Vegan Cake 4 Ways

Vegan Chocolate Cake

Ingredients
for 8 servings

CAKE

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup maple syrup
1 ½ cups almond milk, or milk substitute
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
FROSTING

1 cup vegan butter, or vegetable shortening
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup almond milk, or milk substitute

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F (190˚C).
2. Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder to a large mixing bowl and whisk to thoroughly incorporate, making sure there are no lumps.
3. Once, the dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed together, create a small well in the middle and add in the coconut oil, maple syrup, and almond milk.
4. Continue to whisk until a thick and lumpy batter forms.
5. Grease the inside of two 9-inch (23 cm) cake tins with coconut oil or nonstick baking spray, and add about 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder to dust the inside of the pan.
6. Pour half of the batter into each of the cake tins.
7. Bake them for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
8. Once cakes are finished, transfer them or a cooking rack for 5-10 minutes before removing the finished cakes from their tins.
9. While the cakes cool prepare the frosting. Add vegan butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl and whisk using an electric hand-mixer until a smooth and glossy frosting forms.
10. Add almond milk and continue to mix until incorporated.
11. Choose which of the cakes will be the bottom of your finished cake and carefully level it off.
12. Place a small amount of the icing in the middle of your serving dish and place the cake on top.
13. Using about a cup (about 115g) of the icing, generously coat the bottom layer of the cake using a spatula.
14. Once the icing is spread out evenly, place the second cake on top and continue to frost the cake using the rest of the icing.
15. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes before serving.
16. Slice and serve.
17. Enjoy!

Dairy-Free Strawberry Cheesecake

Ingredients
for 8 servings

CRUST

½ cup raw pecan
½ cup almond flour
2 pitted dates
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
salt, to taste
CHEESECAKE

2 cups raw cashew
½ cup canned coconut milk, mixed
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
⅓ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup strawberry, fresh or frozen
strawberry, sliced, for garnish

Preparation

1. Place the cashews in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let the cashews soak overnight, or at least for 4 hours, until soft.
2. Using a food processor, pulse together the pecans, almond flour, dates, coconut oil, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Pulse until the pecans have been broken down into crumbs and the crust begins to stick together.
3. Scrape the crust into the bottom of a greased and parchment paper-lined 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan. Use your fingers to press the crust into the bottom of the pan in an even layer.
4. Drain the soaked cashews and place them in the bowl of the food processor. Add the coconut milk, lemon juice, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Blend the cashew mixture until it reaches a smooth consistency, about 5-7 minutes.
5. Pour roughly ⅔ of the cashew blend over the crust in the pan. Use a spatula to gently spread the mixture to the sides, then tap and shake the pan on the counter to achieve a smooth, even layer.
6. Freeze the pan while preparing the second layer, about 10 minutes.
7. For the second layer, add the strawberries into the remaining cashew blend and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 5 minutes.
8. Scrape the strawberry cashew blend onto the first layer. Use a spatula to gently push the layer out to the sides of the pan and tap and shake the pan on the counter to achieve a smooth, even layer.
9. Top the cheesecake with sliced strawberries.
10. Freeze the cheesecake until fully solid, at least 4 hours.
11. To serve, let the cheesecake thaw at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
12. Enjoy!

Dairy-Free Blueberry Lime “Cheesecake"

Ingredients
for 12 servings

CRUST

¾ cup walnut
½ cup almond
1 cup pitted date
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 splash water
1 pinch salt
CHEESECAKE

2 ¼ cups raw cashew, soaked overnight
⅓ cup lime juice
¼ cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lime zest, plus more for garnish
⅓ cup coconut oil, melted
1 cup blueberry, plus more for garnish

Preparation

1. The night before you intend to make your “cheesecake,” place cashews in a bowl of water and let soak overnight.
2. To make the crust, add walnuts, almonds, dates, vanilla extract, water and salt to a food processor or blender and pulse until sticky mounds begin to form.
3. Press the crust into a 7-inch (18 cm) springform pan lined with parchment paper.
4. Drain the cashews well and add to the food processor. Blend until smooth.
5. Scrape down the sides of the processor and add lime juice, maple syrup, vanilla extract and lime zest. Blend until smooth, adding the coconut oil half way.
6. Spread about ⅓-½ of the mixture on top of your crust to make the first layer.
7. Freeze for 30 minutes to set.
8. Add blueberries to the remaining cashew mixture and blend until combined.
9. Spread the rest of the mixture onto the cheesecake and garnish with fresh lime zest and blueberries.
10. Cover with foil and freeze for 3 hours to set, then transfer to the fridge.
11. Enjoy!

Vegan Cookies and Cream Cheesecake

Ingredients
for 12 servings

3 cups cashew
2 tablespoons coconut oil
30 vegan chocolate sandwich cookies, divided
1 cup coconut cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
TOPPING

vegan chocolate sandwich cookie, optional

Preparation

1. In a bowl, soak cashews in boiling water for 1-2 hours.
2. Prepare the bottom of a 9-inch (23 cm) springform cake pan with parchment paper.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, blend 20 cookies for 30 seconds, then pour in coconut oil and continue blending until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the cake pan to form an even layer.
5. Freeze for 1 hour, or until the filling is prepared and ready.
6. Scrape the filling from 10 sandwich cookies and reserve both the filling and cookies.
7. Drain cashews and add to the bowl of a food processor. Blend until nuts start to ball up and stick together, approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute.
8. Add coconut cream and cookie cream filling to the cashews and blend until fully incorporated, then add lemon juice and continue to blend until smooth. It will resemble slightly coarser hummus.
9. Once smooth, crumble in half of the reserved scraped cookies and pulse until incorporated, but not crushed.
10. Remove the crust from the freezer and smooth out half of the filling over the bottom. Crumble the remaining scraped cookies on top, then smooth out remaining filling over it. Decorate as desired.
11. Freeze for at least 1 hour before serving.
12. Enjoy!