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 you make the chocolate curls?
After melting the chocolate in a double boiler, just spread it out as thin as possible on a cool surface (e.g. the backside of a small baking sheet) and let it cool off in the fridge for 15 minutes, until the chocolate has a matte look. Now carefully roll the chocolate into curls with a spatula. If the chocolate does not roll up nicely, it has not firmed up inside enough and you want to put it back in the fridge for another couple of minutes. It the chocolate just breaks, it’s gone too cold. Just wait a few minutes and then try again. Keep the curls in the fridge until you’re decorating the cake.
It didn’t work at all on the first try, and you only ended up with flakes somehow? Don’t worry, just melt the chocolate again in a double boiler and start over. However, you can also decorate the cake with the flakes; it looks good and, of course, tastes great as well.
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.
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
Ganache
- 150 g vegan chocolate see blogpost
- 3 tablespoons plant milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Chocolate curls
- 20 g vegan chocolate see blogpost
Garnish
- 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.
- Now place the ingredients for the ganache in the double boiler and stir well, until you have a thick ganache. Again, the chocolate shouldn't get warmer then necessary for melting. Put the ganache in the fridge, we want it to turn into a chocolate spread.
- For the chocolate curls, after melting the chocolate in a double boiler, just spread it out as thin as possible on a cool surface (e.g. the backside of a small baking sheet) and let it cool off in the fridge for 15 minutes, until the chocolate has a matte look. Now carefully roll the chocolate into curls with a spatula. If the chocolate does not roll up nicely, it has not firmed up inside enough and you want to put it back in the fridge for another couple of minutes. It the chocolate just breaks, it's gone too cold. Just wait a few minutes and then try again. Keep the curls in the fridge until you're decorating the cake.
- When the 50 minutes baking time are over, open the oven door and poke into one of the cakes with a wooden stick. If the dough sticks to it, the cakes still need a few minutes. Otherwise take them out and let them cool off.
- When they have cooled off – after about 30 minutes – apply the ganache to one cake with a spatula, put the other one on top of it and coat that one as well, including the sides. You can also insert a wooden stick in the middle to make sure the cake stays in place and remove it before serving.
- Garnish with chocolate curls and dried rose petals and put in the fridge for an hour, so the ganache can firm up.
If you like the tiramisu-flavoured chocolate cake, you might also like my
