If you love a decadent, rich and moist chocolate cake, but also want a little protein boost to your sweet treat, this recipe is about to become your new favorite! I've written quite a few chocolate cake recipes over the years, and with my birthday coming up next week, it's a big sign that out of all of them, this is the one I see myself making this year and possibly every year!

This vegan chocolate cake is soft, moist, and deeply chocolatey, topped with a thick and creamy, high-protein chocolate mousse frosting made with tofu and dates—yes, tofu! It’s creamy, luscious, and sets perfectly, making it ideal for frosting cakes.

One thing our students know about me is I love what I call "woodsy" decorations in desserts, and I also love toppings that add texture and flavor and aren't just there for the look of things. In a good recipe, everything must serve a purpose that will influence every bite. Decorating cakes also has to be simple and not take more time (or stress!) than it took to make the actual cake. This ticks all of those boxes and the only tool you'll need to decorate is a spatula. That's right! No pastry bag for this one, making it a super easy cake to decorate that somehow looks like it took you hours to make. It's a show-stopper this one. 

We're using toasted maple hazelnuts with salt flakes and a touch of chipotle chili powder (because as I always teach our students in our online vegan cooking school, chocolate plus salt plus chili powder equals more flavor and cartoon-like eye popping). We're also adding crunchy pistachios, juicy raspberries, and blackberries, plus an extra side of chocolate mousse for ultimate indulgence while serving. It’s the perfect balance of richness, texture, and natural sweetness.

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Chocolate Cake

✔ Super moist, soft, and so rich in chocolate flavor
✔ High in protein thanks to the tofu mousse frosting
✔ A Chocolate Mousse Frosting Naturally sweetened with dates
✔ Easy to make with simple ingredients
✔ Decorated with nuts, berries & sea salt for the perfect balance

How to Make the High-Protein Chocolate Mousse Frosting

This will be the first step in making the cake so this frosting has a little time to chill and set in the fridge. You can even make this ahead of time to get it super firm overnight, although if you have a powerful blender or food processor and you follow my tip of being patient so as to not add extra liquid, the mousse frosting turns out so perfectly firm that it will set perfectly by chilling it only while you make and cool your cake.

1. Blend the tofu, dates, non-dairy milk, vanilla and cocoa powder in a food processor or blender, until smooth. This requires a little patience as the less additional liquid we add the better. Make sure to scrape down the sides and stop your machine from time to time. It will come together, you just have to be patient. Add the extra non-dairy milk only if needed.
2. Pro tip!: It's important that the tofu you use is firm tofu and not silken tofu, otherwise the frosting might be too runny.
3. Chill until ready to use – This helps it firm up for frosting.
   
   

How to Make the Perfect Vegan Chocolate Cake

Step 1: Prepare the Cake Batter

1. Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease and flour the sides of an 8 & 1/2-inch round cake pan and place a circle of parchment paper in the bottom.
2. In a bowl, mix the plant-based milk, non-dairy yogurt and vinegar. Let it sit while you sift and combine your dry ingredients.
3.  In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. In your standing mixer, whip together the non-dairy butter, sugar and vanilla.You can also mix the entire cake by hand or with a hand-held mixer.
5. Alternate adding the dry mix and the wet mixture while you mix until your batter comes together (without over-mixing).
   
   

Step 2: Bake the Cake

1. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
2. Bake for 35-38 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
3. Let the cake cool completely before frosting. I like to let it cool for 10 min in the pan, then carefully transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
   
   

How to Make Toasted Maple Hazelnuts & Pistachios

1. Once your cake is out of the oven, in a shallow baking sheet combine the hazelnuts, maple syrup, and chili powder (I love using chipotle but any kind will be delicious), spread them out and sprinkle with the sugar and salt flakes and roast.
2. I like buying already toasted pistachios and simply give them a rough chop, but you can also toast them in the same oven if you buy or have un-toasted on hand.
   
   

Assembling and Decorating the Cake

1. Frost the Cake – Spread a thick layer of the high-protein chocolate mousse frosting over the cooled cake.
2. Add the Toppings – Create a crescent moon with your toppings including the crunchy pistachios, maple hazelnuts, raspberries and blackberries.
3. Serve with Extra Mousse on the side – Because why not?! 
   
   

Pro Tips for the Best Vegan Chocolate Cake

✔ Use a good quality cocoa powder for a deep chocolate flavor 

✔ Use firm tofu, NOT silken tofu for the frosting and use as little liquid as possible for a firmer frosting.

✔ Let the frosting chill – The tofu mousse thickens as it chills, making it easier to frost the cake.

✔ Toast the nuts – This brings out their natural sweetness and adds a satisfying crunch.

✔ Store leftovers properly – Keep the cake in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze slices for later!

Want to Learn More Vegan Baking Secrets?

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FAQs

Can I add more milk if the mousse isn't blending correctly?
Yes but add as little as possible and make sure to chill it overnight if it's runnier than what you see in the video.

Can I use silken tofu instead of firm?
For this cake, using firm tofu is best for a perfectly set frosting.

Should I use regular dates or Medjool dates for the mousse?
Medjool dates work best for the perfect mousse sweetness and texture. If you can't find them, use regular dates but add a few extra as Medjool dates are a bit larger and sweeter.

Can I turn this cake into vegan chocolate cupcakes?
Absolutely! Just use liners in a cupcake pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Only frost when completely cooled down and add your toppings for a stunning cupcake look!

Are you ready to make it? Here's the printable PDF, video and written recipe so you can run to get the ingredients and make this delicious chocolate cake.

PDF RECIPE

THE ULTIMATE VEGAN CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH HIGH-PROTEIN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE FROSTING

Yield: One 8 & 1/2 inch cake | Prep time: 20 minutes for the mousse (you cam make it the day before for even better texture and flavor), 30 minutes for the cake, 10 minutes for decorating your cake | Cook time: 35-38 minutes for the cake, about 5-7 minutes for the toasted hazelnuts | Chilling time: Chill chocolate mousse while you make the cake and let it cool completely, or for a few hours/overnight for even firmer frosting
 

Ingredients

For the high protein chocolate mousse:

• 1 & 1/4 cups non-dairy milk (you may need a touch more if your blender/food processor isn’t strong enough, but the less you add the better)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 10 medjool dates, pitted
• 1/2 cup cacao powder
• 500 gr (17.6 oz) FIRM tofu (NOT silken tofu)
  
  

For the cake:

• 1 & 1/4 cups non-dairy milk
• 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons non-dairy yogurt
• 1 & 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 100 gr non-dairy butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 & 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the toppings:

• 1 cup hazelnuts
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• A few dashes of chili of chili or chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon salt flakes
• A sprinkle of sugar
• Raspberries and blackberries
• 2 tablespoons chopped toasted pistachios

Directions:

1. Add all the mousse ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until creamy. This takes patience and lots of scraping and stopping your machine as needed. You may add a touch more milk only if absolutely necessary but the less you add the firmer the frosting. Chill until ready to use. You’ll have extra for serving alongside your cake.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF /180ºC and prepare an 8 & 1/2 inch cake pan by greasing and flouring the sides and placing a circle of parchment in the bottom.
3. Whisk together the milk, apple cider vinegar and yogurt to create the buttermilk.
4. In a large bowl sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and add the salt. Whisk until well combined.
5. In the bowl of a standing mixer or with a handheld mixer (you can also mix by hand), whip the non-dairy butter until creamy. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and mix until whipped.
6. Add in your dry mixture alternating with the buttermilk bit by bit while mixing on low, until every thing is combined.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
8. Bake for 35-38 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Let the cake cool completely.
10. While your oven is still on, in a shallow baking sheet add the hazelnuts and drizzle with the maple syrup and chili, toss and sprinkle on top with some sugar and the salt flakes. Roast in the oven until golden (about 5 minutes but keep a close eye on them). Let them cool.
11. Once your cake is completely cool, add a thick layer of the mousse on top, and decorate with the fruit and nuts. Enjoy!
    
    

This dairy free and egg free chocolate cake with high-protein chocolate mousse frosting is a must-try for chocolate lovers! It’s moist, indulgent, and packed with protein, and although still a treat, the mousse frosting provides an added nutritional punch. Plus, the toasted maple hazelnuts, pistachios, and fresh berries take it to the next level!

Want to perfect your vegan baking skills? Enroll in our online vegan cooking school and start making bakery-worthy treats at home and improve your savory cooking skills, get organized with meal planning, shopping and batch cooking and much more.