This decadent vegan black forest cake is perfect for birthdays or any special occasion. It’s a rich, fluffy chocolate cake with canned cherry pie filling and a vanilla frosting. It’s also easy to make!
The first time I made this cake it was for my husband’s birthday and he declared it the best cake ever! We all love it. The chocolate cake is nice and light and the cherry pie filling is delicious.
While traditionally black forest cakes have whipped cream, I prefer making a vegan buttercream. It’s much easier to make with consistent results. It does make the cake a little sweeter but no one seems to mind.
I also like using canned cherry pie filling instead of a homemade cherry filling. It’s a yummy shortcut that makes this cake even easier to put together.
Looking for more recipes for chocolate lovers? Try my vegan chocolate bundt cake, my vegan chocolate bread, and my vegan Mexican hot chocolate cookies.
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Why You’ll Love This Vegan Black Forest Cake
- Canned cherry pie filling: No need to make a cherry filling. Using canned makes this recipe even easier and quicker to make.
- No alcohol: Often black forest cakes are made with Kirsch but this recipe is alcohol free.
- No vegan whipped cream: Vegan whipped cream can be tricky to make. I much prefer making a dairy-free buttercream that can be made in just a few minutes and tastes amazing.
Ingredient Notes
- Non-dairy milk: I use unsweetened soy milk but you can use any unsweetened non-dairy milk you’d like.
- Apple cider vinegar: You can substitute with regular white vinegar if needed.
- Flour: Definitely use all-purpose flour in this recipe.
- Vegan butter: My favorite brand of vegan butter to use is Country Crock Plant Butter.
Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and amounts needed.
How To Make Vegan Black Forest Cake
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease 2 9-inch cake pans. You can also use non-stick oil spray.
Step 2: Mix together the non-dairy milk and the vinegar in the measuring cup and set aside. This makes a vegan buttermilk.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 4: Add in the oil, vanilla extract, and milk/vinegar mixture and whisk until just combined.
Step 5: Pour the batter evenly into the 2 cake pans. Bake for about 35 minutes or until done. (Test with a toothpick.)
Step 6: Let the cakes cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before cooling completely on a wire rack.
Step 7: While the cake is cooling, make the frosting. In a bowl of a stand mixer, cream the vegan butter. Make sure the butter is slightly softened.
Step 8: Add 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk. Mix on low until mostly combined and then turn the mixer to high and mix for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Step 9: Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk and again, mix on low to combine before turning up to high for 30 seconds. Repeat the process one more time with 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk and add the vanilla extract.
Step 10: To assemble the cake, first place one layer of cake on a plate. Pipe or spoon a circle of frosting on top of it around the border of the cake. Use about ½ of the cherry pie filling and spoon it inside the ring of frosting.
Step 11: Place the second layer on top. Spread a very thin layer of frosting across the top and then pipe a border of frosting. Spoon the rest of the cherry pie filling on top in an even layer and serve!
Expert Tips
- When making the cake batter, be sure to not overmix it.
- Make sure your butter is slightly softened for the frosting. If it’s right out of the fridge and still hard, it won’t work as well.
- Use vegan butter sticks instead of from a tub. Vegan butter in a tub has a higher water content and is softer. Also, it’s easier to measure when using butter sticks.
- You can also use and electric hand mixer instead of a stand mixer.
- I like the sides of my cake to be free of frosting. But feel free to be creative with decorating!
If you’re looking for more vegan layer cake recipes, try my vegan matcha cake, vegan hummingbird cake, and vegan ube cake.
Recipe and Storage FAQs
If you’re going to use it within 24 hours, I store it in an airtight container at room temperature. Any longer than a day and I store it in the fridge. It’s best eaten within 4 days.
Sure. If you have a great, reliable way to make vegan whipped cream then that’s a great choice. I like making vegan buttercream as it’s super easy to make and always has the results I’m looking for.
You can make the chocolate cake layers in advance and freeze them. Once cooled, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. These are good in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Vegan Dessert Recipes
If you tried this Vegan Black Forest Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Recipe
Vegan Black Forest Cake
Equipment
- Stand or electric mixer
- 2 9" cake pans
- cooling rack
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk I use unsweetened soy milk.
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups sugar
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Filling
- 1 21 oz. can cherry pie filling
Frosting
- 1 cup vegan butter, slightly softened
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoon non-dairy milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the cake.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease 2 9-inch cake pans. You can also use non-stick oil spray.
- Mix together the non-dairy milk and the vinegar and set aside. This makes a vegan buttermilk.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add in the oil, vanilla extract, and milk/vinegar mixture and whisk until just combined.
- Pour the batter evenly into the 2 cake pans. Bake for about 35 minutes or until done. (Test with a toothpick.) Let the cakes cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before cooling completely on a wire rack.
Make the frosting.
- I like to make the frosting while the cake is cooling. In a bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, cream the vegan butter. Make sure the butter is slightly softened.
- Add 1 ½ cups of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk. Mix on low until mostly combined and then turn the mixer to high and mix for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk and again, mix on low to combine before turning up to high for 30 seconds. Repeat the process one more time with 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk and add the vanilla extract.
Assemble the cake.
- Place one layer of cake on a plate. Pipe or spoon a circle of frosting on top of it around the border of the cake. Use about ½ of the cherry pie filling and spoon it inside the ring of frosting.
- Place the second layer on top. Spread a very thin layer of frosting across the top and then pipe a border of frosting. Spoon the rest of the cherry pie filling on top in an even layer and serve!
Notes
- When making the cake batter, be sure to not overmix it.
- Make sure your butter is slightly softened for the frosting. If it’s right out of the fridge and still hard, it won’t work as well.
- Use vegan butter sticks instead of from a tub. Vegan butter in a tub has a higher water content and is softer. Also, it’s easier to measure when using butter sticks.
- I like the sides of my cake to be free of frosting. But feel free to be creative with decorating!
- If I'm serving the cake within a day, I leave it out on the counter in an airtight container. If it's longer than 24 hours, I store it in the fridge.
Jen says
This recipe is so easy to make! And it looks great. Using canned cherry pie filling is the ultimate time saver. Everyone loves this cake!