Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake with Coffee Buttercream Frosting
Last Updated on June 30, 2022 by Annie
Moist, chocolaty, and topped with a delightful coffee buttercream frosting, this dairy-free chocolate cake makes the perfect addition to any celebration. Serve this spongy chocolate cake with a warm cup of coffee or a large scoop of dairy-free ice cream.
One afternoon, while talking with my mom, she asked if I had a recipe for a chocolate cake on the site. She typically makes the salted chocolate chunk cookies but was looking to switch it up and make a cake.
While you can find a banana cake or a lemon bunt cake, aside from the ultra-addictive Texas Sheet Cake, the site was sorely lacking in a traditional chocolate cake.
In an effort to remedy this issue, I began testing what would later become the ultimate, dairy-free chocolate cake you see here today. Moist, fudgy, and topped with a creamy coffee buttercream, this dairy-free cake is everything you want in a slice of chocolate cake.
Why We LOVE this fudgy Chocolate Cake Recipe
As if you need reasons to make and indulge in a dairy-free chocolate cake… Here are some of my top reasons to keep coming back to this cake recipe.
- Moist, tender cake. From the oil, to the non-dairy buttermilk, to the warm coffee, everything is working to make this a melt in your mouth cake.
- Chocolate + Coffee = Mocha! There is an ever so delicious flavor of mocha in this decadent chocolate cake. Plus the addition of coffee makes the chocolate an even rich-er flavor.
- Dairy-Free. All the delicious flavor of chocolate in a moist and dairy-free cake.
How to Make Chocolate Cake with Coffee Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients You’ll Need For the Cake
- Sugar– A blend of granulated and brown sugar.
- Vegetable oil– Instead of butter, to keep the cake dairy-free, tender, and moist.
- Eggs– Binds the batter together.
- Dairy-Free Buttermilk– A mixture of oat milk and apple cider vinegar keep this cake moist and tender.
- Vanilla, Coffee, Water– Adds flavor and a little moisture to the batter.
- Dry Ingredients– A mixture of flour, baking soda, and salt give structure and rise to the cake.
- Cocoa Powder– Unsweetened, to give the cake a decadently chocolate flavor.
Simple Steps for Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake
- Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch cake pan. Set aside.
- Make dairy-free buttermilk: In a small bowl mix together oat milk with apple cider vinegar and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes.
- Cream oil and sugar: In the base of a stand mixer, beat together granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil.
- Once mixed, add vanilla.
- Mix in eggs: Then beat in the eggs, one at a time.
- Add liquid ingredients: Mixing on low, pour in the dairy-free buttermilk, coffee, and water. Scrape the side of the bowl to make sure all of the ingredients are well mixed.
- Sift dry ingredients into wet: Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder over the wet ingredients.
- Fold gently: Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
- Bake: Pour the chocolate cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 35 minutes.
Make the Coffee Buttercream
While the cake is baking, whip up a batch of the coffee buttercream frosting. To make it you’ll need:
- Plant-based butter– Softened to room temperature.
- Coffee– Gives the frosting a little flavor as well as a hint of color.
- Powdered Sugar– To sweeten and give structure to the frosting.
- Vanilla– Enhances the coffee flavor.
- Salt– Balances out the sweetness of the powdered sugar.
Once you’ve gathered the ingredients you’ll need, here’s how to make this simple dairy-free buttercream frosting.
- Cream butter and sugar: In the base of a stand mixer, beat together plant-based butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix in liquids: Add the coffee, vanilla, and salt. Beat until well mixed.
- Frost: Once the cake is baked and fully cooled, frost using the coffee buttercream frosting.
Serving Suggestions for Chocolate Cake
This dairy-free chocolate cake pairs well with many different things. If you are looking for ways to dish it out try:
- With a cup of coffee. The coffee in the cake and frosting pairs perfectly with a fresh brewed cup.
- Next to a side of ice cream. Scoop a large serving of vanilla ice cream like- O’My Dairy Free Vanilla Bean Gelato Pint.
- Swap the frosting. If you’re not into coffee in your buttercream, try using a traditional vanilla icing. Pillsbury’s Vanilla Supreme is naturally dairy-free.
Dairy-Free Changes to Chocolate Cake
With just a few simple swaps we were able to bring this dairy-free chocolate cake to life.
- Vegetable oil– Many cake recipes call for butter, to make it dairy-free and still maintain plenty moisture, I used vegetable oil.
- Dairy-Free Buttermilk– A mixture of oat milk and apple cider vinegar keep this cake moist and tender.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder– For all of the chocolatey flavor without any of the dairy side effects be sure to check that the cocoa powder you selected is made only with cocoa.
- Plant-based butter– I used Country Crock Plant Butter to keep the coffee buttercream frosting deliciously dairy-free.
Storing Suggestions
If you are looking to make this cake in advance of eating it or have some left-over (gasp), here are the best ways to store your cake.
- Unfrosted Cake: Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap or keep in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days in advance.
- Coffee Buttercream: Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in advance.
- Frosted Chocolate Cake: Once the cake is frosted, it will keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. While it won’t spoil after 3 days, it might start getting dry.
More Dairy-Free Cake Recipes
- Banana Snack Cake with Cinnamon Frosting
- Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake
- Vanilla Pound Cake
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
If you tried this decadent dairy-free chocolate cake recipe feel free to leave a comment below! I would love to hear how it went! Or, snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!
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Chocolate Cake with Coffee Buttercream Frosting
Moist, fudgy, and topped with a creamy coffee butter cream frosting, this dairy-free chocolate cake is the ultimate chocolate cake to make for any occasion .
Ingredients
Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake
- ¾ cup Non-dairy Milk I used oat milk
- 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 cup Sugar
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 Eggs
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- ½ cup Water warm
- ¼ cup Coffee warm
- 1 ½ cup Flour all-purpose
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Coffee Buttercream
- ½ cup Plant-based Butter
- 3 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Coffee
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Dairy-Free Chocolate Cake
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 inch cake pan. Set aside.
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In a small bowl mix together ¾ cup oat milk with 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes.
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In the base of a stand mixer, beat together 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, and ½ cup vegetable oil.
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Once mixed, add 2 teaspoons vanilla.Then beat in the 2 eggs, one at a time.
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Mixing on low, pour in the dairy-free buttermilk, ¼ cup coffee, and ½ cup water. Scrape the side of the bowl to make sure all of the ingredients are well mixed.
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Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and sift 1 ½ cups flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¾ cup cocoa powder over the wet ingredients.
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Carefully fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
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Pour the chocolate cake batter into the prepared cake pan and bake at 350°F for 35 minutes.
Coffee Buttercream
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In the base of a stand mixer, beat together ½ cup plant-based butter and 3 cups powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
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Add the 1 Tablespoon coffee, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Beat until well mixed.
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Once the cake is baked and fully cooled, frost using the coffee buttercream frosting.