Vegan Black Forest Cake with Cherry-Cranberry Topping

• Dried Cranberries
• Vegan

A perfect sweet treat for Valentine’s Day – whether it’s just you and your sweetie, or with family or friends. Totally vegan and allergen-free, it’s just “gourmet” enough to become a year-round classic.

Steps

1. The night before, refrigerate cans of coconut milk.

2. Mix chia seeds with water in a bowl and soak for 10 minutes. Place bowl for whipping cream in freezer.

3. Place oven rack in the middle position. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line the bottom of two 8-in. spring-form pans with parchment paper.

4. Mix flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder in a bowl and set aside.

5. In another bowl, mix vegetable oil, soy beverage, and chia seed mixture.

6. Sift dry ingredients over wet ingredients and fold in with a spatula. Divide batter between two spring-form pans.

7. Bake the sponge for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean and dry. Let cakes cool on a rack before removing from pans.

8. Mix sugar and water in a pan over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved. Add cherries, dried cranberries, and tapioca starch. Mix well. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Add kirsch and continue cooking for one minute longer, or until mixture thickens. Transfer to a bowl and place in the refrigerator to cool.

9. Remove cans of coconut milk from refrigerator. Open cans and place only the solid portion in the refrigerated bowl (for best results, beat coconut milk one can at a time). 

10. With an electric mixer, whip solid portion of coconut milk at low speed (about 3 minutes) with maple syrup. Set aside.

11. Slice each cake in half horizontally so you have four thin layers.

12. Place one layer of cake on serving plate, top with one-quarter of whipped cream and one-third of cherry mixture. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

13. If desired, decorate top of cake with pieces of vegan chocolate and dried cranberries.

Recommendations

Don’t be surprised to see vinegar in the ingredients for the sponge. The combination of baking soda and vinegar makes the cake rise and gives it an airy texture. Once it’s mixed in, you won’t see or taste it!

Guar gum is a natural emulsifier that keeps the solid and liquid parts of coconut milk from separating. Use only the solid part to make whipped cream.