We made it to Friday, and as you guys know, Friday’s need chocolate. Yes, even in January. I know you might be on some kind of New Year’s diet, but this is as clean (and delicious) as a cake can get. And let’s just be real, all Friday’s, no matter what time of the year, need something sweet and delicious. This is your January cake. Here’s the deal, you guys know me, I’m not one to share many vegan recipes. This is mostly due to the fact that I love dairy. Especially anything goat milk related…kinda weird, but honestly, goat milk is a true delicacy, and so good for you. I try to find a way to include it in as many recipes as possible. But some recipes just magically turn out completely vegan, even when I wasn’t trying. Which is exactly what happened with this cake, and you know, I kind of love it. One of the most asked questions I get, especially through Instagram, is what inspires me. I’ve said this before, but I find inspiration everywhere I look. It can be a color, a change of seasons, rotting bananas, literally anything. The one thing that’s consistently inspiring me however, are the people around me. There’s nothing I love more than creating recipes for others. With my mom’s birthday falling on a Friday this year, I knew I needed to bake up some chocolate goodness. She is very much about the classic chocolate cake, but what she loves even more than cake is chocolate mousse. This got me thinking, why not finally make a chocolate mouse cake, but healthify it a bit for “Healthy January”? And that’s how this chocolate mousse cake came to be. Oddly, I didn’t have it ready in time for my mom’s actual birthday, so she got this cake instead. But, I did share this cake with her after lunch one day this week, kind of a post birthday dessert. Verdict? She LOVED it! Let me take you through this mousse cake layer by layer. Layer 1: walnuts, dates, coconut, cocoa powder, and flaky sea salt. This might sound odd, but it tastes just like a brownie, and it is so good. Layer 2: soaked cashews, coconut milk, cocoa powder, vanilla, and a touch of coffee. Oh this mousse. There’s truly nothing better than this mousse. I could eat it by the spoonful. The key to the silkiest, smoothest, vegan “mousse” is boiling the raw cashews to make them extra soft and easier to blend up. When they’re plump and soft, they blend into the smoothest consistency that truly resembles a real mousse. I like to add a touch of vanilla and coffee, to really bring out the chocolate flavors. So good. Layer 3: dark chocolate and creamy peanut butter. Why? Because an extra layer of chocolate is always a very good idea. Using peanut butter, keeps the chocolate soft, so it’s easier to cut through and doesn’t break apart. Plus, it’s just delicious. And now you see, right? Best chocolate mousse cake that happens to be on the healthier side, and a million times easier than a classic mousse cake. Love! Some notes. It’s really is important to take the time to boil the cashews and let them soak. Because of this, the prep time on the cake is a little longer, but it’s my no means hard. And, this cake does need to chill a bit, so plan ahead! The mousse can get soft, so be sure to keep the cake in the fridge until ready to serve. On that same note, since the cake is chilled, the chocolate on top can be a little hard to cut through. My tip? Run your knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and then cut. This works every time and gives you perfect slices. Other than that, there’s nothing too hard or tricky. In fact, it’s really easy, just a lot of blending and then chilling! Perfect thing to make over the weekend…or tonight, which I highly recommend. Because Friday’s beg for sweetness. Enjoy! If you make this vegan chocolate mousse cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite! Watch the How To Video:
