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.
Nastassia says
I tried this cake, it had a fudge-cake-like consistency, it was delicious, chocolatey and very moist. I carried it as a snack and all my friends loved it. I had to carry slices of the cake for them the next day too. I used 1/2 cup plain yogurt instead of the tofu because it is difficult to find silken yogurt where I am. I think the next time I try this cake I will not use the electric mixer, I think I probably over-mixed the batter.
Madhuram says
Thanks for trying the recipe Nastassia.
vani sudarshan says
Hi Madhu, can you please suggest me a good vanilla cake using tofu. I will be waiting for your reply. As I wnat to make it for my daughter's birthday as she loves vanilla cake.
Madhuram says
I haven't tried a vanilla cake with tofu, Vani. Instead why don't you try theChocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cupcakes. This recipe uses tofu, you could use melted butter instead of peanut butter if you don't like the flavor of peanut butter. The given measurement will fit one 8 inch or 9 inch pan I guess. Have you tried the Eggless Vanilla Cake?
Miss.Kaur says
Hello,
I tried this cake recipe, the batter was nice and smooth, I lightly greased the cake tin with vegetable oil & coco powder. When I took the cake out it looked great, however when it came to taking the cake out of the tin, half of it was stuck at the bottom, not burnt or anything! Should I have put a baking sheet at the bottom to prevent it splitting in half like that?
I served the other half to my dad and he loved it.
Thank you.
Madhuram says
Thanks for trying the recipe Kaur. You have to cool the cake for quite sometime before removing it from the oven. But the best way to do is to line the pan with parchment paper, which I learned very late. How To Line A Pan With Parchment Paper?
Aditya Ahuja says
Cool recipe....
priz says
Hi I'm just about to bake this cake for my kid's birthday. Just wanted to check with you before I do that about two things:
1) How long do I need to mix the cake batter if I'm using a wooden spoon and will the result be the same as using the mixer and blender.
2) Do I have to reduce any liquids like the coffee water/milk if I want to add the aerated cola drink before baking.
I would be glad if you could help me asap with the above mentioned. I will post after the party about how the cake turned out.
Thanks.
Madhuram says
You have to mix the wet and dry ingredients together as long as it takes to make a smooth batter. I have not tried using cola in this recipe (or any recipe) so I'm guessing that you can use 1/2 cup each of the hot coffee and milk instead of 1 cup; mix all the ingredients as usual and once the batter is ready add the cola and give it a light stir; pour into the pans and bake as usual.
vani sudarshan says
I tried the recipe and tasted the cake today and it has come out really. Thanks for the wonderful recipe. I did try to email you the pictures of the cake and it said mail did not go through as it said mail could not be delivered. i sent to the admin@egglesscooking.com can u pls send me some other email to send it to.
Madhuram says
Thanks for trying the recipe Vani. I did see your pictures and they have come out well indeed. Thanks for sending it. Do take the time to rate the recipe to help others who might want to try it in the future.
vani sudarshan says
I made this cake today and it tuned out good to look. I baked this cake and decorated too for a surprise birthday tomorrow. So I will let you know after eating the cake about the taste. I feel it has come out really good and fluffy and nice. I want to upload a picture for you. Is there an email that I can send as i do not have a blog. Please let me know. Thanks for all your help in advance. Thank you.
Madhuram says
Hope you love the taste too, Vani. I would love to see a picture of the cake. Could you upload it to PhotoBucket or Flickr and send us the URL and we will put it up here.
KM123 says
I can not tell you how excited I am to be writing this review. My daughter is allergic to eggs along with many other things. I have another chocolate cake recipe that was always dry but this one is AMAZING!!! I read almost all of the reviews and hesitated before making it. Let me just tell you. If you are reading this and have any doubts...JUST MAKE IT! You will be amazed how moist and fluffy this cake is and...DARE I SAY IT???? You can't even tell there aren't eggs in it. I promise you. I can't wait for my daughter to try this. Her birthday is on Friday and she asked me to make her cake because in her words "it means more when you make it instead of buying it". Tonight I made this cake as a test run before her actual cake on Friday. I honestly can not believe how good it is. I could go on an on for days about this recipe. It's AMAZING! Thank you so much. As a parent with a child that has food allergies it's always nice to find a recipe that actually works and this one definetly does. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! We will never make another chocolate cake in our house!
Madhuram says
Kim, thank you so much. You made my day. You have to believe me when I tell that I had tears of joy after reading your comment. Thanks once again. Pass on my birthday wishes to your daughter.
Atika says
Wow... I love chocolate cakes and even more without eggs in it.
How can you come up with this idea? thanks
Prashanie says
I tried this last weekend and it came out really well. I actually like it more than the cakes with Egg in it. However, i used my own chocolate butter cream.
thanks
Madhuram says
You're welcome Prashanie.
Ruchi says
Thanks Madhuram,
I have just started with making cakes and was surfing for an eggless cake recipe and found your blog. I really liked the recipe and also your presentation- just superb. I am looking forward to bake my first ever eggless cake. Thanks again 🙂
Madhuram says
You're welcome Ruchi. Do get back to me if you have any doubts regarding baking egg free. I'll be happy to help you.
rs says
Hi Madhuram, this recipe sure rocks...however i hv a convection oven...can this cake be baked in it?
Madhuram says
Thanks RS. By convection, do you mean a convection microwave oven? Then check out this post: http://chefinyou.com/2010/05/baking-in-microwave-convection-oven/
tharangee says
This is superb. Thank you so much. Now I have good chocolate cake recipe for my vegetarian friends.
Madhuram says
You're welcome Tharangee.
h m says
hi i wanna try this recipe js wanted to know if i can use anything besides tofu, plz give m exact measurements
Madhuram says
You could try 1/2 cup of yogurt or 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce or 1/4 cup of both.
Shanthi says
Hi Madhuram, you have been my baking inspiration. I have tried several recipes from your website and have got really good results. My husband does not eat anything with eggs in them, and your cakes are perfect for us. I have 3 questions about this chocolate cake. Would really appreciate if you can answer before Christmas break, as I am planning on making this.
1. In the blueberry pound cake, you had mentioned "magic proportion of egg substitute for cake recipes! Its half tofu and half yogurt.". This one does not have yogurt. Can I follow it this way?
2. I froze the silken tofu I bought for blueberry pound cake and now it looks different. I don't want to use it and mess up this recipe. Your thoughts?
3. 1 cup coffee? Does this not give a bitter taste to the cake?
(probably a naive question, but I a beginner in baking)
Thanks much!
Madhuram says
Thanks Shanthi. You can follow this recipe as it is and you will definitely get a very good chocolate cake or you can try 1/4 yogurt and 1/4 cup tofu substitution as well. I'm cofident that the cake will turn out good both these ways. I haven't tried freezing silken tofu and then thawing it. So I don't know how it will affect the cake. I'm not that much of a risk taker, so I wouldn't try the cake with defrosted tofu. Coffee always enhances the flavor of chocolate. Moreover it's not "1 cup of coffee" coffee actually. It's just about a teaspoon of coffee mixed with 1 cup of warm water. You will not even notice its presence in the cake, unless you are a going for a mocha chocolate cake and about a tablespoon to two.
Shanthi says
Thanks for your fast reply 🙂 I am not much of a risk
taker either. So I will not use the defrosted tofu. I wonder how else can I use my tofu in the freezer...
Madhuram says
You're welcome Shanthi. Why dont you try this Tofu Mango Pudding? You can also use it in smoothies. I make a peanut butter-banana-chocolate-tofu smoothie and it tastes very good.
Shanthi says
You are super!
Shanthi says
Baked this cake for the holidays. It was a big hit in the family. Very moist and had an amazing taste. Thanks a ton Madhuram for this excellent recipe!
Madhuram says
You're welcome Shanthi. Please do rate the recipe.
kala says
Hello Madhuram, thanks for sharing the wonderful receipe. I tried making cake for the first time inspired by your receipe. It was for my Husband's bday on Monday. I made it on sunday night and as a first timer it took me 30mins to get done with the cake. The only alteration i made to your receipe was by adding a cup of aerated drink to it. The cake came out really really wonderful. It was quite close to what we get outside, just that i was not good at baking, so it was 95% as the market cake. Will be 100% next time.. as i guess i now got the baking skill too 🙂 My little 2yr old daughter too enjoyed it. So henceforth will be making cakes at home, more so coz we are vegetarian 🙂
Do share other flavoured receipe too
Cheers
Kala
Thanks again.
Madhuram says
You're welcome Kala. That's a neat trick to include cola to the batter. I think you have to add it at the end just before putting it in the oven.
Tracey says
Thanks so much for this fantastic recipe!! I have a friend whose son is allergic to eggs and nuts so I always like to make allergy-friendly foods for him when they visit. I hate for him to have to eat a "special" dessert while all the other kids have their choice of dessert. One dessert for all! Anyway, I have a few egg-free cookie recipes that I usually make, but a recent occasion called for a cake and after checking out a few different recipes, decided on yours. I'm so glad I did!! To anyone still deciding whether or not to make this cake: make it!! You'll be glad you did. I have a tried-and-true chocolate cake recipe that never fails to make people swoon and I can honestly say that when I made this egg-free recipe and compared it to that other one, I could not tell the difference. It's super chocolatey, incredibly moist, and just all out delicious! For what it's worth, I didn't have any problem using an electric mixer. I combined all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a mixer and then slowly added the wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. I greased the pans and then put down parchment, and greased and floured that and the layers released without a problem. I know I'll be turning to your blog the next time I need an egg-free recipe. Thanks again!
Madhuram says
Thank you very much Tracey. You made my day with your generous compliment..
joan says
I wonder if it is ok to bake with only baking soda. Will it make a big difference without baking powder? Thanks.
Madhuram says
I guess the cake would be very dense.
runa says
Wonderful recipe , thanks for sharing this,Madhuram - I tried it out on Saturday, pretty much followed it to the T... and had great results.
- Runa
Madhuram says
Thanks Runa.
rekha says
hi Madhuram,
Can u please tell me the recipe of chocolate sponge cake. I want an eggless sponge cake. Want to try on our anniversary. Thank u.
Madhuram says
Use the following recipe, Rekha and a happy anniversary.
http://www.egglesscooking.com/2009/02/16/whacky-vegan-chocolate-cake/