This eggless chocolate cake is soft, rich, and perfectly chocolatey with a tender crumb and creamy chocolate frosting. Made with silken tofu instead of eggs, it's a dependable recipe that's perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or whenever you're craving a homemade chocolate cake.

I first shared this eggless chocolate cake recipe in 2008 after baking it for my son's third birthday. It was my very first layered birthday cake without eggs and my first time using silken tofu as an egg substitute in baking.
Jump to:
I had no idea what to expect and remember hoping it would turn out well enough for his birthday celebration. The moment we cut into the cake, I knew I had found a keeper. It was soft, rich, and full of chocolate flavor, with no hint of tofu.
I'm keeping the original photos from that birthday because they remind me where my eggless baking journey began. Over the years, this recipe has been baked and enjoyed by many readers, and it continues to be one of my favorite eggless cake recipes. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have.
Why You'll Love this recipe?
Soft, rich, and full of chocolate flavor: Every slice has a tender crumb that melts in your mouth.
Made without eggs: Silken tofu creates a moist, tender cake without leaving any tofu taste.
Easy to make: You only need a bowl, a whisk, and a few simple pantry ingredients.
Loved by readers for years: I first shared this recipe in 2008, and it continues to be one of the most popular chocolate cake recipes on the blog.
What Readers are Saying?
Christine Renwick says: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This I started making when my friends daughter (who had an egg allergy), never had had a birthday cake. It was such a success. It has been my only chocolate cake recipe used ever since. My daughter (22) asked me to make this for her birthday next week. I could not find the recipe anywhere. You can imagine my delight in finding it again online after all this time.
I do find the cake a little fragile but letting it cool completely in fridge overnight and using slightly softer frosting does the trick.
Thankyou Madhuram for my go to chocolate cake recipe that I have used for the last 11 years.
Kathleen says: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Change the title to BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE PERIOD
I tried this recipe because one of the kids in my son's class has an egg allergy. Thank you little Vincent. For years I have been proud of my chocolate cake. I would make it the night before so it would be super moist. Not necessary with this recipe. I was never satisfied with my cupcakes though. They were never moist enough. THESE CUPCAKES WERE AMAZING!!!!!
I used store brand firm tofu. I'm trading my Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cake Recipe for this one. Sorry Hershey's, but you've been outdone.
Ingredients and Substitutions
You'll need just a handful of simple ingredients to make this eggless chocolate cake. I've included a few notes about the key ingredients and helpful substitutions below. You'll find the complete ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Silken tofu: Pureed silken tofu replaces the eggs in this recipe and gives the cake a soft, tender crumb without leaving any tofu flavor. Blend it until completely smooth before adding it to the batter. I used Nasoya Silken Tofu.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Use a good quality unsweetened cocoa powder for the richest chocolate flavor.
- Hot coffee: Coffee deepens the chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee. If you prefer, replace it with an equal amount of hot water.
- Vegetable oil: I used canola oil, but any neutral flavored vegetable oil, such as sunflower or avocado oil, will work.
- Milk: I used 2% milk. Any dairy milk works well. You can also use an unsweetened plant based milk.
Frosting
The original birthday cake was frosted with a boxed chocolate frosting mix prepared with butter and milk, just as I made it back in 2008.
If you prefer a homemade frosting, you can use any chocolate frosting you like. I have used chocolate buttercream, chocolate ganache, and chocolate cream cheese frosting for other cakes on the blog. You'll find the frosting ingredients and instructions in those recipes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here is the step-by-step instructions to make this simple and delicious egg-free chocolate cake from scratch:

1. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda in a large bowl.

2. Add Cocoa Powder.

3. Add Sugar to the mix.

4. After mixing them, make a well.

5. Add Canola oil into the well.

6. Add the hot coffee.

7. Add milk to the mix.

8. Add the pureed tofu. (Remove the silken tofu from the packet using a spoon, add it to the blender, and puree it to a creamy mixture)

9. Add a few drops of Vanilla Essence.

10. With an electric mixer, beat at medium speed for 2-3 minutes.

11. Sprinkle cocoa powder onto the cake pan.

12. Pour the batter evenly into both 9-inch cake pans.

13. Bake this cake for 25 to 30 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

14. Let the cakes cool completely before removing them from the pans.

15. The cake should cool completely on the wire rack before frosting.
Frosting Recipe
Check out the step-by-step instructions to make the frosting from a boxed frosting mix.

Sift the mix. Add the melted butter, hot milk, vanilla, and baking soda. (I read in the same book that adding a pinch of baking soda to icings prevents hardening and cracking, so icing stays moist)

Beat the mix using a hand mixer at medium-high speed. Add a few drops of water/milk if required.
Frosting the Cake

First, I placed the bottom layer upside down so the rounded side (top of the cake would be on the serving plate). If you have a dome top on the cake, even it out by slicing it with a serrated knife and then place it upside-down.

Spread about ½ cup to ¾ cup of frosting on top of the bottom layer. Don't use hard strokes; spread it gently using an offset metal spatula or plastic spatula.

Complete the frosting of bottom layer on all sides.

Place the second layer on the first, cut, or domed side up. Frost the sides of the cake first with another ½ cup of frosting. Finally, frost the top of the second layer.
Cake Decoration

The options are endless. Because my son loves M&M's, I used them to line the cake.

I also used the ready-made Cake Mate decorating pens in the grocery store in the baking aisle to write birthday messages and draw some flowers.


Recipe FAQs
I first baked and blogged about this eggless chocolate cake in 2008. It’s been 16 years now, and over the years, I’ve received so many questions from readers. This FAQ section is a result of carefully curated reviews and feedback, providing an exhaustive list of questions to ensure your baking experience is as smooth as possible. Please feel free to leave a comment if you have any other questions, and I will try to answer to the best of my knowledge.
You can use cake flour if you’d like a lighter texture, but you may need to increase the amount slightly since cake flour is lighter than all-purpose. For self-rising flour, it's not recommended unless you adjust the other leavening agents in the recipe (baking soda and baking powder), as self-rising flour already contains leavening.
Yes, you can easily make this cake vegan! The only dairy ingredient in the cake is 1 cup of milk, which can be replaced with any non-dairy milk of your choice, such as almond, soy, or oat milk. For the frosting, simply swap the butter with a vegan butter alternative and double-check that your frosting mix doesn’t contain any dairy ingredients. You can also explore some of the vegan frosting recipes I’ve shared for a fully vegan cake!
Yes, you can! Simply substitute the regular flour with an all-purpose gluten-free baking mix, which works measure for measure. Although I haven’t tested it specifically with this cake recipe, I’ve had great success using gluten-free mixes in muffin and cookie recipes. To be sure, you could halve the recipe and bake a single-layer cake as a test. This way, you can see how it turns out and adjust as needed before baking the full recipe.
Yes, you can make this cake soy-free by using a different egg substitute in place of silken tofu. While I haven’t personally tried other substitutes in this recipe, many reviewers have had success using unsweetened applesauce. One reader even mentioned that they skipped the tofu entirely, and the cake still turned out great! Another option could be to use an equal measure of yogurt, which should also work well.
I’ve only tested this recipe with granulated white sugar, but brown sugar should work just as well, adding a slightly richer flavor. I haven’t experimented with artificial sweeteners, but if you’re using a liquid sweetener like maple syrup, you’ll need to adjust the amount of other liquids in the recipe to maintain the right consistency. Start by reducing the liquid ingredients slightly to balance it out.
Yes, you can! The coffee isn't mandatory. Simply replace it with a cup of water. Coffee is typically used to enhance the chocolate flavor, but I haven’t done a side-by-side comparison to see how much of a difference it makes. Either way, your cake will still turn out delicious!
Yes, you can! Feel free to add up to a cup of chocolate chips, nuts, or other mix-ins to the batter. There’s no need to adjust the measurements for the other ingredients—just stir them in and bake as usual for a delicious twist!
Yes, of course! Line a muffin tin with paper liners and lightly grease them with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon about ⅓ cup of batter into each liner and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Enjoy your eggless chocolate cupcakes!
No worries! You can use any other frosting mix of your choice or frosting from a can. Alternatively, you can try one of the homemade frosting recipes from the blog for a delicious, from-scratch option.
Yes, this cake tastes great even without frosting! You can simply dust it with powdered sugar or top it with fresh fruits like berries for a lighter option. A slice of this cake with some whipped topping and fresh fruits also makes for a delicious, simple dessert. The rich chocolate flavor and moist texture stand on their own, making it perfect as a snack or quick treat.
You can bake this cake a day or two in advance. Once cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to keep it fresh. If you're planning to frost it later, store the unfrosted cake layers at room temperature for up to two days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze it for up to 3 months—just be sure to thaw it completely before frosting or serving. While I haven’t personally frozen this cake, this is the general procedure for freezing cakes.
More Eggless Chocolate Cake Recipes:
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Recipe

Eggless Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients:
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
- ¾ Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 2 Cups Granulated Sugar (See My Notes)
- 1 Cup Vegetable Oil (I Used Canola Oil)
- 1 Cup Hot Coffee (I Mixed 1.25 Teaspoons Of Instant Coffee Powder With 1 Cup Of Hot Water)
- 1 Cup Milk (I Used 2% Milk)
- ½ Cup Silken Tofu Pureed (I Used Nasoya Brand Silken Tofu)
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 Packet Dr Oetker's Organic Chocolate Icing Mix
- ¼ Cup Hot Milk/Hot Water (Heat It In The Microwave Oven For 15 Seconds)
- ⅓ Cup Soft Butter At Room Temperature (Which Is 5 Tablespoons + 1 Teaspoon)
- ¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- A Pinch Baking Soda
Instructions
Cake Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 325F (160C) for 15 minutes.
- Grease two 9 inch round cake pans and dust them lightly with cocoa powder or flour.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Make a well in the center and add the oil, hot coffee, milk, pureed silken tofu, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If baking both pans on different oven racks, switch their positions halfway through baking for more even browning.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans until completely cool before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack.
- Frost the cooled cake with the prepared frosting and decorate as desired.
Frosting Procedure:
- Sift the chocolate frosting mix into a mixing bowl.
- Add the melted butter, hot milk, vanilla, and baking soda.
- Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add milk, one teaspoon at a time, if needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
Assemble the cake:
- If the cake layers have domed tops, level them with a serrated knife.
- Place one cake layer upside down on a serving plate or cake stand.
- Spread about ½ to ¾ cup of frosting evenly over the top using an offset spatula or butter knife.
- Place the second cake layer on top, cut side down.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting over the sides of the cake, then frost the top. Add more frosting as needed until the cake is evenly covered.
- Slice and serve, or decorate as desired.
Decorating the Cake:
- I decorated the cake with M&M's and ready made decorating icing pens to write a birthday message and add a few simple flowers. Feel free to decorate the cake any way you like for the occasion.
My Notes
- Puree the silken tofu until completely smooth before adding it to the batter.
- The batter will be thinner than a typical cake batter. This is normal.
- Let the cake layers cool completely before removing them from the pans and frosting them.
- If baking two cake pans on different oven racks, switch their positions halfway through baking for even baking.
- The original recipe uses a boxed chocolate frosting mix. Feel free to use your favorite homemade chocolate frosting instead.
- I added a pinch of baking soda to the frosting to help keep it soft and reduce cracking. This step is optional.









Shivani says
Thanks for the recipe. I am planning to make this cake today, but can you tell me the proportions for 1 cake?
Madhuram says
Just halve the measurements.
Shivani says
Thanks you Madhuram ..I tried this cake by replacing Tofu with yogurt and milk with fresh orange juice and little bit f orange zest...with some nuts...and it was delicious. However it became a little soft. Should i reduce the quantity of orange juice or yogurt.
Madhuram says
You're welcome Shivani. Do you think the cake could have baked a little longer? Yogurt does soften the cake. Did you use the full recipe or halve it?
Shivani says
I used the full recipe. Does baking a cake for longer time makes it soft? If so then i guess that might have happened. Also, if i use yogurt then should i reduce the proportion. I used the exact same proportion as Tofu..
How do I rate it... It is not letting me rate it..
Madhuram says
Shivani, I actually meant by soft did you mean that it did not cook properly and so do you think you should have baked it a little longer. Did the toothpick come out clean? This cake is quite moist when compared to other cakes because it has got a lot of liquid in it. The yogurt, milk, oil, hot coffee. So if you think it was too soft for your taste you can reduce about 25% of the liquid to get a firmer cake.
Regarding rating the recipe, are you using an IPAD or a desktop? We have been hearing from many IPAD users that the page is not scrolling and similar issues.
diva says
Hello, madhuram...
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I just tried it and can't believe its an eggless chocolate cake. The cake is so soft, moist and easy to make because of your very clear explanation and picture.
Madhuram says
You're welcome Diva and thanks a lot for giving it a 5 star rating.
matt says
thanks for all the detail on how to put the cake together
Harini says
I tried this recipe last night. The cake turned out great(moist, right amount of sweet and no eggy smell. I baked this in my Samsung microwave in the Convection mode. I baked at 180 C for 25 mins and at 160C for 5 mnore mins (as it looked wobbly). After this...i let it cool overnight. The next morning, I tried to flip it into a plate to frost it - sadly a part of it fell away.and the cake was so moist and tender that I couldnt frost it as it would crumble-away. I used regular tofu instead of silken. Nevertheless, it is a scrumptious cake. But what do you think I should change, while trying this again....
Madhuram says
It's great to know that this recipe works fine in a microwave oven too. Did you line the cake pan with parchment paper? This is a crucial step while baking cakes and especially this recipe because it gives a very moist cake. You could even try cutting back on the liquid you use by about 1/3rd cup and that should help.
Chandana says
Hello Madhuram, Just discovered your site couple of weeks ago and tried this eggless cake, it came out pretty good! For the frosting, i could not find the Dr. Oetker's icing mix, so got a frosting from the web. I felt that one was a little too sweet. Is there frosting recipe that you like that is not from a package? Which is soft and fluffy and not too sweet? Thank you for the amazing recipes on your site!
Madhuram says
You're welcome Chandana. I have a buttercream frosting recipe here: http://www.egglesscooking.com/2009/11/04/vegan-buttercream-icing/. Use butter instead of shortening and adjust sugar according to your taste. I chose Dr. Oetker's because it's organic and didn't have any chemicals/artificial preservatives etc.
Parul says
Hello
I have made this cake few times and every time result if great.
This time I decided pur fresh Orange juice instead of milk and added orange zest.... It gave lovely chocolate orange cake. All loved it. Next I am thinking adding teble spoon or two orange Marmlade.
Thanks a million for sharing all different receipe.
Parul
Madhuram says
You're welcome Parul. Thanks for the idea of using orange juice instead of milk. Now I too wanna try that. Hope you can rate the recipe when time permits.
Maria says
This cake looks scrumptous!!
I have tried making chocolate cakes before and usually faced a problem that it turns out a bit dry. I think I rectified it by adding yogurt. I was wondering if you ever encountered this problem and if so, what have you done.
Madhuram says
Hi Maria, maybe you are baking the cake more than it is required to. This could also happen if you are trying to make it low fat or baking it at a higher temperature. Do you think either one of this could be the reason?
Amogh says
Greatest chocolate eggless cake recipe! thank you very much!
It was fun baking the cake. I didn't have the wire mesh so I put the 2 cakes in a plate and in the refrigerator for cooling.
Also, I didn't get the icing mix you mentioned so I tried betty crocker's ready made rich chocolate icing and it turned out pretty well.
Just like to share the healthier version. Along with your suggestion for 1.5 cup sugar and 1/2 cup oil(thanks for that), I also tried half cup fat free milk and half cup Silk almond milk instead of 1 cup 2%milk. that too turned out pretty well.
What if I want to add more coffee taste to it? Should increasing the hot coffee and reducing the milk help? Also, next time I would like to make the icing taste like coffee. 🙂
Thanks again!
Madhuram says
You're welcome Amogh. To get a prominent coffee taste, increase the quantity of coffee powder to a tablespoon, keeping the hot water to the same 1 cup. You might want to experiment to know exactly how much coffee taste you prefer. Similarly in the frosting too. Add about 1-2 tablespoons of hot coffee instead of plain water/milk and add some more water/milk to get the right consistency.
shraddha says
I tried this recipe. It's nice. Thank you.
Madhuram says
You're welcome Shraddha.
Rajshree says
Could you tell me a substitute for the tofu in this recipe please. i'm finding it to be very difficult to get tofu in the market around my place!
Madhuram says
You can use equal quantity of yogurt. I tried it in this Eggless Chocolate Bottle Gourd Cake Using Yogurt with Ovaltine Frosting recipe and it turned out great.
Priyanka says
Hi,
I tried your recipe yesterday...it came out so well..delicious...Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
Madhuram says
You're welcome Priyanka.
gurpreet says
Hi, I just want to ask can I use yogurt instead of tofu, because I can't find it. Also I found Dr. Oetker Ready To Roll Icing Chocolate, can i use this, or do I have to use Dr. oetker organic chocolate mix, but I can't find this anywhere. Do I have to leave the cake in the freezer for 1 day before frosting, and decorting the cake. Thanks.
Madhuram says
You can use yogurt instead of tofu. I have done it in this Eggless Chocolate Bottle Gourd Cake Using Yogurt with Ovaltine Frosting. I checked out the icing you are talking about and I guess it's fondant and you can lay it on the cake directly. You don't need to store the cake in the freezer. Leaving it at room temperature or the fridge should be just fine.
Bhumi says
Hi Madhuram,
I tried this recipe. I baked the cake for 35 mins in a pre heated oven. After 35 mins, when I inserted a knife into the cake, it came out clear showing that the cake has been baked. So I removed the cake from the oven. But after cutting and eating it, I realised that it has not been properly baked. It tasted a little raw from inside. What could be the reason for the same?
The taste was good although.
Madhuram says
Did you taste it almost immediately out of the oven or waited for it to cool down completely?
Bhumi says
Madhuram,
I tasted the cake after it had completely cooled down.
Actually I was baking a cake for the 1st time and wanted to just try it without doing any frosting. Also I did not have 2 pans.
So I halved the ingredients of your recipe and thought of baking only one cake rather than 2 as mentioned by you. By mistake I added 1 cup coffee instead of half cup to all the other ingredients that were halved in proportion. Could that be the reason for the cake not being baked well??
Also, as I mentioned earlier, when I inserted a knife into the cake, it came out clean after baking for 35 mins. So I fail to understand where and what has gone wrong.
Also, please let me know that in future if I bake a cake with the exact proportion of ingredients as told by you, n if I pour all the batter in one pan (half Kg pentagon shape aluminium cake pan) n bake a single cake rather than 2, then will it turn out good? I want to try it in the next week. So please let me know.
Madhuram says
Increasing the quantity of coffee (or liquid) is not the reason if the knife inserted in the cake came out clean. What kind of tofu did you use? I have halved the measurements of this cake and baked it using yogurt instead of tofu. You can check it here: http://www.egglesscooking.com/2009/03/23/eggless-chocolate-cake-yogurt/
I'm not sure how big a 1/2 kg pan is or how it looks. Check the following link to measure pan sizes and dimensions: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html
Bhumi says
Madhuram,
I had used curd instead of tofu. I have heard Curd is considered a form of yogurt. So I used it.
Also, please let me know how big should my baking pan be if I wish to bake a single cake with all the ingredients mentioned exactly as by you with only difference being, yogurt replaced by half cup curds.
Please revert asap as I wish to bake the cake again tomorrow.
Madhuram says
Curd/yogurt is a good substitute. I'm not able to guess what went wrong. A 13x9 inch pan is sufficient for baking it as a single cake.
Valli says
Hi, I had baked this cake so many times, it turns out great everytime and it became a birthday cake staple for my son. I left a comment looong time back. Any way, my son wants an ice cream cake this year, and I want to use this cake as base. Do you think it would be good after freezing ? I plan to layer it with vanilla ice cream and decorate with oreos / chocolate shavings..
Madhuram says
Thanks for the compliments, Valli. I haven't tried freezing this cake, but my guess is, it should turn out good. Do leave your feedback if you do make it.
Valli says
Oh, was it good !! It was AWESOME. Last year, I made this cake with
a chocolate ganache frosting and it was such a hit. My niece went on saying "Oh, I am unable to eat any more yet I want to eat more of this- cant get enough of it". Everyone was surprised that it was eggless. My niece who hates cooking was inspired to bake it and take it to her colleagues at office who fell in love with it.
This time, I had an idea that since the cake was moist, and no butter, it should be good for the icecream cake, and it was.
I used only one half of the cake, put it in a cake tin after cooling.Spead ice cream - softened but not melted - on top and froze it.
I used Amul Ice cream, vanilla flavour, halved it, one half mixed with crushed oreo cookies - one layer - freeze - then plain vanilla icecream, one layer.Froze again. decoration : Just oreo cookies, stuck to the side of the cake. It was soo good, I almost did not get a piece to eat. I will make it again .
I have not seen you, but yesterday all of us at the party were cheering for you as well for the recipe. Bless you !
And oh, I used curd instead of tofu since I didnt have tofu.
Madhuram says
Thank you so much Valli, for your detailed feedback. You made my day. I too am so eager to make an ice-cream cake now. Thanks for the idea. Do rate the recipe when you find time.
Kelly says
Can we replace silken tofu with any other ingredient?
Madhuram says
You can use yogurt instead of tofu. I tried that and it was great. Eggless Chocolate Bottle Gourd Cake Using Yogurt with Ovaltine Frosting
Mikki says
Hi, Do you think we can use this recipe to make cupcakes? Thanks!
Madhuram says
Yes, it will work Mikki. But check for the baking time though. It should be done around 14-17 minutes.
Mamta says
Hi
Can I use any brad of silken tofu?.....I can get premium silken tofu....
Wanted to try this cake first time trying a chocolate cake...me too wanted to make it for my son's b'day........thank you
Madhuram says
Any brand should be fine, preferably organic or at least made use non-GMO soy beans.
Premitha says
Hi Madhuram,
A few quick questions, I am baking this cake for valentine's day. A surprise for HB. I want to know whether I can use whipped cream to frost these cakes, if so how much cream should be whipped. Next question, How much of silken tofu is required to make 1/2 cup of pureed tofu? Last question, I have a spring form 9" pan, while this batter fit in one pan? Please reply asap, as I am planning to make this cake tomorrow.
Madhuram says
Hi Premitha, you can use whipped cream frosting and I think it will turn this cake into a black forest cake if you top it with some cherries and chocolate shavings. But I don't know how much for this cake because I haven't tried it so far. Go to joyofbaking.com and search for whipped cream frosting and you should get an idea. The batter is for two 9 inch cakes, so I'm not sure if it would be alright to use it in single pan. The rule of thumb is the batter should not me more than half of the pan when filled so that it has enough room to rise. If it doesn't have enough room then the cake will rise but after sometime it will sink in the middle.
Premitha says
Hi Madhuram,
Thanks for the quick reply. I baked this cake yesterday, like you said one pan was not adequate, so used a rectangle pan. I think, it was overbaked, became a little fudgy and chewy. However, it tasted awesome. Going to bake it again, this time will monitor it closely. Will update the result soon.