A quick and easy vegan chocolate cake recipe your kids will love - perfect for birthdays, afternoon teas and entertaining
This delicious chocolate cake is so easy - no eggs, butter, or mixing bowl required. Everything is done entirely in our Scanpan Roasting Pan!
The best thing about this cake is the deliciously moist and tender crumb. Also, the fact that it requires only ingredients you probably have in your pantry, right now. This recipe makes a large cake, as well – perfect for birthday cake, bake sales or a dessert to feed a crowd.
This cake was made in a Scanpan TechnIQ The Square roaster (not a usual cake pan!). An incredibly versatile all-rounder in the kitchen, this pan sears, sautés, deglazes, reduces and roasts. I literally use it for everything – and now baking can be added to the list. The pan does not even require lining with baking paper – the non-stick ensures even cooking and easy release. Not to mention a simple rinse and wipe clean.
The high sides make for a pan with a deep volume capacity, making it perfect for large casseroles, whether that be at gatherings or simply for home use. More and more, I am choosing to cook in large volumes – I use what we need for dinner then freeze the rest for future meals in a flash.
Easiest One Pan Chocolate Cake
This recipe is very old fashioned! (see photo of original recipe card, entitled ”Wacky Cake”) In fact, this concept has been around for a long time – it originated in the depression era when eggs were hard to get hold of. A cake with no eggs or butter!
However, the recipe is genius, because a sheet pan style cake doesn’t actually need any eggs anyway, as you are not planning on giving it height with frosting in the middle, like a traditional small round or square cake. And the lack of eggs is what gives the cake it’s lovely soft texture. The use of baking soda and sour cream create bubbles as the cake cooks which makes it as light as air!
You’ll need:
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Cups Sugar
- ½ Cup + 2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
- 2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
- ½ Cup Sour Cream, or sub 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice or Vinegar
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Cups Water or Weak Coffee
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 180C, and grab a 32cm by 32 cm (or similar sized) pan.
2. Add the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt directly into the cake pan and stir/whisk all ingredients very well – making sure to get right into the corners of the pan.
3. Pour over the oil, sour cream, vanilla and water/coffee. Stir until well combined, again making sure to get into each corner.
4. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Allow cooling before frosting (see notes below)
Notes: The original recipe calls for a ‘Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting’, however, any icing is great on this cake (I used a classic vanilla frosting topped with sprinkles). To make the Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting, combine 1 Cup Smooth Peanut Butter with ¾ Cup Chocolate Chips. Microwave in 20-second intervals and stir until the chocolate is melted. Pour over the cake and then let set.
Next Read: Scanpan Roaster Comparison
