Category: Plant-Based

If I could have three different careers, I would choose cooking, writing, and designing in no particular order. Or all three? The joy I felt creating the interior for my mid-century Treehouse was unparalleled. I carefully chose furniture and artwork indicative of the Dutch Modern and Eames eras, pouring my love for design into every detail.

The emphasis on abstraction, simplicity, and functionalism in Dutch Modernism has significantly shaped my design choices. I deeply admire the minimalist aesthetic it promotes. Minimalism, as a philosophy, encourages us to focus on what’s important and eliminate distractions, a concept known as simple or intentional living.

The focus on simple designs with minimal decorative elements, clean lines, and open spaces aligns with my design philosophy. I also appreciate Dutch Modernism’s eco-friendly approach. Most furniture pieces are designed with practical use in mind, prioritizing comfort and usability. And some…just look really cool.

Garret Rietveld, a Dutch architect and furniture designer, led the De Stijl art movement. This movement, which was a reaction to World War I, was based on the hope that art could lead to social and spiritual renewal. We could use some of that today, eh?

Many people, including Charles and Ray Eames, two of my favorite designers, were notably influenced by the Dutch Modern De Stijl, or “The Style” movement. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, designer and architect Charles Eeams made groundbreaking contributions to the world of architecture, furniture design, industrial design, manufacturing, and the photographic arts. Charles and Ray met at Cranbrook Academy of Art, where Charles taught design and Ray was a student. His wife Ray had previously studied with the venerable and incredibly influential painter and teacher Hans Hofmann. I could do a whole post on Hofmann (and I may).

Charles Eames, a true visionary and ardent admirer of Frank Lloyd Wright, coined the phrase, “The details are in the details.” His influence on my life’s philosophy is profound. Can I get an amen?

To me, this is not just a saying but a way of life that permeates everything I do, reflecting my passion and commitment to what I care about. When I embark on a project, whether cooking, writing, or designing, I invest my heart and soul into it. I believe that the essence of anything remarkable lies in the details, and I always strive to bring this depth and thoughtfulness to my work.

So, like a proper design nerd, I eagerly awaited Pantone’s announcement of the color of the year. Pantone, a company that sets the color trends for industries such as fashion, design, and manufacturing, never fails to surprise. And this year, they did not disappoint with their choice of the most exquisite shade of brown, ‘Mocha Mousse.’ And I love it!

In general, I am not one for sweets. You’ll likely notice that I have a few desserts listed, but not many. I have more of a savory palate. This recipe is a rare exception. The creamy mousse and the light, airy texture of the cake make you almost feel like you’re eating a cloud. I like this recipe as it’s a take on a classic tiramisu. Adding the slightly bitter espresso cuts some of the sweetness that tends to be too much for someone like me.

I thought about making a gluten-free version, but the gluten is needed to keep the cake moist and fluffy. This cake is all about texture. It is 100% vegan and uses no eggs, which is kind of a big deal in baking. There are a lot of good dairy substitutes, but eggs are not as easy. I haven’t tried JustEgg, but if anyone does, reach out and let me know your thoughts.

This cake uses applesauce as a substitute for eggs. Plain yogurt works; too-1/2 cup of yogurt is the equivalent of 2 eggs and the equivalent of the 2/3 cups of applesauce in this recipe. For the mousse, I used Navitas cocao powder.  It’s good quality and Regenerative Organic certified, meaning it meets the world’s highest standard for organic agriculture with stringent requirements for soil, animal welfare, and social fairness.  And you can pretty much find it anywhere. For the plant-based cream, I used Country Crock Plant Cream. Right now, they have a $1.50 off coupon on their website.

For the top of the cake, since it’s a mocha espresso after all, I thought it would be fun to do a take on a mocha latte using white royal icing and pipe a little latte art. This is certainly not necessary, but it made for a pretty picture. If you are adventurous and ambitious enough, this is a cute and simple YouTube video about doing something like this. (FYI, I used a chopstick instead of toothpicks to draw the design.) Otherwise, I might recommend shaving a bar of vegan chocolate over the top or simply dusting cocoa on the top with a fine mesh sieve.

Enjoy!

XOXO,

Steph

Vegan Mocha Mousse Cake

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• Author: Stephanie Bosch
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: Two 8" Layer Cakes 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This recipe is for a 2-layer cake.  It’s a bit of work but well worth it! You can decorate with cocao nibs, chocolate sprinkles, or dust with cocao powder.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (60g) cocao powder
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup (170g) unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup oil + 2 tbsp (115g)
• 1 cup (245g) plant-based milk
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 1 tsp instant espresso powder

Vegan Chocolate Mousse:

• 1/2 cup vegan semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 cup raw cashews soaked for at least 15 minutes in hot water
• 15 ounce can full-fat coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon coffee from above

Chocolate Ganache:

• 6 oz good quality dark chopped chocolate (vegan)
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (firm, creamy part only, at room temperature)

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Instructions

Chocolate 2 -layer cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and spray (2) 8″ cake pans with nonstick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
2. Mix together the milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle (making a vegan buttermilk).
3. Whisk together the flour, cocao powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, either whisking by hand or with an electric mixer, combine the sugar, apple sauce, oil, and vanilla.
5. On the side, mix together the hot water and espresso powder. Set aside.
6. To the sugar mixture, alternate adding the milk and dry ingredients, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Stop and scrape down the bowl about halfway through.
7. Once that’s smooth, slowly mix in the hot espresso. Now the batter will be very thin.
8. Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
9. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then remove from the pans and let them completely cool at room temperature before frosting. To speed up this process, you can pop them into the fridge.

Chocolate Mousse:

1. Add the chocolate to a skillet with about 1/4 cup of the coconut milk over medium heat and mix well. Once the milk starts boiling, the chocolate will start melting. Switch off the heat.
2. Continue to mix until the chocolate is completely smooth. You can also microwave the chocolate in bursts of 30 seconds. Once it starts to melt on the edges, whisk well until all of the chocolate is melted.
3. Add the cashews, remaining coconut milk, cocao powder, vanilla, sugar, salt, and melted chocolate to a blender and a tablespoon of the coffee, then blend. Blend it for one minute, then let the blender sit for 5 to 10 minutes so the cashews can soak more moisture. Blend again for 30 seconds. Then, wait a minute, blend again for 30 seconds, and repeat until the mixture is smooth.
4. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to thicken.
5. Taste and adjust the sweetness and flavor if you like. You can add more cocao powder, coffee, vanilla, or sugar and blend well after adding them.

Ganache:

1. Place a bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water (a double boiler). Add chocolate and allow to melt, stirring frequently. (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave.)
2. Remove bowl from heat, and allow chocolate to cool slightly.
3. Add room-temperature thick coconut milk and allow the mixture to sit for a minute for the temperatures to assimilate.
4. Stir or whisk gently to combine cream and chocolate.
5. Use immediately as a drizzle over cake.

Assemble:

1. Only frost the cake once the layers have completely cooled.
2. Spread about 1 cup of mousse between each cake layer (a small offset spatula is my favorite tool). Once all layers are stacked, place the naked cake in the fridge to set. Otherwise, the cake will slide around when trying to frost the sides. Chill for 20 minutes.
3. Once firm, remove the cake and plop the mousse on top of it (yes, all of it). Spread it out towards the sides and let it hang over the edges. Spread that overhang down the sides to the bottom of the cake. The sides don’t have to be perfect, but make sure the cake is completely covered.
4. Use your offset spatula or a spoon to create the swoops and swirls around the cake. Sprinkle with your favorite toppings.
5. Enjoy!

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Notes

• Sifting flour and cocao powder breaks down lumps and aerates the ingredients, ensuring a lighter, more consistent texture and an easier batter.