Vegan Nutella Chocolate Cake

Hi guys! M-K here. I’m sister #4 and @marykatesvegancakes on Instagram.

You see me make a lot of desserts, but this just may be one of my favorites. VEGAN. NUTELLA. CHOCOLATE. CAKE.

Everyone went crazy over this cake. Normally, I’m known to stuff my cakes with cookie dough. But this cake is so good, you won’t miss the cookie dough. Surprising, right?

Before we get into the cake details, you might want some tools to make your caking a little easier.

Cake decorating stand

Icing spatula

Pastry bags

Wilton 1M tip

Round cake pans (I used 7.5″ x 2.5″, you can use other sizes too – just adjust the baking times!)

Cake boards

Now that you have your tools, you’re gonna make your cake layers. This cake requires:

Flour

Sugar

Cocoa powder

Baking soda, baking powder, and salt

Nondairy milk + vinegar (vegan buttermilk!)

Canola oil

And vanilla extract

Once you bake and freeze them, you’ll cut each layer in half, creating four even cake layers.

Now make your nutella frosting. This requires:

Vegan buttery sticks

Vegan shortening

Powdered sugar

Cocoa powder

And finally, you guessed it, vegan nutella! Feel free to make your own or go the easy way and buy any nondairy chocolate hazelnut butter. I used this brand!

Place your first cake layer on a cake board and place the cake board on a turning cake stand.

Begin to frost: Start with the first layer, spreading a layer of frosting, then cover with a big drizzle of melted vegan nutella.

Repeat with the next two layers, and top with your final cake layer.

Frost a thin, smooth layer of frosting all over the cake (this is your crumb coat). Freeze this for about 10-15 minutes, then top with another thicker layer of frosting.

With your remaining vegan nutella, use a spoon to drizzle it around the edges of your cake.

Now place your remaining buttercream into a pastry bag with a Wilton 1M icing tip. Pipe around the edges of the cake.

Finally, wow your friends with this beautiful, delicious vegan nutella cake!

Vegan Nutella Chocolate Cake

4 from 4 votes

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Course Dessert

Ingredients

  

Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups nondairy milk almond or soy works best
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 1/2 cups flour measured correctly, see notes
• 2 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup warm water

Nutella Buttercream

• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup vegan buttery sticks
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup vegan nutella

For Decorating

• 1/2 cup vegan nutella melted

Instructions

 

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a measuring cup or small mixing bowl, whisk the milk and vinegar. Let sit for 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• Add the milk mixture, oil, and vanilla to the flour mixture and mix until fully combined.
• Mix in the warm water until silky smooth.
• Line the bottom of two round pans (I used 7.5″ x 2.5″) If you don’t have tall enough pans, you can bake in four separate pans! You can also use pans with a different diameter, just adjust bake times) with parchment paper and spray the pans with canola spray. Pour equal amounts of batter into each pan.
• Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with only crumbs.
• Allow the cakes to chill, then remove them from their pans, cover them in plastic wrap and freeze them.
• Make the buttercream: Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix until completely blended and fluffy.
• Once the cakes are frozen, carefully slice each one in half horizontally so that you have four even layers.
• Place the first layer on a cake board and place on a turning cake stand.
• Spread a layer of frosting on the cake layer. Drizzle with some of the melted vegan nutella.
• Repeat with the next two layers of cake.
• Frost the whole cake with a thin layer of the buttercream. Place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
• Now cover it with a thicker layer of buttercream. Smooth the edges, scraping off any excess buttercream.
• With your remaining melted nutella, use a spoon to drizzle it around the edges.
• Place your excess buttercream in a pastry bag with a Wilton 1M piping tip. Pipe a design around the edges.
• ENJOY! 

Notes

Measure your flour by spooning it into your measuring cup and removing the excess with the back of a knife.