Go Back
–+ servings
healthy Chocolate Cherry Cake

Vegan Chocolate Cherry Cake

This vegan chocolate cherry cake pairs rich, moist chocolate layers with a tangy sour cherry filling and a silky coconut chocolate cream. It's a plant-based take on the classic Black Forest cake, and best made a day ahead so the creams have time to set.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Choose Serving Size 12

Ingredients 

Crust:

  • 300 g flour I used gluten-free flour (Mix It Universal by Schar)
  • 200 g brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 4 Tbsps cocoa high-quality
  • 130 ml olive oil
  • 250 ml soy milk or any other vegan milk

Sour Cherry Jello:

  • 500 g sour cherries pitted (I used frozen)
  • 50 g sugar
  • 5 Tbsps tapioca flour

Chocolate Cream:

  • 500 ml coconut milk IMPORTANT! Not the liquid type. Use the full-fat, solid type of coconut milk. It has the consistency of high-fat sour cream. Keep it in the fridge for at least 1 hour before using.
  • 4 Tbsps cocoa powder If you want it less chocolatey and more like the Black Forest cake cream, skip this
  • 100 g sugar
  • 2 tsps vanilla paste or extract
  • 1 Tbsp rum

Syrup:

  • 1 jar sour cherries pitted, in syrup

Toppings:

  • sour cherries for decorating, plus cocoa and ground dark chocolate

Instructions

  • Crust:
  • Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan with detachable walls.
  • Mix the flour with the brown sugar, cocoa, and baking soda.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the soy milk with the oil.
  • Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ones slowly, while mixing with a hand mixer.
  • Once incorporated, add the vinegar. Mix a little more.
  • Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about 25 minutes.
  • Let it cool. Once cool, slice the cake horizontally into three equal layers.
  • Sour Cherry Jello:
  • Add all the ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
  • Pour the mixture into a large pan over medium heat. Stir continuously. After about 5 minutes it will start to thicken. Keep stirring for about 10 more minutes, until it reaches a jam-like consistency.
  • Once ready, turn off the heat and let it cool.
  • Chocolate Cream:
  • Add all the ingredients to a food processor. Use the egg-whites whipping attachment, not the blades. You can also use the "egg-whites whipping function" if your machine has one. Alternatively, add them to a bowl and use a hand mixer. Process for 15 minutes.
  • Assembly:
  • Slice the cake crust into three equal layers.
  • Assemble the cake in the springform pan with the detachable walls.
  • Place the top cake layer at the bottom of the pan.
  • Pour 5-6 Tbsps of syrup from the cherry jar over it. Spread it evenly.
  • Pour on the sour cherry jello and spread it.
  • Add the second, middle cake layer.
  • Pour 5-6 Tbsps of syrup evenly over it.
  • Add half of the chocolate cream and top with the cherries from the jar.
  • Top everything with the final cake layer.
  • Pour syrup over this one too.
  • Place the cake in the fridge until the next day.
  • Decoration:
  • Take the cake out of the pan. The creams should be quite stiff by now.
  • Use the remaining chocolate cream to frost the cake. Spread it all over the sides and the top.
  • Dust it with cocoa powder and ground dark chocolate, and decorate with some sour cherries.

Notes

Best made a day ahead: the cake must chill overnight for the creams to set. Use full-fat, solid coconut milk (not the drinkable kind) for the cream, and refrigerate the cans for at least 1 hour before whipping. Keep leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days.