MINI VEGAN CHOCOLATE BLACKBERRY FIG CAKE

Summer is nearly here and that means fruit cakes. Without a shadow of doubt, figs are my absolutely favourite fruit. Hands down, I love them more than apricots and strawberries combined. And I believe my love for figs is the only stronger one than my love for coffee. The competition is serious, but the figs are winning, hence why they are featured in this lovely cake, front and centre.

Now, I know this is not one of my everyday vegan cakes that can be whipped up and served within the hour, but that is what makes it really unique. It requires time and a bit of an effort and planning, and I for one, truly enjoy that.

Two types of fruit fillings, two types of chocolate, and plenty of almond praline make this cake a true showstopper. She is tiny, but she is mighty.

I do recommend keeping the cake refrigerated at all times, simply because of how soft white chocolate mousse can become, even at room temperatures, as it is not stabilised. Either add a tablespoon of soy milk powder as you whip the ganache into a mousse or serve it straight from the refrigerator, it will be delicious either way.

Ingredients
For the vanilla cake layers
80 grams plain flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
80 grams granulated sugar
30 grams toasted almonds, ground
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
25 millilitres neutral oil, sunflower or vegetable
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
125 millilitres water
For the chocolate cake layers
60 grams plain flour
30 grams toasted almonds, ground
90 grams granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
30 millilitres neutral oil, sunflower or vegetable
120 millilitres water
For the blackberry tart cherry jelly
50 grams blackberries
50 grams sour cherries
50 millilitres cold water
30 grams cornflour
20 grams vegan block butter, cubed
For the fig filling
100 grams figs
50 millilitres apple juice, cold
30 grams cornflour
20 grams vegan block butter, cubed
¼ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1-2 drops food colouring, optional
For the almond praline
80 grams toasted almonds, whole
70 grams granulated sugar
20 millilitres water
30 grams vegan block butter, slightly softened
For the dark chocolate ganache
120 grams dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
40 millilitres vegan double cream
25 grams vegan block butter, cubed
For the white chocolate mousse
100 grams vegan white chocolate
120 millilitres vegan double cream
30 grams vegan block butter
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Preparation

Start by making the fruit jelly inserts, as they need to be frozen. For the blackberry jelly, place the berries into a blender jar, along with the water and cornflour, and blend until completely smooth. Pour the mixture into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and let it come to a boil over medium heat, stirring often, so it does not catch on the bottom. Once it starts to boil, cook until thickened, about 2-3 minutes, stirring vigorously.

As soon as it is done, remove it from the heat and add in the vegan block butter. Mix well, either by using a wire whisk or an immersion blender, and transfer it to a 10-cm round cake pan or a pastry ring, lined with baking parchment. Level the top and cover it with a piece of plastic wrap or a round of baking parchment, and place it into the freezer for at least 6 hours, or until frozen solid. This can also be done the night before.

For the fig filing, the process is quite similar. Place the fruit into a blender along with the apple juice and cornflour, and blend until smooth. Pour it into a heavy saucepan and let it come to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Once it starts to boil, cook until thick, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Figs will catch on the bottom of the saucepan if it is not stirred.

As soon as the filling is done, remove it from the heat and add in the vegan block butter and vanilla. Mix well, either with a wire whisk or an immersion blender, and transfer to a 10-cm round cake pan or a pastry ring, again, lined with baking parchment. Level the top and cover it with a piece of plastic wrap or a round of baking parchment, and same as before - place it into the freezer for at least 6 hours. This can, of course, be done the night before.

Next, make the cake layers. Line two small round cake pans (12 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides, and set them aside. Let the oven preheat to 180°C.

For the chocolate cake, sift together the plain flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Add in the sugar, almonds, and the espresso powder, and whisk very well to combine. Pour in the water, oil, vanilla, and the vinegar, and whisk until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 15 minutes or so. Check it with a toothpick even before the indicated 15 minutes, making sure it stays soft and fudgy. Let it cool in the pan completely.

For the vanilla cake, the method is quite similar. Sift together the plain flour and baking soda, add in the sugar and almonds, and whisk well. Add in the water, oil, vanilla, and the vinegar, and whisk until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake immediately, at 180°C, for about 15 minutes or so. Check it with a toothpick, of course, and let it cool in the pan completely.

Goes without saying, of course, but if desired, both can be baked at the same time.

For the almond praline, line a small metal tray with a piece of baking parchment or a silicone mat and set aside. Take a heavy-bottomed saucepan, tip in the granulated sugar, add the water, and gently swirl the pan. Place it over medium-high heat, and let the sugar melt and then cook for about 7-8 minutes, until it becomes a deep amber colour. Once fragrant, add in the almonds and quickly stir with a wooden spoon or a spatula until all of the almonds are coated.

Once coated, remove from the heat and carefully turn them out onto the metal sheet. Do not stir or touch, because it will be incredibly hot. Let it cool down completely. Once cool to the touch, break it into pieces, and place them in a blender. Let it work until a smooth paste forms, then add in the vegan butter and let the blender run again until everything is blended thoroughly. It would be good to stop and scrape down the sides, to make sure everything is smooth. Set aside.

For the dark chocolate ganache, chop the chocolate as finely as you can, and place it in a saucepan. Add in vegan double cream and the butter, and melt everything over low heat. Stir gently until it's all combined, then remove from the heat and allow it to cool down, but to still be somewhat runny and pourable.

Finally, when it's all ready, proceed to assemble the cake.

Level the cakes if necessary and slice off the top third of each, creating one thick layer and one thin one. Use a small (10 cm) cake ring to cut out a 10-cm circle out of the thinner vanilla cake layer.

Place the thicker chocolate cake layer on a serving platter, close a cake form around it, and line it with a tall strip of acetate. Place the blackberry cherry frozen insert in the centre and add the almond praline all around it, and on top of it, covering the whole insert. There will be plenty of praline for that.

Place the thinner chocolate layer on top and add the 10-cm vanilla cake in the centre. Place the frozen fig filling on it and pour the dark chocolate ganache all around it, and on top of it, covering both the little cake disc and the fig filling. Place the thicker vanilla cake layer on top, press it gently, and place in the refrigerator overnight.

For the white chocolate mousse, chop the chocolate finely and place it in a saucepan. Pour in the vegan double cream; add in the butter and the vanilla, and place everything over low heat. Melt it together slowly, stirring gently, until it's all blended. Remove from the heat, let it cool down to room temperature, cover with a piece of cling film or baking parchment, and place into the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, whip the white chocolate mousse with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Remove the cake ring and the acetate from the cake and decorate it to your liking using the chocolate mousse. If desired, add some berries on top, and place it back into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Serve with strong coffee. Yields 8-10 servings.

VEGAN ESPRESSO VANILLA BEAN MARBLE CAKE

If there is one thing I love, it's coffee. I had my first cup at around the age of 18, and we are approaching two full decades of my undying love for it.

And if there is something else that I enjoy, that is adding coffee to desserts. Usually, espresso is added to chocolate cakes, whether freshly pulled or in an instant powder form, but it goes perfectly with vanilla, as well.

This little gem is quite frankly vanilla latte in cake form. Soft and tender vanilla cake, a swirl of espresso throughout, and a cloud of whipped vegan cream on top. An adorable little everyday vegan cake that you can enjoy after a hearty meal or with the afternoon coffee.

Ingredients
For the cake
200 grams plain flour
200 grams granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
60 millilitres vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
250 millilitres water, divided
1 heaping teaspoon instant espresso powder
For the frosting
100 millilitres vegan double cream, cold
2 tablespoons icing sugar
½ vanilla bean

Preparation

Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line a square cake pan (18x18 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides. This will allow for an easier removal from the pan later on.

Sift together the plain flour and baking soda, and add them to a medium bowl. Add in the sugar, and whisk well to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the espresso powder with a teaspoon or two of water. We are aiming for a paste, not liquid. Pour the rest of the water oil, vinegar, and vanilla into the dry ingredients, and whisk everything together until just combined, so the cake stays tender and soft.

Pour about half of the batter into the prepared pan, add the espresso paste to the rest and gently mix it through, and randomly pour it over the vanilla batter, to form the marble effect. Bake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 30 or so. Check it with a toothpick, making sure it does not dry out. Let the cake cool in the pan completely before frosting.

To frost, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them to the vegan cream. Sift in the icing sugar and whip until soft peaks form. Frost the cake and serve immediately. Yields 9 rich servings or 16 smaller ones.

VEGAN DARK CHOCOLATE TAHINI TRUFFLES

Truffles are, like many other no-bake desserts, such a breeze to make. A bit of time, a bit of patience, and one is rewarded with a delightful little sweet treat that is excellent in so many ways; be it as a part of meal prep, for a little brunch gathering, for a picnic, or just for enjoying with the morning coffee.

These little gems are full of dark chocolate and tahini, with just a hint of caramel undertones and bitter coffee notes. A true little work of art, if I might say so myself.

As with all desserts of this type, I have to emphasise - always keep some extra ground almonds on hand. If you are unsure if the truffles can hold their shape, let the batter rest a bit in the refrigerator and check on it. If it is fine, then proceed to shape and coat them, and if it's still a touch too soft for you, add a bit more almonds and roll them into truffles.

They are truly the best if served after about 15 minutes or so at room temperature, just so the chocolate and tahini have the chance to soften slightly, but you can definitely keep them in the refrigerator for a few days. Serve them with strong coffee and enjoy!

Ingredients
180 grams dark chocolate (75% cocoa solids)
170 grams Tahini paste
60 grams granulated sugar
20 grams whole coffee beans, roasted
20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
75 grams finely ground toasted almonds
¾ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
150 grams chocolate of choice, for the coating

Preparation

Start by making a dry caramel. Add the sugar to a heavy saucepan in an even layer, and place it over medium heat. Place the coffee beans in an even layer on a metal tray lined with baking parchment. Let the sugar melt and cook until it develops that beautiful amber colour. Do not walk away, the quantity of sugar is very modest and it will burn easily. As soon as it is melted, quickly pour it over the roasted coffee beans. Do not touch the melted sugar, as it is incredibly hot. Let it cool and harden completely on the tray.

Once hardened, break it into shards carefully and place it into a food processor or a strong blender and process until very fine powder forms. You do not want to make it into a paste, just powder.

Melt together the chopped chocolate and tahini, either over low heat or in the microwave, and add in the ground caramel and coffee beans. Mix very well, sift in the cocoa powder, and add in the vanilla and the almonds. By now, the batter should be somewhat cool and less sticky, but if it still sticks too much, let it rest for a few minutes in the refrigerator.

When the batter is ready, take out portions with a teaspoon, roll them into truffles, and arrange them on a large metal tray. Once all of them are done, place them back into the refrigerator for about an hour, so they can firm up for the glazing.

Melt the chocolate of your choice over low heat or in the microwave, and quickly glaze all of the truffles, returning each one onto the tray as you glaze. That way, the cool metal surface will help them set up quicker. Either serve immediately or keep refrigerated. Yields 20 truffles, each weighing around 25 grams.

MINI VEGAN CHOCOLATE ORANGE BUNDT CAKE

I bought my first bundt cake pan back in 2010, when I was pretty animated to get all the baking pans and utensils I could get my hands on. Needless to say, my heart was in the right place, but knowledge and expertise were missing, so the bundt pan ended up not being used a lot, because its surface simply disallowed the release of the cake, no matter what.

So with time and knowledge, I made a switch to silicone bundt pans and very high quality metal ones, to be sure the cakes will come out in one piece. And that is what I wholeheartedly recommend. Do the research and get the best one for your specific preferences.

With that being said, and speaking of preferences, chocolate and orange will forever be one of my absolute favourites. Ever since childhood, that wonderuful combination of zesty and bright orange and the bitter, deep cocoa or chocolate is something that delights me.

This little bundt is the epitome of a tiny little comfort cake. It does yield six slices at best, but it is so perfect for a small gathering, with a cup of coffee. Effortless to make and a true delight to savour. If desired, serve it while it's still warm with some melted dark chocolate and enjoy.

Ingredients
100 grams plain flour
10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
75 grams sugar
50 millilitres fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
40 millilitres vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
120 grams applesauce
50 grams dark chocolate (60%), optional glaze

Preparation

Let the oven preheat to 180°C. Take a large bowl and sift in the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Add in the sugar and mix it through. Grease and flour a small bundt cake pan or spray it with baking spray, to make sure the cake comes out nicely, and set it aside. My bundt pan has an inner diameter of 14 cm and height of 6 cm, so any pan that is around that size or takes around 350 grams of batter will work.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients; add in the orange juice, orange zest, oil, vanilla, applesauce, and whisk until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Make sure the cake is soft and fudgy, and not dry. Mine took exactly 28 minutes to bake through. Let it cool in the pan completely and serve with melted dark chocolate. Yields 4 large servings or 6 modest ones.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE DOUGHNUTS

I have a very soft spot for doughnuts. They were one of the very first confections I've ever tried, and although I cannot really remember the filling they had, whether chocolate or plum jam, I remember the granulated sugar topping. That crunch, combined with the softness of the doughnut dough, solidified my love permanently.

The doughnuts I now make are baked, not fried. I don't enjoy fried foods, and that includes desserts. Of course, an occasional fried mini doughnut or uštipak are absolutely fine, but it is not my go-to choice.

That is why I have plenty of experience when it comes to the dough itself. As always, please do not add a lot more flour. The dough can be sticky, but it is much better to let it rest a bit between kneading, than to add flour, because this type of confection relies on high dough hydration.

And also, please do not be tempted to fill them while they are still hot, because the cheesecake filling will melt into a puddle due to the heat.

Other than that, feel free to top them however you like and enjoy them still warm, preferably with coffee, of course.

Ingredients
For the vegan sweet dough
500 grams plain flour
25 grams granulated sugar
30 grams fresh yeast
150 millilitres warm water
120 grams vegan vanilla yoghurt
45 millilitres vegetable oil
10 grams salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
For the chocolate cheesecake filling
100 grams vegan cream cheese
50 millilitres maple syrup or vegan honey
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
80 grams extra dark chocolate (90%)
200 millilitres vegan double cream

Preparation

Start by making the sweet dough. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add in the salt, whisk well, and set it aside. Crumble the fresh yeast into a medium bowl, add in the sugar and the warm water, and set it aside for about 10 minutes so the yeast can activate.

Once ready, make a well in the centre of the flour, pour in the yeast, yoghurt, oil, and vinegar, and mix with a wooden spoon or a sturdy spatula until a very soft and sticky dough forms. It should not stick to your hands, though, but if it is, add another tablespoon of flour. Place the dough into a large clean bowl, cover it with a kitchen towel and let it rise at room temperature for about an hour, or until doubled.

Next, make the cheesecake filling. Melt the dark chocolate over low heat or in the microwave and set it aside to cool. Place the vegan cream cheese into a medium bowl, add in the maple syrup or vegan honey, cocoa powder, and vanilla, and gently mix with a spatula until combined. When the chocolate is ready, add it to the cream cheese in tiny increments, and mix and fold gently until combined. Take a large bowl, pour in the vegan cream, and whip it until medium peaks form. Add in the chocolate and cream cheese, and fold until blended. Keep the filling refrigerated.

Once the dough is ready, transfer it to a floured surface and knead it briefly. If it is still sticky, flour the surface well. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces by weight and shape each of them into a ball. Arrange them on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment, and let them rest and rise, covered with a kitchen towel, for about 30 minutes more, while the oven is preheating to 200°C.

Just before baking, generously mist them with cold water and bake, in a preheated oven, at 200°C, for about 10-12 minutes. Make sure they don’t overbake, as they could be chewy if they do.

Remove them from the oven, and immediately take them off the baking sheet, so they cool down quicker. While they are cooling, remove the chilled filling from the refrigerator, place it into a piping bag, and as soon as the doughnuts are cool enough to be comfortably filled, generously fill them with the cheesecake batter, abundantly dust with unsweetened cocoa powder, and serve immediately. Yields 16 medium doughnuts.