MINI VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE

Few desserts are as timeless as a good, hearty chocolate cake. Loved by many, it is almost guaranteed to be accepted wherever it is served. And this miniature beauty features soft cake layers, a layer of fudge-like ganache, and an airy whipped mousse. Pure perfection.

When I say miniature, I truly do mean it literally, as it is the smallest cake I make, but you can get even eight modest portions, as tea slices, simply perfect for the afternoon enjoyment.

The thing I love the most about cakes like this one is that you can absolutely make a few of them for the gathering or brunch or tea, or whatever get-together you have, and you can give your guests a lovely variety without overwhelming them or yourself, both with choice and preparation. Plus, it is always nice to have a few different treats when hosting.

One thing I do want to add is that if you do not wish to use rum, you can use rum flavouring or even omit it altogether, it will not affect the texture of the syrup. I just happen to love dark rum together with dark chocolate.

Ingredients

For the soft chocolate layers

45 grams plain flour
15 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
50 grams granulated sugar
90 millilitres soy milk, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
25 millilitres neutral oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

For the rich chocolate ganache

100 grams dark chocolate (75%)
130 millilitres vegan double cream
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

For the chocolate syrup

30 millilitres water
10 millilitres dark rum
40 grams granulated sugar
20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder

Preparation

Start by making the chocolate ganache. Chop the chocolate finely, pour in the vegan cream, add in the espresso powder, and melt everything together over low heat or in the microwave. Whisk well until completely smooth, cover the surface with cling film or a piece of parchment, let it cool down to room temperature, and then place it into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

The quantity is small and if you place it into a shallow dish, you can get it to cool down even quicker.

To make the chocolate cake layers, start by letting the oven preheat to 180°C and lining a small round cake pan (10 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar, then set aside.

Sift together the plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt, add in the sugar, and whisk well. Add in all of the wet ingredients, and whisk until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake immediately, in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 25-30 minutes. Check the cake early on to make sure it stays soft and fudgy. Let it cool in the pan completely.

My cake was done after exactly 27 minutes.

While the cake is cooling, make the chocolate syrup. Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small saucepan, and place it over high heat. Let it come to a rolling boil and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool down completely.

Once everything is cool to the touch, proceed to assemble the cake.

Level the cake if needed, and slice it into three equal layers. Take the ganache out of the refrigerator and weigh it. Take out one-fourth of it, to use as a fudge ganache layer and set it aside; and whip the rest into a firm mousse.

Place the first cake layer onto the cake platter, close a cake ring around it, and line it with a tall strip of acetate. Generously soak it with the cooled syrup, and then spread half of the fudge ganache carefully. Add a third of the whipped mousse, and top with another layer. Repeat the layering as before, and top with the final layer.

Place a piece of baking parchment on top, to prevent it from drying out, and place the whole platter into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Place the remaining chocolate mousse into a sealed container, and place it into the refrigerator as well.

Once ready to serve, remove from the refrigerator, decorate with the remaining mousse, and serve with freshly pulled espresso. Yields 6 rich servings.

MINI VEGAN SALTED CARAMEL COFFEE CAKE

As someone who is more and more in love with coffee cakes as time goes by, I can tell you that this one is simply divine. It is crumbly, but it pairs perfectly with a cup of strong coffee, as it is intended to.

A few simple ingredients, a few moments of time, a bit of baking, and it is ready to be enjoyed. It truly shows how even the simplest ingredients can produce something wonderful.

The date syrup gives it that signature deep caramel flavour and it also keeps the cake moist for quite a few days, actually, especially if kept in a sealed container, which is something I always recommend. And whether you serve it with some icing sugar on top and additional peanuts or a scoop of good vanilla ice cream, I do hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Ingredients

For the coffee cake

120 grams plain flour
50 grams roasted peanuts, plain, ground
50 grams roasted peanuts, salted, ground
100 grams date syrup
20 millilitres neutral oil
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
130 millilitres carbonated water

For the crumb topping

30 grams granulated sugar
50 grams vegan block butter, melted
50 grams plain flour, sifted

Preparation

Start by making the crumb topping. Whisk together the flour and sugar, add in the melted butter, and mix and stir to create a rough crumb. Place the bowl into the refrigerator while you prepare the cake batter.

Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line a deep, small rectangular cake pan (12x12 cm), bottom and sides. Set the pan aside.

To make the cake batter, whisk together the date syrup, oil, vanilla, and carbonated water. Separately mix the sifted flour, baking powder, and baking soda with the ground peanuts, making sure they are distributed well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix until just combined.

The cake is intended to be crumbly, but overmixing will make it dry.

As soon as the batter is done, pour it into the prepared pan, add on the chilled crumble topping, and bake in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for 40-45 minutes. Check it for doneness early, so it does not dry out.

Take the baked cake out of the oven and let it cool completely in the pan. As soon as it has cooled enough for your preference, serve it in modest slices, either with a dusting of icing sugar, or a scoop of ice cream. Yields 8 servings.

MINI VEGAN BISCOFF BROWNIE CHEESECAKE

There is nothing quite like a smooth Biscoff cheesecake on top of a generous layer of brownies. With some additional chocolate glaze, of course.

We are mere weeks away from summer, my dearest time of the year, and cakes like this one are my personal staple for those months. The combination of the smooth Biscoff filling and absolutely gorgeously fudgy brownie layer is something that is timeless, but it is especially good during summer.

And this is one of those sweet treats that can be served as a regular cake but also as an ice cream cake. It only takes about 30 minutes in the freezer before serving for the most majestic ice cream texture to happen.

It is best served in modest slices because of how rich it is, but if you prefer your cheesecake generous, I fully understand and support. Serve it with your favourite coffee and enjoy!

Ingredients

For the brownie base layer

80 grams plain flour
90 grams granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
15 grams unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
60 millilitres espresso, freshly pulled
50 millilitres tepid water
25 millilitres neutral oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
50 grams Biscoff Lotus spread, melted

For the Biscoff cheesecake

200 grams Biscoff Lotus spread, softened
200 grams vegan cream cheese
120 millilitres vegan double cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

For the chocolate topping

80 grams dark chocolate (70%)
80 millilitres vegan double cream
50 grams Biscoff Lotus spread, melted

Preparation

Start by making the chocolate brownie base. Line a medium round cake pan (16 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides, and set it aside. Let the oven preheat to 180°C.

Take a small bowl, add in the cocoa powder and pour in the freshly pulled espresso. Mix very well to make a paste, and then let the cocoa cool down slightly. Sift together the plain flour and baking soda, add in the sugar and salt, and whisk well. Add in the espresso and cocoa paste, 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 12-15 minutes. Check the cake early on to make sure it stays soft and fudgy. Let it cool in the pan completely.

My cake was done after exactly 12 minutes.

Once the cake is completely cool to the touch, place it on a serving platter, close a cake ring around it, and line it with a tall strip of acetate. Melt the Biscoff spread and pour it over the cake, then place the whole thing into the refrigerator until firm.

As soon as that layer has set, start making the cheesecake layer. Whip the vegan double cream until soft peaks form, and set it aside. Add the softened Biscoff spread and vanilla into a large bowl and whip with an electric mixer on high until it becomes lighter in colour and very fluffy. Add the vegan cream cheese can gently fold it through, making sure not to overmix it, as some vegan cream cheeses do tend to go overly soft. Add in the softly whipped cream and proceed to whip on high until blended. It should look firm, but not dry.

Spread the cheesecake batter onto the cake base in layers, to prevent air pockets, level the top as much as possible, and place it into the refrigerator for about an hour or so.

Once that layer has set enough to hold the chocolate glaze, melt together the dark chocolate and vegan double cream and set it aside briefly. Melt the Biscoff spread and have it close and ready. Pour the ganache onto the cake and, working quickly, swirl through the melted Biscoff as best as you can.

Place the whole platter into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours and serve in thin slices with strong coffee. Yields 12 rich servings or 16 modest ones.

MINI VEGAN CHOCOLATE BISCOFF SNACK CAKE

Soft vegan chocolate cake, rich double chocolate syrup, and a generous layer of Biscoff spread. And some more dark chocolate on top, for good measure. Truly the snack cake of dreams.

She is tiny, but as almost all chocolate cakes are, she is mighty. Especially with the Biscoff on top, almost melting into the cake itself. The combination of those gorgeous caramel notes from Biscoff, cocoa, chocolate, espresso… The cake of dreams, I stand by what I said.

I do enjoy making mini vegan cakes, simply because there is a modest number of servings and because they all keep so well when refrigerated, they are excellent for a quick sweet snack with coffee or even meal-prep. Especially if you have a sealed container for them.

And although many of my cakes can be served after just 4 hours in the refrigerator, I strongly advise you to leave this one overnight. It will be magnificently soft and moist, even fudgy, if it is chilled properly. Good things take time, even if they're tiny.

Ingredients

For the vegan chocolate cake

120 grams plain flour
10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
140 grams granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
35 millilitres neutral oil
150 millilitres hot water

For the homemade chocolate syrup

100 millilitres boiling water
10 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
20 grams dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon neutral oil
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or to taste
30 grams vegan milk chocolate

For the glaze

200 grams Biscoff Lotus spread, smooth
50 grams extra dark chocolate (85%)

Preparation

Start by making the vegan chocolate cake. Let the oven preheat to 180°C. Line a medium rectangular cake pan or a loaf pan (10x20 cm) with baking parchment, bottom and sides, and set it aside. Take a small bowl, sift in the cocoa powder, pour in the hot water, mix very well, and set aside. Take a large bowl and sift in the plain flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in the sugar and mix very well. Make a well in the centre, pour in all the wet ingredients, and whisk until just combined. Immediately pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 20-25 minutes, or until done.

Mine was done after exactly 21 minutes, but as every over bakes differently, check with a toothpick to make sure it stays soft.

While the cake is baking, make the syrup. Mix together the boiling water, cocoa powder, sugar, espresso powder, cinnamon, and oil; and place in over medium-high heat. Let it come to a boil and once it starts to boil, turn the heat up to high, and cook for 5-6 minutes, until thickened, stirring often. Once done, remove from the heat and add in the vegan milk chocolate. Whisk until fully melted, and set aside.

As soon as the cake is done, take a skewer or a fork and poke tiny holes all over the cake, down to the pan itself, all the way through. Gently, one tablespoon at a time, pour the hot syrup over the hot cake, waiting until all the syrup is absorbed before adding more. Once all the syrup is used up, let the cake cool down to room temperature.

When the cake is cool to the touch, heat the Biscoff spread until pourable, pour it all over the cake, and place into the refrigerator overnight. Just before serving, add the chopped extra dark chocolate, and serve with freshly brewed coffee. Yields 8 rich servings or 12 more modest ones.

VEGAN CINNAMON ROLL PANCAKES

Soft and fluffy vegan pancakes, rich cinnamon butter swirl, and a cup of hot coffee. Truly the breakfast of dreams. Or if you are like me, the brunch of dreams, because I prefer my breakfast savoury.

These ones are simply perfect, namely because of the Greek-style yoghurt in the batter. I am generally a massive fan of yoghurt dough in general, but I find it especially irresistible when it comes to desserts. Not only does that addition of yogurt make the doughs and batters rise much better, it also adds such a pleasant tangy flavour to them.

And these are, as all pancakes, absolutely the best served piping hot right off the griddle, with some additional cinnamon butter. The longer you wait, the cooler they will get, but they will still be delicious. My recommendation will always be a cup of coffee, but if almond milk is what you love, or even a nice cup of tea, by all means, serve them up and enjoy!

Ingredients

For the pancakes

120 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
20 grams granulated sugar
140 grams Greek-style vegan yoghurt
100 millilitres carbonated water
20 millilitres neutral oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

For the cinnamon butter swirl

45 grams icing sugar, sifted
45 g vegan block butter, softened
2 teaspoons cinnamon, or to taste

Preparation

Start by making the cinnamon butter topping. Place the softened vegan block butter into a small bowl, add in the icing sugar and the ground cinnamon, and mix until fully combined. It should form a very thick paste. Transfer it to a sturdy piping bag and set it aside, but do not refrigerate it.

For the pancake batter, take a medium bowl and add in the vegan Greek-style yoghurt, carbonated water, and oil, and mix until combined. Add in the sugar, salt, and vanilla, and blend again.

Finally, sift in the flour and baking powder, and mix until just combined. It is fine if there are a few lumps through the batter; it's better to leave them than to overmix.

Place a medium, flat, non-stick crêpe pan or a pancake griddle over medium-high heat, and let it heat up nicely. Using a small ladle or an ice cream scoop, take portions of the batter and place it onto the heated skillet in one fluid motion and let it spread out on its own.

Cook the pancake for about 30-45 seconds on one side, pipe a generous amount of the cinnamon butter, and let it cook for 30 seconds more. Gently flip it over and cook for about another 45 seconds to a minute, until the other side is nicely cooked. Repeat until all of the batter is used up.

Once all of the pancakes are cooked, serve them immediately with freshly brewed coffee or almond milk. Yields 9 small pancakes or 3-4 servings.

Author's note: Because there will be a bit of the cinnamon butter leftover, you can use it to spread it on pancakes or as a sweet little dipping sauce.