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5 from 5 votes
by Marly
4
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This Vegan Oreo Cake takes chocolate indulgence to another level. You’ll love the ultra-moist chocolate cake topped with an Oreo frosting and vegan chocolate ganache frosting. It’s my best vegan chocolate cake with the most amazing frosting!
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Adding applesauce to the cake batter makes the cake extra moist while providing the perfect crumb
- Using coffee extract brings out the flavor of the cocoa in this rich cake
- An Oreo-infused frosting adds that delicious cookie flavor
- Chocolate Ganache dollops make this cake visually beautiful while enhancing the rich chocolate flavor in every bite!
Key Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:
- Sugar — Combining granulated sugar and brown sugar creates the best consistency for this cake.
- Flour — I use all-purpose flour, but you can substitute whole wheat pastry flour (different than whole wheat flour)
- Cocoa powder — I use natural cocoa powder for this cake, but you can substitute Dutch-process cocoa powder.
- Baking soda + baking powder — Combining these two creates a light, fluffy cake. Make sure the baking soda and baking powder are fresh.
- Salt — Table salt will work fine, or you can substitute finely ground sea salt.
- Plant-based milk — You can use almond milk or soy milk
- Apple cider vinegar — It may seem strange to add vinegar to a cake, but it helps delay the gluten formation to create a softer cake.
- Coconut oil — You can use refined coconut oil if you prefer less coconut flavor
- Applesauce — I use unsweetened applesauce
- Coffee extract — If you don’t have coffee extract around (it’s easy to make by combining coffee with vodka for several days and then straining), you can substitute a teaspoon of instant coffee
- Vanilla extract — A little bit of vanilla extract goes a long way.
- Hot water — I pour it into a pyrex measuring cup and heat it in the microwave for a minute or so to get it good and hot.
- Oreo frosting — for the frosting, you’ll need vegan butter, vegetable shortening, powdered sugar, soy milk, and Oreo cookie crumbs.
- Vegan Ganache — It’s optional, but make your cake stand out with plumes of vegan ganache. You’ll need dairy-free chocolate chips and some full-fat coconut milk.
Frosting the Cake
- Prepare the cakes using a serrated knife to shave off any dome from the baked cakes.
- Place one of the cooled cakes on a serving plate. Spread nearly half of the vegan Oreo frosting on top. Then place the second cake on top of the frosting. Frost the top and sides of the cakes with the remaining frosting.
- Ganache — Chocolate ganache rosettes are optional, but gorgous. Besides, if you’re making a vegan birthday cake, rosettes are perfect for candles.
- Cookie Crumbs — Garnish the top of the cake with crumbled cake or crumbled cookies.
- Oreo Truffles — You can place dairy-free Oreo balls on the sides of the cake!
New to Vegan Baking?
The idea of making cookies, cakes, or muffins without eggs or dairy can seem like a hill too tall to climb. But with the simple tips in my Guide to Vegan Baking, you’ll be baking like a vegan pro in no time!
Storage Tips
Cover the whole cake and store it at room temperature for 1 to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or you can cut individual slices and store these in a freezer-safe container in the fridge where they will keep for up to 2 months.
More Oreo Recipes
Yes, this vegan cake is fantastic, and here are even more vegan Oreo desserts:
Vegan Chocolate-Covered Oreos
25 mins total
Vegan Peanut Butter Pie
75 mins total
Homemade Oreo Cookies
25 mins total
Oreo Frosting
10 mins total
That’s it for this easy vegan Oreo cake recipe. Enjoy!
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Vegan Oreo Cake
Layers of vegan chocolate cake are surrounded by delicious cookie-infused frosting. It's what makes this vegan Oreo cake the best chocolate dessert ever!
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate Save
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Resting time: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 498kcal
Author: Marly McMillen
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plant-based milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅔ cup coconut oil , melted
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon coffee extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup hot water
Oreo Frosting
- ½ cup vegan butter
- ¼ cup vegan shortening
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons soy milk
- 1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs
Vegan Ganache
- 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips (or 2 four-ounce semi-sweet chocolate bars)
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (see notes)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Coat two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable cooking spray. Cut parchment paper into two 8 or 9- inch circles. Place the round parchment paper in the bottom of the pans. Spray papers with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.
In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer) mix the sugars, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine, milk, melted coconut oil, applesauce, and extracts. Stir to combine. Pour this into the mixer with the flour mixture. Beat on low until combined. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. Then beat on medium speed for about a minute until combined.
Add the hot water and mix on low until combined. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then beat on medium for a minute. This batter will be runny.
Pour half the batter into each of the prepared pans.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the edges have pulled away from the sides of the pan and the center of the cake is set. A tester inserted in the center should come out clean.
If using a 9×13 cake pan, bake for approximately 35 to 40 minutes
Remove cakes from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then invert the cakes onto wire racks and cool completely before frosting.
For the Oreo Frosting
Cream the vegan butter and shortening together until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, one cup a time, mixing in between each addition. Then add milk, one tablespoon at a time, mixing in between each addition. You should have a smooth, spreadable frosting.
Add the cookie crumbs and mix in short bursts until just combined.
Frosting the Cake
Prepare the cakes by using a serrated knife to shave off any dome from the baked cakes.
Place one of the cooled cakes on a serving plate. Spread nearly half of the frosting on top. Then place the second cake on top of the frosting. Frost the top and sides of the cakes with the remaining frosting.
Optional: Garnish the top of the cake with any crumbled cake or crumbled cookies.
For the Vegan Ganache
Chop chocolate (or use chocolate chips) and place them in a bowl. Heat the coconut milk for a minute in the microwave and pour it over the chocolate, cover, and set it aside for several minutes so the chocolate can melt. Then stir it together until creamy. Transfer it to a piping bag with a 1M star frosting tip. Place the bag in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Then pipe chocolate stars around the top edge of the cake.
Recommended Equipment
Electric Mixer
Cake Pans
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Notes
This cake is divided into 12 slices. The nutrition estimation is based on one serving without frosting.
Full fat coconut milk is necessary for the chocolate ganache. The can should indicate it has 12+ grams of fat.
Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 356mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 301IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 3mg
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a rating below then tag @namelymarly on Instagram and hashtag it #namelymarly. I love seeing your creations!
