Get ready to dive into the scrumptious world of this Vegan Black Forest cake! A playful twist on a classic dessert, this cake is all about indulgence without compromise. Made entirely without any dairy products, it proves that you can have your cake and eat it too—without any guilt!
Sandwiched between the rich chocolatey layers is a juicy burst of tangy cherry filling that adds a delightful pop of fruity flavour. A fluffy vegan whipped cream crowns the cake, providing a light and creamy texture that leaves you craving more.
So, whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply treating yourself to a moment of pure bliss, this indulgent Vegan Black Forest cake has got you covered.
Ingredients for the cake:
140g plain flour
125g soft brown sugar
40g cocoa powder
1¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp sea salt
118ml soy milk, or chocolate/vanilla flavoured soy milk
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
50ml sunflower oil, or any other unflavoured oil
100ml boiling water
½ tbsp instant coffee
Ingredients for decoration and layering:
250g tin of pitted red cherries (reserve the liquid from the tin)
¾ cup non dairy whipping cream
50g (approx.) vegan dark chocolate
Method to prepare the cake layers:
Preheat your oven to 180°C.
Line the bases of three 6" cake tins with parchment paper and rub the sides with oil. If you don’t have three tins, you can wash and reuse one of the tins for the third layer once the baking is complete. I advise against making this a two-tier cake as the layering allows for more texture and flavour.
To make the vegan buttermilk, add the soy milk and vinegar to a jug, stir and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
In a large mixing bowl, sift in the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt. This aerates the mixture, making your cake soft.
Add the brown sugar to the sifted dry ingredients, whisk them together and set aside.
Add the vegan buttermilk mixture, sunflower oil, vanilla extract, and hot coffee to the dry mixture and whisk carefully to combine. Your batter should be runny at this stage.
Divide the batter into the lined cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 15-20 minutes and then carefully turn them out onto a cooling rack to cool further.
Once the cakes are completely cooled, you can wrap them in cling wrap and store them at room temperature overnight to use the next day or frost right away.
Preparing the ingredients for layering:
To make the syrup to soak the cake layers, add 300ml of the reserved cherry liquid into a small bowl, along with 3-4 tbsp of castor sugar depending on your desired level of sweetness.
Mix until the sugar has dissolved and then set the mixture aside.
Whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks and allow it to chill in the fridge.
Roughly chop the cherries and set them aside.
Using a vegetable peeler, shave large shards of chocolate from a chilled bar of dark chocolate and store them in the refrigerator.
Using a bread knife, level your cake layers by cutting off a small part of the top layer of each cake that might have domed slightly. Each cake layer must be completely flat on top to ensure proper balancing of the cake.
Assembling the cake:
Using a spatula, transfer your whipped cream into a piping bag without a tip.
Pipe a large dollop of the cream onto the centre of a cake board and carefully place your first cake layer onto the board.
Spoon 100ml of the cherry syrup onto the layer and allow the cake to completely absorb the liquid. When you press the cake, if liquid oozes out, you will know that your cake layer has been sufficiently soaked.
Pipe a circle of cream around the cake layer and spread the cream evenly over the cake using an offset spatula.
Sprinkle the cherries evenly across the layer.
Next, place the second layer of cake exactly atop the first layer.
Alternate the rest of the layers in a similar manner.
Finally, once the layering is complete, cover the entire cake with the whipped cream, reserving some of it to pipe on the top.
Cover the sides of the cake with the chocolate shavings.
Top the cake with a few piped dollops of whipped cream and whole cherries.
Serve cold.
This cake stays fresh when stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days.