People go vegan for many reasons. Some want to improve their health, and others wish to support the compassionate treatment of animals and the earth. However, a love of plant-based, sweet treats is nearly a universal characteristic of all vegans. If there’s someone who you want to win over to plant-based eating, start convincing them with some decadent plant based desserts. Have fun sharing your dietary lifestyle with family and friends with these 10 mouth-watering, plant based cake recipes.
#1 The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
If the thought of rich, dark chocolate makes your heart skip a beat, then this will be the mother of all plant based cake recipes for you. This super-moist, dark chocolate cake is enveloped within fluffy, chocolate buttercream icing. It’s easy to make from ingredients that you probably have in your pantry now.
Here are the ingredients:
Chocolate Cake:
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Apple cider vinegar
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Melted coconut oil
- Unsweetened applesauce
- Vanilla extract
- Boiling water
Chocolate Buttercream Icing:
- Cocoa powder
- Vegan butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla
- Unsweetened almond milk
Credit for this recipe goes to Nora at Nora Cooks. She said that adding a cup of boiling water to the cake batter is the secret to making this cake moist; don’t forget this important step.
#2 Raw Carrot Cake
This raw carrot cake retains the nutrition of raw plants while delivering the bold flavors of traditional carrot cake. The sweet, moist cake is well-spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. It’s topped with a thick, creamy icing that features a refreshing lemon zing. Chopped walnuts and lemon zest toppings make plating this cake easy and attractive.
Here are the ingredients for this no-bake carrot cake.
Carrot Cake:
- Walnuts
- Unsweetened, desiccated coconut
- Coconut flour
- Coconut oil
- Lemon juice and zest
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Medjool dates
- Grated carrots
- Salt
Cake Icing:
- Raw cashews
- Unsweetened coconut milk
- Coconut oil
- Maple syrup
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla
- Salt
Credit for this recipe goes to holistic nutritionist Petra at Refined Nutrition. Click the link for her cake preparation instructions.
#3 Raw Lime Cheesecake
Ready for heady notes of lime and lemon in a lightweight cream that tops a thick, substantial nut crust? This vegan cheesecake has the taste and silky texture of a traditional cheesecake. Its citrus flavors are really brought to the forefront since they aren’t overwhelmed by a dairy cream cheese component. Just one slice of this sweet, slightly tart cheesecake is enough to satisfy nearly anyone’s dessert craving.
Here are the ingredients.
Lime Cheesecake Filling:
- Raw cashews
- Coconut cream
- Maple syrup
- Coconut oil
- Lime juice
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
Cheesecake Crust:
- Raw almonds
- Raw walnuts
- Medjool dates
- Salt
Credit for this recipe goes to Petra at Nutrition Refined. Her cheesecake preparation instructions are found on the linked video.
#4 Red Velvet Cake
Red is a color that inspires passion and indicates luxurious decadence. When a person chooses a red velvet cake, they often have high expectations for the cake’s taste, texture, and moistness. However, many red velvet cakes fall short by using inferior ingredients and artificial colors. This vegan red velvet cake has the right mix of sweet chocolate and tangy cream cheese that makes it worthy of the name “red velvet.” You also won’t get a mouthful of phony-tasting food coloring with this cake; it’s naturally colored with beetroot.
Here are the ingredients.
Red Velvet Cake:
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Apple cider vinegar
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Almond meal
- Gluten-free flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cocoa powder
- Beetroot powder
Red Velvet Cake Frosting:
- Full-fat coconut milk
- Lemon juice
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla extract
Credit for this recipe goes to Rhian Williams at Rhian’s Recipes. Find her baking instructions for this cake at her website.
#5 Vegan Lemon Cake
This lemon cake will remind you of a sunny, spring day after a rain shower. It’s bright citrus notes in the form of lemon zest flakes are prominently on display for your eyes and taste buds. The thick, lemon buttercream icing gives this moist cake a run for its money.
Here are the ingredients.
Lemon Cake:
- Almond milk
- Apple cider vinegar
- Aquafaba
- Vegan butter
- Sugar
- Lemon zest
- Lemon extract
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
Lemon Buttercream Icing:
- Vegan butter
- Powdered sugar
- Lemon juice and zest
- Almond milk
- Vanilla extract
Credit for this recipe goes to Nora at Nora Cooks; find her baking instructions at her website.
#6 Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Pineapple Upside Down Cake is a traditional favorite for holiday meals and family gatherings in the South. The tart, sugary taste of this cake is enhanced by its fruity aroma. This vegan version of the Pineapple Upside Down Cake gives you the full, rich flavor of the original recipe with pomegranate arils topping the cake for a decorative twist.
Here are the ingredients.
- Pineapple half
- Coconut oil
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Lemon juice
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- Almond meal
- Gluten-free flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Pomegranate seeds for topping
Credit for this vegan Pineapple Upside Down Cake goes to Rhian Williams at Rhian’s Recipes. Find her baking instructions on her website.
#7 Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
Whoever said that vanilla was boring has never had this vegan gluten-free vanilla cake. Moist, rich, buttery flavor is waiting to make your taste buds’ acquaintance in this easy-to-make cake. The cake’s thick, white frosting steals the show with sweet vanilla flavor. This cake pairs well with fruit, but it’s also able to take center stage on its own.
Here are the ingredients for this vanilla cake.
Vanilla cake:
- Gluten-free flour
- Sugar
- Egg replacer
- Vegan butter
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Water
- Cream of tartar
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Vanilla extract
Vanilla cake frosting:
- Vegetable shortening
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Unsweetened almond milk
Credit for this vegan, gluten-free vanilla cake goes to Rosa at Chef Mama Rosa. Watch the linked video to get her baking instructions for this cake.
#8 Strawberry Vanilla Cupcakes
Need the perfect plant-based dessert for a ladies’ tea party or your daughter’s birthday? Look no further than these vanilla cupcakes with strawberry vanilla frosting. Most plant based cake recipes easily convert to cupcakes, and this recipe delivers dainty and delicious cakes for you and your guests. You’ll love the subtle vanilla and strawberry flavors of the frosting that tops these light, spongy, pint-sized cakes.
Here are the ingredients.
Vanilla cupcake:
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Non-dairy milk of your choice
- Vanilla extract
- Extra virgin olive oil
- White vinegar
Strawberry vanilla frosting:
- Vegan butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Strawberry flavoring
- Fresh strawberries for topping (optional)
Credit for this recipe goes to Allison Andrews at Loving It Vegan. Find Allison’s baking instructions for these delectable cupcakes at her website.
#9 Salty, Smokey Carrot Raisin Cookie Cake with Glaze
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Sweet meets savory in this unique cookie cake recipe that skillfully combines contrasting ingredients into a tempting treat for two. The sweetness of carrots, raisins, and dates get a surprise kiss from smoked salt and pumpkin seeds.
Here are the ingredients.
Cookie Cake:
- Bananas
- Shredded carrots
- Vanilla
- Seedless raisins
- Almond flour
- Baking powder
- Gluten-free flour
- Vegan butter
- Maple syrup
- Pitted dates
- Pumpkin seeds
- Regular and smoked salt
- Quick oats
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon powder
Cake Glaze:
- Powdered sugar
- Maple syrup
- Smoked salt
The credit for this recipe goes to vegan Italian chef Connie at Connie’s RAWsome Kitchen.
Conclusion
Although these plant based desserts feature clean, healthy ingredients, they are not low-calorie foods. Most are full-fat, flavorful cakes that should be eaten as treats. You and your bathroom scale have been warned. If your system is sensitive to sugar or gluten, there are some delicious workarounds. Monk fruit and erythritol add sweetness without raising your blood sugar. When a recipe calls for all-purpose flour, try making the cake batter with your favorite gluten-free flour to end any inflammatory responses that are associated with gluten products.