Black forest cake is great but I think this vegan black forest cheesecake takes the flavors to a whole new level. It's generously filled with homemade dairy free whipped cream, rich chcoolate and bursting cherry sensations.
Before going into the fridge, the base and filling take less than 30 minutes to prepare, which means that you don't have to do too much yourself. The hardest part is the waiting! This chocolatey treat is totally worth your time.
Although I love to eat this cheesecake on its own, it tastes great when served with fresh dairy free cream too or even my vegan coconut whipped cream. You can never have too much cream! It's also so chocolatey, creamy and one-hundred percent delectable. The crust also adds a lovely crunch to each mouthful.
If you're a big fan of recipes in which cherries have a big part to play, I also think you'll love my vegan black forest cake, vegan cherry crumble cake and vegan cherry chocolate cake too which are all equally drool-worthy in their own ways.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Amazing Texture - This chocolate cheesecake is thick and creamy making the cheesecake so decadent. It's very similar to the consistency that you'll find in my vegan snickers cheesecake, vegan brownie cheesecake and my vegan chocolate cheesecake.
- Great Toppings - The whipped cream and cherry toppings well and truly make this a black forest cheesecake and they compliment the chocolate amazingly.
- Cherries Throughout - As well as cherries being on top of this cheesecake, they're also mixed into the chocolate filling too.
- Allergy Friendly & Plant Based - This cheesecake is completely vegan and dairy free.
Ingredient Notes
- Vegan Cream Cheese - This will add the creaminess to the chocolate filling, giving the dessert a more cheesecake-like texture.
- Frozen Cherries - These are usually pitted when you buy them which is so convenient. It saves you the hassle of picking them all out yourself. Fresh fruits can also be good for compotes and fruit toppings. Other examples of where this was successful would be my vegan strawberry lemon layer cake and my vegan strawberry shortcake white chocolate cheesecake.
- Raw Cashews - These are a super important ingredient in terms of the texture. They really help to thicken cheesecake.
- Vegan Double Cream - It is important that you use a vegan whipping cream for making the homemade whipped cream. Single cream will most likely, not work. If you can't find any dairy free double cream where you live, you can buy dairy free, store-bought cream spray instead.
See recipe card for full information on individual ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you're trying be a little healthier but you still want a nice treat, you can leave some or all of the granulated sugar out of the recipe and maybe add some extra maple syrup. This will of course, make the cheesecake taste richer and less sweet.
- Use a store bought, canned vegan whipped cream alternative if you don't have time to make my homemade version. I did this for my vegan banoffee pie recipe and it turned out perfectly.
How To Make A Vegan Black Forest Cheesecake
For the full method, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1: Grease a round springform tin with vegan butter.
2: Press the crust into the base of the tin.
3: Cook the cherries inside a saucepan.
4: Blend together the cashews and the water.
5: Add the remaining filling ingredients, apart from the chocolate and cherries. Blend again.
6: Melt the chocolate.
7: Add the chocolate and cherries to the blender. Blend one more time.
8: Pour the filling over the crust. Refrigerate.
9: Take the cheesecake out from the fridge.
10: Make the vegan whipped cream topping.
11: Spread the whipped cream over the top of the chocolate cherry cheesecake.
12: Top with extra cherries and chocolate and serve.
Expert Tips
Use frozen cherries - Unless you can't buy them where you live, I recommend using frozen cherries for this recipe as they're so easy to use and they usually come pitted inside the bag which can save you lots of time. They're also better for cooking as the water within them prevents them from burning instantly inside the pan.
Soak the cashews overnight - This will save you time the next day. They will be nice and soft after being in water and this means that you will be able to use them instantly without having to wait. The cashews won't blend properly unless they have been soaked.
Recipe FAQs
You can but do so prior to decorating the cake with whipped cream and the cherry topping. Instead, defrost the cheesecake first, then garnish. If you don't plan to freeze the cheesecake, store inside an airtight container and place in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Substitute out the Oreos for some gluten free vegan cookies of your choice and this recipe will be good to go for our coeliac friends!
My vegan black forest cheesecake is made from an Oreo crust, a chocolate cherry filling, cherry whipped cream and a cherry topping. This is very different from a traditional black forest cake but it still incorporates the main flavour theme.
More Vegan Recipes That You'll Love
If you tried this Vegan Black Forest Cheesecake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Vegan Black Forest Cheesecake (No-Bake)
Ingredients
For the Oreo crust:
- 200 g Oreos
- 65 g vegan butter block melted
- Pinch of salt
For the cherry chocolate filling:
- 160 g frozen cherries
- 90 g raw unsalted cashews
- 130 ml water
- 400 g vegan cream cheese
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 280 g vegan dark chocolate finely chopped
For the whipped cream:
- 150 g vegan double cream
- 0.25 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 30 g powdered sugar sifted
For the cherry compote:
- 100 g frozen cherries
- 1.5 Tablespoons water
- 0.5 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
For the topping:
- Vegan chocolate shavings grated, to taste
Instructions
Preparation:
- Firstly, grease an 8-inch, round, springform tin with vegan butter, then set aside.
Make the Oreo crust:
- Blitz all of the Oreos inside a high-speed blender or food processor until the crumbs become fine. Add in the melted butter and salt, then blend once more until your mixture becomes a little wet and is mouldable.
- Press your Oreo crust mixture into the base of the greased tin firmly with your hands or the flat bottom of a glass. Place it into the freezer to set while you make the filling.
Make the cherry chocolate filling:
- Add your frozen cherries to a medium saucepan and place over a medium heat. Continue to stir the cherries regularly and bring to a simmer for 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
- Drain the soaked cashews and add them to a high-speed blender with the water. Blend until smooth.
- Next add your vegan cream cheese, maple syrup, granulated sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Blend again until smooth.
- Melt the chocolate using the double-boiling (bain-marie) method and stir until smooth. Add it to the blender, along with the cherries and blend one last time until smooth and creamy.
- Pour your cherry chocolate filling over the Oreo crust and refrigerate for 4 hours so that it can set.
Make the whipped cream:
- Just before the cheesecake is ready to come out from the fridge, make the whipped cream. Inside a large bowl, whip the vegan double cream and vanilla extract with an electric hand mixer or inside the bowl of a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment on a medium-low speed, while you add a little bit of the powdered sugar at a time.
- When the powdered sugar is completely combined, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until medium-stiff peaks form.
- Spoon your vegan whipped cream over the top of the cheesecake and place it back into the fridge while you make the cherry compote.
Make the cherry compote:
- Add your cherries to a small saucepan along with the water. Place over a medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- In a separate small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and maple syrup to form a paste and pour it into the thickened cherry compote. Stir it all together and simmer for a further 1-2 minutes so that the mixture thickens more.
- Let the cherry compote cool off the heat for 5 minutes.
Assemble the cheesecake:
- Spoon your cherry compote over the whipped cream and grate some vegan chocolate on top. Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- Unless you can't buy them where you live, I recommend using frozen cherries for this recipe as they're so easy to use and they usually come pitted inside the bag which can save you lots of time. They're also better for cooking as the water within them prevents them from burning instantly inside the pan.
- This will save you time the next day. They will be nice and soft after being in water and this means that you will be able to use them instantly without having to wait. The cashews won't blend properly unless they have been soaked.
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