Decadent Vegan Tiramisu: A Plant-Based Twist on the Classic Italian Dessert
Experience the unparalleled richness and creamy texture of our vegan tiramisu – a luxurious plant-based rendition of Italy’s beloved coffee-flavored dessert. This exquisite creation features delicate vanilla cake fingers, meticulously soaked in a potent, boozy coffee infusion, layered generously with a velvety smooth cashew and silken tofu cream, and crowned with a lavish dusting of rich cocoa powder. It’s a dessert that’s not just dairy-free and eggless, but also utterly irresistible and profoundly satisfying. Prepare to be enchanted by this truly remarkable plant-based indulgence!
Tiramisu has long held a special place in my heart as one of my all-time favorite desserts. Its intricate layers of coffee-soaked sponge, delicate cream, and a hint of cocoa create a symphony of flavors and textures that are simply unparalleled. For years, I’ve had “veganize tiramisu” at the top of my baking bucket list, a challenging yet incredibly rewarding endeavor. I’m thrilled to announce that the day has finally arrived, and I’m ready to share this incredible plant-based recipe with you.
Creating a truly authentic and satisfying vegan tiramisu, however, is no small feat. The traditional Italian dessert is notoriously reliant on animal products. At its core, classic tiramisu uses ladyfinger biscuits for its base, which derive their light, airy structure primarily from whisked egg whites and yolks. The signature creamy filling is a luxurious blend of mascarpone cheese, often combined with more whisked egg whites, egg yolks, or heavy double cream. Essentially, a traditional tiramisu is almost entirely composed of eggs and dairy, making a vegan transformation quite the culinary puzzle.
When approaching this vegan adaptation, I carefully considered the components of traditional tiramisu and decided against attempting to create vegan ladyfinger biscuits from scratch. While admirable, replicating the exact texture and delicate structure of egg-based ladyfingers without any animal products is exceptionally challenging, and often results in a temperamental recipe that might not consistently deliver the desired results for every home baker. My goal was to craft a robust and reliable recipe that everyone could enjoy with confidence.
Instead, I opted for a more straightforward yet equally effective solution: a simple vanilla sheet cake. This cake provides a sturdy yet absorbent base, mimicking the essence of ladyfingers. The magic happens after baking: the vanilla cake is sliced into uniform fingers and then baked again at a low temperature to gently dry them out. This crucial second bake ensures that the cake fingers are perfectly prepared to soak up the rich, boozy coffee mixture without becoming overly soggy or falling apart, providing that essential structural integrity and delightful chew that is characteristic of a great tiramisu.
For the luxurious cream filling, the choice of ingredients was paramount. I aimed for a creamy, rich texture without any overpowering flavors that might detract from the tiramisu experience. While coconut cream is a popular base in many vegan desserts, its distinct coconut flavor can sometimes dominate, which I wanted to avoid in a tiramisu. My solution? A harmonious blend of cashews and silken tofu. Cashews, when properly soaked and blended, create an incredibly smooth, fatty, and neutral-tasting base. Silken tofu adds an extra layer of creaminess and helps achieve that characteristic light yet substantial consistency, without introducing any unwanted flavors. This combination truly delivers a vegan cream that rivals its dairy counterpart in both texture and subtle taste.
The result of these careful considerations is a vegan tiramisu that is exceptionally rich, wonderfully creamy, and undeniably delicious. While it may not be an exact clone of the traditional version – indeed, it’s a unique plant-based masterpiece in its own right – it comes remarkably close in spirit and taste. In fact, it’s so incredibly good that any minor differences simply fade away, leaving you to savor every spoonful of this delightful, dairy-free, and eggless dessert. This recipe proves that you don’t need animal products to create an utterly decadent and memorable Italian classic.
How To Craft Your Perfect Vegan Tiramisu: A Step-by-Step Guide
Crafting this incredible vegan tiramisu is an enjoyable process, and while it requires a bit of time and patience, the results are truly worth every moment. Below, you’ll find a detailed walkthrough of each stage, from baking the vanilla cake fingers to assembling the luscious layers. For a complete list of ingredients and precise measurements, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card located further down this page.
Step 1: Baking the Vanilla Cake Fingers (Our Vegan “Ladyfingers”)
The foundation of our vegan tiramisu begins with a simple yet delicious vanilla sheet cake. This cake will serve as the perfect substitute for traditional ladyfingers, providing the ideal texture for soaking up the coffee mixture. Start by preparing your dry ingredients in a spacious bowl, sifting together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Sifting is a small but important step that ensures a light and even texture in your final cake.
In a separate jug, combine your wet ingredients: caster sugar, a neutral-flavored oil (like sunflower oil), vinegar, water, vanilla extract, and an optional dash of almond extract. I personally find that a tiny hint of almond adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the cake, complementing the vanilla beautifully. However, if almond isn’t to your taste, feel free to omit it. Whisk these wet ingredients together until they are fully incorporated and the sugar begins to dissolve.
Now, gently pour the whisked wet mixture into your bowl of dry ingredients. Using a whisk, mix them together until they are *just* combined. It’s crucial not to over-beat the batter at this stage, as excessive mixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to a tough and dense cake – and we want our cake fingers to be tender and absorbent! The batter should be smooth, but a few small lumps are perfectly acceptable.
Pour the prepared batter evenly into a greased and lined rectangular cake tin. Spread it out gently to ensure a uniform thickness. Bake the cake in your preheated oven until it turns a lovely golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center emerges clean, indicating it’s thoroughly cooked. This typically takes about 20 minutes. Once baked, let the cake cool in the tin for approximately 20 minutes. This allows it to firm up slightly before you attempt to remove it. After this initial cooling, carefully lift the cake out onto a wire rack and allow it to cool completely to room temperature. Patience here is key, as a warm cake will be difficult to cut and may crumble.
Once your vanilla cake is completely cool, you can begin the transformation into “ladyfingers.” If the top of your cake has domed slightly, gently level it with a serrated knife to ensure uniform layers. Then, using a sharp serrated knife, carefully cut the cake into finger-like strips. I find it easiest to slice the entire cake in half lengthways first, and then cut it into strips about 2 cm (¾ inch) wide. The precision here helps ensure even soaking later on.
Arrange these cake fingers slightly spaced apart on a couple of baking sheets. Now comes the second, crucial baking stage: drying them out. Bake them in a low oven for 30-40 minutes, or until they feel dry to the touch on the outside. They don’t need to be rock-hard or completely dehydrated, but the surface should be firm and dry enough to absorb liquid without disintegrating. This double-baking technique is what gives them the perfect texture, mimicking the sturdiness of traditional ladyfingers. Once dried, let them cool completely on a wire rack before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature. They can be prepared several days in advance, making this a great make-ahead component.
Step 2: Preparing the Velvety Cashew and Silken Tofu Cream
The rich, smooth cream is a cornerstone of any good tiramisu. For our vegan version, we rely on a combination of cashews and silken tofu to achieve that luxurious texture and neutral flavor profile. Begin by soaking your raw cashews in boiling water for at least half an hour. This softens them considerably, which is essential for achieving an ultra-smooth, lump-free cream. After soaking, drain the cashews thoroughly.
Transfer the drained cashews to a high-speed blender or a food processor. Add the remaining cream ingredients: fresh lemon juice (which adds a touch of brightness and helps balance the richness), melted refined coconut oil (crucial for setting the cream), unsweetened non-dairy milk, caster sugar, firm silken tofu (remember, *silken* not regular!), vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to enhance all the flavors. Blend the mixture until it is incredibly smooth and creamy. This may take a few minutes, and you’ll likely need to stop the blender occasionally to scrape down the sides, ensuring all ingredients are fully incorporated. The goal is a consistency that is utterly smooth, with no grittiness from the cashews.
Once blended to perfection, pour the cashew cream into a bowl, cover it, and refrigerate it for a minimum of two hours. This chilling time is vital for the cream to firm up properly. It should become thick enough to spread easily but should not be completely solid or runny. This perfect texture will allow for beautiful, defined layers in your tiramisu.
Step 3: Assembling Your Vegan Tiramisu Masterpiece
With your cake fingers baked and dried, and your cream chilled to perfection, it’s time for the exciting part: assembly! First, prepare your coffee mixture. Combine cooled, very strong black coffee or espresso with your chosen alcohol. Popular choices include rum, Tia Maria, brandy, amaretto, or even a vegan Baileys alternative. If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, simply omit the spirits. Pour this mixture into a shallow bowl wide enough to easily dunk your cake fingers.
Now, carefully take each cake finger and briefly dunk it into the coffee mixture. The key word here is *briefly* – no more than a second! These cake fingers are designed to be absorbent, and over-dunking will make them overly soggy and difficult to handle, potentially compromising the structure of your tiramisu. Learn from my past mistakes: I’ve definitely over-dunked a few times!
As you dip each finger, arrange them closely together in your chosen serving dish (approximately 25 x 18 x 7cm / 10 x 7 x 2 ¾ inches works well) to form a complete, even layer. Don’t hesitate to cut some cake fingers into smaller pieces to fill any gaps, ensuring a seamless base.
Once the first layer of coffee-soaked cake fingers is in place, spoon half of your chilled cashew cream over the top. Spread it evenly to create a smooth, thick layer. If you desire, you can sprinkle a light dusting of cocoa powder over this cream layer for an extra hint of chocolatey bitterness between the layers. Repeat the dipping process with the remaining cake fingers, arranging them over the first cream layer. Finally, spread the rest of the cashew cream evenly over the top, making sure to cover all the cake fingers.
At this point, you might not need to use all of the coffee mixture, depending on how quickly you dunked your cake fingers. Discard any remaining soaking liquid. Lightly dust the top of the assembled tiramisu with cocoa powder, then cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. This extended chilling period is crucial; it allows the cream to fully set, the flavors to meld beautifully, and the cake fingers to soften to the perfect tender consistency. Just before serving, give your tiramisu a final, generous dusting of cocoa powder for that iconic, elegant finish.
There’s nothing quite like slicing into a perfectly chilled, layered tiramisu. The combination of the rich coffee, the smooth, sweet cream, and the bitter cocoa creates an unforgettable dessert experience. This vegan tiramisu is not only a fantastic plant-based alternative but a truly exceptional dessert in its own right, perfect for impressing guests or simply treating yourself to a moment of pure bliss.
Expert Tips for Achieving the Best Vegan Tiramisu
To ensure your vegan tiramisu turns out absolutely perfect, keep these essential tips in mind:
- **Precision is Key for Baking:** For the most consistent and best results, I strongly recommend weighing your ingredients, especially for the cake and cream. Using gram measurements with a digital scale is far more accurate than cup conversions. Baking is a science, and precision ensures success!
- **Embrace the Chill Time:** This vegan tiramisu is a dessert that demands patience. It *must* be made the day before you plan to serve it. The overnight refrigeration is not just a suggestion; it’s crucial for the cashew cream to set properly and for all the incredible flavors to fully meld and deepen throughout the layers. The cake fingers will also soften to the perfect tender texture during this resting period.
- **Plan Ahead:** You can easily break down the preparation over a couple of days. The vanilla cake can be baked, sliced into fingers, and dried out a few days in advance. Once cooled, store the dried cake fingers in an airtight container at room temperature until you’re ready to assemble.
- **Refined Coconut Oil is Non-Negotiable:** The melted refined coconut oil in the cream is an indispensable ingredient as it’s what provides the essential setting property, giving the cream its firm yet smooth consistency. Unfortunately, there isn’t a direct substitute that will achieve the same results. Crucially, ensure you use *refined* coconut oil, not virgin. Virgin coconut oil has a distinct coconut flavor that will permeate your tiramisu, which we want to avoid for an authentic taste.
- **The Right Tofu Makes a Difference:** For the cream, you must use *firm silken tofu*, not regular, firm, or extra-firm tofu. Silken tofu is uniquely smooth and creamy when blended. It’s typically found in shelf-stable packaging (not refrigerated) and can often be located in the “Asian” section of supermarkets near items like soy sauce, or sometimes alongside tinned beans. Brands like Mori-Nu or Clearspring are excellent choices. Remember to drain any excess liquid from the package, but there’s no need to press it.
- **Boozy or Not? Your Choice!** For an extra boozy kick, you can experiment by swapping a couple of tablespoons of the non-dairy milk in the cream filling with your preferred alcohol.
- **Alcoholic Options Galore:** When it comes to the alcohol for soaking, the possibilities are vast! Rum, whisky, Tia Maria, brandy, amaretto, Baileys Almande (a vegan cream liqueur), marsala wine (double-check it’s a vegan brand), sherry, or Cointreau are all fantastic choices. Feel free to use almost any spirit you enjoy. If you’re unsure about specific brands being vegan-friendly, Barnivore is an excellent online resource for checking alcoholic beverages.
- **Keep it Virgin:** If you prefer a non-alcoholic dessert or are serving children, the alcohol can be completely omitted from the coffee mixture. The tiramisu will still be wonderfully flavorful and delicious.
- **Storage and Serving:** This vegan tiramisu will keep beautifully when covered and refrigerated for about four days. Because the cashew cream can soften at warm room temperatures, especially during hot weather, always keep your tiramisu chilled in the fridge until just before you’re ready to serve it.
- **Portion Control:** This recipe is designed to generously serve 6 people, or you can easily get 8 smaller, but still satisfying, portions from it.
- **Alternative Ladyfingers:** If you’re feeling adventurous and want a truly authentic ladyfinger experience, I also have a dedicated vegan ladyfingers recipe that you can use instead of the vanilla cake method detailed here.
Can I Freeze Vegan Tiramisu?
Yes, absolutely! Vegan tiramisu freezes wonderfully. Simply prepare and assemble the tiramisu according to the recipe instructions, then cover it tightly (either with plastic wrap and foil or in an airtight, freezer-safe container) and freeze for up to three months. To serve, transfer the frozen tiramisu to the refrigerator and allow it to defrost overnight. Just before serving, give it a fresh dusting of cocoa powder for the best presentation and flavor.
Explore More Vegan Dessert Recipes:
If you loved this vegan tiramisu, you’ll be delighted by these other delicious plant-based dessert creations:
- Indulgent Vegan Chocolate Mousse
- Refreshing Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake
- Zesty Vegan Lemon Tart
- Classic Vegan Bakewell Tart
- Rich Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Tart
- Sweet Vegan Strawberry Tart
- Comforting Vegan Steamed Chocolate Pudding
- Festive Vegan Pumpkin Pie
- Easy No-Bake Chocolate Stem Ginger Tart
If you tried this recipe, I’d absolutely love to hear how it went! Please take a moment to rate it, leave a comment below, or share your creation on Instagram by tagging @domestic_gothess and using the hashtag #domesticgothess. Your feedback and photos truly make my day!
*All images and content on Domestic Gothess are copyright protected. If you want to share this recipe, please do so by using the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or post the recipe or content in full.*
Print
Vegan Tiramisu
Ingredients
Cake:
- 315 g (2+ ¾ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 250 ml (1 cup) water
- 150 ml (½ cup + 2 Tbsp) neutral oil (I use sunflower)
- 180 g (¾ cup + 2 Tbsp) caster or granulated sugar
- 5 tsp cider or white wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract (optional)
Cream:
- 275 g (9 ¾ oz/1 + ¾ cups) raw cashews
- 250 g (9oz/1 cup) firm silken tofu* excess liquid drained off
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 120 ml (½ cup) melted refined coconut oil**
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk
- ¼ tsp salt
- 100 g (½ cup) caster or granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Soaking Liquid:
- 300 ml (1 + ¼ cups) very strong cooled coffee/espresso (if using coffee granules use 2-3 Tbsp plus 300ml boiling water)
- 100 ml (6 Tbsp + 2 tsp) Tia Maria/rum/whisky*** (I like to use rum)
- sifted cocoa powder for dusting
Instructions
-
You need to make the tiramisu the day before you want to serve it. Start by making the cake. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13 in rectangular cake tin and line it with baking parchment.
-
In a large bowl sift together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
-
In a jug whisk together the caster sugar, oil, vinegar, water, vanilla extract and almond extract (if using).
-
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk until they are just combined. Don’t over-beat the batter as that can make the cake tough.
-
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread it level. Bake for about 20 minutes until it is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
-
Let it cool in the tin for 20 minutes then lift it out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.
-
Once the cake is cool, preheat the oven to 140°C/120°fan/275°F/gas mark 1. Level the top of the cake if needed then use a sharp serrated knife to cut it into fingers. I sliced it in half lengthways then cut it into strips about 2 cm / ¾ in wide.
-
Place the cake fingers slightly spaced apart on a couple of baking sheets and bake for 30-40 minutes until they feel dry to the touch. They don’t need to be completely dried out but the outsides should feel dry. Let them cool on a wire rack then store in an airtight container.
-
To make the cream, soak the cashews in boiling water for at least half an hour to soften them.
-
Drain them well and place in a blender or food processor with the silken tofu, lemon juice, melted refined coconut oil, non-dairy milk, caster sugar, vanilla extract and salt.
-
Blend until the mixture is extremely smooth. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times. Pour the cream into a bowl, cover and place in the fridge for a couple of hours to firm up a bit. It should still be soft and spreadable but not runny.
-
To assemble the tiramisu, mix together the cooled very strong black coffee or espresso, and your choice of alcohol. Pour it into a shallow bowl that is wide enough to dunk the cake fingers into.
-
Dunk the cake fingers into the coffee mixture very briefly, no more than a second or they will become too soggy. Arrange them in an approx 25 x 18 x 7cm / 10 x 7 x 2 ¾ in dish as you go, placing them close together to make one complete layer. You can cut some into smaller pieces as needed to fill in any gaps.
-
Spread half of the cream over the top of the cake layer and sprinkle over some cocoa powder if you like.
-
Dip the remaining cake fingers into the coffee mixture one-by-one, arranging them on top of the cream layer as you go. Spread the rest of the cream over the top. Dust the top with cocoa powder, cover and refrigerate overnight.
-
Just before serving, dust the top of the tiramisu generously with more cocoa powder.
Notes
- For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
- This vegan tiramisu needs to be made the day before you intend to serve it as it needs to chill in the fridge overnight for the cream to set. You can also make it over the course of a couple of days – the cake can be baked, sliced into fingers and baked again a few days in advance. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
- *You need to use firm silken tofu, NOT regular tofu. It is most commonly the shelf-stable kind, not the fridge kind. In the UK it can usually be found either in the ‘Asian’ section of the supermarket (by the soy sauce), or next to the tinned beans. I use Mori-Nu or Clearspring. Make sure you drain off the excess liquid (no need to press it though).
- **The coconut oil in the cream is what helps it to set, there is no subsitute I’m afraid. Make sure that you use refined coconut oil, not virgin, otherwise the cream will taste like coconut.
- ***For the alcohol you can use rum, whisky, Tia Maria, brandy, amaretto, Baileys Almande, marsala wine (check it’s a vegan one), sherry, cointreau, basically pretty much any kind of spirit you like really.
- For an extra boozy tiramisu you can swap a couple of tablespoons of the milk in the cream filling for your choice of alcohol.
- The alcohol can be omitted if you want to make a virgin tiramisu.
- This recipe will serve 6 people generously, or make 8 small portions.
- I also have a vegan ladyfingers recipe which can be used instead of the cake.
