Vegan Chocolate Mint Cake

A piece of chocolate mint cake on a white plate, a fork sits on the side of the cake.

No ratings yet

Looking for an irresistible vegan dessert for your holiday celebrations? How about this luscious vegan chocolate mint cake? Rich, chocolaty, and bursting with minty flavour, it's a treat everyone will love. It’s topped with fluffy peppermint buttercream but can be enjoyed without frosting. Completely dairy-free, egg-free, and with a gluten-free option, this mouthwatering vegan Christmas cake can even be made as a layer cake.

Prep Time15

Cook Time21

Total Time36

Servings:

Author: Gwen Leron

Ingredients

1 ½ cups (188g) all-purpose flour **please see important notes about flour and the gluten-free option below**
½ cup (42g) Dutch-process cocoa powder sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (200g) organic cane sugar (or white granulated sugar)
1 cup (240ml) hot water (boiled)
⅓ cup (80ml) oil
1 tablespoon (15ml) apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons peppermint extract

For the Frosting:

1 recipe peppermint buttercream frosting
2 tablespoons crushed candy canes (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C).
Line an 8" x 8" square baking pan with parchment paper and make an overhang on all sides so removing the cake will be easy, set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a small bowl, mix the sugar, hot water, oil, vinegar, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract, together until blended.
Slowly add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until combined. Mix until there aren't any lumps but don't over mix and get rid of all the bubbles forming from the reaction between the vinegar and baking soda.
Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan, and spread it evenly.
Bake for 21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. (Bake the vegan gluten-free version for 25 minutes)
Remove from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. Let the pan sit for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, using the parchment overhang, carefully remove the cake from the pan, and place it on a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
While the cake is cooling, prepare the peppermint buttercream frosting.
Once fully cooled, frost the cake, making the layer as thick or thin as you'd like. Save any leftover frosting for another recipe.
If using, sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top of the frosting.
Slice the cake into 9 or 12 squares.

Notes

Please read all of the information above and below before making this recipe.
If you are making the vegan gluten-free version, use 1 ½ cups (222g) of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour (Amazon link) in the blue bag, NOT the red bag. It's important to know that different gluten-free flour blends use different ingredients and ratios, so results will always vary if you substitute. I have never used any other brand of flour to make this recipe other than the one mentioned above, so please know that your results may not be the same as mine if you substitute with another gluten-free flour blend. This recipe will NOT work with coconut flour or any other single gluten-free flour.
The cup amount for both types of flour is the same but the weights are different because they have different properties and densities. If you are baking by weight, please take note of each weight and weigh your flour correctly.
Make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh before using, these are very important ingredients that contribute to the cake rising properly.
Organic cane sugar or granulated sugar works best for this recipe and works with the rest of the ingredients to give the cake its moistness and texture. Don't reduce the amount of sugar called for, substitute with a different type of sugar, or use a liquid sweetener.
Storing Leftovers: Store your frosted cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. After two days place the container in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to another 3-4 days. The vegan gluten-free version stays fresh for a little less time since it dries out quicker, so the faster the cake can be eaten, the better. If you are not frosting the cake, it does not need to be refrigerated and can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 5-6 days.
Freezing: Once fully cooled, don't frost or slice it, instead, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap so it's airtight, then place it in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze it for up to two months. When you're ready to serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature, then frost.
The nutrition info listed below is based on 1 of 9 servings with the recipe made as written using all-purpose flour and no frosting. The cake made with gluten-free flour has a calorie count of 253 per serving. Info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.

Nutrition