Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Mousse Cake

This Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Mousse Cake is the best secretly healthy yet seriously indulgent dessert! It’s:

• super chocolatey
• rich and creamy
• sweet but not sickly!

I’ve made so many chocolate treats for my blog so far, but I wanted to do something extra rich and indulgent for the upcoming Christmas holiday season.

Just because you follow a special diet doesn’t mean you can’t eat delicious food, right? And what better way to indulge during the festive season than with this Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Mousse Cake.

I absolutely love the combination of the moist, fluffy sponge, with the velvety, deeply chocolatey mousse, and the silky, ganache-like topping.

For the base, I used my go-to chocolate sponge recipe – it’s easy to make, requires just one bowl and familiar ingredients, and is versatile too.

The mousse layer was inspired by my Chocolate Sweet Potato Buttercream – it’s easy to make, uses inexpensive ingredients and you honestly can’t taste the sweet potatoes at all! Their naturally creamy texture and high sugar content makes them the perfect base for a luxurious chocolate mousse that doesn’t leave you feeling unwell afterwards.

The dark chocolate ganache layer is the perfect way to finish off this Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Mousse Cake, as it adds an extra level of indulgence. Make sure to look out for a refined sugar free chocolate if necessary.

For more chocolate cakes, check out my:

• Chocolate Torte
• Tahini Frosted Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Sponge Layer Cake
• Black Forest Cake
• Chocolate Hazelnut Truffle Cake
• Brooklyn Blackout Chocolate Cake
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
• Chocolate Truffle Cake
• Chocolate Orange Cake
• Chocolate Cupcakes
• Chocolate Mug Cake

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

4.75 from 4 votes

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Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Mousse Cake

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

This Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Mousse Cake is the best secretly healthy yet seriously indulgent dessert. It's super chocolatey, rich and creamy and perfectly sweet!

Course: Dessert

Servings: 8

Calories: 296 kcal

Ingredients

For the chocolate sponge:

• 30 g (1/8 cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
• 115 ml (1/2 cup) milk, any kind
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
• 4 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 75 g (2/3 cup) ground almonds (almond meal/flour)
• 75 g (2/3 cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
• 1 heaped teaspoon baking power (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

For the chocolate mousse:

• 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes (about 400g/14oz in total)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup, to taste (or sub any other sweetener)
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil

For the topping:

• 60 g (2oz) dark chocolate (ensure vegan/refined sugar free if necessary)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 7 tablespoons milk, any kind

Instructions

For the chocolate sponge:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)

2. Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil)
3. Once melted, add the milk to the same bowl along with the vinegar, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and ground almonds
4. Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder
5. Mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry
6. Place the mixture into a greased baking tin lined with baking paper (I used a 7inch/18cm springform baking tin)
7. Bake in oven for around 15 minutes until risen slightly and an inserted skewer comes out clean

8. Once out the oven, leave in the tin to cool completely before applying the next layer

For the chocolate mousse:

1. Cook the sweet potatoes by boiling, steaming or roasting them until very soft and tender

2. Discard any skins, and add to a food processor or blender along with all other ingredients
3. Whizz until completely smooth
4. Taste and adjust ingredients as necessary – add more maple syrup for sweetness, more salt for saltiness, more cocoa powder for chocolate flavour etc
5. Leave to cool before using for the cake

To assemble:

1. Once the sponge has completely cooled, keep it in the baking tin and spread the chocolate mousse evenly over the top

2. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil either over a bain-marie or in the microwave, add the milk and mix well

3. Still keeping the cake in the baking tin, pour the melted chocolate over the top of the mousse layer

4. Transfer the cake to the fridge for at least a few hours for everything to set

5. Once the top layer has set, you can decorate the cake if desired 

6. Ensure that everything has set properly before cutting the cake

7. Tastes best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days

Nutrition Facts

Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Mousse Cake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 296

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.