Vegan White and Dark Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Chia Jam
This Vegan White and Dark Chocolate Cake recipe is an exclusive from Maja Brekalo’s new cookbook Bake It Vegan: Simple, Delicious Plant-Based Cakes, Cookies, Brownies, Chocolates and More. Click here to find out where you can purchase a copy of the book.
Disclaimer: the cookbooks we feature are independently selected by our Best of Vegan editors and are in no way sponsored by the author and/or the publisher. All content is used with permission.
Maja Brekalo is the founder of Delicious & Healthy by Maya. She teaches vegan cooking and baking workshops, and has been featured in Vogue Paris, HuffPost, Eluxe Magazine, The Chalkboard, Thrive Magazine and more. She lives in Zagreb, Croatia, with her family.
Vegan White and Dark Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Chia Jam from Maja Brekalo’s Bake It Vegan
Vegan White and Dark Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Chia Jam
Ingredients
- ½ cup plus 2 tbsp - 90 g unrefined cocoa butter (see Note)
- Raspberry Chia Jam
- 2 cups 280 g raspberries
- 2 tbsp 30 ml agave or maple syrup
- Pinch of salt
- 1½ tbsp 20 g chia seeds
- Base
- 2 cups 290 g almonds
- 2 pinches of salt
- 1 cup 175 g dates, pitted and softened
- 2 tbsp 20 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- Filling
- 2 heaping cups - 300 g soaked cashews (see Note on page 16)
- ½ cup 120 ml agave syrup
- Pinch of fine salt
- ½ tsp vanilla powder or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ to ⅔ cup 120 to 160 ml water
- 5 tbsp 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
- Line the bottom of an 8-inch (20-cm) round springform pan with parchment paper. Melt the cocoa butter in a double boiler and set it aside to cool.
- To prepare the raspberry jam, place the raspberries in a small pan and add the syrup and salt. Cook them covered over a low flame for about 10 minutes, occasionally stirring and crushing the berries until they are soft and falling apart. Add the chia seeds and stir a few times more until the sauce starts thickening. Remove it from the stove, cover and leave it to thicken and cool down.
- To make the base, place the almonds in a food processor and roughly grind them. Add the salt, dates, cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of melted cocoa butter. Keep pulsing until you get a sticky dough. It shouldn’t be completely smooth and instead have some nutty bits left inside.
- Press the dough firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form a base, with the edges slightly elevated so the jam will stay safely confined inside the cake. Use a tablespoon to press and level the base, then push even more firmly and shape the elevated edges using the flat bottom of a cup. Spoon in the prepared jam and place into the freezer to chill until the filling is ready.
- To prepare the layers of filling, place the soaked, washed and drained cashews in the blender, add the syrup, salt, vanilla, remaining melted cocoa butter and ½ cup (120 ml) of water, reserving the rest, and blend until smooth. If it is too thick to blend keep adding a little bit of reserved water. It is better to add as little as possible to make the filling set better and to get nice clean slices of cake.
- Pour half of the filling over the jam and base, shake the pan to smooth the top and pat gently on the countertop a few times to release any air bubbles. Place it back in the freezer to set partially so you can pour the second layer of filling on top; this will take around 30 minutes.
- For the remaining filling, add the cocoa powder and fold in with a spatula or blend until smooth. Pour it very carefully over the chilled white chocolate layer, starting around the edges, as it will still not be very firm. Gently shake the pan to smooth out the top. Cover and refrigerate to set for at least 8 hours or overnight. If you’re in a hurry, you can chill it in the freezer for 5 to 6 hours.
- The cake will become firmer the longer it is left in the refrigerator. If you make it in advance and leave to set and cool for at least a day or two, you will get perfectly sharp slices of this delicious cake. It will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 10 days. You can also freeze it for up to 4 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or 30 minutes at room temperature.
Notes
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Reprinted with permission from Bake it Vegan by Maja Brekalo, Page Street Publishing Co. 2021. Photo credit: Maja Brekalo.
Click here or on the photo above to get your copy.
About the Book
Craveable Vegan Desserts Made Easier Than Ever
Making the perfect vegan dessert just got simple! With this approachable collection of treats, you can satisfy your sweet tooth without relying on unhealthy artificial sweeteners or processed ingredients. Maja Brekalo combines all-natural ingredients with a whole lot of creativity and flavor to share desserts that taste decadent but are also good for you.
You can “veganize” classics with recipes like The Chocolate Cake, Buttery Almond Thumbprint Cookies or the Fudgiest Bakery-Style Brownies. Bake vegan for breakfast or tea time with a Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread or Peach and Blackberry Galette. And you should definitely try fun no-bake and raw favorites like Pecan Salted Caramel Slices, Individual Neapolitan Cheesecakes and Nutella Cake.
All of these treats are a breeze to whip up yet sure to impress, with so much variety that you’ll definitely find a new go-to dessert. Whether you’re a vegan or just looking for healthier takes on your traditional favorites, this cookbook has something for you.
