Author: This post for my Vegan Tiramisu is sponsored by Breville who I love for their amazing espresso machines. I now get to enjoy fancy coffee shop quality espresso drinks from the comfort of my home. Every morning is the best morning!
Let's do some quick math to break down just what Vegan Tiramisu is:
Sweet fluffy sponge cake + liqueur spiked espresso sauce + fluffy clouds of cashew coconut cream= pure blissful heaven. That's what you're looking at right there in that photo. Vegan Tiramisu where have you been all my life!? Good thing I was meeting my friends shortly after preparing this dessert because vegan tiramisu and I can't be in the same room alone together without a close encounter. This classic Italian dessert is traditionally made with ladyfinger cookies (not vegan), layered with a custard made of mascarpone cheese (not vegan), egg yolks (not vegan), and whipped cream (not vegan). So when I made this vegan tiramisu and brought it to my vegan friends (one of whom is Italian), let's just say that they were pleased. Very, very pleased. Like, unbelievably, give me more, murmured yums in between bites pleased. ~Brushes imaginary dust off of shoulders~ thankyouverymuch.
Now, I'm not gonna lie, vegan tiramisu isn't the easiest of desserts that you can whip up in a rush. BUT it is something you can totally do in steps, and even start a couple of days ahead if you prefer. All of the layers could be made ahead of time, and then you can assemble, and pop it in the fridge to set overnight. So when it comes to the special event you are serving this at, everything is done, all that's left to do is dig in and be prepared to taste espresso cake heaven.
Let's just take a moment to talk about my love of Breville . My old espresso machine died a while back, and as I'm someone who goes to bed thinking about how excited I am for coffee in the morning, this was very, very sad. My old espresso machine worked well for a very long time, and I originally stole it from an ex-boyfriend (oops) so it didn't owe me any favours, but it was still a sad day. So when Breville was eager to work with me in the espresso range of things, I was jumping up and down fist pumps in the air, dancing in the kitchen, excited about it! I'm so, so thrilled to be the proud owner of the incredibly fancy shcmancy Barista Express. ❤️❤️❤️
Oh, how I love the Barista Express, let me count the ways:
- The Barista Express has all you need in one handy dandy compact machine, including an espresso grinder, steamer, tamper, and hot water tap.
- You can adjust all of the settings to meet your own preferences, no matter how picky you are!
- THEN you just tap a button to grind, then tap another one to make espresso, making it so incredibly easy for the best espresso.
- I don't know how the team at Breville does it, but this machine always makes a gorgeous crema. (Which is the foamy bit on the top of the espresso). It's perfect every time!
Yeah, the love is deep, and the love is real.
Now let's get to making this espresso infused Vegan Tiramisu! Omnomnom.
To Make the Ladyfingers:
Make two batches of The Best Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes, (that's enough to make 24 cupcakes) and instead of making cupcakes, divide the batter into two lightly greased 9" square baking pans. Bake until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean in the center.
Let the cakes cool completely then slice into fingers about 1" wide. You should get about 18 to 20 fingers out of each pan.
To Make the Espresso Sauce:
Add the espresso and coffee liqueur to a measuring cup, and fill with water until you have ¾ cup of liquid.
To Make the Cream Layer:
First, soften the cashews by putting them in a medium pot and covering with water. Boil for about 10 minutes until the cashews are tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Add the cashews to a blender along with the non-dairy milk, agave, and vanilla extract. Blend until completely smooth stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Open the can of well-chilled premium coconut milk and scrape out just the hardened coconut cream leaving behind any coconut water. Add the cream to a mixing bowl and beat until it softens and becomes fluffy.
Lightly fold in the cashew mixture. If not using right away, store in the fridge until ready to use.
To Assemble the Vegan Tiramisu:
In an 8" x 12" or 9"x 9" dish line up the ladyfingers in a single layer. Spoon over half of the espresso sauce, then spread over the cream mixture.
Repeat with another layer of ladyfingers, the remaining espresso sauce and remaining cream. (You might have several ladyfingers left over which makes perfect treats for eager snackers or for dipping into coffee.) Cover and put in the fridge to set for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight.
To Serve the Vegan Tiramisu:
put the cocoa powder in a fine sieve and sprinkle over the top of the tiramisu. Store any leftover tiramisu in the fridge.
Common Questions:
- Can you freeze tiramisu? Yes. Tiramisu can last in a freezer for approx. 3 months if you wrap the tiramisu well with both plastic wrap and foil. This will prevent freezer burn. To thaw, take out of the freezer and put in the refrigerator overnight.
- How long does tiramisu last? Homemade tiramisu can last for up to three days if in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator.
(click stars to vote)
Vegan Tiramisu
Sweet fluffy sponge cake + liqueur spiked espresso sauce + fluffy clouds of cashew coconut cream= pure blissful heaven.
Servings:
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Ingredients
For the ladyfingers cake:
- 1 recipe The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake, (enough for 24 cupcakes or a 2-layer 9" cake), see instructions
For the espresso sauce:
- ½ cup espresso, (or very strong coffee), cooled
- 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur
- water
For the cream layer:
- 1 cup raw cashews
- ½ cup plant-based milk, (such as oat, soy, or almond)
- 3 tablespoons agave or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 can (14 oz/ 400ml) premium coconut milk or coconut cream, chilled overnight
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Instructions
To make the ladyfingers:
- Prepar The Best Vegan Vanilla Cake batter, but instead of making round cakes, divide it between two lightly greased 9" square baking pans.Bake for 22-28 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Do not make the frosting, as it’s not needed for this recipe.)
- Let the cakes cool completely, then slice into 1-inch-wide fingers. You should get about 18-20 fingers per pan.
To make the espresso sauce:
- In a measuring glass, combine the cooled espresso and coffee liqueur. Add water until you have ¾ cup total liquid.
To make the cream layer:
- Soften the cashews by boiling them in a pot of water for 10 minutes, until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Blend the cashews, plant-based milk, agave, and vanilla extract until completely smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Open the chilled coconut milk and scoop out the hardened coconut cream, leaving behind the liquid. Beat the coconut cream in a bowl until soft and fluffy, then gently fold in the cashew mixture. (Refrigerate if not using immediately.)
To assemble the tiramisu:
- In an 8″ x 12″ or 9″ x 9″ glass or ceramic dish (avoid aluminum), tightly line up the ladyfingers in a single layer.
- Spoon over half of the espresso sauce, then spread over half of the cream mixture.
- Repeat with another layer of ladyfingers, the remaining espresso sauce, and the remaining cream. (You may have extra ladyfingers—perfect for snacking or dipping into coffee!)
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight to set.
- Just before serving, dust with cocoa powder using a fine sieve. Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Notes
Coconut milk matters! For the whipped coconut cream, use premium coconut milk or coconut cream. To check, shake the can—if you hear a lot of liquid sloshing around, it’s too thin. A good option is Thai Kitchen Premium Coconut Milk.
Nutrition
Calories: 322kcal
⭐ Did You Make This Recipe?
I’d love if you left a rating and comment, it helps others find the recipe and makes my day! 💕Bon Appetegan!
Sam.
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Pamela Thompson says
Hi. My sister is allergic to everything with coconut in it. Is there anything I can substitute for this ingredient? Thanks
Sam Turnbull says
For this recipe, it's a little tricky as the coconut provides a fluffiness. If you can get your hands on a store-bought vegan whipped cream, that could work as a substitute. I am sure the cream would be sweeter than the coconut so you may want to reduce the agave to taste. Enjoy!
Cori says
Hey there I’m dairy free/gluten/almond free and wanted to know if there is a substitution or if (necessary) for the coffee liqueur? Thanks!!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Cori, the coffee liquer is traditional in tiramisu, and adds another layer of coffee punch, but it should be fine to skip it. Enjoy!
cori says
do you think coffee extract or coffee flavor will work in place of liqueur?
cori says
also you said 19 oz can , I've managed to only find 13, could you mean 19 oz of the scrapped out coconut?
Sam Turnbull says
A 13oz can should work just fine. Enjoy!
Sam Turnbull says
Yes for sure. You just want a nice strong coffee taste so you can taste it in the cake. Enjoy!
cori says
thanks so much, trying it now as we speak!
Nicola Davis says
Tiramisu was the only dessert that I really missed after going vegan a year and a half ago. I made this for my family for Christmas day and honestly it was DELICIOUS! Even my family who are generally skeptical of vegan alternatives and are all baking enthusiasts themselves thought it was fab. I would definitely try adding more coffee to the sponge next time as it was a tiny bit dry and I like the sponge to be very soft and melty. Also for anyone whose coconut milk splits when they (admittedly) over whip it, just add it to the cashew mix anyway and I will still taste delicious!
Sam Turnbull says
Oh yay! So happy you and your family enjoyed it so much, Nicola! Let me know if there is anything else you miss since going vegan 🙂
Fiona says
This was AMAZING! I've never made Tiramisu before and it was far easier than I imagined it would be. I even made it gluten free (I used a mix of supermarket gluten free flour and home made buckwheat flour as I didn't have quite enough of the flour) and it was fine. I only made half the quantity as I didn't have 18 people to serve. I will certainly be recommending this recipe to anyone who needs tiramisu in their life! Thank you.
Sam Turnbull says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it, Fiona 🙂
Christine says
Hello,
I made this for Christmas dessert. I was v. worried because I have only been a vegan for 3 years and haven't really got the hang of desserts. Also I've never made anything from this site before. Also I'm in the UK and ingredients and measurements don't always translate perfectly. Also I have a very fussy vegan husband.
Let me tell you, it tasted amazing! We loved it. He couldn't stop eating it (I caught him with his head in the fridge eating leftovers on the morning after Christmas day!). It was surprisingly easy to make too.
I'm now going through your back catalogue of recipes. Thank you so much. This really made our Christmas!
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo!! Thrilled you both loved it so much! I have lots of desserts with rave reviews so I am sure you will enjoy many more 🙂
Joey says
Okay my Lady Fingers did NOT turn out like yours. They were super moist, dark, and falling apart, but they still tasted absolutely amazing. I used coconut oil instead of canola oil so maybe that's why? Either way, this Tiramisu was so much fun to make and DELICIOUS
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved it, Joey! Yes, coconut oil might be the problem, it has a very different texture than canola so it would cause some problems. Glad you enjoyed it!
Rebekah says
My non-vegan husband literally GOBBLED this up and couldn't stop raving about it! It is amazingly delicious and not overly sweet (a common problem with vegan desserts) - a huge hit in our house, thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha! Love it!! So happy you and your husband loved it so much, Rebekah!
Meghan says
Tricking non-vegans into eating vegan desserts never gets old! This tiramisu nailed it. Can’t beat the cashew cream. Thanks for the lovely recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! So happy it stood up to the test!!
Hayley says
Hey Sam,
This recipe looks amazing and I plan to make it for my mums birthday. I was just wondering if you can sub the flour in the cake part for a gluten free blend? My sister is intolerant. I'm vegan so am familiar with that side of things but don't usually cook gluten free. Let me know if you've tried it or what your opinion is. Either way I'll let you know how it turns out for other readers who are interested.
Thanks a lot 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Hayley, I've never tried it and am not an expert in gluten-free baking but I have heard good things about Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour. Hope that helps!
Galina Noskova says
Absolutely amazing taste! I can't believe it! I'm going to make it for all my family and friends! God bless your work!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha thank you so much, Galina! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Karen says
My friend Karen told me, you had to soak the cashews overnight for a better texture in the finished product. it's makes the recipe more enjoyable in the mouth
Sam Turnbull says
You can do that if you like, or you can just boil them for 10 minutes which gets the same results, just quicker.
Alexa says
l made this recipe and OMG I loved it! Kind of hard to believe its vegan. Will be definitely making this recipe for other potlucks. Thank you for the recipe!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Alexa! Thrilled you love it so much 🙂
Lou says
Hey! I'm currently in the process of making this for a vegan potluck. I have coconut cream in two cartons of 200ml; would you use them both? Thanks for any advice!
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Lou, a 19oz can of coconut cream is about 560 ml, so it sounds like you might be a bit short, and want to open a 3rd can and measure to get the right amount. You mention it's in a carton, if you are referring to the dried coconut cream like this, that won't work. You need to make sure you have the fresh coconut cream in a can. Hope that helps!
sophie says
Hello,
I have a second question on this amazing looking tiramisu before I attempt to make it tomorrow, could we use coconut yogurt instead of coconut cream?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Sophie! No coconut yogurt will not have the same result for this recipe.
Elke Speliopoulos says
I made this for a dinner for non-vegan neighbors and friends. Everyone loved it! However, I had made too much, and so we have been eating delicious leftovers for the past few days. The tiramisu is covered, but the bottom part where the coffee/liqueur dripped has turned an interesting color of dark green. The tiramisu has been in the refrigerator all along. It still tastes fantastic. I have no idea what happened. Any thoughts of chemical reactions?
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you enjoyed it, Elke! Green! That's bizarre. My guess is that you might have used a coffee that was on the lighter roasted side of things. Coffee beans are green before they are roasted, so if they are only lightly roasted they will retain some of their green colour. Perhaps some of the ingredients reacted over time and brought the green colour back...
Elke Speliopoulos says
I wish I had a chemist at hand! 🙂 At any case, we ate it all because it tasted soooooooooo delicious.
Sonja says
wow. this exact thing happened to our tiramisu.. but husband doubts that it's because of roasting (we do however have light roast coffee in our home only..) 😀 also wishing for a chemist here 😀
Sam Turnbull says
So weird!! I wonder why this happens to some batches and not others. Glad you enjoyed it!
Michelle says
I had the same thing happen. Like you, we ate and enjoyed it despite the weird colour, but it was like the liqueur had interacted with the "ladyfingers" and had turned green.
Sam Turnbull says
That is so bizarre! Has never happened to me. Not sure why....
Verónica says
Hi Sam!
I write you the other day in "the ultimate vegan chocolate cake" post because I wanted to make a gluten free cake... well I made it with wheat flour and it was amazing as always, but instead I made this tiramisu recipe.
I decided this was the gluten free desert I was going to make, as I didn't know how the cake was going to be (experimenting with new flours) I thought "the cake is going to be wet with the coffee and everything, so nobody will know if it is not perfect" hehehe
Well I have to say that I totally LOVE this recipe!!!! The taste was AMAZING!!! I am so happy because tiramisu is one of my favorite desserts EVER!!! Everybody loved it and I, as I read in one of the comments, ate the leftovers the morning after as breakfast too!!! YUMMMM
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! So happy you loved it so much, Verónica. Thanks for the lovely comment!!
Moira Guthrie says
I made this Mother's Day for my family (my sister just had a baby so it was her first mother's day!) and they all loved it. I was, of course, expecting it to be good as you have never steered me wrong before but this was sinfully amazing! I may have had tiramisu for breakfast every day for a few days. I had to take some to share to my coworkers lest I gain weight by living off my leftovers (small family). To anyone thinking of making this, it's definitely worth the time and effort!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahahaha! I definitely had tiramisu for breakfast when I made this too! Thrilled you loved it so much, Moira! Comment of the day 🙂
Michelle says
Thanks for this Sam! I'm planning on making this on our upcoming long May 2-4 weekend! How important is the coffee liqueur? It's not something I would normally buy. Can I just use extra strong coffee?
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Michelle, I think you can skip it, and just use more coffee and it should be fine. Enjoy! 🙂
Jerelin says
Awesome! Bumped up the coffe flavor (made a pot espresso on the stove and added it all for the right flavor). My hisband and friend really likes it. Thanks! P.S. There should be a link to show us how to use the leftover coconut water as not to waste it...
Sam Turnbull says
So happy everyone loved it! It depends on the kind of coconut milk you buy, as the one I usually use has barely any coconut water leftover. But you can always toss any leftovers into a smoothie, juice, or curry. Hope that helps!:)
Kim says
Can't wait to try this one Sam! Finally a recipe for tiramisu that includes a vegan version of ladyfingers. This is one of my favorite desserts and I can't wait to try your recipe for it! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! Thanks so much, Kim! I hope you love it 🙂
Jay says
Hi Sam! Definitely looking forward to trying this recipe. One question from a fellow Canadian: What brand(s) of coconut milk/cream do you recommend? I've had varying results in other recipes. Thanks!
Katherine says
Hi jay! Just another Canadian her so I thought I'd reply. I've never had trouble with Thai Kitchen red can. Some of the stores around me also sell just coconut cream in a can, which works wonderfully and you get mostly cream with very little water in the bottom.
Sam Turnbull says
I agree with Katherine, Thai Kitchen is good. But since you're in Canada, if it's available to you I'm also a big fan of the T & T brand. It's almost all cream, barely any water left behind.
Jay says
Thank you both for the recommendations! I have bought Thai Kitchen previously and I think I have seen T & T here as well.