These chocolate cake pancakes are lightly chocolatey, delicate and slightly crumbly for a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Studded with chia seeds, these pancakes are a decadent yet light way to start your day!
Creating a pancake that actually tastes like chocolate cake was quite the production. Falling only behind lemon poppy seed pancakes (which I still have not perfected), these have gone through the most incarnations.
The first batch was exactly what I feared: kind of bland and dry. The second, using chocolate protein powder, were thin and floppy (and not chocolatey). The third batch was awesome whenever you bit into a melty chocolate chip, but was ultimately an unremarkable pancake. There were a few unmemorable batches I’m forgetting, but this final batch made up for all those failed pancakes.
What you’ll need to make these pancakes
- Whole wheat flour: For a boost of fiber that you really won’t taste in the pancakes.
- Oat flour: This gluten-free flour adds tenderness and a lovely, almost crumbly cake-like bite.
- Powdered sugar: The added cornstarch in powdered sugar helps keep these pancakes thick and tender
- Granulated sugar: for an extra boost of sweetness and tenderness.
- Chia seeds (made into a “chia egg”): These help bind the pancakes in place of an egg for body and moisture.
- Chocolate chips: While technically optional, I think these are very important for delicious chocolate pancakes!
Vegan Chocolate Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1.25 cups almond milk white or apple cider works best
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons oil any neutral oil like vegetable, canola, or a mild olive
- 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice white, apple cider or a champagne vinegar all work
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ¼ cup oat flour
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup of milk and vinegar and let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Combine the milk, chia seeds, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Let sit for at least 5 minutes, or until the chia seeds start to thicken into a gel.
- Whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugars and chocolate chips, if using.
- Fold the wet ingredients gently into the dry ingredients until just combined. A few lumps are fine, but make sure any big floury lumps are mixed in–make sure not to overmix or your pancakes will be tough and chewy.
- Let batter rest as you preheat a frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Lightly oil the preheated pan with butter or oil and pour batter in ¼ cup at a time. Cook about 2 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.
sally @ sallys baking addiction
I love the new design and site Erika!! It’s perfect. And chocolate CAKE PANCAKES? That are actually one ht healthy side? Well, I think I’ve died and gone to heaven. 😉 Must make!! I love chocolate for breakfast.
erika
Thanks so much Sally!! Haha chocolate for breakfast is the best, especially when it doesn’t leave you with a sugar hangover! Although I think I’d suffer through one for one of your cupcakes for breakfast! Those peanut butter cupcakes with that frosting. You’re killing me.
Natasha @ The Cake Merchant
Congrats on the new site, Erika! Those pancakes look delicious! Sinful and healthy (ish) is a great combination.
erika
Haha thanks Natasha! That could totally be the tagline for my baking life…sinful and healthy-ish 🙂 If only my photos were as gorgeous as yours!
Rhyann
Yay! I love the new blog. I’ve also been thinking about switching over.
And these pancakes. Oh my goodness Erika, you’ve done it again. I’m adding these to the list of stuff to eat. I’m intrigued by the chia seeds in the recipe. I’ve been LOVING them lately. Plus they have so much good stuff in them 🙂
erika
Thanks Rhyann! Ooh yay I’m looking forward to you making the switch! I bet your site will look fantastic!
You are so sweet! I’m glad you’re intrigued by the chia seeds–I was worried people would be turned off, but it’s so true–they’re so good for you! I think everyone should try using them at least once!
eatsweetbycarlasue
LOVE your new home! And congratulations on making the big move (I would love to hear more about it sometime). By the way, these pancakes look a-mazing! 🙂
eatsweetbycarlasue
Wow…I love your site! Congratulations on making the big move. I would love to hear more about how you did it sometime . And by the way, these pancakes look AMAZING!
erika
Thank you!! I am thinking about writing up a post about my transition….I’m still letting the idea simmer because there were sooo many parts. But thank you 🙂
eatsweetbycarlasue
I can imagine that it must have been a bit tricky! I have looked into doing it a couple of times, but it just confuses me. Well done on having the courage and determination to do it! It looks great 🙂
PS. Sorry about the two comments from me…silly computer crashed and I wasn’t sure if it went through. Haha.
Kaylie @ Skinny Muffin
These look sinfully divine.
erika
Thanks Kaylie! Luckily for my waistline, these are mostly only divine and not so sinful!
Kristi @ My San Francisco Kitchen
Congratulations on your new home (and detox – I wish I had enough self-discipline to do one!). Now the hard part is over, woohoo!
erika
Thanks Kristi! It’s so funny–I would never have pegged myself as the type of person who could actually complete a detox. But it’s been a total mindset changer! I bet you could totally do it 🙂
Jade
Well look at you all moved home and settled! This site looks lovely!! SO clean and beautiful looking. Go you! I will def get those images over to you soon – Unfortunately I am still waiting for my laptop to come home and be fixed. 🙁 Are you still on wordpress then? Or do I need to follow you on Bloglovin now to get your updates?
erika
Aww thanks Jade! No worries on the images! Thanks to your advice, I googled free social media buttons and came up with a bunch of options! That’s so poo that your laptop is STILL being fixed–hope you get it back soon! And I am still on wordpress, just self-hosted…I’m actually not really sure what that means in terms of following! Will you let me know what you find?
Brandi
Ok, I’ve been wondering where you’ve been woman?! Lol! JK! Love your new modern site, so cute! I also LOVE, LOVE that your first pancake post is vegan….be still my heart! 🙂 To make it even more amazing, they’re chocolate! I love making chocolate pancakes and too have experienced the overly dry cocoa pancake. I definitely need to try these! They look like chocolate pancake perfection. 🙂 Congrats again on the new site my friend! I want to self host eventually soon as well.
erika
Hahaha thanks Brandi 🙂 So glad you know what I’m talking about in terms of those dry chocolate pancakes–blechh. I would love to have you as my vegan-pancake-sounding-board again! If you end up making them, I’d love to see your oil/sugar-free alternations and what you think 🙂
And I am excited for your future move!! I’m sure your site will look gorgeous!
yummychunklet
Kudos on the vegan pancakes!
Leah
Love love love your new home. It’s beautiful and fun! I really like the 10 facts about you page too. 🙂
As for these pancakes… WOW. They look and sound amazing. You seriously are the Pancake Princess!
erika
Aw Leah, you’re too sweet 🙂 I’m glad you like the 10 facts–I was actually thinking about deleting that page! But thanks for speaking up 🙂
Choc Chip Uru
Yay for the new home my friend congrats!!!
I may be contacting to you as to how you moved soon! And I’m sure you will get it fully up and running how you want 🙂
Your pancakes today are HEAVEN!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
erika
Thanks so much Uru! I really appreciate your support and would love to help you with a move of your own if I can!!
Alex @ Cookie Dough Katzen
Wow those pancakes wouldn’t last a day in my house! They look so tasty. Awesome new blog! I actually love the simple look. Are you doing it all on your own? Very cool!
erika
Thanks Alex! Yes, I have done everything so far on my own…it’s been a lot of trial and error and slow going at times, but it’s been a huge, mostly fun learning curve! Can’t wait to see if/when you go self-hosted!
Kayle (The Cooking Actress)
I love the new site! Gorgeous! And these pancakes….oh how I loooove these pancakes! mmmm chocolatey goodness
erika
Thaanks girl! 🙂 Just read your award fun facts post–I can’t believe you weren’t that into chocolate before! I think of you as the queen of chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and molten chocolate cake creations!
Nancy @ gottagetbaked
Congrats on the beautiful new site, Erika – I love it! It’s modern, fun and funky – just like you. And I can’t tell you how happy I am that your first post on your new blog is chocolate cake pancakes – seriously, I adore this recipe. If I had to choose only one dessert that I could eat for the rest of my life, I’d kill myself – just kidding! It’d definitely be chocolate cake. You are a culinary genius for making pancakes that actually looks like chocolate cake (I only say “looks” because unfortunately, I can’t taste your fabulous creation through my computer screen). I also won’t have to feel too bad about scarfing down a giant stack of these. Thanks for keeping my taste buds and waistline in mind, lady 😉
erika
Nancy! You always make my day with your comments! For one, I’m thrilled you think I’m modern, fun and funky–what a compliment 🙂 And so glad you appreciate the momentousness of the first post in this new place–I stressed about it for so long, and of course it ends up being nothing like what I had planned, but chocolate cake isn’t too shabby eh? And um, my dessert of choice would also totally be chocolate cake. What else is there??