What would an Easter brunch be without a sweet vegan Easter lamb cake? This plant-based alternative to traditional Easter lamb cakes does not contain eggs or dairy products, and luckily, we now have so much delicious vegan chocolate to choose from for the chocolate coating!
I have created an Easter lamb cake with a delicious tiramisu flavor containing espresso and coffee liqueur – of course, this is more of a cake for adults 🙂
What do you need to make this Easter lamb cake?
- Lamb-shaped baking tin
You’ll definitely need a lamb-shaped baking tin, which you can often find in department stores or larger supermarkets during Easter time. You can also order the baking tin online*.
- Spelt flour
I generally use spelt flour for baking, but you can also replace it with wheat flour.
- Coffee liqueur
Is Kahlua vegan or not? According to Barnivore.com, the sugar used in Kahlua drinks is not vegan and the company is working on it. Unfortunately, at the time of publishing this blog post, there is no update. Luckily, there is Jamaican coffee liqueur Tia Maria*, which tastes very similar.
The Easter lamb cake is baked at 180°C and the alcohol should lose its effect due to the high temperature and only leave a delicious aroma behind, but as a precaution, you should inform others that the cake lamb contains alcohol.
- Espresso
Of course, you can also use strong coffee, decaf, or even grain coffee. If you don’t have an espresso machine, Bialetti, or French press, you can also use instant espresso. Just dissolve three portions in 90 ml hot water.
- Baking soda and apple cider vinegar
This combination acts as an egg substitute here. You will notice an immediate reaction when you mix the dry and liquid ingredients. So definitely don’t leave it out, even if vinegar doesn’t sound convincing in the cake. You really can’t taste it.
- Vegan chocolate
I’m a big fan of IChoc White Vanilla* for this recipe, and my favorite chocolate, Nirwana by Rapunzel*, works very well as brown chocolate, if they are available where you are. My cake lamb has the color of cappuccino, but you can of course mix the color yourself. Maybe you prefer a darker Easter lamb cake? But I wouldn’t recommend using only white chocolate, as the cake lamb will become brown due to the ingredients and baking. So brown shades work better.
- Monsters by Vantastic Foods* or vegan chocolate drops (available at Veganz)
I use these as eyes for the Easter lamb cake. With the Monsters, there are of course more colors to choose from. You can also get the suggested chocolates at Velivery* or Veganz, if you’re in Germany.
Why should you temper the chocolate for the Easter lamb cake, and what is the seeding method?
Tempering chocolate is an essential step to achieve a perfect result when working with chocolate. During tempering, the chocolate is carefully heated and cooled to specific temperatures to stabilize the crystal structure of the cocoa butter. This process gives the chocolate a beautiful shine, a crisp texture, and a uniform appearance.
The seeding method is a simple and effective technique for home use. First, the chocolate is melted to dissolve all the cocoa butter crystals completely. Then, finely chopped, unmelted chocolate is stirred into the warm mixture. These solid pieces contain stable beta crystals, which evenly distribute through the chocolate and cool it to the desired working temperature. This method allows you to temper chocolate quickly and easily without multiple cooling and reheating steps. The result is glossy, stable chocolate, perfect for pralines, coatings, and decorations.
Here’s an excellent YouTube video on tempering chocolate by CupcakeJemma.
TIRAMISU EASTER LAMB CAKE
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
For the lamb
- 180 g spelt flour
- 90 g coconut blossom sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 50 ml oat milk
- 80 ml coffee liqueur, e.g. Tia Maria*
- 90 ml espresso or strong coffee
- 80 ml vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
For the glaze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 356°F. Since the mold takes up quite a bit of space, it is best to remove the rack and line a baking sheet with parchment paper on the lower shelf in case the mold leaks.
- Now prepare all the ingredients needed for the recipe. This makes baking much more relaxed, and you won't forget anything 🙂
- Lightly grease the lamb mould with vegan butter or a little vegetable oil. Dust the head area with some flour to prevent parts of the head from sticking to the mold. Assemble the mould and set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients for the lamb, and in another bowl, mix the liquid ingredients well. Then, combine both mixtures briefly with a spoon, only as long as necessary but as briefly as possible.
- Pour the batter into the lamb mold and tap it on the table 2-3 times to release any air bubbles. Place it in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for about 90 minutes. It is not yet stable enough to be removed from the mold while it is still warm. It can be cooled in the refrigerator much faster, but not every refrigerator has enough space for the mold.
- If the lower part has risen too much, you may want to carefully trim it with a sharp knife so that the lamb has a more stable base. This recipe comes out perfect for me, but every oven is different. If there are burnt bits, you can also scratch them off now. It is best done before removing the lamb from the mold,
- Remove the lamb from the mold slowly and carefully, possibly using a knife for help.
- Now you're tempering the chocolate for the shiny and crisp cake glaze using the seeding method. Don’t worry—it’s not as complicated as it might seem at first glance.Finely chop the chocolate to make melting easier and ensure even heat distribution. Prepare a saucepan with a little water and heat it gently so that the water simmers without boiling. Place a melting pot over the saucepan, ensuring the bottom doesn’t touch the water, or use a heatproof bowl set on top.Melt about 2/3 of the chopped chocolate in the pot, stirring regularly until it is completely melted. Monitor the temperature carefully; the chocolate should reach a range of about 104 to 113°F (40 to 45°C). Remove the pot from the heat and stir in nearly all of the remaining chocolate pieces. This cools the mixture and helps it crystallize properly. Leave a few pieces aside for adjustments if needed. The chocolate should now reach a temperature of around 84°F (29°C), feeling cooler and slightly thicker but still workable.To check if the tempering is successful, spread a little chocolate on parchment paper. After a few minutes, it should appear shiny, firm, and smooth when set.
- Once the chocolate is ready, use a spoon to apply the glaze evenly over the lamb cake. Placing the lamb on a cooling rack can make this easier. Carefully press the eyes into place on the lamb, holding them for a moment to ensure they stick, then transfer the cake to the refrigerator to set.To move the lamb, lift it carefully onto a clean, small board. Avoid using a board that has been used for chopping strong-smelling ingredients like onions or garlic, as the cake might absorb the aroma. A cake lifter can help with this step.If storing the lamb in the refrigerator overnight, cover it loosely with foil to prevent it from drying out.
FAQ:
What should I do if the nose of my cake lamb crumbles?
You have taken all the precautions: greased the mold, floured it, thought of all the ingredients, stirred the dry ingredients first, then the liquid ones, and then quickly mixed everything together. You tapped the mold on the table and then baked the lamb in the preheated oven at 180 degrees for 45 minutes and after about 90 minutes you took it out of the mold very carefully. Should the nose still crumble, you can usually piece it back together and stick it back on with apricot jam or powdered sugar frosting. Sometimes a little creativity is required, but even with a shorter nose, the Easter lamb still looks cute. Quickly cover it with aluminum foil to keep everything in place, then put the lamb in a large freezer bag, seal it and freeze it. After at least two hours, take it out. The nose should now be frozen solid and therefore hold. Now mix the glaze and apply it. Since the Easter lamb is ice-cold, the glaze will set very quickly, so you should work fast and particularly carefully, starting with the head. Don’t wait too long to put on the eyes either. After a few minutes, the chocolate will be dry and the nose will hold firmly.
What should I do if my whole cake lamb falls apart?
This shouldn’t happen either, but if it does, you can follow the same procedure as for the nose correction. If that’s not an option either, I recommend my bake fail trifle. With that, you can still conjure up something from almost all baking disasters. Does the head still look okay? Then I would let it peek out of the layer dessert and present the whole thing as a Loch Ness Tiramisu, which at least provides some entertainment. And it will still taste good.
What can I do if the eyes don’t hold?
I’ve never experienced that myself, but in that case, I would use a hot teaspoon to melt the chocolate in that area a little and put the eye back on.
Can I make the Easter lamb cake without alcohol?
Yes, you can use more oat milk instead of the liquor and make it a cappuccino lamb cake.
Can I make the Easter lamb without coffee and alcohol?
Yes, you can replace both with plant milk and perhaps a tablespoon of cocoa powder, and the cake will be child-friendly. It will taste more like chocolate and vanilla, which is also very nice.
Can I make the Easter lamb without the chocolate glaze?
Yes, of course, you can. Maybe you want to sprinkle some powdered sugar on top instead.
You are planning a vegan Easter brunch?
Or an Easter brunch with vegan options?
You can find many more buffet ideas in my blog posts “7 ideas for your perfect vegan brunch” and “12 ideas for your perfect vegan buffet”.
Maybe my focaccia with cherry blossoms made out of sweet potato is also an option for your Easter buffet?
