the cake?

It is best to store the chocolate cherry cake in an airtight cake box or another container in the refrigerator. This way it won’t dry out and will still taste delicious after 3-4 days. Remove the cake at least 20 minutes before you want to eat it or warm it in the microwave for a few seconds. This will make your piece of cake soft and fluffy again – just like freshly baked! However, leftover pieces can be easily frozen and thawed as needed.

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This vegan chocolate cherry cake recipe is:

  • Quick and easy to make
  • Egg-less
  • Dairy-free (lactose-free)
  • Can be made gluten-free
  • Wonderfully chocolaty
  • Fruity and moist
  • Soft and fluffy
  • Totally delicious!
  • Perfect for any occasion!

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More Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipes to try

  • Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
  • Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Bread
  • Moist Vegan Zucchini Brownies
  • Best Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Vegan Snickers Cake
  • Vegan Chocolate Banana Pancakes
  • Chocolate Raspberry Cake
  • Vegan Chocolate Banana Pancakes
  • Best Vegan Brownies
  • One-Bowl Vegan Chocolate Cake
  • Vegan Kinder Milchschnitten

If you try this vegan chocolate cherry cake recipe, feel free to leave me a comment and a star rating! And if you take a photo of your dessert and share it on Instagram, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your remakes! Happy baking! 🙂

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Author: Bianca Zapatka

This moist vegan chocolate cherry cake is a super easy and delicious sponge cake recipe that can be also baked in a loaf pan, on a sheet, or as cupcakes! Served with a scoop of vegan ice cream on top, you'll quickly convince any skeptics with this stunning cake!

4.88 von 8 Bewertungen

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine German

Servings 12 Servings

Calories 212.7 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose or spelt flour or gluten-free flour*
  • 6 tbsp (40 g) cocoa powder
  • 1 ½ tsp (8 g) baking powder
  • 1 tsp (6 g) baking soda or 2 tsp more baking powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • ¾ cup (150 g) sugar
  • 1 cup (240 ml) juice from the cherries or sub water or plant milk
  • cup (90 g) vegetable oil e.g. sunflower or canola oil or melted coconut oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 (350 g) can of sour cherries 12.3 oz drained weight or use fresh cherries
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch

To serve (optional)

  • desiccated coconut
  • cherries
  • vegan ice cream

Instructions

*Note: Be sure to check out the recipe video as well as the step-by-step pictures + tips at the top of the post!

  • Preheat the oven to 356 °F (180 °C). Lightly grease a 9-inch (22-24 cm) springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

  • Drain the cherries well and reserve the juice. Then add the cornstarch to the cherries and gently toss to coat.

  • Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder into a large bowl. Then add baking soda, sugar, and salt and whisk together.

  • In a measuring jar, whisk together cherry juice, oil, vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar. Then pour it into the flour mixture and mix with a whisk or spoon until just combined (do not over-mix, or the cake will be dense).

  • Pour half of the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread half of the cherries on top. Then pour the rest of the batter on top and finally spread the rest of the cherries on top.

  • Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

  • Remove from oven and let cool completely (if you like, you can brush some cherry juice, liqueur or cherry compote on top which helps the cake to stay moist longer).

  • Sprinkle the cake with desiccated coconut and garnish with fresh cherries. Serve with a scoop of vegan ice cream and enjoy!

Notes

  • Flour: Instead of all-purpose or spelt flour, you can use gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour. A mix of light flour and whole wheat flour also works well. If using whole wheat flour only the cake may be too dense.
  • Oil-free: If you are on a low-fat diet, you could replace some of the oil with unsweetened applesauce.
  • Sugar: I used a mixture of raw cane sugar and coconut blossom sugar, but you can use any type of sugar. If using syrup, you should use a little less cherry juice.
  • Variation: Feel free to fold some vegan chocolate chips or chopped or nuts into the batter last.
  • Please read my blog post for more information about this recipe!

Nutritions

Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 212.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 34.5g | Protein: 2.5g | Fat: 7.8g | Saturated Fat: 6.2g | Sodium: 37.6mg | Potassium: 111.3mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 17.3g | Vitamin A: 18.7IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 15.8mg | Iron: 1.2mg

Nutrition is calculated automatically and should be used as estimate.

Did you make this recipe?Mention @biancazapatka or tag #biancazapatka!

IF YOU HAVE PINTEREST, YOU CAN FIND ME HERE AND PIN THE FOLLOWING PICTURE, IF YOU LIKE! 🙂

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©Bianca Zapatka | All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use myimages without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please link back to this post for the recipe. More info here. Thank youfor supporting biancazapatka.com!

Vegan Chocolate Cherry Cake (Easy Recipe) (16)Disclosure for affiliate links with asterisk(*):
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Vegan Chocolate Cherry Cake (Easy Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What is a secret ingredient for cakes? ›

To summarize, applesauce is a secret weapon for creating moist and healthier cakes. Its natural sweetness and moisture make it a great substitute for high-fat ingredients like oil or butter. So go ahead, embrace the power of applesauce and elevate your cakes to new levels of deliciousness!

Why is my vegan cake not fluffy? ›

CAKE NOT RISING

This can be caused by a few things already mentioned such as using the wrong egg replacer or over mixing. I always recommend using fresh raising agents. Generally, baking soda and baking powder only stay active for 3 months after opening.

Why is my vegan cake gummy? ›

This can happen for a few reasons, but the biggest reason is that your ingredients weren't room temperature. If your ingredients, even vegan ingredients, aren't all room temperature (i.e. some are cool, some are warm, some are hot), the cake will come out gummy.

Why is my vegan cake chewy? ›

You added extra flour

If you add too much liquid to your cake batter, it may seem like a good idea to thicken it up again by adding extra flour. Usually, this will only make the problem worse and you'll end up with a gummy, dense vegan cake.

What is the main ingredient that makes a cake moist? ›

USE VEGETABLE OIL

While butter undoubtedly imparts excellent flavor, vegetable oil can really elevate a cake when it comes to moisture. Replacing butter with vegetable oil in your cake recipes typically yields moist results.

Which 2 ingredients help the cake to rise? ›

Most cakes will call for a leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda. These create the bubbles you need for the cake to rise. If the flour you use is self-raising, it already has a leavening agent in it. Make sure your butter is room temperature, and beat the butter and sugar together until properly creamed.

Why do vegan cakes need vinegar? ›

The reason that you'll see apple cider vinegar or vinegar in a lot of vegan baked goods is because it helps with the leavening. It's an acid and it helps the cakes to rise.

Why does my vegan cake taste bitter? ›

One of the most common misfortunes among bakers is that they are using too much baking soda or baking powder. Know that too much baking soda or baking powder in cakes will not just lead to a metallic and bitter taste, but it can also make a big mess in the oven as it will rise beyond expectations.

Why don't vegan cakes rise? ›

In vegan cakes, the absence of the egg makes it so that it's all about taking advantage of gluten formation to build structure. This means that when you take the egg out of a cake recipe, you're going to be taking out the primary structure builder, which means that the cake is going to fall flat.

Why is my vegan cake so dry? ›

If you have too much flour in a recipe and not enough fat, like butter or oil, your cake is going to be dry and hard. For best results, I would encourage you to use a scale when baking, but if you don't have a scale, then just make sure you're using measuring cups correctly.

Why do vegan cakes crack? ›

The batter contains too much raising agent. Too much baking powder will cause a cake to rise too quickly and too much, making it crack or spill over the sides of the tin. Reducing the amount of raising agent or using a combination of plain and self-raising flours will help produce a more even surface.

Why has my vegan cake sunk? ›

5. My cake has sunk in the middle. There are three main reasons for this: a/ the oven door has been opened before the cake has set, b/ the cake didn't go in the oven as soon as the mixture was ready or c/ there's too much raising agent.

Can vegan cake go bad? ›

Storing Unfrosted and Uncut Vegan Cakes

If you have made your sponge with vegan butter it will keep in a good tasting condition for about five days. We recommend only keeping it like this for three to be on the safe side. If you have used oil in your baking this will add about two days to the shelf life.

Does vegan cake taste good? ›

Vegan cakes maintain the flavor and texture of regular cakes; this makes them an excellent alternative to anyone who would usually be inclined to eat unhealthy desserts.

How to get vegan cakes to rise? ›

Here are some tips for you:
  1. Try the "reverse creaming" method. ...
  2. Use vegan protein powder as your egg replacer. ...
  3. To make the cake rise, I use baking powder(in the dry ingredients); then sparkling water+vinegar (added later, these are your liquids).
Jun 12, 2022

What is the secret to a good cake? ›

The next time you're baking a cake, keep these simple tricks in mind:
  • Prep the ingredients. Have all of the ingredients at room temperature, unless the recipe directs otherwise. ...
  • Use the right flour. ...
  • Prep your pans. ...
  • Alternate wet and dry ingredients. ...
  • Preheat. ...
  • Release air bubbles. ...
  • Test for doneness. ...
  • Cool down.
Jun 29, 2022

What is the secret of a delicious cake? ›

Creaming Method: The creaming method is vital for light and fluffy cakes. Cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is light in colour and fluffy. This process incorporates air into your batter, providing lift. Sifting Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, baking powder and other dry ingredients to prevent lumps.

What is your best baking secret? ›

Combine ingredients as gently as possible without overmixing. Creamed butter and sugar should be pale and fluffy, never yellow and gritty. Butter temperature is a vital detail that should not be overlooked. Don't open the oven door until goods are done baking.

What is the most important ingredient in a cake? ›

Flour is perhaps the most important ingredient in a cake mix, as it creates the basic structure of the entire cake. A major component of flour is gluten, which is a protein that provides a way for the cake to bind to itself.

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