Vegan Tiramisu

Here’s how you can make a delicious vegan tiramisu recipe from scratch! It looks and tastes just like the authentic Italian dessert. Give it a try!

This vegan tiramisu is a fully plant-based take on the classic Venetian dessert, built from three simple components: a soft homemade sponge cake, a coffee-and-rum soak, and a rich cashew “mascarpone” cream, all dusted with cocoa. There are no eggs, no dairy and no mascarpone cheese anywhere in it, yet it reads as the real thing once it has chilled and the layers have settled. Make it a day ahead, keep it in the fridge, and you have an impressive dessert ready to slice.

Why I made it with a sponge cake base

Did you know that tiramisu is a popular Venetian dessert recipe which literally means “cheer me up”! It was quite a challenge to veganize it because I couldn’t find any vegan ladyfingers, so I had to improvise. I made a vegan sponge cake instead and used it as a base, and I wanted to make this vegan tiramisu recipe as easy as possible, so I baked the sponge cake base in a rectangular baking pan. That one change is what makes this version approachable: instead of hunting down hard-to-find egg-free savoiardi, you bake one simple cake, slice it, and use it like a single generous layer of soaked sponge.

The three parts that make it work

It helps to think of this dessert as three easy jobs rather than one complicated one. The sponge cake is a quick one-bowl-plus-one-bowl batter: dry ingredients (flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa, salt) whisked into the wet ones (almond milk, melted coconut oil, apple cider vinegar). The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to give the cake lift without eggs, which is why you should mix just until the batter comes together and stop there. The coffee syrup is nothing more than strong espresso, rum, a touch of maple syrup and cocoa, stirred together and cooled. And the cashew “mascarpone” is soaked cashews blended smooth with coconut cream, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and a few drops of almond extract until it turns thick and spoonable.

Ingredient notes and smart swaps

• Raw cashews: soak them overnight so they blend into a completely smooth cream. If you forget, a 15-minute soak in just-boiled water softens them enough in a pinch.
• Coconut cream: the recipe uses only the thick cream from a can of coconut milk, so chill the can and scoop the solid top layer, leaving the watery part behind. That thickness is what gives the “mascarpone” its body.
• Coconut oil: it firms up in the fridge, which helps the cream set into sliceable layers rather than staying loose.
• Strong coffee: use espresso or the strongest coffee you can brew. A weak, watery coffee gives a flat soak and a muted tiramisu flavor.
• Rum: classic here for that grown-up tiramisu character. Leave it out for an alcohol-free version and add a splash more coffee or a drop of vanilla to keep the syrup lively.
• Coconut sugar and maple syrup: both keep this dessert refined-sugar-free while still sweetening the cake and the cream.

How to assemble it, step by step

Bake the sponge in a roughly 30×20 cm pan at 180C for about 20 minutes, until the top is slightly golden, then let it cool fully. Slice the cooled cake horizontally into two thin layers so it is not too thick. You only need one layer for this tiramisu, so set the other aside for later. Place your single layer on a serving pan, pour the cooled coffee syrup generously and evenly over it so the sponge drinks it in, then spread the cashew cream over the top. Finish with a sifting of cocoa powder and move the whole thing to the fridge. Serve only after it has cooled completely, so the layers have time to firm up and the flavors meld.

Tips for the best texture

• Do not over-mix the cake batter. Whisk only until it just comes together, or you knock out the lift and end up with a dense, rubbery sponge.
• Cool every component before assembling. A warm cake or warm syrup will melt the coconut-oil-based cream and the layers will slide instead of setting.
• Soak the sponge generously but do not drown it. You want it moist all the way through, not falling apart.
• Blend the cashew cream longer than you think, stopping to scrape the sides, until there is no grit left. Smoothness here is the difference between “close” and “just like mascarpone.”
• Sift the final cocoa layer only right before serving if you want the sharpest look, since cocoa can absorb moisture in the fridge.

What to serve it with

Tiramisu is rich, so it loves a small, strong espresso alongside each slice. If you are putting together a fully plant-based dessert spread, pair it with a few no-bake bites like these raw vegan coconut bonbons or a square of homemade raw vegan cashew chocolate, both of which echo the cashew-and-coconut notes in the cream. For a bigger celebration table, it also sits beautifully next to a slice of raw vegan chocolate and raspberry birthday cake.

Storage and make-ahead

This is a make-ahead dessert by design, and it is actually better after several hours or a full night in the fridge, once the coffee syrup and cream have settled into the sponge. Keep it covered in the refrigerator and enjoy it within about three to four days. Remember that the recipe makes two thin sponge layers and uses only one, so store the spare layer in the fridge as well: you can eat it for breakfast with some fruit and yogurt on top, or use it to make another tiramisu later in the week. If you like this kind of no-fuss plant-based sweet, you might also enjoy these vegan whole grain cookies or, for something raw and gooey, a batch of raw vegan halvah.

If you make this vegan tiramisu, I would love to know how your coffee soak and cashew cream turned out. Please rate the recipe and leave a comment below with any tweaks you tried, whether you kept the rum in or swapped it out. Happy baking!

Vegan Tiramisu

A creamy vegan tiramisu built on a homemade cocoa sponge, a rich cashew-and-coconut “mascarpone”, and a rum-laced coffee syrup. It looks and tastes just like the classic Italian dessert, with no eggs or dairy anywhere.

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Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Choose Serving Size 6

Ingredients 

For the vegan mascarpone:

• 1½ cup raw cashews soaked overnight
• 6 Tbsp coconut milk the cream kind – use only the cream
• 4 Tbsp coconut oil
• 4 Tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp natural vanilla extract
• 3-4 drops almond extract

For the base:

Dry ingredients:

• 1¼ cup flour
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
• ⅓ tsp salt

Liquid ingredients:

• ⅔ cup almond milk
• ⅓ cup coconut oil melted
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

For the syrup:

• ½ cup strong coffee espresso
• 2 Tbsp rum optional
• 1 tsp maple syrup

For the topping:

• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder for dusting

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Mix all the dry ingredients for the sponge in a bowl. In another bowl, combine all the wet ingredients.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk just until the batter comes together. Don’t overmix it.
• Pour the batter into a baking pan – estimated size 30x20cm.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, until the top is slightly golden.
• Let it cool completely.
• Cut the sponge cake horizontally into two layers, as one whole cake would be too thick. You’ll use just one layer here – save the other one for later. You can eat it for breakfast with some fruit and yogurt on top, or make another tiramisu. Store the extra layer in the fridge.
• Prepare the coffee syrup by mixing all its ingredients together, then let it cool.
• Make the vegan mascarpone: chill the can of coconut milk beforehand so the cream separates cleanly from the water, then scoop out only the thick cream. Blend it with the rest of the mascarpone ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy.
• Place the sponge cake layer in a pan. Generously pour the coffee syrup over it, covering the layer evenly.
• Spread the “mascarpone” cream over the soaked sponge. Sift the cocoa powder over the top, then transfer to the fridge.
• Serve once it has cooled and set completely.

Notes

Plan ahead: the cashews need to soak overnight, and the assembled tiramisu needs several hours in the fridge (ideally overnight) to set properly. The sponge makes two layers but the recipe uses only one – keep the spare in the fridge for a second batch or for breakfast. Store the tiramisu covered in the fridge for up to 3 days, and dust with cocoa just before serving so the top stays velvety.

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