Vegan Blackforest Cake Trifle

Ingredients

For Chocolate Sheet Cake

• 1 cup Soy Milk + 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar, mixed and left to sit for 10 minutes
• 1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Instant Espresso
• 1 cup Pastry/Cake Flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

For Kirsch Soaking Syrup

• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1/2 cup Water
• 2 tablespoons Kirsch

For Chocolate Ganache

• 2 ounces/75 grams 70% Dark Chocolate (Vegan)
• 2 ounces/75 grams Non-Dairy Cream
• Pinch of Sea Salt
• 2 teaspoons Maple Syrup

For Cherry Filling

• 1 1/2 cups Pitted Morello Cherries (from a Jar)
• 9 tablespoons Cherry Juice
• 4 1/2 tablespoons Sugar
• 2 tablespoons + 1/4 4 teaspoon Cornstarch

For Whipped Cream

• 1 1/2 cups Rich’s Whipped Topping or any other alternative
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Enough Sugar to sweeten to your liking

For Coconut Whipped Cream (if you can’t find Non-Dairy Whipping Cream)

• 1 1/2 cups Coconut Cream (skimmed from the top of a chilled tin of Coconut Milk)
• 5 tablespoons Maple Syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Extras

• Shaved Vegan Dark Chocolate
• Fresh Cherries

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Whisk Soy Milk and Vinegar together and set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. In a big bowl, combine Sugar, Oil, Soy Milk, Salt and Instant Espresso. Whisk to combine.
2. Sieve in Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Cocoa Powder. Whisk till smooth.
3. Line a 10 x 14 inch sheet pan with Non-Stick Baking Paper and pour batter onto pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
4. Leave cake to cool.
5. To prepare Soaking Syrup, combine Sugar and Water in a pot. Boil till sugar is dissolved and continue to boil for a minute or two until slightly thickened. Pour syrup into a bowl and whisk in Kirsch. Set aside to cool.
6. Meanwhile, prepare Cherry Filling. Halve your cherries and combine In a pot with Cherry Juice, Sugar and Cornstarch. Cook over low heat, whilst always stirring, until thickened and glossy. Pour into a bowl to cool.
7. To prepare Chocolate Ganache, warm Non Dairy Cream in the microwave or in a saucepan. Pour hot cream over your 70% Chocolate, and then leave to sit for 1 minute. After a minute, stir to melt chocolate and until ganache is glossy. Add Sea Salt and Maple Syrup, stir well, and leave to cool.
8. Prepare your Non-Dairy whipped cream according to instructions, adding Vanilla Extract and sweetening with Sugar if necessary. Set aside.
9. If you are using Coconut Cream instead, whip up with Maple Syrup and Vanilla with an electric mixer till soft peaks form.
10. To assemble, have dessert glasses ready. Cut a piece of your Chocolate Cake and place it at the bottom of your dessert vessel. Pour some of your Kirsch Soaking Syrup to moisten, and then add a layer of Cherry Filling followed by Whipped Cream. Repeat this process once more. Top trifles off with Shaved Dark Chocolate and a fresh Cherry.