Crazy Italian chocolate cake (egg free chocolate cake)
The amazing egg-free chocolate cake that’s also dairy-free and takes under 10 minutes.
This incredible cake defies belief. It’s based on a recipe I was served up by an Italian family for my birthday dinner when I was in Tuscany – I fell in love! It’s one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever had – made with gorgeous Italian olive oil and balsamic vinegar (don’t worry, you can’t taste it). It’s sensationally decadent, moist and fudgy. The cake is egg free, dairy-free and takes under 10 minutes to prepare. It’s my go-to when I need something delicious, on the double.
The icing I’ve made here uses butter, but I’ve included options for a dairy-free version (you will find with some brands their 50% cocoa dark chocolate is dairy-free). I’ve also tried making the cake with plain gluten-free flour mix and it’s still lovely.
And it’s also beautiful as a dessert, served warm straight from the tin with lashings of ice cream. For a larger ‘special occasion’ cake, make two cakes with two lots of the mixture and sandwich them together with extra icing.
Prep time – 5 minutes
Cooking time – 50 minutes
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1 ½ cups standard flour (or gluten-free flour mix without raising agent)
1 cup caster sugar
½ cup dark, good-quality baking cocoa (look for ‘dark’ on the label for best results)
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (or rice bran or grape seed or sunflower)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or white, malt or apple cider vinegar)
2-3 tsp pure vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups water (or cooled coffee)
Chocolate icing
150g chopped dark chocolate
(50% cocoa solids – use dairy-free if needed)
125g butter (or 150ml coconut cream)
1 tbsp olive oil, grape seed oil or rice bran oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 160c regular bake.
Grease a 20-22cm cake tin and dust all over with cocoa (make sure the tin isn’t too big or the cake will be a little flat). Or, just plonk a piece of baking paper in (that’s what I do now). If your tin is too big, it won’t rise properly.
Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir with a whisk to combine evenly. Make a large well in the centre.
Pour the olive oil, vinegar, vanilla and water into the well. Using the whisk, start in the middle and stir the mixture GENTLY in a circular motion until the mixture is combined to a smooth batter – don’t worry if there a few small lumps, these will disappear in the oven. Don’t go crazy or you’ll flatten all the bubbles.
Bake just below the centre of the oven for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven.
If you’re going to serve it as a cake, let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a rack. You can either dust with icing sugar to serve or ice it when cool (see below).
For a delicious pudding, dust with icing sugar and serve straight hot, straight from the tin, with ice cream.
The cake keeps in an airtight container for about 4 days (if it actually lasts that long I’ll be surprised).
Chocolate icing
Place the chopped chocolate and butter (or coconut cream) in heatproof bowl, then set over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the water touch the bowl). Stir until melted, then remove the bowl from the saucepan stir in the oil.
Leave to cool at room temperature until it’s thick enough to spread on the cake. If you try and speed it up by putting it in the fridge, keep an eye on it as it will need stirring often.
I made my first time it’s supervisor and delicious cannot even taste the chocolate it’s there but oh my God sooo nice. Thanks 👍🏻😀
Can the ganache icing made with the coconut cream sit out at room temperature (once iced onto the cake) all day? I want to make it for my daughter’s kindy birthday but it will be dropped off at 9am and they don’t normally serve it until closer to 3pm.
Yes, that’s fine! x
This is my all time favourite chocolate cake! Wondering if you think I could slice it in half width ways to dress it up a little? Or does a moist cake like this not lend itself to that?
Yes you can! Chilling it first would make it easier to slice x
This cake is on repeat for ALL the occasions in our house. So so easy and everyone always comments on how fricken delicious it is! Thanks Chelsea ????
Amazing! Thanks! x
Hi Chelsea, what can I substitute for the olive oil in the icing recipe? Can’t wait to try this recipe out! Thanks ☺️
You could use another oil, or leave it out x
So good, so easy. Have made this several times now. The last time I made two and made a double layer birthday cake, loved by vegans and non-vegans alike. It’s great to have an easy, delicious, inclusive cake to make that also satisfies the rich, moist chocolate cake cravings. Highly recommend.
Wonderful, thanks! x
Can you make this a 15 cm tin?
I’d say turn the oven down 10 degrees and cook a little longer. Check the middle with a skewer to know when it’s cooked x
I made this for my son’s first bday and it was out of this world!!! My sister has tasked me with making my nieces bday cake and the only difference this time is that I’m using a silicon cake mold in the shape of a “2”. Will I need to adjust the cooking temp/time do you think?
You could set time for 5 minutes less and check with a skewer x
Hi
Can you make the ganache using white choc or vegan white chocolate? Thanks
Yes you can x
Can you use cake flour?
yes!
I have seen this recipe for the first time today after it was recommended for my egg free baby granddaughter. Thank you for also adding a gluten free alternative as I am gluten free. I wonder though, 1C of sugar is a lot and we’re low sugar here too. I can substitute a sugar alternative for the flavour, but would never need a cup, so is that volume important? Can I cut back the liquid component to adjust to the lower quantity of dry ingredients. I’m trying to be as inclusive as I can. I’d appreciate your advice, thank you.
Such a nice recipe! Second time making it, so glad I found it. This time without really thinking I mixed all the liquid ingredients together before tipping them into the well, will this make a difference to the taste?
Not at all x
WE LOVE THIS CAKE. To keep the icing dairy free though, is there something else I could use instead of coconut cream?
You could make a buttercream with a dairy free spread x
I remember baking this kind of cake when I was a kid, and it always turned out great. Now, as an adult, having been reintroduced to the recipe, it’s failed me twice. It hasn’t risen well, despite being SO GENTLE with the stirring, and using exactly the same ingredients as the recipe. The first time I tried baking as cupcakes, the second I used a 22cm ring tin. What am I doing wrong?! Is it just using the wrong tin? Oven too hot? (I baked at 160 fan) I just can’t work it out, but I really want it to work because I know this to be pretty much the yummiest chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten!
Thanks for your help :)
I have made 7 of these so far, absolutely outstanding my new and first FAVORITE plant-based cake ???????????? I have tried so so so hard for the past 2 years to find a decent recipe until I was forwarded this recipe a month ago. My new go to, thank you so much – this is life changing as trying to find nice cake options has been very difficult on my plant based journey (vegan butters and almost everything of a cream substitute is grainy has wierd after tastes is either soy or is filled with putrid canola oils or comes out horrible compared to picture)
Love this recipe!!!!!! ????????????
Hi Chelsea, is this chocolate cake in one of your recipe books? I bought Supergood thinking it was in there but it doesn’t appear to be.I LOVE this recipe, so was keen to see what other vegan recipes you had in the same book, haha. I will enjoy wading my way through Supergood, but am keen to know which book the Crazy Italian choc cake is in so my kids can make this with a recipe book in front of them.
It’s in Scrumptious x
Hi does this freeze ok?
Yes it freezes well. Wrap it up really well and it can freeze for up to 3 months. Keep it wrapped up whilst defrosting to keep it moist.
I’ve been making this cake regularly as cupcakes – super delicious and easy. But my daughter’s friend can’t have chocolate so last night I made this recipe as lemon blueberry cupcakes – I replaced the cocoa with 1/2 C flour and added lemon zest and frozen blueberries. After it came out of the oven I glazed them with a bit of brown sugar with lemon juice. They were SO good!
Hello!!
Love this cake, would it work well in a loaf tin? Thanks!
We’ve never tried it in a loaf tin before. You may want to cook it at a slightly lower temp, and for slightly longer to ensure the middle gets cooked through
Love making this cake, it is always a hit, I am wondering if anyone has made it without the cocoa/coffee so that they can add food colouring. I need to make an egg free cake and am wanting to colour it to match the party theme.
You could try the Celebration Cake in Supergood x
Hi Chelsea, Would this be nice with berries on top of icing or clash of flavors?
berries and chocolate go lovely together
Hi Chelsea I have been asked to make an eggless cake which i have never made before. Would this stand up to Fondant icing?
Yes, absolutely x
Ah Chelsea – this is such a cake! Perfect results with great texture and full-on choc flavour. Well served with a quenelle of unsweetened Greek yogurt.
I always add 2 finely grated carrots (zip them in your Bullet for best results), and it adds to the moistness and I like to think it’s a bit healthier too! I reduce the sugar a little and it doesn’t seem to change the flavour.
This has been my go-to chocolate cake recipe for years and I love it (even better that you can whip it up with what’s in the cupboard)! It’s dark and fancy enough for a deceptively easy dinner party dessert but goes just as well at a kid’s birthday party, covered in sprinkles. So good!
Hi Chelsea. Just wondering if this united cake freezes ok. I’m wanting to make it for my son’s 1st birthday end of this month. I thought if it freezes ok then I could make it now, hopefully to reduce my stress levels. Looking forward to hearing from you. Andrea
Yes this freezes well. Wrap it up well and keep it wrapped to defrost x
Have made this cake so many times and it is always great. Do you think the batter would work for a chocolate self saucing pudding, if I do the self saucing cocoa/sugar mix with boiling water on top.
We have made this cake dozens of times and NEVER had a fail. It’s our go to chocolate cake, won’t make anything else. It also makes great cupcakes – very moist and also never fail! It’s not a particularly high cake so if making for a special occasion we’ve also split it in half and added mock cream or ganache to the middle. This has been our family birthday cake recipe for years now as I know it works and everyone loves it. Thank you Chelsea!
Hi Chelsea, sorry if this has already been asked.
Is this cake suitable to freeze before icing? Or daughter is getting married in December and is wanting some cakes to go with dessert but I’m hoping to bake a week or 2 before.
I’ve made this cake several times and it’s delicious ????
Thanks very much.
Sue
Hi Sue, yes this cake can be frozen. Keep it wrapped up to defrost to keep in the moisture x
Have made this a few times. Delicious!
How can I add some coconut into the mix? I would like to serve the cake as a hot dessert. Ideas are all welcome.
You could serve it warm with coconut yoghurt?
Would this cake be sturdy enough for a bit of shaping?
I would like to make this in advance for an event. You have already said it can freeze OK. Made the icing with Olive Margarine. It stayed very soft. Will the icing freeze then defrost OK?
We would recommend freezing the cake uniced, and wrapped up very well in cling film x
Delicious and fool proof! Thank you
Very yummy thank you! My daughter has dairy, nut and egg allergies so this cake was perfect for her first birthday. I’m making it a second time for my friend who is gluten, dairy and egg free. It’s sooo good and easy.
Question…what is the purpose of the Tablespoon of oil in the icing? I’ve been leaving it out coz the icing took a long time to get to spreading thickness as it was (i used coconut cream not butter).
Hi Chelsea,
I did a test cake today (pre birthday party) as i am an absolute cake making novice. I used Raw sugar instead of caster and maple syrup instead of vanilla and it has came out really good. My question is however could i get away with using Coconut sugar next time or would that be a disaster?
I love your chocolate cake recipe! I used it for when I invited Joe Biden, he hated it!
Kind Regards,
Donald J. Trump,
US President
Hi Chelsea, how long does this cake keep for? Is it best to make the day you need it, or does it improve on day 2/day3 like some other moist chocolate cakes do? Would love to make a layered birthday cake using a double recipe…
Thank you for this delicious recipe. Made it for my son’s 9th bday yesterday and our family loved it! Even went in the lunch boxes today.
This cake sounds AMAZING!
I can’t use regular bake setting on my oven, will I have to make any adjustments to use fanbake?
Also, if I stack two cakes, and double the icing, will it be enough to fill and ice the outside?
This is now my go to chocolate cake, so easy, so tasty, so moist. I used white vinegar, never seem to have balsamic. Didn’t think the icing was ever going to work, just needed to be patient, just love it.
Hi Chelsea, love this cake it’s so yummy!! Mine comes out pretty flat though so I’m thinking of making 2 and stacking them on top of the other other, for my son’s 3rd birthday. Should I double the icing recipe??
yes x
This is the best cake recipe ever. I have made this about ten times now and have never failed with it and have gotten loads of compliments. Have had it with ganache as well as peanut butter icing and it is super moist either way!
Hi Chelsea, I have tasted your cake made by a friend and it was so good I decided to make it for my son’s 3rd birthday. It’s going to be shaped as a bear face! I was wondering if I could add some mashed banana to the mix and reduce the amount of sugar somewhat? Do you think it would work still and what quantities should I go for? Cheers Elena
Unfortunately it won’t work as well x
Can this be made into cupcakes?
Yes it can, just reduce the cooking time x
Mine lasted for 10 days!!