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Vegan chocolate poke cake with Dulce-de-leche oozing out
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5 from 2 votes

Vegan Chocolate Poke Cake With Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Vegan Chocolate Poke Cake With Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting is infused with a lusciously delicious Dulce-de-leche and topped with a thick, generous layer of homemade chocolate ganache and toasted coconut flakes. It's sinfully delicious and hard to resist!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Rest: 4 hours
Total: 4 hours 55 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 739kcal
Author: Ruchi

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

CHOCOLATE CAKE

VEGAN DULCE-DE-LECHE

WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING

  • 1/2 cup Non-dairy Butter Or regular butter
  • 1 cup Powdered Sugar sifted
  • - - Pinch of salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

  • Start by making the chocolate ganache first. Combine melted chocolate and coconut cream in a large bowl. 
  • Fold them together. Keep stirring until blended. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerate for 4-6 hours. 
  • The ganache will firm up and become thick once cooled.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Greased the 8-inch pan or 9x13-inch pan and set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and mix well.
  • In a separate bowl, combine non-dairy milk, water, oil, and vinegar. Whisk it well. 
  • Add the wet ingredients into dry and mix until the batter is smooth. 
  • Pour batter into the greased pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  • Allow the cake to sit for 5 minutes then start to poke holes all over the cake with a spoon. Make sure you make the holes while the cake is still hot.
  • Warm dulce-de-leche in the microwave for 20 seconds. Stir to combine. Pour it all over the cake in such a way that it gets in all the holes and the cake is thoroughly drenched in dulce-de-leche. Gently, even out the filing with a spoon.
  • After the filing, let the cake cool for 10-20 minutes while we prepare the chocolate ganache frosting and toasted coconut flakes.

TOASTED COCONUT FLAKES

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Spread coconut flakes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 5-7 minutes.
  • Keep a watchful eye as the flakes will toast very quickly. Remove from oven and mix the flakes for an even color.

WHIPPED CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING

  • Connect the paddle attachment to the stand mixer. Combine butter, salt, and chilled chocolate ganache in the stand mixer bowl. whip on medium to high speed for about 3-4 mins.
  • Lower the speed to low and add the sifted powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined.
  • Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix again on high speed for 2-3 mins until smooth and creamy.
  • Since it contains coconut cream, the frosting will have a light and fluffy texture. Whipped chocolate ganache frosting is much sturdier than the whipped cream frosting. Salt is optional. But to bring out the flavor of the frosting, it is highly recommended.
  • Spread this ganache frosting over the cooled cake and generously top with toasted coconut flakes. Cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Now comes the finishing part: drizzle with melted chocolate and Maraschino cherries and enjoy!

VEGAN DULCE-DE-LECHE

  • Whisk coconut milk, coconut cream, sugar, and salt in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Stir to combine.
  • Boil until mixture on medium heat and keep stirring until it is reduced to half. This will take about 20-25 minutes. Keep a watchful eye as it may boil over if left unattended.
  • The sauce will thicken as it cools. Once cooled, transfer the sauce to a canned jar. Chill entirely and use a directed. It can be made 2-3 days in advance. 

Notes

 
Variations
» For the cake recipe, you can either make the cake from scratch or use a box mix – either one is perfect. Even store-bought chocolate cake will work just fine.
» I have used an 8-inch baking square pan, but I would highly recommend using a 9×13 pan.
» Instead of Dulce-de-leche filling, fresh fruit puree or caramel sauce will work great. The possibilities are nearly endless for a poke cake.
This vegan chocolate poke cake recipe can be adapted to any flavor of filling you like. If you are using Jello for the filling, then it will take a few hours to soak and completely set into the cake.
» Don’t want to bake a poke cake, no worries. Bake poke cupcakes. however, baking time will vary.
» To speed up the time, you can use store-bought chocolate ganache frosting too.
 
Cooking Tips
» Make sure you pour the filling while the chocolate cake is still hot. This way Dulce-de-leche filling will absorb well into the cake.
» For a nice clean slice for every serving, wipe the cutting knife after each cut.
 
FAQ’S
» Does this poke cake need to be stored in the fridge? I would highly recommend it.
It is always best to store a poke cake in the fridge because it will absorb all the fantastic flavors and taste delicious.
Cover it well so that it doesn’t incorporate any refrigerator smell.
 
» Can you make this vegan chocolate poke cake in advance? Absolutely! This cake is an excellent choice for a make-ahead dessert. Prepare the chocolate cake ( the base layer) two days in advance, poke the cake, wrap it well, and store it in the refrigerator.
A day before the party, top the poke cake with filling and chocolate ganache frosting, toasted coconut, and enjoy.
Fully frosted cake stay fresh and flavorful for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. It’s a perfect dessert to feed a crowd!
 

Nutrition

Calories: 739kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Sodium: 196mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 64g | Vitamin A: 58IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 4mg