Description
This Vegan Tree Stump Cake features layers of moist, rich chocolate sponge soaked in coffee and layered with silky chocolate cremeux and vegan coffee Swiss meringue buttercream. The exterior is decorated with homemade tempered chocolate bark to mimic the look of tree bark, and optionally adorned with vegan meringue mushrooms and pistachios for a woodland effect. Perfect for special occasions, this cake combines stunning presentation with indulgent, dairy-free flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Chocolate Cremeux
- 200 ml almond milk (or soy milk)
- 40 g caster sugar (superfine)
- 30 g cornflour (cornstarch)
- ½ vanilla pod (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 200 g chilled full-fat coconut milk (or coconut cream)
- Pinch sea salt
- 160 g vegan dark chocolate (finely chopped)
Chocolate Sponge Cake
- 236 ml soy milk
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
- 236 ml strong coffee
- 110 g sunflower oil (or rapeseed oil/olive oil)
- 350 g plain flour (sifted)
- 300 g light muscovado sugar (or light soft brown sugar)
- 70 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder (sifted)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder (sifted)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda (sifted)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Chocolate Bark
- 300 g vegan dark chocolate
Buttercream and Decoration
- 1 batch vegan coffee Swiss meringue buttercream
- ¼ batch vegan meringue mushrooms (optional)
- 30 g pistachios (finely ground, optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Chocolate Cremeux: In a saucepan over low heat, whisk together almond milk, caster sugar, and cornflour until sugar dissolves. Split the vanilla pod, scrape seeds, and add seeds and pod along with chilled coconut milk and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking constantly for 5 minutes until thickened. Pass mixture through a sieve into chopped chocolate. Fold to melt chocolate, then whisk or blend until smooth. Cover and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Make Chocolate Sponge: Preheat oven to 180°C (356°F). Line three 6-inch cake tins with parchment and oil sides. Make vegan buttermilk by mixing soy milk and apple cider vinegar; let sit 10 minutes. Add coffee and oil to it and whisk. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold wet ingredients into dry until smooth. Divide batter evenly into tins and bake 30-40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in tins 15-20 minutes before turning onto a rack. Refrigerate until use.
- Prepare Chocolate Bark: Lay two large sheets of parchment on work surface. Temper chocolate by melting 2/3 over a bain-marie to 55°C (131°F), then cool to 28°C (82°F) with stirring, adding reserved chocolate to raise temp to 31°C (88°F). Spread tempered chocolate in even rectangles on parchment. Let set for 5 minutes until slightly firm and roll parchment into cylinders. Chill for at least 30 minutes. Unroll gently, break bark into pieces, and keep refrigerated until decorating.
- Make Vegan Coffee Swiss Meringue Buttercream: Prepare separately according to recipe instructions (not detailed here).
- Assemble Cake: Trim dome tops from cakes to level them. Stir chilled chocolate cremeux. On a cake turntable, place a dab of cremeux and layer cake and cremeux alternately, smoothing cremeux but leaving edge clear. Top with last cake layer. Spread coffee buttercream over top and sides. Use a fork to scrape circular lines on top for tree trunk effect, then smooth rings with the back of a spoon.
- Decorate: Wearing gloves, press pieces of chocolate bark onto cake sides to mimic tree bark. Optionally garnish with vegan meringue mushrooms and ground pistachios. Store cake in an airtight container in the fridge. Remove 2 hours before serving for best texture.
Notes
- Silky smooth chocolate cremeux requires consistent whisking to avoid lumps and burning.
- Chilling the sponge cake makes it easier to handle during assembly and decoration.
- Tempering chocolate ensures the bark has a glossy finish and snaps properly; you can skip tempering but bark will lack shine and firmness.
- For best coffee flavor, use strong brewed coffee cooled to room temperature.
- Use full-fat coconut milk for best richness in cremeux; coconut cream can substitute.
- Serve cake at room temperature for optimal texture and flavor.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Western
