Who says you need eggs to make a cake super moist? You won’t believe how delicious, easy, and moist this eggless chocolate cake is. It has a tender crumb and bold chocolate flavor and is paired with chocolate frosting. This recipe is perfect for those with egg allergies and also for those who ran out of eggs and need to make a cake ASAP.
Eggless Chocolate Cake Recipe Highlights
The cake is supremely tender, fluffy, and moist. Bursting with a rich chocolate flavor. Easy to make. Simple Ingredients. Perfect for birthdays, craving days, or any celebration. This chocolate cake is freezer-friendly! I love to freeze it in individual portions, so whenever my daughter is invited to a birthday party, I can pack her a piece of eggless cake so she can participate in the cake-eating festivities and not feel left out!
Why Does This Eggless Chocolate Cake Recipe Work Great?
After years of testing egg-free cake recipes, I found out that the best way to substitute eggs in a cake recipe is to find the right combination of leavening agents, such as baking powder and/or baking soda, and acids, such as vinegar, lemon juice, buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, etc…When leavaners and acids are combined, they react and produce gas (bubbles) that will make the cake fluffy. Cakes without eggs can be a little tricky, but not impossible! The best egg substitutes for a cake recipe are baking soda + buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, sweetened condensed milk, applesauce, and ripe mashed banana. Keep in mind that these last two can alter the flavor of the cake.
3 – Pour batter into prepared pan(s).
3 – Bake the Cake
Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the chocolate cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely in the pan. You’ll need:
Flour: Standard all-purpose flour works best here; skip the cake flour, bread flour, and wheat flour. Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Make sure they’re not expired or too old. Unsweetened cocoa powder: I like to use unsweetened natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch-processed because it’s more acidic and reacts with baking soda, allowing your baked goods to rise. Salt: I prefer kosher or sea salt. If you only have table salt handy, I recommend reducing the amount to half. Instant coffee: This is optional, but I recommend its addition because it enhances the chocolate flavor. Adding a little bit will make things taste more “chocolatey” without giving a coffee flavor. Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter, but if you only have salted butter handy, you can use it. In this case, skip the salt called in the recipe. Sugar: Regular white granulated sugar or caster sugar. Sour cream: You can substitute sour cream for plain regular yogurt. I recommend using the full-fat versions. Oil: Vegetable or canola oil – Or any light-tasting oil of your preference. Buttermilk: You don’t have buttermilk? No problem!! Check out my recipe for Easy Homemade Buttermilk Substitute [Video]. Vanilla extract: For optimal flavor, reach for pure vanilla instead of imitation. Even better, try homemade vanilla extract! Vinegar: you can use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
1 – Prepare the Oven And Pan
Preheat the oven to 350º F (175º C). Line a 9 x 13-inch (35 x 24 cm) baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly grease with baking spray with flour.
2 – Make the Egg-Free Cake Batter
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Reserve. Stir together hot water and instant coffee power until the coffee is dissolved. Reserve. Cream butter and sugar together. Then add oil and vanilla and beat for 2 more minutes. Add sour cream and vinegar; continue beating until well combined, about 1 minute. Turn the mixer to low and add the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture; beat until just combined about 30 – 45 seconds. Do not overmix.
4 – Frost the Cake
I frosted this eggless chocolate cake with my favorite, silky smooth chocolate frosting. In my opinion, a good chocolate cake needs a decadent chocolate frosting, and this one is it. However, if you’re looking for something different I included a few other options in the recipe. Two of my favorite options would be my Vanilla Buttercream, Cream Cheese Frosting or Strawberry Buttercream, Or maybe the Oreo Frosting. So many options!
Preheat the oven for at least 15 minutes before starting the recipe, giving it plenty of time to reach the ideal temperature. Don’t overmix the batter. Instead, mix just until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout. Bake the batter as soon as it is ready. Don’t open the oven door until your baked good has set. Leave the oven closed until the minimum time is stated in the recipe. Every oven is different, so baking times always have to be taken with a grain of salt. Oven thermostats can be wildly off, affecting baking time, so keep an eye on yours.
Gluten-Free: Substitute all-purpose flour for 1-to-1 Gluten-Free flour. This is my favorite brand. Dairy-Free: Use your favorite plant-based milk, dairy-free, or vegan butter. My favorite dairy-free butter brands for baking are:
Miyoko’s Creamery Organic Vegan Butter. Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
Make sure to use an unflavored, unsweetened variety of non-dairy milk to make your own buttermilk substitute. Soy and oat milk have the best consistency and very neutral flavors, in my opinion. To make your own dairy-free buttermilk at home, check my Easy Homemade Buttermilk Substitute [Video] post.
Also, use your favorite dairy-free sour cream. You can substitute sour cream for dairy-free plain unsweetened yogurt.
Storing & Freezing Instructions
This egg-free chocolate cake always gets eaten up so quickly that you might not even have leftovers to pack up! But if you do have leftovers or you’re planning on making these ahead of time for a party, here’s how to do so.
Store
This eggless chocolate cake will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days as long as it’s unfrosted. If frosted, store it in the fridge. I suggest frosting it the day you intend to enjoy it so the cake lasts longer!
Freeze
To freeze, skip frosting the cake. Let the cake cool completely, wrap the cake or slices tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a plastic double zipper quart freezer bag. Freeze the cakes for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before icing and serving.
More Eggless Cake Recipes You’ll Love!
Eggless Red Velvet Cake Eggless Vanilla Cake Recipe Eggless Lemon Cake Eggless Carrot Cake Eggless Pineapple Upside Down Cake More eggless cake recipes…
Recipe Card 📖
You’ve asked, and I’ve answered! Read on for a handful of answers to the most frequently asked questions about eggless baking. Originally posted in January 2018, the post content was edited to add more helpful information, with no change to the recipe in May 2022.
