20 Dark and Decadent Chocolate Cake Recipes – One Green Planet

Everyone rejoice because January 27^th is National Chocolate Cake Day! It doesn’t matter if it’s your birthday, anniversary or any special occasion because this food holiday declares “let them eat cake.” Yes, yes we will.

It’s no surprise that chocolate is the most popular kind of cake. But it’s not that simple; there are many kinds of chocolate cake including Devil’s Food, Black Forest, Fudge, Ganache, German Chocolate, Lava and even flourless.

The first dry cake mixes were Betty Crocker’s in 1947. All you needed to do was add water and you had a cake. Chocolate cake mixes weren’t around for another year. But we don’t need any box mixes to make moist and decadent chocolate cake. We can whip cake up from scratch and it will be better than any box mix could ever be!

Not sure how to make a light, fluffy and yummy cake without dairy and eggs? We can help. Check out A Beginner’s Guide to Vegan Baking, The Green Monster Vegan Baking Guide, How to Cook and Bake Without Eggs, and Which Milk for What Recipe: A Non-Dairy Milk Guide for All Your Cooking and Baking Needs.

If you need your chocolate cake to be gluten-free, that’s great. Read How to Ensure Your Gluten-Free Baked Goods are Moist and The Ultimate Gluten-Free Vegan Baking Substitution Guide for everything you need to know. No matter what you’re baking, you’ll want to know How to Avoid 6 Common Baking Mistakes.

Ready to start baking? Last year, we shared these 10 Vegan Recipes for National Chocolate Cake Day. Now here are 20 more dark and decadent chocolate cakes that will let you eat your cake and have it too.

1. German Chocolate Cake

This German Chocolate Cake has multiple layers of chocolatey goodness. It is a rich chocolate cake covered in a rich chocolatey frosting and then topped with a nutty coconut layer. This gorgeous dessert is the ultimate birthday-anniversary-congratulations-anytime cake and is sure to be a hit with everyone!

2. Chocolate Coconut Chip Cake

Can you have chocolate cake for breakfast? You bet. This Chocolate Coconut Chip Cake is vegan, gluten-free, and sweetened naturally. Just skip the topping (or not) and dollop a little coconut yogurt and fresh fruit on top and you have a delicious and indulgent breakfast treat.

3. Whole Grain Banana Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Syrup

You’ll go bananas for this Whole Grain Banana Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Syrup. The cake is dense like banana bread but also moist and fudgy thanks to the addition of mashed banana. You get the amazing flavor of real banana, chocolate, and caramel-like coconut sugar in every bite. The chocolate syrup poured on top is optional but come on, who would skip that part? Not us.

4. No-Bake Chocolate Banana Cream Cake

Forget the oven, this No-Bake Chocolate Banana Cream Cake is made in a blender. With its nougat base, banana layer, chocolate cream layer, and coconut whipped cream, this cake may look like it takes a lot of work. In reality, it’s ready in minutes. Not only is this cake pretty healthy, it’s also heavenly delicious and totally decadent!

5. Chocolate Beet Cake

This Chocolate Beet Cake has several shades of red deliciousness. The recipe includes pureed beets which add a layer of earthiness to its rich flavor. Dark red pomegranate seeds and a raspberry glaze add yet another layer of complexity, resulting in a cake like no other.

6. Secret Dark Chocolate Cake

Shhh … can you keep a secret? The biggest secret to this Dark Chocolate Cake is the use of olive oil. It allows this cake to become super moist with a rich dark chocolate taste. Serve this with your favorite vegan ice cream or coconut whipped cream. But remember, it’s a secret.

7. No-Bake Cashew Chocolate Mousse Cake with Fresh Mint

Sometimes you just want a beautiful, decadent cake but don’t want to expend the effort of turning on the oven. This delectable No-Bake Cashew Chocolate Mousse Cake with Fresh Mint makes it possible! Made with dates that add a fruity note that complements the filling, this cake is a sure knockout hit.

8. Chocolate Coconut Rum Cake

Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum. Well, not a whole bottle; maybe, just a quarter cup but that’s enough to give this Chocolate Coconut Rum Cake a spicy kick. This cake is rich, chocolatey, and made extra special with the addition of coconut and spiced rum. Everyone will love the trio of flavor in this yummy cake.

9. Lemon Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache

You may know that orange and chocolate go really well together but lemon and chocolate are also a delicious pair. In this Lemon Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache, the tanginess of the lemon complements the rich, smooth chocolate perfectly. There’s dark chocolate ganache in the cake and on the cake for a double dose of decadent deliciousness.

10. Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake To Die For!

This Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake is the ultimate in rich, chocolate flavor. The dark chocolate makes this dessert ultra-fudgy and intense. There’s no flour so it’s gluten-free and the hazelnut butter in the frosting is just divine. This cake is a chocolate lover’s dream!

11. Death By Chocolate: Cake, Mousse and Ice Cream

We may have to rename this dessert because this Death By Chocolate: Cake, Mousse and Ice Cream is the most guilt-free chocolate indulgence you’ll ever have. It’s 100 percent vegan and gluten-free. It’s a combination of a chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, and chocolate ice cream – all of it homemade. The fluffy chocolate cake mixed with the velvety mousse and creamy ice cream is absolutely to die live for.

12. Chocolate Chai Cake

This Chocolate Chai Cake mixes rich chocolate with the warm, fragrant spices that make up chai – cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. It’s then topped with a thick glaze, made from dates with a unique hint of flavor from the barley malt. Top with blueberries and pecans for a dessert that’s simply divine!

13. Chocolate Cake with a Crunchy Rice Crispy Base

This Chocolate Cake with a Crunchy Rice Crispy Base is a study in balancing taste and texture. The rich and creamy chocolate cake has a crispy, gluten-free crust. To really take the presentation to the next level, top this decadent dessert with roasted cashews, and then drizzled with caramel sauce. This stand-out cake will have everyone talking!

14. Flourless Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cake

This Flourless Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cake might be the easiest cake recipe in the world. Just throw all the ingredients in a blender, pour the batter into a pan, bake for a few minutes and presto: you’ve got cake! And not just any cake – a seriously good cake that’s chocolatey and peanuty and amazingly scrumptious!

15. Chocolate Almond Espresso Cake

You can have coffee with your cake or you can have coffee in your cake. This Chocolate Almond Espresso Cake is rich and chocolatey. Then it’s topped with a delicious chocolate espresso sauce. You may never want your coffee in a cup again!

16. Ultimate Banana Chocolate Birthday Cake

Happy Birthday to…whoever! This Ultimate Banana Chocolate Birthday Cake is the only chocolate cake recipe you will ever need. It has layers of banana and chocolate with a fluffy chocolate coconut buttercream inside. Don’t forget the chocolate frosting. Make this cake today…it’s got to be somebody’s birthday, right?

17. Decadent Superfood Chocolate Cake

Who says chocolate cake can’t be healthy? Not us. This Decadent Superfood Chocolate Cake is raw, gluten-free, totally plant-based and filled with superfoods. It’s moist, decadent and totally delicious. This cake is everything you could ever want a cake to be and more.

18. Cherry Chocolate Cake

If you love chocolate the way we love chocolate, you’ll be mad about this Cherry Chocolate Cake. It’s moist, chocolatey and the contrast between the gooey cherries and the spongy cake is just heaven in your mouth. If you know someone who is not a chocolate lover, make them this cake. They’ll change their mind in one bite.

19. Peanut Butter Chocolate Marble Cake

This Peanut Butter Chocolate Marble Cake is the perfect sweet treat to share with your friends over a cup of tea or coffee. The peanut butter batter is layered with the chocolate batter to produce a fun marble effect. The peanut butter gives this classic recipe a sweet and buttery flavor that everyone loves.

20. Chocolate Mud Cake

Get ready to play in the mud. This Chocolate Mud Cake is dense and chocolatey and everything a mud cake is supposed to be. The banana puree helps give you that ooey-gooey texture that melts in your mouth. Serve this with some fresh strawberries and you’ll be has happy as a piggy in mud … mud cake, we mean.

Yum! Is there anything as rich, dark and decadent as chocolate cake? We don’t think so. This is one holiday we could celebrate every day.

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental well-being, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, and prostate cancer, and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals, and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

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