15 Decadent Vegan Birthday Cake Recipes (2024)

“Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Dear Green Monster, Happy Birthday to you.” Is today your birthday? Every day is somebody’s birthday. Birthdays are days when we celebrate somebody we love and let them know how glad we are that they were born.

If you’re planning a big birthday bash, we can help. Check out How to Throw an Epic Vegan Birthday Party for tips, advice, and creative ideas. Of course, one of the most important things you need, whether it’s a party of 2 or 200, is a birthday cake. And yes, you can buy a cake in the store, but it’s so much more special to make one yourself. You get to choose the ingredients, so the cake can be Dairy-free, egg-free, and have no unhealthy ingredients such as artificial colorings and flavors.

Don’t like baking? No problem. Try making a raw or no-bake cake. Take a look through our most Popular No-Bake Desserts and these 10 No-Bake Raw Vegan Cakes. Everyone loves a creamy ice cream cake – Why Choose Between Cake and Ice Cream When These 15 Recipes Let You Have Both.

Making a birthday cake isn’t much different than making any other cake though you might want to decorate it differently and that’s most of the fun. You’ll love these 10 Exquisite Vegan Birthday Cakes and these 20 Grand Vegan Birthday Cakes That Will Blow Your Mind. We have even more – here are 15 decadent birthday cake recipes to make for someone’s most special day of the year.

1. Matcha Pistachio Tres Leches Cake

This Matcha Pistachio Tres Leches Cake is four layers of pure decadence. Light, fluffy vanilla cake is flavored with earthy matcha and homemade pistachio milk. It’s coated with a rich frosting made from coconut yogurt and homemade vegan condensed milk. Make this show-stopping cake and someone will definitely have a happy birthday.

2. Chocolate Teff Cake With Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting

This Chocolate Teff Cake With Chocolate Hazelnut Frosting has a secret: bananas. That’s the secret to this chocolate cake’s dense texture. The bananas make the cake more moist and sturdy. This indulgent dessert is great on its own, but the chocolate hazelnut frosting and roasted hazelnuts on top make it just that much more special. This is perfect for a birthday cake for that chocolate and hazelnut lover in your life.

3. Oil-Free Black Forest Cake

4. Samoa Layer Cake

If you like Samoa cookies, you’ll love this Samoa Layer Cake. It’s a moist, chocolatey cake coated with a layer of walnut frosting and a layer of rich and fudgy date chocolate caramel. By taking one bite of this cake, you experience the amazing combination of nutty coconut, chocolate, and caramel. Plus, it’s gluten-free, so it’s like a birthday present covered in frosting.

5. Walnut Carrot Cake With a Maple Cashew Frosting

If you love carrot cake, this Walnut Carrot Cake With a Maple Cashew Frosting may very well be the best you’ll ever taste. The moist cake is made with Spelt flour and has walnuts and coconut flakes folded in for crunchy and chewy texture. Then it’s topped with a creamy maple-cashew frosting and a sprinkle of raw walnuts and cacao nibs. This is the perfect birthday cake for the carrot cake lover.

6. Pomegranate and Molasses Upside Down Cake

The birthday boy or girl is special and their cake should be too so why not make this Pomegranate and Molasses Upside Down Cakefor them? The rich cake is flavored with warm spices and sweet molasses. The bottom layer of tart pomegranate seeds becomes the unique top of the cake and then a creamy chocolate sauce gets drizzled all over it. This cake will be the life of the birthday party!

7. Chocolate Carrot Cake With Walnut-Date Frosting

Can’t decide whether to make a chocolate cake or a carrot cake? Make both with this Chocolate Carrot Cake With Walnut Date-Frosting. This cake is gluten-free and has only dates for sweetness but it’s decadent and delicious. A thick layer of rich, fudgy walnut-date frosting coats the moist, chocolatey cake that lets you enjoy two favorite cakes in one.

8. Four Layer Raw Rainbow Ice Cream Cake

9. Raw Raspberry and Chocolate Cheesecake

Raspberries and chocolate are a match made in heaven and this Raw Raspberry and Chocolate Cheesecake will have your taste buds singing with joy. This decadent chocolate cake sits atop a crust of dates, raw cashews, and hazelnuts. The chocolate filling is smooth and creamy while raspberries add a fruity note that prevents it from being overly rich. Decorate the top with fresh raspberries and you’ve got a photo-worthy cake that’ll impress everyone!

10. Brown Butter Cardamom Cake With Chai Buttercream Frosting

Maybe the birthday girl or guy is a little different, more adventurous, and a run-of-the-mill cake just won’t do. That’s when you unveil this Brown Butter Cardamom Cake With Chai Buttercream Frosting. This dense, chai-spiced cake has a rich buttercream frosting made with black tea leaves and warm spices that is simply irresistible. People will be talking about this cake for months!

11. German Chocolate Cake

There’s chocolate cake and then there’s this German Chocolate Cake. We’re talking a rich chocolate cake that is covered in a rich chocolatey frosting and then topped with a nutty coconut layer. It’s like layer after layer of decadence. This gorgeous dessert is the ultimate birthday cake and is sure to be a hit with everyone!

12. Chocolate Beet Cake

Beets are nature’s candy, and this Chocolate Beet Cake is a sweet offering on someone’s birthday. This chocolate cake includes pureed beets which add a layer of earthiness to its rich flavor. Dark red pomegranate seeds and a raspberry glaze add more layers of color and flavor to this beautiful dessert.

13. Chocolate Cake With a Crunchy Rice Crispy Base

This Chocolate Cake With a Crunchy Rice Crispy Base is all kinds of special. The rich and creamy chocolate cake sits on a crispy, gluten-free crust. To really take the presentation to the next level, top this decadent dessert with roasted cashews, and then drizzle it with caramel sauce. This stand-out cake will have everyone talking!

14. Apple Pumpkin Cheesecake With Glazed Peanut Butter Popcorn

Birthdays should be fun and festive, and even the food should have a bit of whimsy. This Apple Pumpkin Cheesecake With Glazed Peanut Butter Popcorn does just that. The pumpkin cheesecake has a layer of spiced apples that is warm and delicious, but the best part is the popcorn glazed with peanut butter that decorates this cake.

15. Chocolate Coconut Chip Cake

The birthday girl or guy is sweet enough, so you don’t need a cake that’s filled with sweeteners. This Chocolate Coconut Chip Cake is sweetened naturally. In fact, this cake is so good for you; you could eat it for breakfast with some fresh fruit on top. With or without the frosting – that’s up to you.

Birthdays are special, so they deserve to have the most special cake possible. Make any of these cakes for anybody and they’ll definitely have a happy, happy birthday.

Lead image source: Samoa Layer Cake

15 Decadent Vegan Birthday Cake Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Why is my vegan cake not fluffy? ›

CAKE NOT RISING

This can be caused by a few things already mentioned such as using the wrong egg replacer or over mixing. I always recommend using fresh raising agents. Generally, baking soda and baking powder only stay active for 3 months after opening.

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Does Whole Foods make vegan birthday cake? ›

For special diet needs, we also have vegan and gluten-free cakes.

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Is birthday cake vegetarian? ›

Of course you can, unless someone bakes a meat cake. Vegetarians eat dairy and eggs, both of which are usually found in cakes. Vegans can't eat either, but there are vegan substitutes that can be used to make cakes as well.

How long does homemade vegan cake last? ›

Storing Unfrosted and Uncut Vegan Cakes

If you have made your sponge with vegan butter it will keep in a good tasting condition for about five days. We recommend only keeping it like this for three to be on the safe side. If you have used oil in your baking this will add about two days to the shelf life.

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Why do vegan cakes need vinegar? ›

Vinegar works a little bit differently from flax and chia; it reacts with the baking soda in the recipe to create extra lift, resulting in the lightest, fluffiest vegan chocolate cake you'll ever have. And no, you won't taste the vinegar—it simply enhances the overall flavour of the cake without distracting from it.

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What is the secret to light fluffy cakes? ›

Leavening agents, such as baking powder and baking soda, play a crucial role in making cakes rise and achieve a fluffy texture. These agents produce carbon dioxide gas when combined with liquid and heat, creating air pockets that lighten the batter.

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Does nothing bundt cakes make vegan cakes? ›

Unfortunately, we do not bake any vegan cakes.

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What cake brands are vegan? ›

Since most boxed cakes require that you add eggs, milk and butter after, most major brands such as Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker are already vegan!

Duncan Hines Decadent Carrot.
Duncan Hines Red Velvet.
Betty Crocker Super Moist French Vanilla.
Betty Crocker German Chocolate.

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What is chantilly cake frosting made of? ›

Chantilly cream is a super fluffy and silky cream made of heavy whipping cream, sugar and vanilla. Use it as a frosting for cakes or a topping for pies, pavlovas and more.

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Can Muslims eat vegan cake? ›

Is veganism halal in Islam? Yes, Veganism is Halal in Islam. We are told in Islam that some of the animals were provided to us for food and that they have other benefits for us in terms of their labor and things like the milk products which come from them. However we are not required to eat any halal food specifically.

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Do Muslims eat birthday cake? ›

In religious matters, everything is haram except that what is prescribed by Qur'an or the Prophet (s.a.w.a.), while in worldly matters everything is halal except that what is forbidden by Qur'an or the Prophet (s.a.w.a.). Yes, you can eat cake at a birthday party. it is not haram.

Why is my vegan cake soggy? ›

You could try different ones or try reducing the water and/or oil content a little. If you're adding things like fruit to the batter it can release juices during baking that can make cakes soggy. I usually reduce my water and oil content a little when I bake these types of cakes.

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Do vegan cakes taste bad? ›

Those are typically marked as “Vegan” or “vegan friendly”. Vegan cakes are not inherently disgusting, but like any type of food, their taste and quality can vary widely depending on how they are prepared and the ingredients used.

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Do vegan cakes taste different? ›

Flavor Differences

Gluten-Free bakers have different flour types to experiment with, and vegan bakers now have new alternatives to dairy products. In addition, vegan and gluten-free cakes contain way more fruits than regular cakes; this gives them a unique flavor.

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Why are vegan cakes dense? ›

Vegan cakes can sometimes be denser than their non-vegan counterparts due to the absence of certain ingredients that contribute to the structure and texture of traditional cakes. Eggs, in particular, provide leavening, moisture, and binding properties in conventional cakes.

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Why don t vegan cakes rise? ›

Leavening Agents: Eggs play a crucial role in leavening non-vegan cakes, but in vegan baking, bakers must find suitable alternatives to provide the necessary rise and lightness. Baking powder, baking soda, and vinegar combinations are commonly used to replace the leavening properties of eggs.

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Why is my cake dense and not fluffy? ›

If a recipe includes a lot of acid such as lemon juice and buttermilk and isn't lifted with enough baking powder, the cake will taste dense. In that case, you may need the addition of baking soda which will react with the acid and create a fluffier crumb.

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Why is my cake dense instead of fluffy? ›

Novice bakers sometimes make the mistake of overbeating the cake batter. If you overbeat the cake batter, it can actually toughen the cake. If the recipe uses measuring dry ingredients by volume, rather than weight, be sure to fluff or sift the flour before measuring. Too much flour will make the cake dense and dry.

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