Suzy Q Cake
A delicious copycat recipe, this Vegan Suzy Q Cake is a cream-filled devil’s food cake recipe with lots of fluffy, creamy filling. It’s like a Ding Dong snack cake you can make at home. Imagine two rich chocolate cakes with a thick layer of fluffy vegan ermine frosting in between and more on top!
If you look at that filling and think to yourself, that’s way too much frosting, you’re in for a treat. Most frosting recipes call for lots and lots of powdered sugar, making them so sweet. But today we’ll be using what’s lovingly referred to as boiled milk frosting. Of course, I’ve veganized it. But the results are the same, a delicious fluffy filling that’s perfect for this Suzy-Q Cake!
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Rich, chocolate cakes are served with fluffy frosting in between and top, replicating those tasty snack cakes we grew up eating
- Using a simple cake recipe as the foundation (wacky cake recipe), keeps this dessert oh-so-easy to make
- Adding natural cocoa powder makes it part of the process of creating a fluffy cake because the acid in the cocoa powder interacts with the vinegar with the baking soda
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Lemon — We’ll use both the zest and the juice of the lemon.
- Oats — I used rolled oats for this recipe, but you can substitute instant oats.
- Chia — We’ll add some ground chia seeds to create a thicker texture. You can use whole chia seeds; I just prefer ground because it creates a smoother finished texture.
- Syrup — I used maple syrup, but you can substitute agave nectar.
- Milk — We’ll use almond milk for the best overnight oats! Substitute your favorite plant-based milk.
- Yogurt — I love adding some plant-based yogurt (plain, unsweetened) for an even more tangy flavor.
- Protein Powder — I add some vanilla protein powder for increased flavor and nutrients. If your protein powder is not sweetened, you may want to add an extra teaspoon or two of sweetener.
- Cornstarch — We’ll use cornstarch to thicken the lemon curd topping.
- Turmeric — A pinch of turmeric makes that lemon curd sunny yellow.
- Flour — I used all-purpose flour, but you can substitute whole wheat pastry flour.
- Cocoa powder — I recommend using natural cocoa powder rather than Dutch-process.
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable oil — Use a neutral vegetable oil such as canola oil or olive oil.
- Apple cider vinegar — You can substitute white vinegar or even lemon juice.
- Plant-based milk — I recommend soy milk to make this frosting because of its high-protein content. You can substitute almond milk.
- Vegetable Shortening — You can use vegetable shortening or substitute Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, Miyoko’s, or make your own non-dairy butter.
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Vegan Suzy Q Cake
- Mix the dry ingredients from the flour to the salt.
- Stir together the wet ingredients.
- Combine the wet and dry mixtures and stir until there are no more large lumps of flour.
- Pour the batter into prepared cake pans.
- Bake cakes for 30 to 35 minutes until done.
- Remove the cakes from the oven, and set them aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- At 10 minutes, invert cakes onto plates or wire racks to cool completely.
- Make the fluffy filling and top cooled cakes with frosting.
Here are more detailed step-by-step instructions.
Step One: Make the Cake Batter
- In a medium bowl, pour the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Mix together the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla in a separate bowl.
- Stir together the wet and dry ingredients, stirring vigorously until there are no large lumps of flour and only minimal small lumps.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
Step Two: Fill the Pans and Bake
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and set them aside to cool for 10 minutes.
- Then invert them onto plates or wire racks to cool completely before frosting.
Step Three: Filling and Frosting
- When both cakes are completely cooled, spoon about half of the fluffy filling over the bottom cake, spreading it evenly across the top.
- Place the second cake on top of that.
- Spread the remaining fluffy filling evenly over the top cake.
How to Make Suzy Q Cake Filling
This type of cooked flour frosting is technically referred to as an Ermine Frosting. Here’s how to make this Suzy Q Cake Filling Recipe:
- Whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the flour.
- Pour in the vegan milk and use a whisk or spatula to stir it in.
- Continue stirring as the mixture comes slowly to a low boil and thickens. Don’t turn up the heat, or you’ll risk burning it.
- Once it’s thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail, transfer it to a heat-proof bowl, cover it with plastic wrap touching the surface (to prevent a skin from forming), and refrigerate until completely cool.
- Once the flour mixture is cool, add the shortening (or vegan butter) to a mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, around 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer speed down to medium and spoon in the cooled flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, mixing to incorporate it until adding more. You’ll need to scrape down the sides of the bowl regularly.
- Once all the flour mixture is added and mixed, add the vanilla and salt, turn up the speed to medium-high, and whip for up to a minute until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Note: Don’t get too worried if lumps form in this flour mixture. You can always run it through a food processor or press it through a sieve to break up any lumps.
Serving Suggestions
This Suzy Q Cake is so good you can serve it exactly as it. However, it never hurts to add some fun drizzles on top. Here are some ways to add some fun to your cake:
- Add ¼ cup of cocoa powder to the frosting to make chocolate ermine frosting
- A drizzle of vegan chocolate syrup over slices would be a nice touch
- Adding dollops of vegan chocolate ganache could dress this cake up even more
- Get fancy with some strawberry puree drizzled over individual slices
- Slather some vegan caramel sauce over the top.
Storage Tips
Store this cake at room temperature for up to 6 hours or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Individual slices can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Marly’s Tips
- You could add some peanut butter powder to the fluffy filling
- If you want to make a Banana Suzy Q, use my Vegan Banana Cake recipe and add the creamy filling between the layers.
- Make vegan chocolate cupcakes and insert that fluffy filling in the middle of each cupcake and on top
- Make this cake in a 9×13 baking pan and spread the fluffy filling over the top
There you go, lots of ideas to adapt this recipe. However you slice it, be sure to serve this vegan Suzy Q cake with my Vegan Hot Cocoa. It’s so good!
New to Vegan Baking?
The idea of making cookies, cakes, or muffins without eggs or dairy can seem like a hill too tall to climb. But with the simple tips in my Guide to Vegan Baking, you’ll be baking like a vegan pro in no time!
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Vegan Suzy Q Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups cold water
Fluffy Filling
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plant-based milk
- 1 cup vegan butter (See notes for substitutions)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Chocolate Cake
- Preheat your oven to 350°F/175°C. Spray 2 round 8 or 9-inch cake pans with vegetable spray. Cut rounds of parchment paper to place in the bottom of each pan and spray those with vegetable spray.
- In a medium bowl, pour the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Stir together the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla in a separate bowl.
- Stir together the wet and dry ingredients, stirring vigorously until there are no large lumps of flour and only minimal small lumps. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Once done, remove the cakes from the oven, and set them aside to cool for 10 minutes. Then invert them onto plates or wire racks to cool completely.
For the Fluffy Filling
- The filling for this cake is basically a boiled flour frosting. To make it, whisk together the sugar, flour, and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the flour.
- Pour in the vegan milk and use a whisk or spatula to stir it in.
- Continue stirring as the mixture comes slowly to a low boil and thickens. Don't turn up the heat, or you'll risk burning it. Once it's thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail, transfer it to a heat-proof bowl, cover it with waxed paper touching the surface (to prevent a skin from forming), and refrigerate until completely cool.
- Once the flour mixture is cool, add the butter to a mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, around 2 minutes.
- Turn the mixer speed down to medium and spoon in the cooled flour mixture, a spoonful at a time, mixing to incorporate it until adding more. You'll need to scrape down the sides of the bowl regularly.
- Once all the flour mixture is added and mixed, add the vanilla, turn up the speed to medium-high, and whip for up to a minute until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Frosting Cakes
- When both cakes are completely cooled, spoon about half of the fluffy filling over the bottom cake, spreading it evenly across the top. Then place the second cake on top of that. Spread the remaining fluffy filling evenly over the top cake.
Recommended Equipment
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Notes
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2019 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
This is an example of one of the older photos:
Hello. I’m just getting ready to make this as a birthday cake for a friend that loves Suzy Q’s. In #4 of the filling directions you say to add in the butter. No mention of butter in the ingredients. Was that an error? Then I noticed the substitution possibilities of Vegan Butter. Does the frosting taste good with regular shortening? And wouldn’t it have a more creamy white appearance?
I’ve truly never heard of Boiled Flour Frosting before. It doesn’t sound delicious but I’m trying to be authentic. Wish me luck. Linda in Las Vegas
Hi Linda. Thanks for your note! Yes, vegan butter and shortening are interchangeable in this recipe. I grew up using shortening when I made it, but I tested it and vegan butter works too. Because it’s whipped, it still creates a beautiful white filling. I like the addition of the buttery flavor when using vegan butter. I know boiled flour doesn’t sound appealing, but trust me, this filling is light and fluffy and delicious! And it has the advantage of being less sweet than many other frostings.
This looks amazing! Have you ever used BLACK VELVET CACAO powder?
Hi Ferlie. I haven’t heard of it before, but I’ve ordered some and can’t wait to try it!
Very yummy! But what size pan did you use? I used 7″ and it took longer.
Also in the frosting-salt in the beginning and then with the vanilla??? A bit confusing
Thanks, Paula! I added notes to the recipe card noting an 8 or 9-inch pan. And that means a 7-inch pan would definitely take longer. And I fixed that reference to salt next to the vanilla. Thanks kindly!
OMG Marly this looks fantastic! I want a piece! Is that whipped cream you’ve used to layer and top with? Photos are amazing.