Low Sodium Vegan Chocolate Cake

Total time2 hr

Prep time25 min

Cook time35 min

This is a deeply chocolatey layer cake built on cocoa powder, brewed coffee, and a splash of apple cider vinegar stirred into dairy free milk to create that classic tender, moist vegan crumb. The coffee deepens the cocoa flavor without tasting like coffee itself, while neutral oil keeps every slice soft for days. Once the layers cool, they get sandwiched and coated in a fluffy frosting made from whipped vegan butter, sifted powdered sugar, and more cocoa, beaten until it's glossy and easy to spread all the way to the edges. The whole thing comes together in one bowl for the batter and one bowl for the frosting, so it's an approachable weekend bake even for beginners. It's a great pick for anyone following a low added salt lifestyle, letting the rich chocolate and coffee flavors take center stage instead. Slice it thick — this one's meant to be a showstopper.

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the cake

1 cup dairy free milk
So Delicious Dairy Free Organic Unsweetened Coconut Milk Better Than Milk Almond Milk Unswt Org - 33.8 Fl. Oz.Pacific Foods Organic Unsweetened Soy Milk, 32 oz
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1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ¾ cups organic cane sugar
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine salt
Chef's tip
Season to taste - salt substitutes can taste bitter in larger amounts, so start with less.
1 cup hot brewed coffee
½ cup neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower)
2 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting

1 cup vegan butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
3–4 tbsp dairy free milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp fine salt
Chef's tip
Season to taste - salt substitutes can taste bitter in larger amounts, so start with less.

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2
Stir together the dairy free milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes until slightly curdled — this is your vegan buttermilk.

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