Can I just say… this cake is vegan and gluten free. She’s a no bake, all clean, raw food wonder. But, aside from all of that, because I won’t pretend to be vegan (unless this cake’s on offer), she’s healthy and she tastes ah-mazing.
I really wanted to share more of my food loves because, you know, I eat every single day, many times, and so that should fit rather nicely into my blog schedule and, just like I can’t wear the same breton top and ripped jeans every time on here, I hope that sharing some recipes might encourage me to eat more than teriyake salmon every night (up next on the blog : teriyake salmon…). So I hope you enjoy some of them enough to try them and, if you do I hope you’ll share and hashtag #ThankfifiFood because I wanna see how you make it your own. Let’s all get on the healthy chocolate mousse cake train together – now there’s an oxymoron if ever there was one – except wait, it’s not, because it truly is healthy. Result.
RAW CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKE
(Serves 16)
For the base
200g pitted medjool dates
170g walnuts
50g shredded coconut
2 tbsp cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 tbsp instant coffee (or not, if you prefer not)
For the filling
170g cashew nuts, soaked in boiling water for 2 hours
5 tbsp coconut oil
2/3 cup full fat coconut milk
4 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp honey
1 cup cashew nut butter
5 tbsp espresso or strong coffee (just sub for more cocoa if you don’t love coffee… if you’re crazy)
1 large, ripe banana
For drizzling on top
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tbsp honey
Directions
Soak the dates in warm water for 15 minutes then drain (this makes them extra juicy). Put walnuts in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the dates, coconut, cocoa powder, salt and pulse until a paste forms. Add the coffee to taste and pulse until it starts to go into a ball.
Press the mixture into a 12 inch springform pan with the bottom covered with cling film. This is probably the hardest bit. Think gooey fingers trying to convince more goo to do what you want… bog factor 5/5. I found the best solution was to periodically scrape a little bit of coconut oil onto the back of a metal spoon and use that to do all the pressing. But just whatever works for you… When you win, put the pan in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
Put coconut oil, coconut milk, cocoa powder, honey, cashew nut butter and coffee in a sauce pan and warm until everything’s melted. Then pour this along with the cashews and the banana into a food processor and blend until the mixture is as smooth as possible. I almost burnt out the motor but I wanted it to be smoooooth. Pour the filling into the crust, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 2-4 hours or until filling is set.
I guess at this point you could store the whole cake in the freezer until you need it… but that’d be crazy because, honestly, you’ve probably licked the spoon and you already know you’re gonna eat this cake. Asap. So move her to the fridge where she’s good for a couple of days.
Dust some cocoa powder on top so it looks a bit fancy and then mix the final few ingredients in a small bowl before drizzling the sauce over cake and topping with whatever else you fancy – nuts, coconut shavings, flowers. Beautiful.
Currently scouring Barbados for cashew butter. Otherwise, I have to soak and dry cashews and make my own. Wanted to make this tonight! It looks so good in every way.
Author
You could just use peanut butter instead and save yourself a bit of time 😉 Let me know how it turns out.x
That’s a huge list of ingredients, looks totally worth the effort though! X
Author
But really quite simple to make at least!
It looks so good, will have to try it soon. I made the frozen banana and cocoa ice cream last week. It was well worth the effort, my Vitamix cut out 2 times whilst making it. I had to call customer service in America to get it going again. But it tasted divine, so smooth and creamy and good for you. I didn’t have any coconut but I’m sure it would have been like eating Bounty ice cream.
Author
Oh this made me chuckle a little, sorry! Your poor vitamix! So glad you got it going again and that the icecream was worth it!x