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.
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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.
J. Watkins says
I made this cake for my daughter's 2nd birthday. She is allergic to eggs, so I was very happy to find your website. I was so amazed at how wonderful it turned out! This was my first ever attempt at making a homemade cake that was not a box mix. Wow! This was just fantastic and everyone loved it! Thank you!
Madhuram says
Thank you very much Watkins. 😀
Sara says
Thank you so much for this! My son is allergic to eggs and so is my mother-in-law. This cake is amazing. It tasted exactly right. It was moist and had a perfect texture. You've made my little boy so happy!
Madhuram says
You're so very welcome Sara. I'm very glad that your little boy enjoyed it.
Elisa says
Thanks for sharing such great recipe. One of my son is allergic to eggs and this is by far the best eggless recipe that I've tried so far and also the best chocolate cake as well! I made thrice already. First time made into 2 layers with chocolate ganache and the subsequent attempt were made into a single 9" cake, baked slightly longer and frosted with strawberry cream cheese and that goes well too. This recipe is a real keeper.
Elisa says
Thank you for the recipe. My son is allergic to eggs, this recipe is just perfect. I've made this thrice and they turned out moist and delicious everytime. The first time i did 2X9" with another chocolate ganache recipe, 2nd and 3rd I pour all batter into one pan for a single layer cake and baked slightly longer. Tried the 3rd cake with strawberry cream cheese frosting and that went well too. This is a real keeper.
Madhuram says
Thank you very much for your feedback, Elisa. The strawberry cream cheese frosting sounds very interesting. 🙂
Valeria says
Madhuram,
I would really like to try this recipe. I've become vegan a few months ago and this looks like the perfect opportunity to prove anyone who says vegan food just can't be delicious wrong!
So, is regular tofu the same as silken tofu? And if not, what can be used instead? We don't get it here.
Thanks for sharing!
Madhuram says
Silken tofu is the more soft type of tofu than firm and extra firm tofu. See if you can get at least soft tofu. Other types won't work out.
Neha Jain says
Hi Madhuram,
It seems like a great recipe. Will definitely try it soon. Just wanted to ask, that as Satya has written we can use curd instead of silken tofu. Can you please guide as to how much curd I should use to substitute tofu. We don't get silken tofu here, that is why I would need the substitution.
Thanks,
Neha
Madhuram says
You can use the same amount of curd as silken tofu, which will be 1/2 cup. Hope this helps.
Madhuram says
You can use the same amount of curd as of tofu.
Marlene Chapellaz says
It continues to fall after cooking. What am I doing wrong. Looks good in the oven but deflates as it cools to about 1/2 height.
Madhuram says
I think there should be something wrong with the oven temperature. Did you open the oven in between? If I remember right, this is the first time that somebody has not got this recipe right.
Andrea says
Be sure your baking powder and baking soda are not too old. I never open the oven until the cakes are done.
vaidehi says
Hi can you help me make this below recipe eggless.. I tried it with egg as is and I got it in 2 min in microwave but was little dry.
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup high quality cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Combine all ingredients and mix until just combined do not over mix
Divide between four mugs
One at a time, microwave on high for 2 1/2-3 minutes, until cake rises
above the mug
Let cool for 2 minutes and garnish with desired toppings
Tip: Make vanilla mug cakes by substituting 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
for the cocoa powder.
Madhuram says
You can use 1/4 cup yogurt instead of the egg.
vijayalakshmi says
Awesome recipe. Baked today for my sons bday. Thank you.
Madhuram says
You're welcome Vijayalakshmi.
Pavithra Ravi says
This is a wonderful recipe. Thank you so very much. I just made this cake and its still warm, yet so succulent, that most of it is in my husband's and my tummy.
Madhuram says
Haa..haa..you're welcome and thank you for the feedback Pavithra.
Satya says
Hi,
I made this cake many many times. Every time, it is perfect and finishes very fast..so moist and so good. All my friends love this - some of them made it and they had good results too. What I love about it is its very simple to put together but tastes awesome.
Last week a friend had her kids birthday party for 25 people.. she wanted to make a big cake. I gave her the link to the website and told her she could make two cakes of the recipe and join before icing. But since she had not much time and could not do it in two batches, she baked it as one..it took 45 minutes but she said " It was soooo good and soo soft" She iced it herself and her guests polished it all off !
Oh and we always use curd instead of tofu since we dont get tofu here.. or if we do its very expensive. But even with curd the results are excellent.
Madhuram says
Thank you so much Satya for the detailed feedback.
Khushbu says
Hey do we need to use the oil if we are using tofu in cake recipe? I read somewhere that tofu is a replacer of egg and butter. So was just wondering.
And also in one of the cake recipe, it was using whole block of tofu and only 3 TBsp of oil where as here it says 1 cup of oil. So is that fine?
cheesentoast says
Thank you for this! My poor egg allergic baby has never been able to have cake before and this was so good. I'd have never guessed it wasn't a "regular" cake. My mother-in-law is also allergic to eggs so I was able to make two people very happy. This worked beautifully.
Madhuram says
You're very welcome. I'm very glad that they were able to enjoy the cake.
preet says
What can i use instead of tofu? Want to try this.
Madhuram says
You could try unsweetened applesauce, but I cannot guarantee if the texture will come right.
Shivani says
Madhuram
Thank you so much for the amazing recipe. This cake has become my family's all time favorite and I have been baking this one on every special occasion( son's or hubby's Bday) and time is come out delicious. I do replace portion of milk with fresh Orange juice and add a little Orange zest. This makes it more like chocolate and orange cake with some nuts and Chocolate chips .
Madhuram says
You're very welcome Shivani. That's a nice idea to use orange juice and zest.
Barbara says
My boyfriend and I searched for days to find a vegan cake to make for our anniversary, we absolutely love this recipe, we make it vegan but he rest of our families eat it as well. We've been making it for 4 consecutive years 🙂
I must admit we have made it a couple of times for our birthdays as well. So thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
Madhuram says
Wow! thank you very much Barbara. You have made my day. I'm so glad that it's being received well with your family.
Mitsuki says
Finally!!! I found a great easy recipe 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!!
Madhuram says
You're very welcome Mitsuki.
Aytza says
Was in search for an eggless cake as my husband's niece can never eat cake at the birthday party's due to this allergy, but wanted something that was tasty as well since I only wanted to have 1 cake. No one noticed the difference! It was devoured. The only way people knew it was eggless was when my husband asked people if they liked the tofu. I followed the recommendation of reducing the sugar and used a chocolate buttercream frosting instead of the one posted. My husband's niece was so excited to finally be able to eat the cake.
Madhuram says
That's great Aytza. Thanks for trying the recipe and for the detailed feedback.
Aytza says
Was in search for an eggless cake as my husband's niece can never eat cake at the birthday party's due to this allergy, but wanted something that was tasty as well since I only wanted to have 1 cake. No one noticed the difference! It was devoured. The only way people knew it was eggless was when my husband aked people if they liked the tofu. I followed the recommendation of reducing the sugar and used a chocolate buttercream frosting instead of the one posted. My husband's niece was so excited to finally be able to eat the cake.
Manju says
Thankyou for this delicious recipe.i tried this for my daughters birthday and it turned out nicely except my icing was a bit loose.i have tried many eggless cakes but this seems to be really moist and tasty,
Madhuram says
Thank you very much Manju.