VEGAN SWEET POTATO CHOCOLATE RUM CAKE

This little vegan chocolate cake is much more than just a dessert; it is utter indulgence on a plate, with an unexpected ingredient, the humble sweet potato. Combining the richness of dark chocolate with the subtle warmth of rum, the cake is sheer nostalgia, which honestly makes it perfect for cosy evenings and small gatherings. And if you love the flavour of rum in your cakes as much as I do, feel free to add a tiny splash to the cake itself, it will pair perfectly with the cinnamon and cocoa powder.

My tips for success.

Sweet potato can be baked, boiled and drained well, or even steamed - as long as it is mashed well and not watery, it will be perfect. Its natural sweetness pairs really well with the chocolate flavour, and the texture is simply perfectly fudgy.

If your filling seems a bit too soft, which can happen due to differences in vegan cream or how dry the sweet potatoes were, feel free to add a bit more of unsweetened cocoa powder or even two teaspoons of whipped cream stabiliser (modified starch, essentially). Both will work well.

The chocolate I used is the 75% one, as that is my absolute favourite, but feel free to use an even darker, more intense chocolate bar, if you prefer that. Because of the sugar content in the cake, it will be fine to go even up to 90% of cocoa solids for the frosting.

Ingredients
For the sweet potato chocolate cake
90 grams plain flour, sifted
1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
120 grams sweet potato, cooked and mashed
130 grams light brown sugar
50 millilitres vegetable oil
1 heaping teaspoon vanilla bean paste
120 millilitres boiling water
20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
For the sweet potato chocolate rum filling
80 grams sweet potato, cooked and mashed
80 grams dark chocolate (75%)
20 millilitres dark rum
20 grams icing sugar, sifted
20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
120 millilitres vegan double cream
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Preparation

Start by making the chocolate fudge cake. Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line a small (16 cm) round cake tin with baking parchment. Mix the cocoa powder and sugar with the boiling water and let it cool down slightly. In a separate bowl, whisk together the mashed sweet potatoes, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Add in the somewhat cooled bloomed cocoa powder and the sugar, and mix well.

Finally, sift in the dry ingredients and fold them through gently, making sure not to overmix the batter. Pour it into the prepared cake tin, level the top, and bake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 20-25 minutes. Just like any cake or brownies, check it with a toothpick to make sure it does not dry out. Take it out of the oven and let it cool down completely in the tin.

Once the cake is cool, proceed to make the filling. Melt the dark chocolate over low heat or in the microwave, and let it cool down. Place the mashed sweet potatoes in a medium bowl, add in the rum, icing sugar, and the cocoa powder, and mix well. Add in the cooled chocolate, and fold it through. Take a large bowl and whip the chilled vegan double cream and vanilla until soft peaks form.

Add in the chocolate batter and keep mixing on the medium setting until very stiff peaks form. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, and place the whole tin in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Once ready to serve, remove from the cake tin, top with chocolate shavings or some unsweetened cocoa powder, and serve with freshly brewed coffee. Yields 6 servings.

VEGAN DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ORANGE DOUGHNUTS

There's something so timeless about the simple pleasure that is a doughnut; soft, sweet, and warm from the pan or the oven, lightly dusted with icing sugar or generously rolled in granulated sugar. For many, doughnuts are the first dessert ever sampled, which makes them even more special. Like I always say, a blend of sweetness and nostalgia on each bite.

And these lovely doughnuts are a combination of flavours that works wonders in every possible dessert - chocolate and orange. With melted chocolate in the dough itself, melted chocolate on top, and tangy homemade orange jam in the heart of every one of them, they are an effortless holiday comfort loved by everyone.

My tips for success.

Any type of mashed potatoes works, as long as they are unseasoned. Freshly made, reheated, and even the ones made from instant flakes. That is the beauty of this recipe; it is so infinitely adaptable and works well in many scenarios.

If using leftover potatoes, place them in a small pot or a microwave-safe dish, add in the chocolate, vegan butter, vanilla, and orange zest, and heat it all up until melted and combined. Same goes for the instant potato flakes. Cook enough of the flakes with water, according to the package directions, to get 100 grams, and proceed with the recipe as mentioned.

If the dough feels a bit on the drier side, which can happen depending on your potatoes, feel free to add a splash of water or even a tablespoon or two of vegetable oil, just to give it some hydration and elasticity. And if it feels way too soft and sticky to knead, add a bit of flour and continue.

As for the jam, the longer you cook it, the thicker it will be. It thickens considerably after cooling, which is fine, as we need it to stay inside the doughnuts as they bake, but it will affect how easily you can pipe or spoon it onto the dough. If it becomes too thick, gently warm it up before filling the doughnuts.

And finally, the glaze. I used a 60% dark chocolate because I find it works amazingly well in this recipe; however, feel free to use any chocolate you like. Milk chocolate would work just as well, as would an even darker bar of chocolate. The only caveat I have is not to go over 90% of cocoa solids because it can be a touch overwhelming, as that is the first thing you taste as you bite into the doughnut.

Ingredients
For the chocolate doughnuts
250 grams plain flour
15 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon salt
75 millilitres warm water
30 grams dark brown sugar
20 grams fresh yeast
100 grams unseasoned mashed potatoes
50 grams dark chocolate (75%)
30 grams vegan block butter
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
For the filling
350 grams fresh orange segments
120 grams sugar
100 grams candied orange peel
For the glaze
100 grams dark chocolate (60%)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Preparation

Start by making the jam. Wash the oranges and zest them to get one full teaspoon, then remove the peels and segment them. Put the segments, any juice they released, as well as the sugar and candied orange peels into a heavy-bottomed pot, and place it over medium heat. Just like any jam, wait for it to come to a gentle boil, and cook, stirring quite frequently, for 15-20 minutes from the moment it comes to a boil. The longer you cook it, the thicker it will be. Set it aside and let it cool down to at least room temperature, or place it in the refrigerator if made the day before.

For the dough, boil the potatoes in plenty of water, drain them well, and mash them however you like. Add the chopped chocolate, vegan block butter, vanilla, and fresh orange zest to the potatoes, and stir until melted and slightly thickened.

In a separate large bowl, dissolve the fresh yeast in warm water and sugar, and once bubbly and active, add in the slightly cooled mashed potatoes. Mix well, add in the cocoa powder, and blend. Finally, add in the flour and salt, and knead with your hands until smooth. Cover the dough and leave it in a warm spot for at least an hour, or until doubled.

Take the risen dough out of the bowl and knead it very lightly, just to remove some of the air, and then divide it into 9 equal parts, by weight. Without any shaping, flatten them with your hand on the work surface, add a portion of the jam filling, and close it very well. Take your time and indeed close them well, so the filling stays inside. Arrange them on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment, generously mist them with cold water, cover with a kitchen towel, and let them rise until doubled. Meanwhile, turn the oven on to preheat to 200˚C.

As soon as they're ready, bake in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 10-12 minutes. They need to remain as soft as possible, so watch them carefully. As they bake, start melting the chocolate for the glaze. It is best done over low heat or in the microwave. Once the doughnuts are baked, mist them generously with cold water, wait for the surface to become dry again, and then generously glaze them with chocolate. They are ready to serve as soon as the chocolate sets, but will keep in a sealed container for another day. Yields 9 servings.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE TIRAMISU TRUFFLE CAKE

If you ask me, coffee desserts are always welcome and always a good idea. And when it comes to small gatherings, coffee and chocolate are always the right choice.

Pure truffle filling and gorgeous savoiardi-like layers, abundantly soaked with strong espresso and dark rum make for a perfect slice of sweetness on a plate. Additionally topped with some unsweetened cocoa powder and served with more coffee, it is a dream come true for the holidays.

My tips for success.

I made the base with just a regular spoon, as there is not a lot of batter, but a small hand mixer works well too, as does a sturdy spatula. I definitely recommend folding in the flour by hand, to avoid any overmixing.

You can use any type of sugar for the savoiardi bases; it does not have to be a mix of the two I used. This recipe works perfectly with pretty much all granulated sweeteners. Adding coconut sugar would bring a lovely caramel undertone to this dessert.

And finally, use the chocolate and the cocoa powder you enjoy the most. The chocolate flavour is quite prominent and so will be the cocoa powder, if you choose to dust the cake, so choose wisely. My choice is always a 75-80% cocoa solids bar, but any dark chocolate will work well. Same goes for the cocoa powder.

Ingredients
For the vegan savoiardi cakes
80 grams vegan block butter, softened
30 grams light brown sugar
20 grams granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
80 millilitres soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
120 grams plain flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2 heaping tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling
For the chocolate tiramisu truffle filling
100 grams dark chocolate (75%)
200 millilitres plant-based double cream, divided
100 grams vegan cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the coffee mix
150 ml strong espresso
30 ml dark rum
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Preparation

Let the oven preheat to 180°C and draw two 13-cm circles on a large sheet of baking parchment, and place it onto a baking sheet. This will be used to bake the bases.

Take a medium bowl, add in the softened vegan block butter, both types of sugar, and vanilla, and blend either with just a spoon or a small hand mixer on medium speed, until combined. Add in the soy milk and vinegar and keep mixing and folding until as combined as possible. It may look like it is splitting, but that is fine.

Sift in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and fold everything through. If, by any chance, the mix looks far too thick to be piped, add a small splash of soy milk. In the end, it should look like thick buttercream. Once it does, transfer the batter to a piping bag fitted with a medium regular round nozzle and pipe two circles of batter onto the prepared baking parchment. The batter should hold its shape well and not be runny.

Sprinkle them evenly with granulated sugar and bake, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for around 12-15 minutes, or until baked through. Make sure they are not overbaked and remove them as soon as they look golden on the bottom and the edges. Let the baked cakes cool completely on the baking sheet.

When the cakes are almost ready, melt together the chocolate and half of the vegan cream (100 millilitres) over a double boiler or in the microwave, and set it aside to cool down and thicken. It is best to allow it to cool down gradually and monitor it so it doesn't harden too much, as it will be nearly impossible to incorporate if it does.

Once everything is ready, whisk together the vegan cream cheese and the cocoa powder, add in the ganache and the vanilla, and combine. Separately, whip the remaining vegan cream until soft peaks form, add in the chocolate mix, and whip on medium speed until thickened and firm. It will resemble whipped ganache.

Mix the espresso, rum, and sugar in a small bowl and have a pastry brush ready.

Place the first cake layer onto a serving platter and brush it generously with the coffee mix. Take your time with this, as the cakes do not absorb the coffee that quickly, as traditional savoiardi would. Once happy with the result, spread a portion of the filling on top, and repeat with the other cake layer.

Spread the filling on top and the sides, reserving a bit of the filling to pipe on top, making the cake resemble traditional tiramisu. Pipe the decoration, dust with some additional cocoa powder, if desired, and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Yields 4 generous servings or 6 modest ones.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE FUDGE CAKE

Sometimes all one needs is a slice of heart-warming, comforting chocolate cake. Especially one that is soft and fudgy, and additionally enriched with a tangy sour cherry jam.

Quite simple and straightforward to make, it is suitable for novice bakers, as well. Topped with molten dark chocolate and served with a tiny cup of espresso, it is a slice of comfort on a plate.

My tips for success.

This is the type of cake that you really need to watch carefully so it does not overbake. Its texture relies on being just baked through, but not dry. Even though it will have a layer of jam that it will absorb to make it even fudgier, it truly is best not to overbake it.

Any tart jam works. If you are not a fan of cherry jam, you can use orange marmalade, blueberry or blackberry jam, and even plum jam, if that is what you prefer. The only caveat I have is to blend it smooth beforehand, if it has pieces of fruit.

If you are feeling adventures, you can even use one jam for the cake itself and a whole other one for the topping. One of my favourite combinations is plum jam and orange marmalade.

Ingredients
For the chocolate fudge cake
120 grams plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
120 grams dark brown sugar
60 grams sour cherry jam
25 millilitres vegetable oil
150 millilitres warm water
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
100 g sour cherry jam
For the chocolate glaze
120 grams dark chocolate (70%)
30 millilitres vegetable oil
50 grams chopped toasted hazelnuts, optional

Preparation

Let the oven preheat to 200˚C and line a small square baking pan (20x20 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides. Sift the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt into a large bowl. Add in the sugar, whisk well, and set it aside. Take a medium bowl and blend together all of the wet ingredients; either with a wire whisk or an immersion blender. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients, and whisk until only combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, tap it lightly on the counter, and bake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. As soon as you take the cake out of the oven, spread 100 grams of jam all over the top, being careful of the hot pan, level it, and let it cool down completely in the pan.

Once the cake is cool enough, chop the chocolate into fine shards, place it into a small saucepan, add in the vegetable oil, and melt it very slowly over low heat or in the microwave. Pour the glaze evenly over the top, shake the pan lightly so the chocolate spreads as much as possible, sprinkle on the hazelnuts, and refrigerate the cake until serving. Yields 12 servings.

VEGAN GINGERBREAD HAZELNUT ESPRESSO CHEESECAKE

It is not a secret that gingerbread cookies are my absolute favourites and have been since childhood, and it really isn't a surprise that they or the spice blend are found in many of my recipes. That timeless mix of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg just says winter comfort.

Although this is a petite cheesecake with just four generous servings, it is absolutely rich and luxurious and it can definitely be served in smaller slices. It also slices marvellously, almost resembling a mousse cake.

My tips for success.

If your nougat is still somewhat firm, you can place it in a microwave for no longer than 10 seconds, maybe not even that, just to soften it further without melting it or getting it so warm it melts the vegan cream cheese. It is better to simply leave it at room temperature for longer, but if in a rush, microwaving will also work well.

As for the Biscoff biscuits, you can definitely add more, up to 50 grams. It will provide even more structure to the cheesecake, and infuse it with its delightful aroma.

On a final note, if you wish, you can additionally soak the cake base with some fresh espresso or even vegan hazelnut latte, for some added flavour. It would be also amazing with some additional hazelnuts stirred through the batter, as well.

Ingredients
For the gingerbread espresso base
50 grams plain flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
35 grams vegan honey, dandelion or apple
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
40 millilitres warm water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
For the hazelnut cheesecake
120 grams soft hazelnut nougat, at room temperature
100 grams vegan cream cheese
200 millilitres vegan double cream
30 grams Biscoff Lotus biscuits, finely crushed
2 levelled tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Preparation

Start by making the cake, as it needs to be completely cool to the touch before adding the filling. Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line a small round cake pan (13 cm in diameter) with baking parchment; bottom and sides. Take a medium bowl and pour in the vegan honey, oil, vanilla, vinegar, instant espresso, and warm water, and whisk them vigorously until combined. Sift the plain flour, baking soda, and all the spices into the honey mixture, and whisk everything together until just blended.

As soon as the batter is ready, pour it into the prepared pan, tap a few times on the counter to pop any air bubbles, and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for 8-10 minutes, checking for doneness early. As soon as a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove it from the oven and let it cool down in the pan.

Once the cake is cool, proceed to make the cheesecake. Place the softened nougat in a medium bowl, add in the crushed Biscoff biscuits and the cocoa powder and stir them through. Add in the vegan cream cheese and the vanilla, and mix everything together with a spoon. Separately, whip the vegan double cream until very soft peaks form. Add the nougat to the whipped cream, and start blending on low until almost firm peaks form. Turn the speed up to the highest, and whip until very firm peaks form.

Place the cooled cake onto a small serving platter, close a cake ring around it, and line it with a tall strip of acetate. Spread the cheesecake over the cake base, level the top, and let it stand in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, to firm up. Serve with dark chocolate shavings and strong coffee. Yields 4 large servings or 6 smaller ones.