Delicious Vegan Chocolate Cake with Sprinkles Recipe by Meera Sodha | A Must-Try Cake for all Dessert Lovers

Could chocolate cake be one of the world’s most beloved guests? A well-traveled dessert cherished in various occasions such as office meetings, fundraisers, dinner parties, batmitzvahs, and even weddings, the chocolate cake holds a special place in celebrations. With that in mind, it’s high time to share a recipe for a crowd-pleasing (meaning, large), vegan, and delightful chocolate cake.

Chocolate cake with sprinkles

For a long time, hot water has been a secret ingredient in chocolate cakes. The rationale behind it is that the water enhances the richness of the chocolate by blooming the cocoa. When combined with a hint of banana (almost imperceptible), this results in a delightful, moist, and decadent cake. Feel free to decorate it to your heart’s content. In my opinion, the more sprinkles and baubles, the merrier.

Prep 5 min
Cook 1 hr + cooling time
Serves 12

For the cake
300ml whole oat milk
1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
300g plain flour
280g caster sugar
80g cocoa powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
2½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
200g ripe banana (ie, 1 large one), peeled
150ml rapeseed oil
1 tbsp vanilla paste
Vegan sprinkles, to decorate

For the buttercream
100g 70% dark chocolate, suitable for vegans
120g unsalted vegan butter, softened
80g icing sugar
¼ tsp fine sea salt

To begin, preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Grease a 20cm x 30cm cake tin and line it with greaseproof paper. Cut a slit in each corner to fit the paper into the tin more neatly. In a small bowl, mix the oat milk and cider vinegar, then set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, caster sugar, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Whisk them together to ensure they are well combined.

In another large bowl, break the banana into chunks and mash it with a fork until smooth. Add the oil, vanilla paste, and oat milk/vinegar mixture. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the ingredients until well combined. Increase the speed to high and beat again until the banana is completely broken down and everything is thoroughly mixed.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and slowly stir in 275ml of boiling water. Using the lowest speed, carefully mix until a wet batter forms. Spoon the batter into the lined tin and tap it on a worktop a couple of times to release any air bubbles. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.

While the cake is cooling, prepare the buttercream. Break the dark chocolate into small pieces and place them in a glass or microwave-safe bowl in a single layer. Heat in 30-second intervals until almost melted (the residual heat will melt the remaining chocolate). Set aside.

Rinse off the electric mixer and beat the butter in a large bowl on high speed for about a minute or until fluffy. Gradually beat in the icing sugar. Initially, it will resemble rubble, but continue beating until the butter and sugar combine into a creamy consistency. When the chocolate is warm to the touch, stir it into the butter mixture, add the salt, and beat until smooth and silky.

Using the paper lining, lift the cake from the tin and transfer it to a plate. Alternatively, you can leave it in the tin. Once completely cooled, evenly spread the buttercream over the top of the cake and generously sprinkle with your desired amount of sprinkles.