Black Forest Cake No Bake
Be still my cherry-chocolate-loving heart. When it comes to delicious classic cakes, black forest is right up there among the favorites .Hard to beat a lush and rich cherry, chocolate, and whip cream combo, isn't it?This is a stunning and decadent cake but it’s fairly simple to make and the no-bake approach has turned out to be a winner. No baking, no fuss. Tons of flavour with an incredibly velvety mouth-feel with each bite. The perfect decadent, wholesome, plant based cake, tasting just fabulous – could be a dessert for your family, a crowd pleaser at your celebrations or even as a gift for a special someone.
Ingredients
Cake Layer
- 3 cups almonds, walnuts, pecans or a mix
- 1 cup dates, soaked at least 30 minutes and drained
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- 1/2 cup cocoa or cacao powder
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
Cherry Jam Layer
- 2 cups cherries, fresh or frozen, halved
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
Coconut Cream
- 1 13.5 oz coconut milk or cream, chilled overnight
Decoration
- 12 cherries, fresh, halved
- 8 squares dark chocolate
Instructions
Cake Layer
- Line two 5-6" round cake tins with baking parchment paper. Leave some hanging over the top and sides to act as a handle so you can remove the cakes easily.If you don't have two cake tins of this size, you can line two similar-sized square or rectangular plastic food containers with baking parchment.Place almonds (and/or other nuts) into a food processor and process until broken down and crumbly. Add dates, coconut, cocoa and coconut oil and continue to process until a sticky dough is formed. You can leave it a little chunky if you like or process until it becomes a smoother mixture.Divide the dough between the two cake tins and press it down flat with your fingers or the back of a spoon until evenly spread out.Put the cake tins in the freezer while you complete the next step.
Cherry Jam Layer
- To make the cherry jam, add the cherries to a small saucepan and simmer on a medium-low heat for about 15 minutes until they have partially broken down.When cooled slightly, place in food processor and process for 10 seconds or until a smooth consistency is achieved.Pour into a bowl and stir in the chia seeds and honey. Allow the mixture to cool, then store it in the fridge for one hour to firm up.
Coconut Cream
- Remove the can of coconut milk from the fridge and open it. Scrape out the hardened coconut cream that has solidified in the top half of the can into a large bowl. (The leftover coconut water isn't needed for this recipe. You can use it in smoothies or on cereal, or just drink it!)Using an electric whisk, beat the cream for 3-5minutes, until it is lump-free and fluffy. It should have roughly the same consistency as whipped cream. Store in the fridge until needed to keep the cream firm.
Cake Assembly
- Once the cherry filling has firmed up, remove the cakes from the freezer and remove them from their tins, being careful not to break them. The parchment paper “handle” will help to do this.To assemble, add a thick layer of the cherry filling to the top of one cake (about half the amount), followed by a layer of coconut cream (about half the cream). Slice 6 of your decorative set-aside cherry halves into quarters, and scatter evenly over the cream (this will help stop the cream/jam from splurging out of the cake when you cut it later - it gives it a bit more structural integrity!).Sandwich the other cake layer on top of this, and repeat the process of adding a layer of cherry jam and coconut cream to the top.
Decoration
- Decoration: 8 square of your favourite dark chocolate, grated or roughly chopped with a knife.Place your remaining cherry halves on top of the cake. Note: If you find this cake tricky to slice, wait a few minutes for the layers to soften slightly. The fillings are naturally pretty messy and will splurge out as your slice it - embrace this! It's part of the fun.