Vegan Chocolate Roll Cake
I had just made a rolled pumpkin cake and it turned out so well, I asked Eric if I could make him a chocolate rolled cake for his birthday. His birthday happens to land on Thanksgiving this year so we are kind of celebrating on different days before and after it since most places will be closed. I still wanted him to have a cake though, even though he will probably be enjoying some pie on his actual birthday. It is tradition I make him a birthday cake or dessert every year. Five out of the seven years we have been together it has been a chocolate cake because he is the biggest chocolate lover I know. I have made raw cheesecakes, baked layer cakes, molten chocolate cakes but not a rolled chocolate cake yet. I told Eric the idea for the cake and he liked it, especially when I described it as being like a giant Hoho cake. But it would be way better than those little snack cakes we ate growing up because it would be made with better real ingredients. I always thought those tasted a little bit off.
For the cake portion, I made my fruit sweetened chocolate cake. First, because I like to make fruit sweetened cakes as much as possible because they are better for you, and second because they always stay nice and moist. When I make fruit sweetened cakes, I make them with dates usually blended up in the batter. They give it a little bit of a caramel flavor too which is amazing with chocolate. I have been making them this way for a few years now and they always turn out lovely! I figured it would be good for a rolled cake too since you don't want anything too dry. This cake also happens to be oil free too because I use nut butter in place of oil, but you would never guess by tasting it! The batter tasted fabulous even before baking!
It baked up beautifully and while it was cooling in the garage (it is like 30 degrees in there right now, so I put it in there to cool faster), I whipped up the filling. I wanted it to be rich, smooth and luscious so I used a mixture of coconut milk and Dastony Macadamia Nut Butter from Raw Guru in it and the texture was fabulous! The macadamia nut butter is similar to cashew butter in recipes, but I like it even better! I also added in a bit of maple syrup and vanilla and it tasted good even before it was on the cake!
It rolled up beautifully, but I wanted to top it off with something so it looked prettier. I thought about frosting, but a ganache sounded better. After all, this was supposed to be chocolate decadence. So I melted some dark chocolate together with coconut milk and viola! Delicious ganache! We could not wait to try the cake. It was super delicious, the cake was nice and moist, with rich chocolate flavor, the perfect partner for the smooth vanilla cream, and decadent ganache! If you are a chocolate fan, definitely give this a try!
Vegan Chocolate Roll Cake
Makes one 15 inch long roll cake
Ingredients:
10x15 inch jelly roll pan
Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained
- 1/4 cup almond butter or your preferred nut butter (just make sure it is smooth)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups filtered water
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
Filling:
- 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk, such as Thai Kitchen chilled (you want to make sure it is a brand that is 3/4 of the can cream or it will not work)
- 1/2 cup Dastony Macadamia Nut Butter or Dastony Raw Cashew Butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted Dastony Coconut Butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid
Ganache:
- 3/4 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
- Line a 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well. Set aside.
- Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
- Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes.
- Cool cake completely.
- To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
- Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten. Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
- When ready to assemble, spread filling over the top of the cake, then roll up jellyroll style starting with the short side and using the parchment to assist you in rolling. Be careful because the cake is fragile, but if it cracks as you roll it no worries, keep rolling because the cake will be covered. Let chill in the freezer once rolled for a few hours before topping with the ganache. Once it has chilled, cut off the ends to make it nice and even.
- To make the ganache, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, then whisk in the coconut milk until smooth. Pour over the cake and smooth out over the top and sides (but leaving the pretty ends exposed).
- Chill until the ganache has firmed up, and serve!
*If you would like to make this gluten free, swap the whole wheat flour for Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (I have tested this brand and know it works, but have not tried other brands so I am not sure if they would turn out the same).
