This Vegan Black Forest Cake is quite the project, I’m not going to lie!
But it is worth it and I’m going to lay it all out for you in the easiest possible way to make it go smooth as can be.
This is a building on recipes project so that means there are several recipes to prepare before we get to the final.
If you make a plan and give yourself a couple days advance preparation, the whole task seems less daunting.
Don’t get me wrong, it can all be done in one day if you prefer.
But for ease of preparation for the cherries especially, it gives the flavors time to meld.
So the cherry filling can be (and should be) done the night before, this gives it time to macerate and let the liqueur really soak in.
Yes there is liqueur in a traditional classic Black Forest Cake, cherry brandy to be exact~ Kirschwasser.
You can leave it out of course, with no changes to the recipe.
The chocolate bark is also something that can be done days in advance, and if you are not familiar with how to temper chocolate, you may want to do that ahead of time because it may take a couple tries to get it right.
The whipped cream is another recipe I set up the night before because in order for it to whip up properly it has to be super cold, so doing the liquid part the night before just makes the most sense.
The chocolate cake can be baked the day you are ready to assemble the whole cake, but not until it is super cold as well.
So as you can already see this is a project that takes some planning ahead.
But just go at it like I wrote above and you will be golden!
PLEASE READ THE NOTES SECTION FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM TROUBLESHOOTING!!
- For the Chocolate Cake
- All Purpose Flour 2 cups (250g)
- Cake Flour 1 cup (120g)
- Natural Cocoa Powder 8 Tablespoons
- Granulated Sugar 2 cups (400g)
- Salt 1 teaspoon (6g)
- Baking Soda 2 teaspoons
- Apple Cider Vinegar 2 teaspoons
- Vanilla Extract 2 teaspoons
- Vegetable Oil ¾ cup (177ml)
- Strong Brewed Coffee 2 cups
- For the Whipping Cream **Good Idea to CLICK HERE before proceeding!
- Soy Milk 2 cup (474ml)
- Coconut Oil melted 2 cup (454g)
- Granulated Sugar ½ cup (100g)
- Xanthan Gum ½ teaspoon
- Vanilla Extract 3 teaspoons (15ml)
- For the Chocolate Bark
- 12oz - 1lb Semi Sweet Chocolate Couverture *Tempered
- For the Cherries
- Fresh or Frozen Cherries (fresh is better for the garnish on the final cake, but frozen is fine for the filling) 1Lb
- Sugar ¼ cup
- Kirschwasser Cherry Brandy 1 cup
- For the Cake Sift both flours, baking soda, salt, and sugar together in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine the natural cocoa powder with the hot coffee and then add the vinegar, oil and the vanilla extract.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the sifted dry ingredients and whisk vigorously with a hand whisk until smooth (about 15 strokes)
- Pour batter into 3 greased and parchment lined 7" x 2" cake pans
- Bake immediately in a preheated 350°f oven for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs
- For the Whipping Cream Combine everything in a high speed blender and blend for about 20 seconds
- Pour into a clean container and refrigerate until cold preferrably overnight (I sometimes speed the process and place in the freezer for about an hour but not so it is getting hard)
- Whip with a balloon whop attachment for about 3 minutes until soft peaks form, be careful not to over whip or it will get really tight.
- If you do over whip, you can add a little more soy milk and fold in by hand to loosen the cream
- For the Chocolate Bark
- Temper the chocolate and then spread it out onto a parchment lined sheet pan to about 11" X 6"
- Let it almost set then roll up the paper on the short end and refrigerate until needed
- For the Cherries
- reserve 10 of the best cherries with their stems for the garnish on the final cake
- Chop the rest of the fresh or frozen cherries into ¼'s and place in a bowl with the sugar
- Add the Kirshwasser and let macerate in the refrigerator overnight OR if you are not working ahead, you can quickly simmer the entire mixture over a very low heat in a small sauce pot until the sugar dissolves
- Assemble the cake as shown in the video
WHIPPED CREAM:: If you over whip the cream it will get grainy so be careful to just whip to soft peaks. I find that we are so used to whipping cow cream that we are looking for the same results, this is not the case here, you will get very soft peaks, and then it will thicken over time & in the refrigerator on the finished cakes or even as you are icing it, you will see it gets more stiff.
If you DO over whip though, you can add a tablespoon or two of soy milk and gently fold it in to loosen
**For the stubborn occasion where it just will not whip, I have put the entire container back into the freezer and froze solid. Thawed in the refrigerator and then re-whipped with good results. This of course is not convenient when you need it NOW! So I am now in the habit of preparing the cream 1 day ahead, freezing sold and then thawing to whip just to play it safe
what temp does the kitchen have to be to avoid melting the whipped cream? or in other words, how fragile is this whipped cream? thanks.
Not fragile at all. Waaaaay easier and more stable than cow whipped cream, and it actually gets stronger as the days go by so be sure not to overwhip in the beginning, soft peaks is ideal
I’m really excited about this whipped cream recipe! It’s peaked my interested so I just try it ASAP! Can you use any kind of vegan milk like Almond, rice or coconut milk too? Also I have agar powder that I use as a stabilizer also, can I use that instead if the xantham gum? Also, if you don’t have cake flour can I swap that out for regular flour?
Thanks Gretchen for the wonderful recipe and I like that you talk a lot! It makes the vlog more personal and unique!
Yes you can! The agar must be boiled first to activate, so agar is used differently so I would suggest to just skip the xanthan and dont use the agar either. it will be fine, vegan whipped creams are already super stable compared to cow whipped cream and this will actually thickens as it sits, so be careful not to over whip it too, just to soft peaks as it will get more stiff.
Yes to regular but CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO about cake flour just as an FYI
And thankyou!!
I was wondering if this could be turned into a gluten free cake? Looks fantastic, my all time favorite cake
Hi Connie! While I do not do any gluten free baking, I do know that when it comes to GF + vegan there are some changes that need to happen, meaning it’s not just a straight up 1:1 sub for GF to wheat flour. I’m sorry I can’t be a better help but you can of course use any GF chocolate cake recipe you find that you like best to use for this recipe
yuuuuum black forest is one of my favourites! for the whipped cream, I know different brands have different thickeners etc added so just wondering brand of soy milk you used for the cream? Thank you!!! 🙂
Yes good question! I use Westsoy, but have also used almond milk from Shop rite (the organic one)
This looks gorgeous! So you think I can Exchange soymilk with cashewmilk? Greetings from Germany
yes you can!
I am really looking forward to making this! Do you use refined coconut oil or extra virgin coconut oil? Is there a specific brand you prefer?
Yes I do! It’s Nutiva I get it on amazon, because I use so much of it I buy bulk, but any refined coconut oil will do 🙂
I made this yesterday, and it was AMAZING!!! Thank you 🙂 The whipped cream was delicious! I didn’t have any xanthan gum on hand, but it still worked really well.
Hi Maddy and Gretchen,
Really good to see that you already tried and worked. If you didn’t use Xanthan, it means you followed this recipe: Soy Milk 2 cup (474ml)
Coconut Oil melted 2 cup (454g)
Granulated Sugar ½ cup (100g)
Vanilla Extract 3 teaspoons (15ml) ??
This is how worked? I am scared to try, but I would like to and want to be sure…
Thanks!
yes correct
DO you think this cake batter would translate well into cupcakes? If so, how many cupcakes do you think the recipe would make?
yes! I’d say about 18? Fill the cups about 3/4 full bake 350 for about 18 minutes, check for done-ness, they may take longer
Can i sub the coconut oil?
for which part of the recipe?
For the whip cream 🙂
No, sorry the coconut oil is what causes it to whip, the emulsion of the fat with the milk once cold and whipped is what mimics a full fat cow cream whipped cream. You can use the cashew based whipped cream as I have it listed here on my Peaches and Cream cake if you are looking for a “healthier” fat but read the entire post and why I created the coconut oil whipped cream in the first place
How far in advance can the various components of this recipe be made? I’m looking at a making this for a friday night where I’m working during the days on the five days leading up to it. Being able to split it up as much as possible and as far in advance as possible would be great.
Thanks so much, excited to try the recipe.
Sure, you can make the cake any day, just freeze it until you are ready to build the cake. The cherry compote can be done days in advance and is actually better that way to soak up the kirchwasser. The whipped cream mixture is better done the day before so it has time to get super cold before whipping. And even the chocolate bark can be done ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator until you are ready to decorate
What an amazing recipe. I made this for my german themed dinner and everybody loves it. The fun was when my milk allergic friend found out he could also eat a piece, cause nobody even notices the cake was vegan. Thank you for sharinf!
I did make some adjustments to make the recipe most fit for the Netherlands, as flour types differ world wide. Also, no fresh cherries in november. Here comes in dutch my adjustment; gebruik tarwebloem voor het gehele recept, en per elke 120 gr 2 eetlepels vervangen door maizena, voeg bakpoeder toe volgens aanwijzingen fabrikant. Daarnaast ook de baksoda toevoegen. Voor de vulling heb ik kersen uit ppt genomen en geweekt in kirsch en voor de topping hebbik een blikl kersenvlaaifruit gebruikt.
awesome! I love that! See!? EVERYONE can enjoy Vegan! thanks for sharing!
I plan to make this for my British husband this Christmas so THANK you for the recipe! it’s his favorite from back home 🙂
Question- I don’t have a stand mixer.. just a hand mixer but only beater attachments, no wiks. Can I still achieve the emulsion with the whipped cream with a hand mixer? or should I get a stand mixer?
Thanks so much!
Hi! Great thanks! I am not sure it will work with a hand beater, many people have felt the stress even with a STAND mixer! So I think it may not work 🙁
Sad to hear but thank you!! I need a stand mixer anyway :p
Hi
Can I use another milk like almond or cashew to replace the Soy milk for the whipping cream?
Attempting this from today, looks great.
Yes as long as it is Pure nut milk, (not the refrigerated one)
HI there ?. Tried making the whipped cream over the weekend but failed miserably ☹. The only difference to your instructions was that I halved the amount of ingredients as it was a trial run. The taste of the cream is delicious but I can’t for the life of me get it to a whipped texture (after leaving the fridge overnight) despite whipping for a lot more than 3 minutes (It ended up being more like 20 minutes)- all I get is a runny texture. I then decided to add more xanthan and leave in the fridge overnight but again, apart from the mixture (which was still a thick liquid texture at this point) would not whip. Just wondered if you had any suggestions pls. could halving the ingredients make a difference? Thanks in advance and as always thank you for everything you do to make your delicious recipes accessible to us ?. xx
Hi I am sorry that happened to you, you are not he only one having trouble with this. Halving would not make a difference, but I am suspecting that the soy milk you are using may be. I use Westsoy brand as it is Pure and no additives. This could be the factor
Hi Gretchen and thanks for info- I am based in the UK so don’t have access to the brand of milk you use. I have now tried the recipe using pure organic soya milk (Ingredients: Water, Hulled European Soya Beans* (9.8%) – a brand called Provamel. The coconut oil I use is 100% pure coconut oil and is refined. However, I am still not having any success as I can’t get the mixture to whip after leaving in the fridge overnight ☹. I appreciate that halving the recipe should have no impact but I am now wondering if this may result in a quantity that is perhaps too small for my machine to whip properly? I must admit I saw no evidence of this but it’s the only thing I can think of. I don’t’ want to give up just yet but have run out of ideas ☹….any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance ?
Hi Ethaar, It is possible that halving the recipe is causing the issue, since I have found (especially in whipping aquafaba) that there is “strength in numbers” so I often do make more than I need (in AF) since it whips up much stringer when I do.
This could be the cause here as well, so yes- good thinking. While I would not have suspected halving the recipe would do that- it does make good sense.
I would blend the new batch with the first batch and give it another go.
The balloon hip of a stand mixer is also the key too success here as well
Urika! it worked using the full amount ?. Took around 7-8 minutes to whip (possibly because my machine is not super fast) but it worked and I’m ecstatic ?. Thanks ever so much for all your help and patience Gretchen- I am VERY grateful ?.
oh great!! Thank you~ I should note that on this post!!
Did you end up able to fix the whipped cream, so that it would whip up? I am having the same problem — I used Trader Joe’s soy milk, which definitely has more than just soy beans and water (it has carrageenan and some other stuff), and it’s just staying as a thick cream, even after I’ve whipped it for ~10 minutes and thrown it in the freezer.
If no fix, any recommendations for using a thick cream? I’m not too keen on the idea of just throwing it out. Thanks!
My best advice would be to put it back in the blender, add another ¼ cup coconut oil to re-emulsify and then fridge it again, get it super cold and see if that helps to whip
I finally tried this out (I’d had the mixture in the freezer) and adding 1/4 c coconut oil worked! (In case this is helpful for anyone else:) I should have let the mixture come fully back to room temperature, since it was still a little cool and when I added the new coconut oil, it solidified while being blended with the cool mixture and thus became a tiny bit chunky. As in, there were small (1-2mm) spheres of coconut oil dispersed through the cream. Even so, it whipped up great after refrigeration. Thanks for the advice, Gretchen!
GREAT! Thanks for the feedback and for sticking it through!! Great Job!
Hi, this looks interesting. Would like to try out but can I replace the coconut oil in the whipping cream recipe for any other oil like veg oil?
HI thanks, sorry the coconut oil is ht only one that will get stiff- other oils will stay liquid at all temperatures, even if you freeze it! So only coconut oil here.
Hi, this recipe looks lovely but I was wondering for the cake batter is there any chance I can exclude the coffee or is it vital to the recipe? What difference will it make to the cake if I exclude it? Thanks so much in advance, looking forward to making the recipe! 🙂
Hi Thanks, yes you can leave out the coffee and just use water or a plant milk, but coffee is known to enhance chocolate flavor without coming through in the final cake.
Could I freeze the chocolate cake layers? And for how long?
yes, you can, but certain vegan cakes, I find the texture changes slightly – it doesn’t quite get back to springy, fluffy cake. it stays more dense. SO I have been keeping the layers wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days before building my cake and it is totally fine that way
I haven’t made your cake. This comment is about your amazing cream! Thank you so much Gretchen!! Your recipe is the closest thing to dairy cream I’ve come across, and I’ve tried several. It’s easy and hold its shape perfectly, even after two days. The only downside is that it’s so high in fat content (over 50 percent). I excitedly shared the recipe with a friend, thinking she’d love it, but she’s horrified at the huge amount of oil it calls for. (On the plus side, there’s a lot less sugar in your cream recipe than in a buttercream frosting!)
I made your recipe with 1.5 Cups each of coconut oil and soymilk. I’ll try and up the milk to two cups, gradually adding it once the mixture is already stiff. If it can hold that much without going too soft, then the total fat content would be cut down to a comparable percentage of what dairy cream has.
HI Thanks! Yes I agree with the starling amount of fat in the recipe that is necessary for it to work. However it is not loaded with cholesterol like cow cream! 🙂 that’s also a plus! I guess we have to take it all into perspective, desserts aren’t meant to be eaten by the gobs and plates full. A small piece for a treat once in a while is ok (in my book!)
Hello Gretchen…!! Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I made it for a get-together and it turned out really great. Now I am planning to make this for my sister’s birthday. I just wanted to ask about the measurements. I am planning to make 2 – 8 inch cake layers. Could you please let me know how to increase the quantity of this recipe.
I can’t wait to make this cake. Can I substitute something non alcoholic for the Kirschwasser so I can make it for a school event?
Hi Yes this is from the written post: Yes there is liqueur in a traditional classic Black Forest Cake, cherry brandy to be exact~ Kirschwasser. You can leave it out of course, with no changes to the recipe.
Hi Gretchen, I would love to make this for my daughters birthday cake. Is it possible to make the whipped cream frosting with coconut milk? And would you recommend canned coconut milk or fresh if so? Thank you so much x
HI Sure, CLICK HERE for all the options
This recipe is amazing! I made it yesterday and it was a hit with a group of non vegans, one of which is actually a cake maker by profession! Mine wasn’t as perfect looking but that is down to my lack of skill and a couple of changes I made – I only had 8″ cake pans, so I increased the cake batter quantities by a third so I could still do the three layers in this size. Baking time was the same and the cake is delicious! I did not increase the amount of the cream, but probably should have done as I could have used a bit more – the cream is spectacular! I also chickened out of tempering chocolate and making the bark. My cake just had grated chocolate on top and more of a semi naked look to the sides due to me not making enough cream! That said, it was delicious, the cherry brandy soaked cherries are fantastic, and the liqueur soaked chocolate cake just so tasty!
awesome! thanks for the feedback sounds like you did an awesome job!!
How much time in advance can we make the cherry filling ?
Can i make it on friday for sunday ?
and if i cant find fresh cherries can i use frozen and use the same process?
and can it also be done in advance?
thanks
Yes to both, make ahead (up to a week) and yes to frozen
can normal virgin coconut oil work ? or does it have to be refined?
Can i use virgin coconut oil or it has to be refined ? What difference does refined versus virgin have ? Thanks
Hi. I just made this and it so delicious, thank you for sharing this recipe. I wondered how long I can store the cake, we have a bit over! Should it also be kept in the fridge? Thanks
Hey thanks! I normally add storage and shelf life in the notes section, but realize I forgot here! thanks for pointing that out! :: Black Forest Cake should be stored in the refrigerator at all times. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days
Hi Gretchen, is it the whipped cream that means it has to be kept in the fridge? Will it melt otherwise?
Many thanks,
Yes correct, I usually write the storage instructions in the NOTES section on the recipe portion
Hi Gretchen, I’m making your cake tomorrow, I wondered, is it because of the cream that it needs to be refrigerated? I am hoping to frost the cake with a chocolate ganache (dark choc and coconut cream) will this all be OK in the fridge? Will the cake dry out if we don’t eat it all? I’m wondering if just a buttercream will be better as it can be kept out of the fridge.. Any advice is very welcome. Thank you for bringing us such amazing vegan cakes!
yes correct the whipped cream has to be refrigerated, it will be OK out of fridge for several hours but not days.
If you use ganache that will be OK out of fridge for several days, no problem OR BUTTERCREAM, yes no refrigeration
I decided to bake my FIRST CAKE EVER for my 37th birthday and just went for it with this recipe. It was a little touch and go, definitely felt like i was on the tv show “nailed it” a few times, especially while trying to make the whip cream, I didn’t realize it set up in the fridge afterwards! it was so drippy and I kept running the mixer. After 15 min i decided to cut my losses and tossed it in the fridge. After getting everything else it place I pulled it out and it wasn’t super fluffy but much more stable than I thought, The cake turned out BEAUTIFULLY!
…Maybe I will try to the chocolate bark next time now that I am a seasoned vet 😉
Hi Gretchen,
Could canned cherries (just ferries & water, no syrup added) be used in place of fresh or frozen?
Also, any suggestions for a liquid replacement for the liquor as I don’t buy or cook with alcohol?
Thanks!
Thank you so so much for this recipe, I made it today and it is fantastic. My vegan son wanted a black forest cake for his birthday and I was really worried about the cream part. Your whipped cream recipe worked perfectly. I just used a regular hand mixer with no problem. I refrigerated the mixture for a while, then stuck it in the freezer for a couple hours, It whipped up after 8-10 minutes and was so much easier to work with than dairy whipped cream. I used guar gum in place of xanthan gum. The cake recipe is also excellent. I cut down the sugar a little bit with no bad effects to the taste or texture. I also skipped the bark and did chocolate shavings on top.
Everyone complimented the cake! I look forward to trying your other recipes!
Hey awesome thanks for the feedback!
I’m having a feeling that this cream would be a life saver! I’m thinking of opening my own vegan bakery in the future and I can’t find or make good tasting and firm cream that doesn’t contain palm oil. And all the whipping cream available (I live in Poland) are with palm oil. I made first batch with soy milk (it’s freezing right now). But tell me, can I substitute soy milk with any milk? I try to eliminate soy due to my sister’s allergy (and she’s one of two people that test my cakes).
Would it work with oat, rice, coconut, almond milk?
Sending aaaaaloooot of respect for all Your work 🙂
I tried to whip it and t didn’t get to stiff peaks. It has a texture of a mayo or a thick cream (it already had that kind of texture after I got it out from the blender). What is the problem in Your opinion? It was quite cold but only after 30min freezing and maybe 2h cooling in the fridge. Do You think it’s because of that mayo texture after blending?
Is there any way I can repair it and obtain stiff peaks?
Hi Paulina, I have updated the post to direct people to please read the notes section re: this whipped cream in this recipe post, ALSO good idea to check out the official blog post for the actual whipping cream
But here is the highlighted notes::
If you over whip the cream it will get grainy so be careful to just whip to soft peaks. I find that we are so used to whipping cow cream that we are looking for the same results, this is not the case here, you will get very soft peaks, and it WILL thicken over time & in the refrigerator on the finished cakes.
If you DO over whip though, you can add a tablespoon or two of soy milk and gently fold it in to loosen
**For the stubborn occasion where it just will not whip, I have put the entire container back into the freezer and froze solid. Thawed in the refrigerator and then re-whipped with good results. This of course is not convenient when you need it NOW! So I am now in the habit of preparing the cream 1 day ahead, freezing sold and then thawing to whip just to play it safe