Special thank you to Amore di Mona for sponsoring this post.
Cherries are coming into season and I’ve created the most delicious Cherry Chocolate Mousse Cake to celebrate this time. It’s just the perfect Summer dessert for the chocolate lovers.
There are three different layers in this cake, base is a chocolate sponge cake which is covered with smooth chocolate ganache and then topped with sour cherry jelly and decorated with fresh cherries and edible flowers. This cake looks so pretty, it’s calling on Summer.
For the base of this cake I’ve used a variation of my Raspberry Chocolate Madeleines recipe, which is beautifully moist and really wholesome. This time I’ve used ground quinoa flakes, but feel free to use gluten-free oats if you prefer.
The chocolate ganache is a simple mix of dark vegan chocolate and oat cream, which sets into just right consistency to hold the shape. And for the zing I have topped the cake with sour cherry agar jelly which creates a beautiful glossy finish.
I’ve lined the inside of the cake tin with some greaseproof baking paper before pouring the ganache, but it caused my sides to go little ridged so I’ve used spatula to smooth them out. You shouldn’t need it when using a springform cake tin. But you might want to run a knife around the edges before removing the cake from the tin.
Enjoy the recipe :)
Cherry Chocolate Mousse Cake (vegan & gluten-free)
Ingredients
Chocolate cake:
- 35g brown rice flour (1/4 cup)
- 35g sunflower seeds (1/4 cup), ground into flour consistency
- 25g quinoa flakes or gluten-free oats (1/4 cup), ground into flour consistency
- 2tbsp arrowroot
- 2tbsp raw cacao powder
- 50g rapadura sugar (1/3 cup)
- ½tsp baking powder
- ½tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ¼tsp cinnamon
- pinch sea salt
- 2tbsp ground flaxseed + 6tbsp water
- 60ml olive oil (1/4 cup)
- 60ml plant milk (1/4 cup)
- 1tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate ganache:
- 200g chocolate or dark vegan chocolate (7oz)
- 180ml oat cream (3/4 cup)
- 1tbsp maple syrup
Cherry jelly:
- 200g frozen sour cherries (2 cups)
- 120ml water (1/2 cup)
- 2½tbsp agar flakes
- 2tbsp maple syrup
Topping:
- fresh cherries
- edible flowers
Instructions
- Chocolate cake:
- Mix 2tbsp ground flaxseed with 6tbsp water and set aside to thicken.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350F)
- Grease and line 6" round springform cake tin.
- In a large bowl whisk together brown rice flour, ground sunflower seeds, ground quinoa flakes, arrowroot, cacao, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk together flax eggs, olive oil, plant milk, apple cider vinegar and vanilla.
- Add the wet mix to the dry mix and mix until well combined. You should have pourable muffin consistency.
- Spoon the mixture into lined cake tin and bake for about 20 minutes or until a cocktail stick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool down.
- Chocolate ganache:
- Chop the dark chocolate and place into a small bowl. In a pan heat oat cream on a low fire until it comes to a boiling point. Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir until completely melted. Stir in the maple syrup and set aside to slightly cool down.
- Now carefully pour the ganache onto the chocolate cake layer. Place into fridge for about an hour to set.
- Cherry jelly:
- Place the cherries into a small pot, add water and bring to a boil, gently simmer for 10 minutes until broken down and mushy.
- Press the mixture through a mesh sieve. You should have about 300ml (1¼ cup) liquid. Now pour it back into the pot.
- Stir in agar flakes and maple syrup and bring back to a boil. Leave to simmer for about 15 minutes stirring frequently until the flakes have dissolved.
- Take off the heat and leave to cool down before carefully pouring on top of the chocolate ganache layer. Place back into fridge to set.
- Gently remove the cake from the cake tin and place onto a cake stand. If needed smooth out the side of the cake with spatula and top with some fresh cherries and edible flowers if you wish.
Notes
If using fresh cherries for the jelly, 2 cups are about 300g.
You can replace oat cream with coconut cream. Use 150g chocolate and 240ml coconut cream.
Hi! This looks amazing :) Quick question, what exactly is oat cream? Do you have a recipe for it?
Hi Hannah, I buy oat cream from a brand called Oatly, but I think you can make your own however I’ve never tried that. You could also replace it with coconut cream, use 150g chocolate and 240ml coconut cream. So happy you think so :)
Can we use canned cherries.. Love your recipies
Hi Nimerta, I think it should be fine. Blend them with the syrup they are in until smooth and then use as per the recipe. You can make the jelly higher if you like too. Hope you enjoy the cake :)
Thanku so much????
Hello hanna! Can we use this ganache for frosting or covering the cake
Thanku
Hi Nimerta, yes, you can. I usually do 240ml oat cream and 230g dark chocolate for frosting. Set overnight in the fridge until pipeable consistency.
Thanku so much????
Hi! Would it be alright to replace the different gluten free flour options with all purpose or cake flour at the final amount at 95g?
Hi Kinjal, yes, you can. Just adjust the milk, you might need less.
hi! can i use fresh cherries? if so, how much? thanks.
Yes, of course you can. Use same amount 2 cups but in weight it will be slightly more I say 300g.