This decadent vegan black forest trifle is a fantastic dessert option for Christmas, Easter or any celebration. Consisting of layers of soft chocolate cake, cherry compote, rich chocolate custard and whipped cream, this is a showstopping pudding that feeds a crowd!
This chocolate cherry trifle is one of my favourite things that I have ever made/eaten. It is rich and decadently chocolatey, yet not at all heavy or cloying. The tartness of the cherry compote does a great job of balancing out the chocolate and cream, and all of the different elements work perfectly together to create an utterly moreish result.
It will serve 10 to 12 people, so is a great option for a celebration dessert, especially as it can be prepped in advance.
You Will Need:
Ingredient Details:
Chocolate cake: I provide the recipe I use in the recipe card, but you can also just use your favourite chocolate cake. My easy vegan chocolate cake (minus the frosting) would work well if you want a recipe that does not contain melted chocolate or yogurt.
Frozen cherries: You will need quite a lot of cherries - a total of 700g pitted cherries for the compote, so I find it easier and cheaper to use frozen ones.
Vegan whipping cream: I use Elmlea plant double cream and I recommend using that if possible, Oatly whippable is also good.
If you aren't in the UK then you need to use a cream that can be whipped to stiff peaks, not a pouring cream.
Cornflour (cornstarch): This is necessary to thicken both the cherry compote and the chocolate custard. I don't recommend swapping it for another type of starch as that could change the texture.
Milk: I recommend using unsweetened soy milk as it has a neutral flavour and creamy texture. If you can't use soy then a creamier milk like cashew or oat would be best.
Cocoa powder: I use Dutch processed but natural should also be fine for the custard, you really want to use Dutch processed for the cake however.
Chocolate: I recommend using around 70% dark chocolate to add a good level of flavour without too much sweetness.
Lemon juice: Adds a touch of sharpness to the cherry compote.
Alcohol: Kirsch would be most traditional but I used cherry rum which worked really well, as would a cherry brandy or amaretto. You can omit the alcohol if you prefer, or if you want a properly boozy trifle, you can sprinkle the layers of chocolate cake with a couple of Tablespoons of your choice of alcohol as well as adding it to the cherry compote.
Sugar: You will need caster or granulated sugar for the custard and compote, and icing (powdered) sugar for the whipped cream. Adding the icing sugar to the cream helps to stabilise it so that it doesn't melt as quickly.
How To Make Vegan Black Forest Trifle:
(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)
- Step 1: Bake the chocolate cake and leave it to cool in the tin.
- Step 2: To make the custard, place the cornflour in a saucepan and whisk in the cold milk. Add the cocoa powder, sugar and vanilla. Bring up to the boil, whisking constantly, until it thickens. Whisk in the chocolate.
- Step 3: Pour into a bowl, cover with clingfilm directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming then refrigerate until cold.
- Step 4: To make the cherry compote, heat the cherries, lemon juice and sugar until defrosted. Mix the cornflour and water, add to the pan and bring up to a boil, stirring constantly until it thickens. Stir in the cherry rum then refrigerate until cold.
- Step 5: To assemble the trifle, cut the chocolate cake into cubes. Arrange a layer of cake cubes in the base of your trifle dish.
- Step 6: Spoon half of the cherry compote over the cake layer.
- Step 7: Spread half of the custard on top of the cherry layer. Repeat these layers - cake, cherries, custard.
- Step 8: Whisk the cream, icing sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks. Dollop on top of the trifle shortly before serving.
Top Tips:
Be careful not to overbake the cake otherwise it can become dry. It is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
If after chilling you find that the chocolate custard has become lumpy, simply scrape it through a fine mesh sieve to make it smooth again.
Don't add the whipped cream until shortly before serving as it may start to break down after a couple of hours. The rest of the trifle can be assembled a day in advance and stored covered in the fridge.
I decorated my trifle with some fresh cherries and chocolate shavings, but these are optional and a simple dusting of cocoa powder would work just as well.
To make chocolate shavings, simply hold a bar of chocolate over a sheet of baking paper and run a vegetable peeler down the side of the bar.
FAQ's:
Apart from the whipped cream, all of the other elements - cake, custard and compote, can be prepared 2-3 days in advance. In fact it is better to prep them at least a day in advance of assembling the trifle as the custard and compote need to chill completely and the cake needs to be cold before slicing it. Store the custard and compote in covered containers in the fridge, and the cake in an airtight container at room temperature.
The trifle can be assembled a day in advance of serving, however do not add the whipped cream until at most a couple of hours before serving.
No, the assembled trifle cannot be frozen as it may become watery upon defrosting, ruining the texture. I also do not recommend freezing the custard or compote in advance as they are set with cornstarch - freezing cornstarch set mixtures can break down the starch molecules, causing the mixture to become watery and separated upon defrosting.
Apart from the chocolate cake all of the other elements are gluten-free (be sure to check the ingredients for things like the cream just to be sure though).
I would recommend finding a GF vegan chocolate cake recipe to use rather than swapping the flour in my recipe for gluten-free flour.
You will need an approx 20 cm/3 litre trifle dish or a large glass bowl.
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Vegan Black Forest Trifle
Equipment
- 20 cm/3 litre trifle dish or large glass bowl
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 65 g 70% dark chocolate finely chopped
- 125 g (½ cup) boiling water
- 40 g (½ cup) Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 96 g (7 Tablespoons) neutral oil (I use olive)
- 135 g (½ cup + 1 tablespoon) plain non-dairy yogurt (I use Greek style soya)
- 200 g (1 cup) light brown soft sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 190 g (1 + ⅓ + ¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
Chocolate Custard:
- 50 g ( 7 Tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 750 g (3 cups + 2 Tablespoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy)
- 40 g (½ cup) cocoa powder
- 100 g (½ cup) caster or granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 125 g 70% dark chocolate finely chopped
Cherry Compote:
- 700 g (25 oz) frozen pitted sweet cherries
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 30 g (2 ½ Tablespoons) caster or granulated sugar (more to taste)
- 15 g (2 Tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 Tablespoons cold water
- 2-3 Tablespoons cherry flavoured rum, kirsch, cherry brandy or amaretto (optional)
To Assemble:
- 250 ml (1 cup) vegan whipping cream cold
- 2 Tablespoons icing (powdered) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 250 g (9 oz) fresh cherries
- chocolate shavings
Instructions
Chocolate Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/160℃ fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Line a 23 cm/9 inch square cake tin with baking paper.
- Place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl and pour over the boiling water. Stir until the chocolate is melted then whisk in the cocoa powder with a balloon whisk.65 g 70% dark chocolate, 125 g (½ cup) boiling water, 40 g (½ cup) Dutch processed cocoa powder
- Whisk the oil, yogurt, sugar and vanilla extract into the chocolate mixture.96 g (7 Tablespoons) neutral oil (I use olive), 135 g (½ cup + 1 tablespoon) plain non-dairy yogurt (I use Greek style soya), 200 g (1 cup) light brown soft sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Whisk in the espresso powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, followed by the plain flour. Stir just until no dry patches remain.1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), ¼ teaspoon table salt, 190 g (1 + ⅓ + ¼ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Leave to cool completely in the tin then store in an airtight container.
Chocolate Custard:
- Place the cornstarch in a pan and gradually whisk in the cold milk, making sure that there are no lumps. Whisk in the cocoa powder, sugar and vanilla.50 g ( 7 Tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch), 750 g (3 cups + 2 Tablespoons) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy), 40 g (½ cup) cocoa powder, 100 g (½ cup) caster or granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Place the pan over a medium heat and stir constantly until the custard comes up to the boil and thickens. Remove from the heat, add the chopped chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.125 g 70% dark chocolate
- Pour into a bowl, cover with baking paper or clingfilm directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours.
Cherry Compote:
- Tip the frozen cherries into a saucepan along with the lemon juice and sugar. Place over a low heat and stir every now and again until the cherries have defrosted and become juicy.700 g (25 oz) frozen pitted sweet cherries, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 30 g (2 ½ Tablespoons) caster or granulated sugar
- Stir together the cornflour and the cold water. Add the mixture to the pan of cherries and stir to combine. Turn up the heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the juice comes up to a boil and thickens.15 g (2 Tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch), 2 Tablespoons cold water
- Remove from the heat, allow to cool slightly then stir in your choice of alcohol to taste. You can add a little more sugar if you feel it needs it.2-3 Tablespoons cherry flavoured rum, kirsch, cherry brandy or amaretto
- Tip into a covered container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 4 hours.
To Assemble:
- Remove the chocolate cake from the tin and cut it into approx 2.5 cm/1 in cubes.
- Arrange an even layer of the cake cubes in the base of your trifle dish. Crumble some cake into smaller pieces to fill in any holes. Spoon half of the cherry compote evenly over the cake layer.
- Give the chilled custard a whisk to make it smooth again, then spread half of it on top of the cherries.
- Repeat these layers - cake, cherries, custard. At this point the trifle can be covered and stored in the fridge for 24 hours.
- No more than a couple of hours before serving, pour the cream into a large bowl, add the icing sugar and vanilla extract then whisk with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks.250 ml (1 cup) vegan whipping cream, 2 Tablespoons icing (powdered) sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Spoon the whipped cream on top of the trifle then decorate it with fresh cherries and chocolate shavings, or just with a dusting of cocoa powder and serve.250 g (9 oz) fresh cherries, chocolate shavings
Notes
- See post above for tips, details, make-ahead and storage instructions and step-by-step photos.
- USE SCALES. As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scales rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!
Sam
Oh can't wait to try this it looks delicious!! I'm planning on making a regular black forest gateaux soon - would you recommend using this chocolate cake recipe for it rather than your other chocolate cake recipe on the website?
Hannah
Hi Sam, thank you! Either chocolate cake recipe would work well.
Genevieve Cooke
This was very delicious! Another excellent recipe. My frozen cherries could have had more flavour, I might try fresh ones next time. But the cake, custard and cream combo was so good. I also really appreciate your new recipe format with the ingredients under their relevant step. I also really appreciate everything being measured in grams rather than ml, it makes it so much easier for me!
Thank you again for another great recipe!
Carol Riseborough
Brilliant dessert. Your recipes never disappoint