This Vegan Chocolate Orange Cake is the perfect treat! With layers of moist chocolate sponge and a luscious chocolate-orange mousse, it’s hard to believe this dessert is oil-free and sweetened with date sugar.
Chocolate and orange—a classic pairing that never goes out of style. The rich depth of dark chocolate harmonizes beautifully with the bright, tangy notes of orange, creating a flavor combination that truly shines in this vegan chocolate cake with chocolate-orange mousse.
The best part? This recipe is completely oil-free, and the sponge is naturally sweetened with date sugar. It’s not only a delight for the palate but also a thoughtful choice for more mindful indulgence.
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Ingredient Notes
Before you begin, gather all the ingredients needed for the oil-free vegan chocolate sponge. The chocolate mousse will be prepared once the sponge is baked and cooled, so you can leave the silken tofu in the fridge until it’s time to use it.
- Wheat Flour: I opted for white whole-wheat flour but you can also go for all-purpose flour. I don’t recommend using wholemeal flour for this recipe, as it can make the sponge too dense.
- Cocoa Powder: Choose a high-quality, unsweetened cocoa powder to enhance the chocolate flavor.
- Date Sugar: Made from dried, ground dates, this natural sweetener is available online, in organic stores, or at well-stocked supermarkets.
- Vanilla Extract: I prefer bourbon vanilla extract for its deep, aromatic flavor, but ground vanilla works just as well.
- Plant-Based Milk: Any variety will work, but I recommend a protein-rich option, such as pea milk, for added texture and moisture.
- Nut Butter: Since this recipe is oil-free, nut butter provides richness. I used natural almond butter, but cashew butter, or hazelnut butter are great alternatives.
- Oranges: You’ll need 2-3 organic oranges for the juice and zest. Using fresh, untreated oranges ensures vibrant flavor without unwanted additives.
- Silken Tofu: This is essential for the mousse, as it creates a smooth, fluffy texture. Regular, firmer tofu is not suitable for this recipe.
- Dark Chocolate: I used a 60% dark chocolate that contains sugar, but you can opt for sugar-free chocolate if desired.
- Medjool Dates: They add that hint of sweetness to the mousse. You can substitute with 2 Deglet Nour dates or 2 tablespoons of maple syrup if you prefer.
See recipe card for quantities.
Make it gluten-free!
Feel free to substitute wheat flour with a gluten-free flour blend. This tweak makes your cake not just vegan but also gluten-free—an ideal way to cater to various dietary preferences in one delicious treat!
Step-By-Step Instructions
This cake consists of 3 elements: The chocolate sponge, the chocolate-orange mousse and the ganache. Preparation is a little more time-consuming, so allow enough time for the individual elements to cool and set.
- Step 1: Sieve the dry ingredients for the cake into a bowl and stir together.
- Step 2: Mix the orange juice, plant milk and nut butter and add to the dry ingredients.
- Step 3: Mix to a thick batter and pour into a greased or parchment-lined 18-cm / 7-inch springform pan.
- Step 4: Bake at 175 °C / 350°F for 35 minutes and then leave to cool completely.
- Step 5: Slice the cooled cake horizontally into two layers, then return the bottom layer to the tin.
- Step 6: To prepare the mousse, blend the silken tofu with vanilla, salt, orange, and date until smooth. Melt the chocolate, add it to the mixture, and process quickly. Pour the mousse over the cake.
Next, refrigerate the cake for 1.5 to 2 hours to let the mousse set completely. Once set, place the second layer of cake on top.
Finally, drizzle the simple 2-ingredient chocolate ganache, made with milk and chocolate, over the chocolate-orange cake. Then, it’s ready to dig in!
Tips for the Perfect Chocolate-Orange Cake
Sieve, sieve, sieve! Don’t skip this step—it’s key to a fluffy cake. Sift all the dry ingredients like your cake’s fluffiness depends on it (spoiler: it does).
Timing is everything. Planning a showstopper for a special occasion? Start midday the day before. Bake the cake, let it chill over lunch, then tackle the mousse—it needs time to set its magic. Pop the whole cake in the fridge overnight. Want to impress guests the same afternoon? Start in the morning, bright and early! Procrastinators, beware.
Orange juice: You’ll need the juice of 2-3 fresh oranges. No fresh ones handy? Bottled juice will do the trick—no judgment here.
Melting the chocolate: Go old-school with a bain-marie, or embrace modern convenience and zap it in the microwave in 30-second bursts. Either way, avoid burning it!
Fancy some flair? Add orange zest and grated chocolate on top. Your cake deserves to dress to impress!
FAQ
The cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days—assuming it doesn’t disappear sooner!
A firm tofu won’t give the mousse the same fluffy, creamy texture. I haven’t tried it myself, but you might be able to substitute silken tofu with a mix of half firm tofu and half plant-based milk.
I wouldn’t recommend using a much larger tin, as the cake will turn out too flat to slice in half. But, if you prefer, you can also simply spread the chocolate-orange mousse over the whole, uncut cake. Alternatively, you can easily scale up the recipe.
I hope you’ll give this healthier vegan chocolate orange cake recipe a try. If you love this recipe, be sure to leave a comment, rate the recipe and tag me on instagram (#veggiejam) with your recreation.
PrintRecipe
Vegan Chocolate-Orange Cake [Oil-Free]
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Waiting Time: 3+ hours
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Total Time: 4+ hours
- Yield: 8-10 pieces 1x
Description
This Vegan Chocolate Orange Cake is the perfect treat! With layers of moist chocolate cake and a luscious chocolate-orange mousse, it’s hard to believe this dessert is oil-free and sweetened with date sugar.
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 1 cup (120 g) white whole wheat flour or all-purpose
- ¼ cup (25 g) cocoa powder
- ¾ cup (100 g) date sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder (5 g)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) plant milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) orange juice
- ⅓ cup (85 g) nut butter
Chocolate-Orange Mousse
- 7 oz. (200 g, about ¾ cup) silken tofu
- ¼ cup (60 ml) orange juice
- 1-2 teaspoon orange zest
- 6 oz. (170 g) dark chocolate (min. 60% cocoa)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 Medjool date (alternatively: 2 tbsp maple syrup)
Ganache
- 2 oz. (60 g) dark chocolate (min. 60% cocoa)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) plant milk
Instructions
Prepare the Cake Batter:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a 7-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, sieve and whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, date sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients: plant-based milk, orange juice, nut butter, and vanilla extract.
- Gradually combine the wet and dry ingredients, mixing until smooth and lump-free. Avoid overmixing.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Chocolate-Orange Mousse:
- Blend the silken tofu, orange juice and zest in a food processor until smooth.
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave.
- Add the melted chocolate to the silken tofdu mixture and quickly bend until creamy and well combined.
Assemble the Cake:
- Cut the cooled sponge cake in half horizontally. Place the bottom half back in the tin and pour the chocolate-orange mousse over it.
- Smooth out and place in the fridge for 1.5 to 2 hours.
- Then place the top half on top.
Prepare the Ganache:
- Heat the plant milk in a saucepan over a low heat. When it starts to simmer, add the coarsely chopped chocolate,
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the chocolate to melt for 2-5 minutes. Then stir until smooth.
- Carefully remove the cake from the tin and pour the ganache layer over the cake.
This post is also available in German (Deutsch).
Jess says
This recipe is a true gem! I was searching for a healthy, oil-free, and refined sugar-free vegan chocolate cake, and this one exceeded my expectations. It was rich and indulgent yet completely guilt-free. Everyone, even the non-vegans, absolutely loved it. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!
Melanie@Veggiejam says
Wow, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback, Jess! I'm thrilled to hear the cake exceeded your expectations and that everyone loved it – especially the non-vegans! Thanks for sharing your experience! 🙂