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Quick Vegan Chocolate Bread

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This Quick Vegan Chocolate Bread is the best ever! It’s moist, tender and so easy to make! It’s delicious for breakfast, great as a snack and irresistible for dessert. 

Over head shot of a loaf bread topped with chocolate chips.

This chocolate loaf cake is the vegan version of the classic chocolate bread. A simple and fuss-free treat made in one hour that keeps moist and fluffy for a week in the fridge. 

The best part of this recipe is that you don’t need a mixer. It just requires a medium and a large mixing bowl, and a spatula to mix the batter.

High angle and eye-level shot of the Vegan Chocolate Bread cut in some slices.

Ingredients

Flour. Plain all-purpose flour is what I usually use here. To make it gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour for all-purpose gluten-free flour at a ratio of 1:1.

Cocoa Powder. I used dutch-processed cocoa for this recipe. It has a milder and less bitter flavor.

Brown sugar. You can either use brown or cane sugar. I love both. They’re less processed than white sugar and keep their molasses content. Molasses helps to retain moisture, what is great for this bread as it makes it moister.

Agave syrup. If agave syrup it’s not among your favorite sweeteners, there are other alternatives like maple syrup, rice syrup, molasses, or honey for vegetarians.

Plant-based milk. I used soya milk but almond milk or oat milk works great here too. Those are the vegan milks I most often use, they are thick enough and have a wonderful flavour.

Apple cider vinegar. Don’t worry, you won’t notice it once the bread is baked. Apple cider vinegar serves both, to make vegan buttermilk and to substitute eggs and to help rise the bread.

Vegetable oil. Any mild vegetable oil will do: canola oil, olive oil, sunflower oil.

Vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract is the best option.

Chocolate chips. I used ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips to top the cake. If you’d like to add chocolate chips to the batter, you’ll need another ¾ cup.

Eye-level shot of a loaf cake on a parchment paper.

How to make Vegan Chocolate Cake

Full instructions and measurements can always be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is just a summary of the process. 

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF/ 180 ºC. Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, pour the milk and the apple cider vinegar to prepare the vegan buttermilk. Let it sit for 2-3 minutes. It will soon curdle. Then add the agave syrup, oil and vanilla.
  3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and the salt. Stir in the milk-vinegar mixture and mix everything with a spatula, scraping the bottom of the bowl to make sure there is no unmixed dry flour left.
  4. At that point you can add the chocolate chips to the batter, if using them.
  5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 45-55 minutes.
  6. Let cool completely in the pan. Then, use the overhanging parchment to remove the bread from the pan.

Eye-level shot of a loaf cake with a bottle of milk, a plate and a napkin.

Tips for the Best Loaf Cake

  • Measuring flour correctly. When measuring flour, don’t pack it into the measuring cup. This will add too much flour and the cake will be denser or drier.
  • Don’t over-mix. You can use a mixer or mix it by hand. Either way, try not to over do it, just mix until combined. Over-mixing produces too much air and it may result in a dense cake.
  • Don’t over-bake. Otherwise your cake will be dry. Start checking doneness after 45 minutes in the oven, by inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake. The cake is done when the toothpick comes out clean.
  • Use room temperatura ingredients. Those mix better than cold ingredients.

High angle shot of a loaf bread cut and a cup of coffee.

How to Store and Freeze

To Store

Once the cake is out of the oven, let it cool completely and cover it with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying. You can also slice it and wrap each slice with plastic. This way the slices will keep it moisture and they will be ready to just grab and eat on the go.

To Freeze

Allow the cake to cool completely. If you’re freezing the cake for a short time, a single layer of plastic is enough. If you’re freezing it for more than a week, double wrap it in plastic wrap.

When ready to use it, let it slowly to come to room temperature. Remove from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator one day before serving.

Over head shot of a loaf bread sliced and topped with chocolate chips.

Quick Vegan Chocolate Bread

Yield: 1 LOAF
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

This Quick Vegan Chocolate Bread is the best ever! It’s moist, tender and so easy to make! It’s delicious for breakfast, great as a snack and irresistible for dessert.  

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup dutch processed cocoa powder
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1 + ¼ cups plant-based milk (almond, oat, soy, rice…)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup agave syrup
  • ⅔ cup canola oil
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips to top
  • ¼ cup chocolate chips (optional, if adding them to the batter)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF/ 180 ºC. Line a 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper. I prefer to line it than just grease it. The parchment paper will prevent the cake to stick to the pan once baked and will help to remove the cake from the pan.
  2. Next, prepare the buttermilk. In a medium bowl, pour the milk and the apple cider vinegar. Stir a bit and let it sit for 5 minutes. It will soon curdle. Then add the agave syrup, oil and vanilla. 
  3. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and the salt. 
  4. Add the buttermilk mixture to the wet ingredients and combine all the ingredients. Be careful no to over-mix. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is well combined. 
  5. I didn’t add chocolate chips to the batter. If you’d like to do so, you can add them now. Stir gently. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean 
  6. Let cool completely in the pan. If transferring to a cooling rack too soon it will break. Then, use the overhanging parchment to remove the bread from the pan. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

1. Gluten-free. To make it gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour for AP gluten-free flour mix at a ratio of 1:1. 

2. Storing. Let cool completely and cover it with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying. You can also slice it and wrap each slice with plastic. This way the slices will keep it moisture.

3. Freezing. If you’re freezing the cake for a short time, a single layer of plastic is enough. If you’re freezing it for more than a week, double wrap it in plastic wrap. 

4. Unthaw. Remove from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator one day before serving.

NUTRITION. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only.

Nutrition Information
Yield 9 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 405Total Fat 20gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 16gCholesterol 1mgSodium 314mgCarbohydrates 55gFiber 2gSugar 29gProtein 4g
© Natalia | Simple Green Recipes
Category: Breads

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If you liked this recipe don’t forget to Pin and share with your friends!

High angle and eye-level shot of the Vegan Chocolate Bread cut in some slices.

Did you make this recipe? Tag @simplegreenrecipes on Instagram

More vegan treats from favorite blogs:

Vanilla Pound Cake by Simply Recipes

Natalia's Signature
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jenny

    Thanks so much for sharing this. This chocolate bread is amazing. It came out so fluffy, moist, and delicious. Hubby went bananas over it. I am sure we will be making it frequently.

    Reply

  2. Rebecca Blackwell

    When you say that this vegan chocolate bread is the best ever, you are not kidding. It actually is. It’s like the very best, most chocolaty and moist chocolate bread you can imagine. So good. I still can’t believe it’s also vegan. Thank you for this amazing recipe!

    Reply

    • Natalia

      Rebeca, it always makes my day when someone sends me feedback about a recipe and really loved it! So happy you enjoyed it. Thanks for the sweet comment!

      Reply

  3. Tania

    Hi! I need your advice. My bread is sinking in the middle, not to the point where there is a hole but it’s obviously lower in the middle. I’m leaving the “buttermilk” curdle for 5-10 min, I even got new baking powder, apple cider vinegar and baking soda to make sure they weren’t expired. I’m also not over mixing and I’m doing it by hand to ensure that too. I’m baking it for 50 min and the toothpick comes out clean, how can I prevent this? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Natalia

      Hi Tania! I’m happy you make my cake, hope you like it! And for the sinking issue, it’s normally due to the temperature in the oven. Every oven is different. It’s useful to have an oven thermometer to check if the oven is working properly. It’s also important to preheat the oven before the batter is mixed, otherwise the raising agents can stop working before the cake is done and the cake will sink. Another reason can be to open the oven door too early. The cold air prevents de cake from rising specially in the areas where it’s still unset, like the center. Hope it helps! XO

      Reply

  5. Kate

    5 stars
    Many thanks for sharing this chocolate bread recipe. It looks great. I wanted to eat it right away. I will definitely try it very soon.

    Reply

  7. Tammy

    Oh my gosh I’m so impressed that this is vegan! Hello, gorgeous! 😀 Look how rich and dense it is…this wouldn’t last long in my house!

    Reply

    • Natalia

      It surely doesn’t last long in my house! The only ‘problem’ with this cake is that it’s impossible to stop eating it! Thanks for the comment, Tammy! XO

      Reply

  8. Jere Cassidy

    5 stars
    This bread looks so rich, chocolaty and amazing. I don’t eat vegan, but I’m going to make this. I don’t usually buy agave syrup, can I use maple syrup instead?

    Reply

    • Natalia

      Hi, Jere! Sure! Maple syrup is a great substitute for agave syrup. Its flavor is slightly stronger but you will love it in this chocolate bread. I am glad that you love my recipe, I appreciate your feedback!

      Reply

  9. Colleen

    5 stars
    This chocolate bread is chocolate lovers heaven. It’s absolutely yummy and so easy to make. It didn’t last long in my house, so now I’ll have to make another one!

    Reply

  11. Chenée

    5 stars
    This chocolate loaf is so rich, fudgy, and delicious! I added the 3/4 cup of extra chocolate chips to the batter to make it even more decadent!

    Reply

  12. Petro

    5 stars
    You would not believe this chocolate bread is Vegan! This chocolate bread is so soft, fluffy, and moist. LOVE the flavors and how easy this recipe is!

    Reply

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