Fluffy, moist, and sweet—there’s nothing like digging your fork into a slice of cake. And while this classic treat is usually made with dairy and eggs, animal-free recreations are just as tasty and easy to make with just a few easy swaps.
Whether you’re looking for the ultimate birthday cake recipe or simply want a snacking cake to pair with your coffee, these 25 egg-free, dairy-free cake recipes are sure to please.
Table of Contents
Egg-free, dairy-free cakes to make at home
Grab your apron and cake pans, and get baking with these 25 plant-based cake recipes.
Birthday cakes
Celebrate another year around the sun with these fluffy, egg-free cakes.
1Vegan Funfetti Birthday Cake With Strawberry Buttercream
Nothing says “Happy Birthday!” better than a funfetti cake. This recipe from the Orchids + Sweet Tea: Plant-Forward Recipes with Jamaican Flavor & Southern Charm cookbook guides you through every step of the way—from the funfetti batter to the strawberry buttercream.
Get the recipe
2Vegan Red Velvet Cake With Candied Cranberries and Vanilla Buttercream
Calling all red velvet loyalists! Bon Appetit’s first vegan chef Chrissy Tracey shared her party-ready, red velvet cake recipe with VegNews, and we can’t get enough. The classic, red-hued cake is finished off with velvety vanilla buttercream and candied cranberries. Make it your own with toppings of your choosing such as chocolate shavings, sprinkles, or your favorite candied fruits.
Get the recipe
Ed Tatton
3Vegan Espresso Cake With Espresso Cream Cheese Frosting
If you’re always looking forward to that third, or even fourth, cup of coffee, this is the birthday cake for you. This recipe from the BReD cookbook brings together the boldness of espresso and the delicacy of cake for a harmonious birthday treat that Sabrina Carpenter would approve of. From the frosting to the cake itself, every bite is infused with your favorite brew.
Get the recipe
Sara Kidd
4Vegan Lemon Cake With Buttercream Frosting and Lemon Curd
Allergies or not, everyone deserves a delectable cake on their birthday. This gluten-free cake from The Vegan Cake Bible cookbook is light, airy, and is paired with a bright and zesty lemon curd filling. It’s all finished off with vanilla buttercream and an impressive drip icing. It takes a bit of time in the kitchen, but this cake is well worth the effort.
Get the recipe
5The Cutest Heart-Shaped Vegan Chocolate Cake
Heart-shaped cakes have become a Valentine’s Day staple, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be enjoyed year-round or during birthday festivities. This chocolatey vegan cake features a fudgy glaze that’s topped off with fresh raspberries for a treat that’s impossible to resist.
Get the recipe
Snacking cakes
Whip up these egg-free snacking cakes so you have a sweet treat on hand the next time a craving strikes.
6Vegan Chai Pumpkin Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
This chai-spiced cake from the Baked With Love cookbook is the ultimate fall treat. Pair it with a cup of coffee or tea any time of day.
Get the recipe
Alleko
7Vegan Zucchini Snack Cake With Chocolate Chips
Shredded zucchini, cinnamon, vanilla, and chocolate chips come together in this simple, perfectly moist cake from The Oat Milk Cookbook. Entice your kids to enjoy this veggie-loaded treat come dessert time by pairing a slice with dairy-free frosting.
Get the recipe
Hannah Kaminsky
8Vegan Strawberry Streusel Cake
Infused with sweet and tart strawberries, this cake is topped with a delectable cinnamon streusel. Enjoy as a post-dinner treat, with a cup of coffee for a sweet breakfast, or serve it as part of Sunday brunch.
Get the recipe
9Zesty Vegan Almond Orange Cardamom Cake
A splash of orange juice and fresh orange zest give this cardamom-spiced cake a bright and vibrant flavor. Pair it with a mug of hot chai to really complement the flavors of this cake. It’s sure to become your new favorite pairing.
Get the recipe
Clare Winfield
10Vegan Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Veganize this classic cake creation with this egg-free, dairy-free recipe. Top off each slice with coconut whipped cream when serving for even more tropical sweetness.
Get the recipe
Hannah Kaminsky
11Spiced Vegan Apple Cake With Maple Topping
If you’re looking for an autumnal treat but have hit your pumpkin spice limit, whip up this cake packed with the season’s best flavors. Cinnamon and nutmeg impart warming notes in this apple-forward treat that’s finished off with an irresistible maple-apple topping.
Get the recipe
Hannah Kaminsky
12Vegan Blueberry-Orange Bundt Cake
Tangy orange zest pairs deliciously with bursts of juicy blueberries in this moist and fluffy bundt cake. Hosting brunch? This cake is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Get the recipe
Alexandra Shytsman
13Vegan Miso-Caramel Upside-Down Banana Cake
You’ve heard of pineapple upside-down cake, but what about upside-down banana cake? This soft and buttery, yogurt-infused cake is topped with flavorful miso-caramelized bananas in this show-stopping recipe from The Vegan ABCs Cookbook. Pro-tip: make extra miso caramel and drizzle it on your favorite fruits and desserts.
Get the recipe
Pound and loaf cakes
Save money at the coffee shop with these recipes for pound and loaf cakes. Pack a slice to enjoy with your daily oat milk latte.
Alleko
14Dreamy Vegan Blueberry Oat Milk Pound Cake
Swap out your morning blueberry muffin for a slice of this berry-studded pound cake from The Oat Milk Cookbook. For an added zesty touch, brighten up the glaze with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Get the recipe
BOSH!
15Vegan Lemon Drizzle Pound Cake
The classic lemon pound cake gets an upgrade in this recipe from the Bish Bash BOSH! cookbook. A homemade lemony drizzle is seeped into the cake for slices that are luscious, zesty, and moist.
Get the recipe
Internationally inspired creations
Travel the world with these delicious recipes that highlight global flavors.
Sara Kidd
16Vegan Persian Pistachio-Rose Love Cake
The exact origins of Persian Love Cake are unknown, but one story tells of a Persian woman who wanted to make a prince fall in love with her. So, she created a cake and laced it with a love spell, and thus, this delicate, rose-infused bake was born. Veganize this delicate, aromatic treat with this recipe from The Vegan Cake Bible cookbook.
Get the recipe
Jill and Jeffrey Dalton
17Vegan Banana-Pineapple Hummingbird Cake With Homemade Cashew Frosting
Hummingbird cakes have become a staple in the American South, but this dessert has origins that trace back to Jamaica. After the Caribbean country gained independence from the UK, it was left in an economic limbo, Riaz Phillips explains for Epicurious. With ample sunshine, beaches, and scenic views, Jamaica hoped to build its tourism industry, and the Jamaica Tourist Board believed the island’s cuisine could help create a globally recognized “outward-facing brand.”
During the late 1960s, the board “used the fruits of the island—namely banana and pineapple—in a recipe distributed to Jamaican newspapers that sought to spread the word about the flavors of the island’s produce, and the hummingbird cake was born.”
This recipe from the Plant Based Cooking Made Easy cookbook recreates this recipe sans eggs, dairy, gluten, or oil.
Get the recipe
Hannah Kaminsky
18Vegan Thai Tea Sheet Cake With Whipped Coconut Cream
Eat your Thai tea with this recipe from The Everyday Vegan Cheat Sheet cookbook. The subtly spicy notes in this Thai tea-infused sheet cake are balanced out by condensed coconut milk for a cake that’s robust in flavor.
Get the recipe
Chris Shoebridge
19Vegan Sticky Toffee Cake
Believed to have originated in the UK, toffee is an excellent confection on its own, but with this recipe, you get two desserts in one.
Get the recipe
Aimee Ryan
20Vegan Battenberg Cake
Veganize this classic British dessert with a little help from The Great British Vegan cookbook. You’ll be surprised at how easily this checkered sponge cake comes together.
Get the recipe
Elevated dessert cakes
Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or holiday gathering, these cakes make for a tasty, impressive treat come dessert time.
Brittany Berlin
21Chocolaty Vegan Molten Lava Cakes
Chocolate lava cakes are a restaurant favorite for good reason. Patrons just can’t get enough of the sweet, gooey center. This recipe from the Baked With Love cookbook guides you through creating a plant-based take on this cult classic.
Get the recipe
22Vegan Sweet Crêpe Cake With Grand Marnier-Infused Whipped Cream
While not exactly a cake in the traditional sense, this recipe layers light-as-air French crépes with fluffy coconut whipped cream, apricot jam, and fresh fruit for a delicious, cake-like creation.
Get the recipe
Hannah Kaminsky
23Vegan Mini Lemon Bundt Cakes With Lemon Glaze
Instead of cupcakes, whip up these mini bundt cakes for your next party. These individual cakes are bursting with bright, lemony flavor. Plus, they’re sweetened with agave, a better-for-you alternative to sugar.
Get the recipe
Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky
24Simple Vegan Chocolate Piñon Cake
This recipe from the Seed to Plate, Soil to Sky cookbook is a plant-based version of a Feast Day Torte, similar to tortes tasted at different Pueblos during Feast Day celebrations. Each Pueblo’s Patron Saint is honored, and Native homes from each Pueblo invite loved ones into their homes for a meal.
Pine nuts help create a buttery, fudgey dessert cake, but if they’re not readily available, raw pecans make a great substitution.
Get the recipe
Chris Shoebridge
25Vegan Strawberry Shortcake With Coconut Whipped Creme
These individual strawberry shortcakes are the perfect treat for tea time. Coconut whipped cream and juicy strawberries are sandwiched between buttery shortcakes in this classic recipe you’ll keep coming back to.
Get the recipe
For more plant-based stories like this, read:
Jocelyn Martinez is an Associate Editor at VegNews living in Los Angeles, CA.
Here at VegNews, we live and breathe the plant-based lifestyle, and only recommend products we feel make our lives amazing. Occasionally, articles may include shopping links where we might earn a small commission, but in no way does this effect the editorial integrity of VegNews.
