Seriously Good Vegan Tiramisu (Easier Than You Think!)

Name: Seriously Good Vegan Tiramisu (Easier Than You Think!)
Prep time: 40 min
Ingredients: 240 ml soy milk; 15 ml apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp); 120 g vegan margarine‑style spread or butter; 100 g caster sugar; 240 g plain flour; 1 tsp ≈4 g baking powder; ¼ tsp salt; 10 ml vanilla extract (2 tsp); 500 g vegan cream cheese; 80 g refined coconut oil (melted); 40 g maple syrup; 70 g icing (powdered sugar, sifted); 240 ml strong coffee or espresso; 12 g cane sugar (1 tbsp); 45 ml rum (3 tbsp, optional); 7 g unsweetened cocoa powder (1 tbsp)

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Fancy a seriously good vegan Tiramisu without the usual faff? This recipe skips the fiddly ladyfingers for a dead simple sponge, but still delivers that rich, creamy, coffee-soaked bliss. Genuinely easier than you think to whip up, just make sure you leave time for it to chill properly in the fridge. Go on, you know you want to.

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😋 Why You’ll love this recipe!

Properly luxurious and decadent – feels like a real treat.
It’s so good, it’s been known to impress even die-hard dairy fans.
Surprisingly easy to whip up, despite looking quite fancy.
Perfect as a make-ahead dessert – ideal for dinner parties or big events (like Christmas!).

📝 Ingredient notes

For the Quick Sponge:

Soy Milk & Apple Cider Vinegar: Mixing these creates a sort of vegan ‘buttermilk,’ which helps make the cake tender. You could probably use another plant milk like oat or almond if that’s what you have, but soy works reliably well here.
Vegan Margarine/Butter: Use a block-style vegan butter or margarine for the best texture.
Caster Sugar: Fine granulated sugar, dissolves easily into the batter.
Plain Flour, Baking Powder & Salt: Standard cake-making stuff. Nothing fancy needed here.
Vanilla Extract: Essential for that classic cake flavour.

For the Vegan “Mascarpone” Cream:

Vegan Cream Cheese: This is the base of our creamy layer. Use your favourite plain, unflavoured variety – something fairly firm is good.
Refined Coconut Oil: Make sure it’s refined so you don’t get a coconutty taste. This helps the cream set firmly like traditional mascarpone when chilled. It needs to be melted but not hot.
Maple Syrup: Adds a touch of sweetness and flavour. Agave or another liquid sweetener could work in a pinch.
Icing Sugar: Also known as powdered sugar. Sift it to avoid lumps in your cream.

For the Coffee Syrup:

Strong Coffee/Espresso: This is where the classic tiramisu flavour comes from. Use good, strong stuff – cooled down, obviously. Instant espresso powder dissolved in hot water works too if you don’t have an espresso machine.
Brown Sugar: Just a bit to balance the bitterness of the coffee.
Rum (Optional): Adds that traditional boozy kick. Dark rum is classic, but Marsala wine, brandy, or coffee liqueur work too. Leave it out entirely for an alcohol-free version.

For the Topping:

Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: For that final dusty layer. Use a decent quality one if you can.

🥣 How to make vegan Tiramisu

Quick Note: This recipe takes about 30/40 minutes of active prep, but it needs at least 2-3 hours to chill in the fridge, ideally overnight. So, plan ahead if you can!

Prep Your Tin & Oven: First things first, preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Now, grab a standard full-size sheet pan (the sort you use for traybakes). Grease it lightly with oil, then lay a sheet of baking paper across it, letting it overhang slightly on two opposite sides – this helps lift the cake out later. Grease the baking paper and any exposed bits of the tin too. We want this cake coming out cleanly.

Vegan Tiramisu oiling baking paper and tray

Make the Vegan ‘Buttermilk’: In a small jug or bowl, mix the 240ml soy milk and 15ml (1 tbsp) apple cider vinegar. Give it a quick stir and set aside for a few minutes. It’ll curdle slightly – that’s what we want.

Cream the Fat & Sugar (The Classic Cake Bit): Remember creaming butter and sugar with a wooden spoon as a kid? You can still do that, but honestly, I’m lazy, so a stand mixer is my go-to. Chuck the 120g vegan margarine/butter and 100g caster sugar into the mixer bowl with the whisk attachment. Whisk on medium-high until it’s pale and fluffy. You might need to scrape down the sides once or twice. A handheld electric whisk works great too – maybe even easier than lugging out the big mixer! Just get those two properly combined into a creamy base.

Vegan Tiramisu fat and sugar in stand mixer

Add the Wet Ingredients: Pour the vegan ‘buttermilk’ mixture and 10ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract into the bowl with the creamed fat and sugar. Whisk it on a low-to-medium speed. Don’t panic if it looks a bit grainy or lumpy – the fat doesn’t always fully emulsify at this stage, and that’s totally fine. Just give it a decent whisk to break up the fat as much as possible.

Vegan Tiramisu adding fat to butter milk and vanilla

Vegan Tiramisu mixing fat into butter milk

Combine the Dry Ingredients (Gently!): Time for the dry stuff. Every recipe says sift the flour… honestly, I rarely bother. Chuck the 240g plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and ¼ tsp salt straight into the bowl. If you’re using a stand mixer, switch to the paddle attachment now. Mix on a low speed just until you can’t see any streaks of dry flour. Seriously, don’t overmix! We’re not making bread; we don’t want tough gluten. If you’re using a hand whisk, keep the speed low. If doing it by hand, gently fold the flour in with a spatula until just combined.

Bake the Quick Sponge: Pour the batter onto your prepared baking sheet and spread it out evenly. It’ll be quite thin. Bake for around 12-15 minutes at 180°C (350°F). Ovens vary, so keep an eye on it. It’s ready when it’s lightly golden and a toothpick poked into the centre comes out clean.

Cool the Cake: Once baked, let the cake sit in the tin for about 10 minutes. It should start to pull away from the sides. You can run a spatula around the edges if needed. Now for the slightly tricky bit: place a wire rack over the top of the tin. Carefully flip the whole thing over so the cake releases onto the rack. Peel off the baking paper and leave the cake to cool completely. Once cool, carefully cut the sheet cake exactly in half crosswise – these are your two layers.

Mix the Coffee Syrup: Brew about 240ml (a standard mug) of strong coffee or espresso. Use decent stuff if you can – decaf is fine if you’re like me and caffeine messes you up! Stir in 12g (1 tbsp) brown sugar until dissolved. Let it cool down completely. If you’re adding 45ml (3 tbsp) rum (or other booze), stir it in now. I used a fancy vanilla rum I got in the Caribbean, but dark rum is traditional.
Whip Up the Vegan ‘Mascarpone’: Clean your stand mixer bowl and pop the whisk attachment back on. Add the 500g vegan cream cheese, 80g melted (but not hot) refined coconut oil, and 40g maple syrup. Whisk on medium speed until smooth. Now add the 70g sifted icing sugar. Put the splash guard on your mixer because icing sugar goes everywhere. Start on low speed, scraping down the sides (when the mixer is off, obviously!) until it’s incorporated. Then, crank the speed up to high and whip the living daylights out of it for a good 5-8 minutes, scraping down occasionally. We want to beat lots of air into it to make it light and fluffy.

Vegan Tiramisu adding icing sugar to cream cheese

Assemble Layer One – Cake Base: Time for the fun part – building your tiramisu! Take one half of your cooled cake and place it in the bottom of your serving dish (a glass one looks nice). It might not fit perfectly. Honestly, just tear bits, jam it in, squish it down – make it fit. No one will know once it’s assembled, and you get to eat the offcuts. Win-win.

Assemble Layer One – Coffee Soak: Brush or pour about half of the cooled coffee syrup evenly over the cake layer. I prefer brushing for more control. It seems like a lot of liquid, but the cake will soak it up, and you want that proper coffee hit.

Assemble Layer One – Cream: Spread half of the vegan ‘mascarpone’ cream evenly over the coffee-soaked cake. (Optional: You can sift a light dusting of cocoa powder over this cream layer for an extra chocolatey bit in the middle. I didn’t this time, but sometimes I do).

Vegan Tiramisu top down mascarpone layer one spreading

Vegan Tiramisu top down mascarpone layer one

Assemble Layer Two & Chill: Carefully place the second half of the cake on top of the cream layer (again, finagle it to fit). Brush or pour the remaining coffee syrup over this second cake layer. Spread the remaining ‘mascarpone’ cream evenly over the top. Cover the dish tightly (cling film or a lid). Now, the important bit: pop it in the fridge to set. It needs at least 2-3 hours, but overnight is genuinely best for the flavours to meld and the cream to firm up properly. (Easier said than done if you’re an impatient planner like me, but try!).

Vegan Tiramisu top down cake coffee soak

Final Flourish & Serve: Just before serving, dust the top generously with the 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder (use a sieve for a nice even finish). Slice it up and serve. This should make about 8 portions… or maybe 6 generous ones 🤷‍♂️ Enjoy!

💡 Tips for getting it right!

Don’t rush the chill time: Seriously, letting it set in the fridge (ideally overnight) is key for the best texture and flavour. Minimum 2-3 hours, but longer is better.
Mix the cake batter Stop mixing as soon as the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing makes the sponge tough.
Use refined coconut oil: Make sure it’s the refined kind for the cream, otherwise, you’ll get a coconutty taste. Melt it, but let it cool slightly before adding.
Whip the cream well: Don’t skimp on whipping the vegan ‘mascarpone’. Getting lots of air in makes it light and fluffy, closer to the real deal.

What to Serve This Vegan Tiramisu With?

Tiramisu is a classic closer, especially after a hearty meal. If you’re going for an Italian vibe (makes sense, right?), this would be brilliant after:

A proper pasta dish like my Aubergine courgette pasta or the rich Mushroom Pesto Pasta.
Something simple but flavour-packed like Garlic Tomato Pasta or Orecchiette Con Broccoli.
Fancy impressing people? Serve it after the Quick & Easy Vegan Carbonara.
Making it for a big occasion like Christmas dinner or a Sunday roast? It’s the perfect end to the Vegan Seitan Roast Beef.

🤔 Frequently asked questions

How long does this Vegan Tiramisu keep in the fridge?

Properly covered, it should last well for about 3-4 days in the fridge. The flavours actually meld together nicely after the first day!

Can I make this Tiramisu gluten-free?

Yes, you likely can! Substitute the plain flour in the sponge cake with a good quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (one that includes xanthan gum). Ensure your baking powder is also certified gluten-free. The rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free, but always double-check labels.

Can I make this alcohol-free?

Absolutely. Just leave out the rum (or other alcohol) from the coffee syrup. You can replace it with a little extra vanilla extract or even a splash of non-alcoholic rum essence if you want that specific flavour profile, but it’s delicious without any additions too.

What’s the best vegan cream cheese to use?

It’s best to use a fairly firm, plain vegan cream cheese block or tub style rather than a very soft, spreadable one. Brands vary, so use one you trust for flavour and texture. I used Violife here, but anything neutral-tasting works best so the coffee and vanilla notes shine through.

**Why use refined coconut oil in the cream? Can I substitute it?**

Refined coconut oil is crucial because it’s solid when cold, helping the ‘mascarpone’ cream set firmly like traditional tiramisu. It also has a neutral flavour, unlike virgin coconut oil. If you absolutely can’t use coconut oil, another neutral-flavoured fat that solidifies when cold (like odourless cacao butter, melted and cooled) might work, but refined coconut oil gives the most reliable results here.

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