Vegan Black Forest Cake
Submitted by caley
Vegan Black Forest cake with whole wheat pastry flour, applesauce, and a kirsch syrup. Cashew-tofu icing replaces dairy whipped cream. Three layers of chocolate cake, cherries, and creamy frosting.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
55 minCOOK
35 minREADY
90 minVegan Black Forest cake reinvents the German classic without dairy or eggs. The cake itself uses whole wheat pastry flour, applesauce for moisture, and a small splash of vinegar to react with baking soda for proper lift. The result is a tender chocolate sponge that slices into three thin layers without crumbling.
The icing is the clever part. Soaked cashew nuts blended with firm tofu, honey, vanilla, and water create a thick, creamy frosting that mimics whipped cream remarkably well. Half the batch gets melted chocolate folded in for a rich filling. The other half stays vanilla for frosting the outside.
Don’t skip the kirsch syrup. A third cup of cherry brandy combined with simmered honey, water, and lemon slices gives the soaked cake layers their signature boozy cherry depth. This is what defines Black Forest cake. Without it you have just a chocolate-and-cherry layer cake.
Build the cake methodically. Brush each layer with syrup before adding icing. Place pitted cherries between the middle layers, dotted with a touch of vanilla icing to glue the top layer down. Frost the outside with the reserved vanilla icing and decorate with extra cherries.
Pro Tips
- Soak the cashews in hot water for an hour before blending if you don’t have a high-powered blender. Soft cashews puree completely smooth.
- Cool the cake completely before slicing horizontally. Warm cake tears under a serrated knife.
- Chill the icings before assembling. Cold frosting holds its shape on the layers and won’t slump.
- Make the cake a day ahead. The flavors meld and the syrup soaks deeper into the layers overnight.
Variations
- Use maple syrup or agave in place of honey to make this fully vegan.
- Swap kirsch for amaretto or dark rum for different flavor profiles.
- Top with shaved dark chocolate curls in addition to the cherries for a more dramatic finish.
Ingredients
Directions
CAKE: Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Combine liquid ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well.
Sift dry ingredients together and whisk into liquid mixture.
Pour into greased and floured 9” cake tin and bake for 35 minutes or until springy.
Cool cake completely and remove from pan.
With a serrated knife, cut cake horizontally to make 3 thin layers.
SYRUP: Combine first 3 ingredients in a small pot and boil for 3 minutes. Let cool and then add kirsch.
ICING: In a blender, combine cashews, water and vanilla. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add honey and tofu and blend again. Set aside 2 cup for the vanilla icing to go on top and sides of cake.
To the rest of the mixture, add melted chocolate and 3 tablespoons of syrup.
Blend until smooth. Chill both icings before using.
TO ASSEMBLE: Carefully remove the top two layers of cake. Brush some syrup onto bottom layer and spread half of chocolate icing over it. Place the middle cake layer on top and brush with syrup and icing.
Put down a layer of cherries and dot with a little vanilla icing to help the top layer stick.
Place the top layer on the cherries and brush again with syrup.
Frost top and sides with vanilla icing.
Decorate with cherries and pipe rosettes if desired.
Chill several hours before serving.
The cake can be kept covered if not being served until the following day.
However, the frosting may discolour after about 3 days.
Comments
Honey is not vegan.
This is not a vegan cake.