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.
renu says
I baked this cake and can't tell you what a great feedback I got from my family, I got tons of compliments. Thank you Thank you and Thank you1
Madhuram says
You're welcome Renu.
Vijaya says
Hi Madhuram,
Having had issues while making this cake the first time, I had to come back an post that I was successful 2nd time around. After all, 118 people (117 people + you) cant be wrong, correct? I was very happy with the cake. The only thing was that I left my cupcakes to bake for too long and so they were crusty at the top, but the cake and the taste was just out of the world. I added a strawberry filling and decorated it with some fondant flowers that I made. I cant have enough of it!!!
Your recipe rocks! 🙂
Vijaya
Vijaya, thank you very much for trying the recipe once again and for the feedback. Your idea of strawberry filling sounds great.
Bonnie W. says
I've served this cake at my son's birthday parties for the last two years. He is egg allergic and is so happy to have such a delicious cake. It is loved by everyone and I am always asked for your recipe. This year, for my daughter's 1st birthday I am going to try cupcakes with the recipe. Even though she has no egg allergies it is still my first choice in cakes. I don't even consider making a chocolate cake with eggs anymore! A huge thanks for sharing this recipe!
Thank you so much for your comment Bonnie. You made my day. I wish I had stuck to the same old recipe for my son's bday last week. I tried another tofu chocolate cake and I was not satisfied at all.
anupama says
thank you so much madhu, this was my first cake baking and it has really come out nice, i skipped the tofu and did not add it, since i was in a hurry to try the recipe,thanx once again....
anupama says
hello, i want to try this cake today, just a question can i use firm tofu pureed instead of silken tofu..
Anupama, I'm pretty sure that firm tofu will not be right for this recipe. It has to be at least soft tofu if not silken.
Naisha says
I tried this cake yesterday. It came out very nice, soft and moist. Yum!
Later, i realized that while scaling down the recipe i added double amount of tofu by mistake. Still the cake was well-baked and wonderful. Lucky me 😉
Its really fun and exciting to bake eggless. Thanks you!!
That's interesting to know Naisha. Thanks for trying the recipe.
Rupa says
Hi Vijaya and Madhu
I made this cake and it came out excellent.
- Rupa
Thanks Rupa.
Vijaya says
Hi Madhuram,
I tried this cake yesterday and it didnt come out as well yesterday. For one, it was too soft. So when I filled it and iced it, it just broke (I took it to my Wilton decorating class yesterday). The layers came apart and the cake broke into pieces). Two, it was very sticky. I used the recipe as is (exact ingredients and measurements, to the extent of buying Nasoya brand silken tofu). I greased the pan, removed it after toothpick test, cooled it on wirerack.... everything. Any thoughts?
Vijaya
Sorry to hear about your cake mishap Vijaya. From what you have written I guess that the cake was not cooked/baked through completely. Alongwith the toothpick test, you may also want to check if the cake starts pulling apart from the sides of the cake tin. Again you should not wait too long because it will get burnt quickly. Sometimes cooling it in the pan for a long time also renders for excess moisture and hence stickiness. Only after attending the Wilton's classes I came to know about the cool method of lining the cake tins with parchment paper and how easy it is to remove the cake from the tin just after 10-15 minutes. Until then I used to leave the cake tin on the wire rack for like an hour and some of the cakes would start secreting water in the bottom due to condensation.
Janhavi Sharma says
I love you!!!!
thank you thank you thank you thank you sooo much, for sharing this wonderful recipe.
I baked my first cake last night, and it was wow!
I did not do the icing, as i did not get the icing mixture. but still decorated it. surprised dad, on his b'day...!!
I am just feeling so yay!!! thank you 🙂
here's a picture of what my cake looked like.
http://img576.imageshack.us/i/image0104.jpg/
Oh! Thanks Janhavi. You made my day.
Megan Harris says
😛 Used this recipe for my daughters first birthday cake. So far it came out great and it tastes great also, I am not even going to tell anyone that it is not your everyday cake. I already make a gluten free, dairy free cake for my older daughter (4), then a few weeks ago when I gave my almost 1 year old some eggs she got a rash around her mouth. I didn't think anymore about it except don't feed her anymore eggs. I waited till almost one as was recommended for babies with exzema. I was getting everything ready for her 1st bday party, and it clicked what in the world am I going to do for her cake? This recipe saved me. I did alter it because my 4 year old wants to eat it also so I replaced flour with pamelas gluten free baking mix, amd milk with almond milk. I haven't iced it yet but I am not worried about that part. I bought an organic icing from a specialty store to save time.
You made it gluten free too? That's great Megan.
Rupa L says
Hey Madhu, the chocolate cake came out beautifully. Tasted excellent. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
- Rupa
You're welcome Rupa.
Di says
Wow and Wow. I have a ladies fashion store & often have customer functions. It's always a mission to cater for vegans. Well I tried ur recipe. I replaced oil with Stock baking margarine to give the cake a more rich taste. It came out fantastic. I'm not one who is a kitchen person but I'm impressed with myself for making and deco the cake perfectly.
I'd like to put the pics of the cake I made on ur site so let me know if I can mail u my pics. I deco the cake as the South African flag and a soccer field. Oh I used cup cakes and made it into a cup cake cake.
I'm looking forward to my event this evening:-) 😛
I would love to put the pictures here Di. Do send it to admin(at)egglesscooking(dot)com.
riya says
hello madhu..
First Tanks for the very nice eggless chocolate cake recipee.My family liked it very much.i took wheat flour insted of maida..but its too gud.love this.
its soft n tasty
just wanna ask.....
if i want to take 1 cup flour then what about the remaining ingredients
pls give a all measure again for 1 cup flour..
thanks in advance
Thanks for trying the recipe Riya. Not all baking recipes work out well when doubled or halved. But I tried halving this recipe and it worked out fine. Check it here, I made some other changes too. http://www.egglesscooking.com/2009/03/23/eggless-chocolate-cake-yogurt/
Aanchal says
Hi
At first i was very impressed by the idea of tofu as an egg replacer and was quite excited to try it.After baking though the flavor of the cake was very nice ,it was not spongy in the centre.the centre of the cake had fallen flat in the centre. would u=you be able to tell me where i might have gone wrong.
Regards
Aanchal
Sudden burst(s) of cold air while the cake is baking will make the cake to fall flat in the center. Did you open the oven door quite frequently to check for doneness? Even banging the oven door (closing it with a bang) will alter the texture of the cake.
Rupa L says
hey Madhuram, i ddint know you had already replied to my query and so posted it again. Sorry about that and ignore my last email. THANKS SO MUCH
Rupa L says
Hi Madhuram,
My girl wants pink frosting on a white cake
Can i modify your recipe by omitting the Cocoa Powder and make this as a white cake and with ready made pink frosting Do you think it will work ?
THANKS
- Rupa
Z Jaffar says
🙄
Hi Madhu
Thanks for the beautiful recipe. I have given your recipe to my friends and they all love it.
As for your ingredients, when I am icing the cake, I will reduce the sugar content otherwise I will leave it as it is.
As vegetarians, we always find difficulty in baking eggless cake. However, I am sure you have brought happiness to many.
Warm regards
Jaffar
You're welcome Jaffar.strong>
Aashima says
hey madhu...love the recipe...wanted to know that can i substitute eggs with tofu in all the cake recipes..i have a baking book but all the cakes are with eggs and i do not bake with eggs...
thanks
Aashima
Aashima, please check the following link, where I have written about various egg substitutes. http://www.egglesscooking.com/egg-replacements/
Rupa L says
Hi Madhu,
My daughter doesn't like chocolate cakes.
She wants everything white color...can i use this same recipe ingredients for baking a white cake but just omitting the cocoa & coffee items.
Or do u know of any tried & tested egg less white cake recipe ? Its her birthday next month.
Thank you.
- Rupa
Rupa, I wouldn't suggest replacing the coca powder with all purpose flour because it is 3/4th of a cup which I think is huge. I'm not sure how it would taste. Instead why don't you try one of the two white cake recipes I have in the blog. Check the eggless cakes page.
http://www.egglesscooking.com/eggless-baking-recipes/eggless-cake-recipes/