This vegan tiramisu is the perfect year-round dessert for coffee lovers. Combining fluffy sponge cake ‘fingers’ with creamy cashew and coconut-based vegan mascarpone and finally the spiked coffee! Plus, this recipe is gluten-free, eggless, and dairy-free!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 45minutes minutes

Cook Time 25minutes minutes

Total Time 1hour hour 10minutes minutes

Servings 9

Equipment

  • Blender*

Ingredients

Vegan Vanilla Cake (see notes)

Dry Cake Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups (225 g) oat flour (gluten-free if needed)
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sweetener of choice
  • 3/4 cup (120 g) rice flour (I used white)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Wet Cake Ingredients

  • 1 cup (240 ml) plant-based milk
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) applesauce
  • 3 tbsp (60 g) oil
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Vegan Mascarpone

  • 2 13.5 oz cans coconut milk chilled overnight (or 270 ml vegan whipping cream)
  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar (or powdered Erythritol)
  • 1 1/2 cups (225 g) raw cashews soaked (*see notes)
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) plant-based milk
  • 4 tbsp (80 g) maple syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch of salt

Other Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) strong coffee room temperature
  • 2 tbsp coffee liqueur (*see notes)
  • Cocoa powder for dusting

Instructions

Vanilla Cake

  • You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.
  • Preheat the oven to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) and line two 8″ (20 cm) or 9″ (23 cm) square baking pans with parchment paper or lightly grease with oil or vegan butter.
  • Add all dry cake ingredients to a bowl and stir with a whisk.
  • Process the wet ingredients in a blender or food processor and pour the mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix with a whisk until just combined. Let the batter rest for about 5 minutes.
  • Divide the batter into the prepared baking pans and bake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (crumbly is fine, but not wet). If you have just one pan, the baking time will be longer, about 35 minutes.
  • Let both cakes cool completely. Cut each cake in half, then slice each half into 8-9 strips about 1″ wide (or a similar size as “ladyfingers”), so 16-18 strips per cake.

Vegan Mascarpone

  • Open the chilled cans of coconut milk and scoop the solid cream into a large mixing bowl. Save the coconut water for a smoothie or discard it. Add the powdered sugar or powdered Erythritol.
  • Use an electric hand mixer to beat the mixture until light and fluffy. Refrigerate.
  • Add the soaked cashews, plant-based milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt to a blender and blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides of the container if needed.
  • Gently fold the cashew cream into the whipped coconut cream using a spatula. Set aside.

Assemble

  • In a medium-sized bowl, combine chilled coffee with coffee liqueur.
  • Lightly press one side of a cake slice to the top of the coffee and remove immediately or use a brush to brush coffee over the cake slices in the pan. Repeat with more cake strips to cover the surface. I used an 8″ (20 cm) square dish that gets slightly wider at the top, you could also use a 9″ (23 cm) square dish or a rectangular one around 10.5 x 6.6 (27 x 17 cm) and at least 3 inches (8 cm) in height.
  • Spread about half of the mascarpone cream evenly over the cake strips. Add another layer of soaked cake slices, and top with the remaining mascarpone cream. You may have some leftover cake pieces that you can eat plain.
  • Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.
  • Finally, dust with cocoa powder and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Vanilla Cake: You can use store-bought ladyfingers that fit your dietary needs, instead of making the cake. However, if you want to make the vanilla cake and are not gluten-free, you might be able to use regular all-purpose flour or spelt flour.
  • Cashews: Soak cashews in cold water for about 3 hours (or overnight) or in boiling water for about 20-30 minutes. If you can’t have cashews, you could try using vegan cream cheese to replace the cashews and the milk (I haven’t tried it in this recipe though).
  • Coffee liqueur: You can use rum instead, or use 1 tbsp maple syrup and add some drops of rum flavor.
  • Read the blog post for ingredient subs, variations, pro-tips, how to make the tiramisu for kids, and step-by-step pictures.
  • The total time does not include chilling time.
  • Nutrition facts are just a rough estimate and calculated with Erythritol for a refined sugar-free version.

Vegan Tiramisu

Indulge in the sumptuous flavors of this vegan tiramisu, a year-round dessert that’s perfect for coffee enthusiasts. This exquisite recipe combines airy sponge cake ‘fingers’, luscious cashew and coconut-based vegan mascarpone, and a tantalizingly spiked coffee infusion. What’s more, it’s gluten-free, eggless, and dairy-free, making it a delightful option for those with dietary restrictions.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 9
Author: Michaela Vais

Equipment:

  • Blender

Ingredients:

Vegan Vanilla Cake (see notes)

Dry Cake Ingredients:

  • 2 1/4 cups (225 g) oat flour (gluten-free if needed)
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sweetener of choice
  • 3/4 cup (120 g) rice flour (white)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Wet Cake Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (240 ml) plant-based milk
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) applesauce
  • 3 tbsp (60 g) oil
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Vegan Mascarpone:

  • 2 13.5 oz cans coconut milk, chilled overnight (or 270 ml vegan whipping cream)
  • 3 tbsp powdered sugar (or powdered Erythritol)
  • 1 1/2 cups (225 g) raw cashews, soaked
  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) plant-based milk
  • 4 tbsp (80 g) maple syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch of salt

Other Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) strong coffee, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp coffee liqueur
  • Cocoa powder for dusting

Instructions:

Vanilla Cake:

  1. Preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C) and line two 8″ (20 cm) or 9″ (23 cm) square baking pans with parchment paper or lightly grease.
  2. In a bowl, combine all dry cake ingredients.
  3. Process wet ingredients in a blender, then mix with dry ingredients until just combined.
  4. Divide batter into prepared pans and bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
  5. Cut each cake in half and slice into strips resembling ladyfingers.

Vegan Mascarpone:

  1. Scoop solid cream from chilled coconut milk into a mixing bowl, discard coconut water.
  2. Add powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Refrigerate.
  3. Blend soaked cashews, plant-based milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth.
  4. Gently fold cashew cream into whipped coconut cream.

Assembly:

  1. Combine chilled coffee with coffee liqueur in a bowl.
  2. Dip one side of cake slices into coffee mixture and layer in a baking dish.
  3. Spread half of the mascarpone cream over the cake layer.
  4. Add another layer of soaked cake slices and top with remaining mascarpone cream.
  5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
  6. Dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Notes:

  • Store-bought ladyfingers can be used instead of making the cake.
  • Cashews should be soaked in cold water for 3 hours or overnight.
  • Rum can be used instead of coffee liqueur, or maple syrup with rum flavor.
  • Visit the blog post for ingredient substitutions, variations, pro-tips, and step-by-step pictures.

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 481
  • Fat: 28g
  • Saturated Fat: 12g
  • Carbohydrates: 49g
  • Fiber: 4g
  • Sugar: 10g
  • Protein: 10g

Note: Nutrition facts are approximate and calculated with Erythritol for a refined sugar-free version.

Conclusion: Savor the richness of this vegan tiramisu, meticulously crafted for coffee aficionados and health-conscious dessert lovers alike. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply craving a decadent treat, this recipe promises to elevate your culinary experience. With its layers of fluffy vanilla cake, velvety mascarpone, and infused coffee, each bite is a symphony of flavors and textures. Try it today and indulge in guilt-free indulgence that’s sure to leave a lasting impression.