One Bowl Vegan Chocolate Sheet Cake (Gluten Free, Oil Free)
The Best vegan chocolate sheet cake ever! This vegan sheet cake is super rich and decadent yet secretly vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and oil free. Made in just one bowl, you won’t believe how easy and delicious this sheet cake is!
Why you’ll love this vegan gluten free chocolate cake (even if you aren’t gluten free!)
This is truly the ultimate vegan gluten free chocolate cake. I’m serious, you’re just going to love this chocolate sheet cake recipe, and for a few reasons:
- This chocolate cake is super moist without containing any oil. Yes this is an entirely oil free vegan chocolate cake recipe that’s still super moist! The trick is in the vegan buttermilk and applesauce.
- It’s super rich and decadent, while also being refined sugar free and gluten free. You won’t even be able to tell that this is actually a healthier vegan sheet cake. The cake itself is so rich and tender, I promise even non-vegans will beg for a slice!
- The ingredients are super simple. For this vegan sheet cake, you don’t need much! We’ll go over that in the next section, but really easy and straightforward ingredients.
- You just need one bowl! That’s it! Just one bowl that you can use for both the batter and the frosting. Talk about a stress free cake!
Just get ready for the best dang vegan chocolate sheet cake you’ve ever had! This one is a keeper!
What is a half sheet cake?
You’ve heard of a Texas sheet cake, or just a sheet cake before. Basically, a cake that’s baked in a sheet pan rather than round cake pans. That’s truly the only difference! It makes cake baking more approachable and easier for all.
However, you might not have heard of a half sheet cake, which is essentially what we’re baking here (although you can use a smaller sheet cake pan to bake this as well!).
A half sheet cake is essentially a square cake- only half of what a sheet pan cake would be!
This chocolate half sheet cake only serves about 9 people, and it is absolutely decadent. The perfect size for small birthday parties, get togethers, celebrations, or even Valentine’s Day!
Oil free vegan sheet cake ingredients
You’ll be shocked by how simple these ingredients are for a small vegan chocolate cake.
For this half sheet cake recipe, you’ll need:
- Oat flour: if you’re not gluten free, you can also use regular or cake flour.
- Arrowroot starch: also called arrowroot powder, this helps create a “cake flour” texture to the cake.
- Coconut sugar: I recommend this over granulated sugar, as the cake turns our much richer- and refined sugar free!
- Cacao powder
- Dairy free milk: you can use any dairy free milk here. I recommend oat milk or coconut milk!
- Apple cider vinegar: this will be used to create both the vegan buttermilk and an alternative baking powder
- Baking soda
- Applesauce: this acts as the vegan egg replacement.
In terms of equipment, you’ll need:
- one large bowl
- hand mixer
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- square baking pan
That’s it! This vegan chocolate sheet cake is super easy in both process and ingredients!
How to make a vegan gluten free chocolate sheet cake from scratch
As with all of my recipes, the full detailed instructions to this vegan chocolate sheet cake are found down below in the recipe card (along with the measurements for the ingredients). However, we’ll go over a brief overview along with photos for reference!
- First, whisk together the flour, coconut sugar, cacao powder, and arrowroot powder.
- Then add in the applesauce and dairy free milk mixture, mixing together to form a batter (on the thicker side).
- Here is where we’ll add in the baking soda and apple cider vinegar mixture. Combine the baking soda and vinegar, and immediately add it to the batter. Mix to combine.
- Pour/spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake!
Once baked, you’ll allow the vegan sheet cake to cool before frosting. Then we’ll use my favorite vegan chocolate buttercream frosting as the frosting here! I like to top with vegan sprinkles as well, but you can leave it just as is!
Recipe Tips
Vegan buttermilk. This is my secret to all of my vegan gluten free cake recipes. Vegan buttermilk helps to yield that super moist and tender texture that you’d find in conventional cakes. I use apple cider vinegar here, but you can also use lemon juice or white wine vinegar. I also prefer a creamier dairy free milk, such as oat or coconut. This also helps to keep this recipe nut free.
Sifting the flour. Always make sure that you’re sifting your flour, regardless of whether it’s gluten free or regular.
Alternative baking soda. Otherwise known as baking soda and vinegar (in our case, apple cider vinegar). I mention this below, but I really find this to be the best way to rise this cake, versus baking powder. Simply combine the baking soda with the vinegar just before you need to use it in the recipe. This is because the vinegar acts instantly with the baking soda, so you want that rise to continue on through the baking process.
Vegan chocolate buttercream. My absolutely favorite buttercream of all time, vegan or not, AND approved by my nearly 80 year old grandma. I use coconut sugar as the powdered sugar here instead of regular sugar, and I honestly think it makes all the difference. The chocolate buttercream is smooth and velvety, but also super rich and more complex in flavor. It’s absolutely heavenly!
Recipe Q+A
What brand oat flour do you use?
For this vegan gluten free chocolate cake, I used Bob’s Red Mill oat flour. It really works just like flour with a bit of arrowroot powder.
You can also make your own oat flour for this cake, but please try to get the oat flour as fine as possible! Otherwise, the cake might taste a bit oaty. Still a delicious taste, but just depends on if you want a decadent and rich chocolate cake or a slightly healthier tasting one.
Do I need to use the baking soda + apple cider vinegar mixture?
I personally recommend this combination. I know it seems like a bit of a science experiment, but my vegan gluten free cakes rise so well with it as opposed to baking powder.
You can, however, sub in baking powder if you’d like. Simply swap in an equal amount of baking powder to baking soda, and omit the apple cider vinegar all together.
Please note: you’ll still need the acv for your vegan buttermilk!
If I’m not gluten-free, can I use all-purpose flour or cake flour?
Absolutely! If you’re not gluten free and don’t feel like experimenting with an alternative flour, you can absolutely swap in all purpose flour here, or even cake flour.
I recommend cake flour, as it will yield the best texture; super tender and light!
Can I use a round 6″ cake pan instead of a sheet cake?
Absolutely! If you’d like to make this a 6″ small chocolate cake, simply prepare the cake the same way, only swapping out the cake pans.
What vegan sprinkles do you use?
The vegan heart sprinkles that I’ve used in these photos are by Go Supernatural! There are also other vegan sprinkles by Sweetapolita that I absolutely love.
I hope you love this super easy vegan chocolate sheet cake as much as I do! It’s the perfect size cake for a Valentine’s Day celebration for two (or a family!), or even a small birthday party, celebration, graduation, and more!
If you loved this half sheet cake recipe, let me know how it went for you by leaving a comment below, as well as giving this recipe a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This helps show the recipe to more people who might want to make it!
As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there.
Happy baking!
More vegan gluten free cake recipes you’ll love:
Super Moist Vegan Chocolate Cake
Secretly Vegan White Chocolate Cake
Fudgy Vegan Brownie Cookie Dough Cake
Want to save this recipe for later? Add it to your favorite recipe board on Pinterest!
One Bowl Vegan Chocolate Sheet Cake (Gluten Free, Oil Free)
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 23
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
The Best vegan chocolate sheet cake ever! This vegan sheet cake is super rich and decadent yet secretly vegan, gluten free, dairy free, and oil free. Made in just one bowl, you won’t believe how easy and delicious this sheet cake is!
Ingredients
Vegan Chocolate Sheet Cake:
- 2 cups (220 g) oat flour, sifted
- 1 cup (100 g) cacao powder
- 1 cup (200 g) coconut sugar
- 2 tsp arrowroot powder
- 1 1/4 cup (300 mL)unsweetened dairy free milk + 1 tsp acv, room temperature, mixed before the batter
- 1 cup (250 g) unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
- 3 tsp baking soda + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar (DON’T mix until you’re about to add to the batter)
Vegan Chocolate Buttercream:
- 1 cup (220 g) vegan butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) coconut sugar
- 1 cup (100 g) cacao powder
- vegan sprinkles, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8×8 or 9×9 square baking pan with parchment paper and oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, cacao powder, coconut sugar, and arrowroot powder.
- Add in the applesauce and dairy free milk mixture, and fold together.
- Once the batter is mixed, combine the baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Allow it to foam, and immediately add to your batter, then mix.
- Pour the batter (it should be rather thick) into the baking pan, and place the baking pan into the oven to bake for 20-23 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely so that you may frost.
- When ready to frost, prepare the vegan chocolate buttercream. In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer and large bowl, cream the vegan butter for 2-3 minutes. Add in the cacao powder and coconut sugar, and cream until fluffy and smooth.
- Spread onto the cooled chocolate cake. Top with sprinkles.
- Slice and enjoy! Store any leftovers covered and in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the fridge up to 5 days, or in the freezer up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/9th without frosting
- Calories: 221
- Sugar: 24.2 g
- Sodium: 50.6 mg
- Fat: 3.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 46.9 g
- Fiber: 4.7 g
- Protein: 5.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This cake is FANTASTIC! I’ve been craving a nice piece of chocolate cake but the last 2 places I got a slice just didn’t measure up. So today I decided to make my own. This was simple to make – the hardest part was waiting for the ingredients to come to room temperature. I tasted the batter and it wasn’t super yummy so I was doubtful how this would come out but wow did it exceed my expectations! Super light, super moist and super fudgy! It was so fun mixing the baking soda with the apple cider vinegar watching it foam up and as I added it to the batter I said science! I made the Chocolate Buttercream frosting from your cupcake recipe with powdered sugar because I used the last of my coconut sugar in the cake. It was thick and creamy and delicious. My one mistake was misreading the frosting ingredients as 1 STICK of butter instead of 1 CUP of butter so I only had enough frosting for half the cake. Well I suppose I could have put the frosting on thinner to cover the whole cake but who would do that? I piled that stuff up on half the cake and it was perfection. Highly highly recommend! You will love it!
OH my goodness!! The sweetest review! Thank you so much for this!! Truly, just the sweetest! Enjoy!!
Hi! This recipe looks delicious! If I wanted to make this a 2-layer cake I would double the the recipe?
Hi Cheryl! Yes you can double it for a two layer cake! Enjoy!
Hi!
Planning to make this tomorrow…if I use canned coconut milk – should I just use the solid cream on top or can I shake the can and use it that way? Also do you taste the coconut?
Thank you!!!
Hi Shannon! You can shake the can and use the full coconut milk, integrated with the coconut cream. It will have a bit of a coconut taste to it, but it shouldn’t be overwhelmingly so! If you don’t want the coconut taste, you can use light coconut milk, that will have less!
Thank you so much!!!!!
This looks amazing! If I sub cornstarch for the arrowroot powder, is it a 1:1 ratio?
Aw thank you!! I hope you love it!! Yes absolutely! 1:1 ratio 🙂 Enjoy!
Your recipes are the absolute best and so wholesome. I can’t believe this is made of oat flour — so rich and delicious. 😊
Aw I’m so happy to hear it!! Thank you so much for the review! Enjoy! 🙂
Made this for a dinner with my non-vegan family and they loved it! Will definitely be making it again for them…and for me. 🙂
This is so lovely!! So happy to hear it 🙂 Thank you so much, and enjoy!! 🙂
This looks so good! Could I sub the coconut sugar in the cake for soft brown sugar or light muscovado sugar?
Hi Heidi! Absolutely! Either will work 🙂
If I wanted to make this into a 9×13 sheet cake would I double or triple the recipe? Going to make this and your vanilla sheet cake for my baby shower. Will be MUCH more cost effective and I know delicious since everything I’ve made of yours never disappoints.
Hi Jennifer! You’re so kind, thank you! To make a 9×13 sheet cake, you can double the recipe, and it will work just fine! So honored that you’ll be using these recipes for your baby shower (and congratulations!! How exciting and wonderful!!), enjoy and thank you so much for being here!!
Hi Britt, love your recipes and really want to give this one a try. Can you help me convert cup to metric? Kind regards, Elizabeth
Yes, absolutely!! It should reflect the measurements now 🙂 Enjoy!!
Thank you so much Britt!
Could I sub any other type of gluten free flour with this, like a gluten free flour blend or tigernut flour? this recipe looks amazing and I cant wait to try it!
I’m not sure it would work with tiger nut flour, but for a GF flour blend, I recommend using King Arthur Measure for Measure! That would work wonderfully!!
Perfect, that’s exactly what I have! Thank you so much!
Absolutely!! Enjoy!
This cake is amazing, and your grandma was spot-on about that frosting. I appreciated your use of simple ingredients, and detailed and thoughtful instructions. This is the best cake I’ve had in a long time, bless you, thank you! Looking forward to trying your other recipes.
This just mad my day!! Thank you so much for coming back to review 🙂 So beyond grateful that you enjoyed, and let me know what else you try!! Have a beautiful day 🙂
Hi, can I replace the Apple sauce with something else like flax or chia eggs? And what would the quantity be?
Thank you
You can but the texture won’t be as soft! 1/3 cup of applesauce is equivalent to about 1 tbsp and 1/3 cup water 🙂
HI 🙂 this looks amazing!!! What can I use if I don’t have ACV? ahhh
You can use lemon juice, white vinegar, or rice vinegar! 🙂