What makes this lovely vegan chocolate cake so special is the unmistakable flavor of tiramisu, vegan nougat chocolate that is melted into a seductive chocolate glaze with pretty chocolate curls, and finally the floral and slightly bitter-tasting dried rose petals. This dessert becomes a 100% plant-based work of art with a complex flavor profile that works well as a birthday cake for adults or on the party buffet.
Since it contains alcohol and coffee, it would be good to inform the guests. You can also replace the coffee liqueur with the same amount of plant-based milk and use decaffeinated coffee. While the chocolate cake won’t taste like tiramisu anymore, it will still be delicious and child-friendly, also suitable for people avoiding caffeine or alcohol.
What do you need to make the tiramisu-flavoured chocolate cake?
- Vegan hazelnut chocolate
The success of this chocolate cake depends on a delicious chocolate. So, under no circumstances should you use that strange vegan chocolate you received as a gift and that’s been sitting at the back of your cupboard because it tastes like nothing at all. Why such products even exist is beyond me. After all, there are incredibly tasty vegan chocolates available!
I can highly recommend hazelnut chocolate for this chocolate cake. Any vegan chocolate bearing the labels Praliné, Noisette, or Gianduja works very well here. It should, of course, melt nicely, so it shouldn’t contain any nut pieces or crisps. I like to use the one from Share, which you can now find in many supermarkets and drugstores. I’ve also had good experiences with Rapunzel Nirwana* or Nirwana Noir* for this chocolate cake. Vego Melts* also work very well here. You can find these chocolates in organic food stores all over. The Melts are often located in the bakery section. Outside of Europe, they might also be available, or you might find delicious alternative. Otherwise a 60% dark chocolate will also make a nice cake.
- Coffee liquor
The most popular coffee liqueur is Kahlua. Unfortunately according to Barnivore.com the sugar used in it is not vegan. The company is working on it, but so far there has not been any news. Luckily, Jamaican coffee liqueur Tia Maria* is vegan and is quite similar in taste!
- Espresso
Of course, you can also use coffee or decaffeinated coffee for the chocolate cake.
- Coconut sugar
I like to use coconut blossom sugar, but you can, of course, replace it 1:1 with regular sugar, cane sugar, and so on.
- Dried rose petals
The rose petals* adorn the cake with their lovely color, but of course, they are also edible. I enjoy the subtle flowery bitterness they impart to the cake.
- Apple cider vinegar and baking soda
These two ingredients ensure that the cake rises nicely. When you mix the dry ingredients with the liquid ones, you’ll immediately notice how they react. So, be sure not to skip the vinegar; you really won’t taste it in the chocolate cake!
How do I keep the cake even?
Baking strips* will help keep your cake even so they don’t turn into volcanos. Soak the baking strips in cold water, so they are really wet and cold, then put them around the springform tins right before putting them in the oven.
The chocolate curls didn’t turn out as planned?
Did the first attempt fail completely, leaving you with just shards? Don’t worry, simply melt the chocolate again in a double boiler and start over. Alternatively, you can decorate the cake with the shards – that looks great too and, of course, tastes just as good!
TIRAMISU-FLAVOURED CHOCOLATE CAKE
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 220 g spelt flour
- 110 g coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 50 ml plant milk
- 80 ml coffee liquor
- 90 ml espresso
- 80 ml canola oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 200 g brown vegan chocolate see blogpost
- 50 ml soy milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon dried rose petals
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit (180° Celsius)
- First, gather all your ingredients and prepare them in the right amounts. That makes it so much easier and more fun and you're less likely to forget anything.
- Lightly grease two small springform cake tins (16 cm/ 6 inch) and dust them with flour.
- Combine dry ingredients and liquid ingredients for the cake well in separate bowls, then mix them together until just combined.
- Pour the dough into the two cake tins and bake for 50 minutes, then let cool and remove from pans.
- Chop the chocolate finely. This makes melting easier and ensures even heat distribution. Fill a pot with a little water and heat it on low. The water should not boil, just simmer slightly. Hang a melting pot over the pot, ensuring the bottom of the melting pot does not touch the water. Alternatively, you can use a heat-resistant bowl placed over the pot. Melt 3-4 tablespoons of the chopped chocolate in the melting pot and spread onto a smooth, cool surface, such as a clean baking sheet, as thin as possible, and let it cool. Allow the chocolate to set until it becomes matte but remains pliable. This point is critical – the chocolate must not become too hard.
- In the meantime, bring the soy milk to a gentle boil, immediately remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate and maple syrup. Stir into a thick ganache and keep in the fridge.
- Now slowly and carefully push the spread chocolate on the baking tin into rolls using a dough scraper, for example. If the chocolate slides but doesn’t form nice rolls, it’s still too soft inside. If the chocolate breaks, it has become too hard. You can reheat it with a hairdryer if necessary.
- Apply the ganache to one cooled off cake, place the other cake layer on top, and coat it as well, ideally using a palette knife, including the sides. For stability, you can insert a long wooden skewer in the center of the cake, which you can remove later to ensure the cake stays straight.
- Now slowly and carefully push the spread chocolate on the baking tin into rolls using a dough scraper, for example. If the chocolate slides but doesn’t form nice rolls, it’s still too soft inside. If the chocolate breaks, it has become too hard. You can reheat it with a hairdryer if necessary.
- Decorate the cake with chocolate curls and rose petals for an elegant touch.
If you like the tiramisu-flavoured chocolate cake, you might also like my
