Decadent Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake /Pie has a Chocolate almond crust, a dark Chocolate mousse, a lighter mousse. No palm oil Makes 1 8 inch pan Jump to Recipe
I told you. This year is going to be chocolatey. Be ready for a Chocolate Coma. This insanely delicious and decadent Triple Layer Chocolate Mousse Cake or Pie has a chocolate oat almond crust, a dark chocolate mousse layer and a lighter chocolate mousse layer. Top it with vanilla ice cream for the best ever dessert.
The entire cake has 7 oz of cocoa/cacao butter which is what keeps the mousse solid enough to not be liquid. The chocolate I used is Theo’s dark chocolate which also uses cocoa butter and no other random oils. So There is no palm oil in this huge cake! I used a bit of tofu to add volume, which can be easily replaced by very thick cashew cream. The 7 oz Cocoa butter is enough to set the mousse layers. If you do not want to eat anything other than mousse, skip the crust and make 2 layers mousse cake.
Death by Chocolate Mousse!
You can use a baked chocolate cake/torte like this one, as the bottom layer instead of the Oat almond layer. That will be an even taller mousse cake. This is quite a decadent dessert and can easily serve a party of 10 to 12.
Now if you will excuse me, I need to finish off this piece before the Ice cream melts.
Yeah, do not go on my pouring skills. or cleaning up the edges skills 😉 This Cake = Awesome!
One day, some weeks ago, I was craving some chocolate. Most of the options in stores or restaurants use a good amount of shortening/butter that is palm oil based and it always bugs me to consume that much palm oil, sustainable or not. So I was looking in my pantry and happened upon my stash of cocoa butter (I had 3 containers that I got early this year when they were on sale!) and hence came this mousse cake. It is not all black and white either though. Palm oil industry has serious impact on environmental, animal life (orangutans and others), people and sustainable practices are still questionable, while Cocoa industry is surrounded by unfair farming practices, child labor and more. Fair trade cocoa product partners list can be found here.
I never got around to using the cocoa butter jars because it is difficult to melt the cocoa butter to get a small amount out. So I melted the whole container and made this tall tall mousse cake. 2 layers of mousse and a crust. Chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate!
More Chocolatey goodness from the blog
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Chocolate chip cookie, Caramel, Brownie Bars.
Triple Layer Chocolate Mousse Cake Vegan Gluten free Recipe. No Bake, No Palm oil
Ingredients
Base Cocoa butter + Chocolate Mixture:
- 7 oz cocoa butter Now foods or Fair trade certified Artisana or Navitas Naturals I used Now foods)
- 3 Theo Classic Organic 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate Fair trade, 3-Ounce Bars or other Vegan chocolate (9 oz, or 2 loaded cups of dark or semi sweet chocolate)
- 1/3 cup (75.33 ml) coconut milk full fat, canned
- 1/3 cup (78.86 g) ground raw sugar or other fine sugar
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
Crust
- 1/2 cup (60 g) finely ground oat flour use certified gf oats, or use more almond flour to omit oats
- 1/2 cup (56 g) finely ground almond flour use oat flour to omit nuts
- 1/3 cup (78.86 g) ground raw sugar
- 3 Tbsp of base cocoa butter chocolate mixture
- 2 to 3 tsp maple syrup
Dark Chocolate Mousse layer
- All of the base (minus 3 tbsp) of Cocoa butter +chocolate Mixture
- 1/3 cup (75.33 ml) coconut milk full fat
- 1/3 cup (28 g) firm or silken tofu well drained
- 1/4 cup (59.15 g) ground raw sugar
Light Chocolate Mousse Layer:
- 1/2 cup (113 ml) coconut milk
- 1/3 cup (78.86 g) ground raw sugar
- 1/2 cup (42 g) firm or silken tofu well drained
- 1.5 tsp vanilla
- 3 Tbsp melted cocoa butter
- 3 tbsp of the reserved cocoa butter + chocolate mixture
Instructions
- Base cocoa butter + chocolate mixture: In a pan, add the cocoa butter and heat at medium heat until fully melted. Depending on the cocoa butter, it can take 10 or more mins. Remove from heat when melted.
- Remove 3 Tbsp of the melted cocoa butter into a bowl and set aside.
- To the melted hot cocoa butter in the pan, add the dark chocolate let sit for half a minute. Whisk the dark chocolate to melt evenly.
- Meanwhile, mix the 1/3 cup sugar into 1/3 cup coconut milk until well combined. Add this and vanilla to the pan and mix well until smooth and shiny. This is the base cocoa butter + chocolate mixture.
- Make the dark chocolate mousse layer: Add the rest of the base cocoa butter = chocolate mixture to a blender, add 1/3 cup coconut milk, 1/3 cup tofu or very thick cashew cream, sugar and blend to a smooth consistency. Pour 2/3 of this blended mixture into the cake pan. Reserve the 1/3 of the mixture in the blender. Refrigerate the cake pan with the dark chocolate mousse for 15 mins.
- Make the lighter chocolate mousse layer: Add 1/2 cup coconut milk, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 cup tofu, 1.5 tsp vanilla, the 3 Tbsp reserved cocoa butter from step 2, to the blender (which has the reserve mix from step 6), and blend to smooth consistency. Pour into the pan over the dark chocolate layer. Even it out with a spatula if needed.
- Chill the cake for a few hours, slice and serve with a dollop of vegan vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Makes a tall 8 inch round cake pan. I used a spring form pan.
- I used store bought Oat and almond flour. If you are grinding the oats and almonds, grind them together so the almonds can be ground fine without becoming nut butter.
- Use a mix of dark chocolate and vegan semi sweet for best results. Some dark chocolate can add a slight bitter flavor profile. Taste and adjust the layers before assembly and add some cocoa powder for more chocolate, sugar for sweeter etc
Nutrition
Jess
Made this last week and it turned out beautifully. I used a mix of semi sweet and dark chocolate and it was so chocolatey and decadent!
Richa
Awesome!!
Emily
Oh gosh. I made this for my husbands birthday and it turned out just so good! Perfectly soft and chocolatey!
Richa
Awesome
Amber
I was so excited to make this today and I was making it for my boyfriend for Valentine’s Day this week (2019). The recipe sounded and looks so good!
I’m very disappointed that my attempt really, really failed. The mixture seized up in the blender, quickly becoming hard instead of a pouring consistency. I had to painstakingly scoop it all back out of the blender with a spoon, dump it in a metal mixing bowl, and heat it in the microwave to warm it enough to whisk it together to get the lumps out and to make it pourable. I still poured it into the pan on top of the crust, but my taste test proved it to be very bitter *and* too sweet simultaneously.
I followed the recipe carefully, so I’m not sure what went wrong, but it was a very expensive mistake. I don’t think I’ll be attempting this recipe again. I live on almost minimum wage so I splurged to buy cocoa (cacao) butter and almond flour. I’m sorely disappointed. 🙁 I think I’ll go back to the vegan chocolate mousse recipe I found made from aquafaba instead.
Richa
Oh no. I am so sorry it didnt turn out. This is a pretty decadent pie and should not be bitter at all, more chocolatey and milk chocolatey. I think the bitter could be a combination of the cocoa butter and/or the chocolate. Brands and age sometimes affect flavor. I’ve had that happen to a cake when the chocolate was old and had a stronger bitter profile which wasnt really a pleasing dark chocolate flavor.
Dont throw it away. You can keep a portion of the cake and see how you can change it up. you can add some coconut milk or cream while blending the portion or gently heating, and see if that helps with the bitter profile. In the meanwhile, freeze the rest till you can find a way to fix it. You can freeze for upto 2 months.
Christina
This looks amazing but I don’t understand how the top layer is light chocolate when it doesn’t have any chocolate at all? It didn’t seem like it would be that color without at least some cocoa powder or melted chocolate, but the ingredients only lists coconut milk, raw sugar, tofu, vanilla, and cocoa butter.
Richa
See the instructions where it uses 3 tbsp of the reserved melted dark chocolate when blending. i’ll add it to the ingredient section as well.
Lenore
This dessert is amazingly delicious! Even my non-vegan friends asked for the recipe! Thank you.
Richa
Awesome!
Eve-Marie
Hi Richa, I am thinking about making this for a party and it turns out I have only 6 ounces of cacao butter (I hate to buy more – expensive!) Do you think I could safely reduce the amount to 6 ounces for this recipe, or would you suggest subbing something for the missing ounce? Thanks!
Richa
should work out fine. Maybe use a combination of coconut cream and coconut milk in the layers so they set well.
Eve-Marie
Perfect – thanks!
Shelby
Is it possible to replace the cocoa butter? It’s not easily available where I am but I’m not sure if this recipe would work with anything else.
Richa
This particular recipe wont work without as it is a major component. You can use more tofu, some coconut cream and refined coconut oil to make the base layer and go from there. You can also use sweet potato for the base like my sweet potato chocolate pie filling (https://www.veganricha.com/2014/11/vegan-chocolate-pumpkin-pie-with-almond-crust-gluten-free.html), there will be a flavor and texture difference
Shelby
Thank you for your reply 😊
Clara
Oh my. This is chocolate heaven. I made a few changes to the recipe (replacing the sugar with maple syrup and dates and changing the tofu/coconut milk ratio a bit to use up everything I had at home) and it still turned out absolutely delicious. It is an extremely decadent cake and a little goes a long way but it’s exactly right for a weekend treat 🙂 Thank you so much for the recipe.
Katharina Biely
I do not have a freezer, can I put it in the fridge as well, but longer?
Richa
yes let it chill in the refrigerator.
Jake
As a vegan that looks so amazingly good wow. I would love to have my friends try it who says vegan can’t have a good dessert !
Hannah
Can’t wait to make this recipe! Will this keep best in the refrigerator or the freezer, and for how long do you think it would last?
Richa
refrigerated about 3 days. it will last longer in the freezer, but the texture of the mousse changes a bit.
Nina
Hah! This was already on my to make list. It looks so good. And coincidentally I bought cocoa butter last week, something I never use normally. I’m going to try this next week. I still have a piece of the cookie dough pie and naturally I have the salted date caramel pie so :’)… Sadly my friends and family are so far away, I can’t share with them. But hey, my husband and I eat it all :p …. Thank you for pointing out this recipe to me! I don’t know how you come up with it all, but it makes me soooo happy! ♡
jennifer
I made this-it’s phenomenal. Non- vegans were completely floored. I want to experiment with making it boozy. And it really is super easy- it took me way less time than I thought it would.
You’re brilliant!
Richa
yay!! so glad everyone loved it! you can blend in some liquor when you add coconut milk. if you are adding more than a 1-2 tablespoons, then reduce the coconut milk quantity by that much, so that the overall consistency doesnt get too thin as it wont set as well then.
jennifer
Yes! Thank you. And maybe if I wanna get rull fancy, a thin layer of boozy soaked cake or lady fingers or something between the layers… kaluha, grand marinier, or even kirsche to make it sorta black foresty!
Richa
🙂 yes you can add a cake layer at the bottom ad soak it as much as you want 😉
Rachel
Yum! Forget dinner parties, I think this would be a perfect impromptu snack for myself.
Nadine
Cooling in the fridge right now!
It will be my daughters birthday cake 🙂
Melissa
Just pulled mine out of the fridge after making this wonderful mousse cake. Thank you for the wonderful recipe and easy to follow steps. If left out of fridge for a bit before serving, will it relax\melt a little? mine feels a little firm? Taking it to a girls night tonight and hope its a smash hit! thank you Melissa
Richa
Awesome! so glad you made it ! It depends on the ambient temperature. It does soften at room temperature.
Melissa
Thanks so much for your quick reply Richa, and once again for helping us Vegans remain constantly trying new and delicious food where no being has died for the pleasure of it xx Melissa
asma
Cocoa butter substitute
Kayse
Whaaaaat?! Such an amazing recipe! I need to make this.
ron
After becoming vegan I am just amazed how healthy and how amazing some of these vegan alternatives are to what we had all been so used to eating. I am having a blast learning of the new vegan foods and how amazing they are.
Kim
Have any idea if there is a soy substitute that can be used? Thanks!
Richa
thick cashew cream. its mentioned in the recipe
Kelly
Is the coconut milk in the mouse layers from the can or coconut milk in carton?
Can’t wait to make this!
Richa
its full fat coconut milk from a can.
myveryveggieblog.com
I was just thinking I need to try a new chocolate dessert (a thought that really runs through my head at least once a day)! Thanks for sharing!
laurelvb
Ah mazing and you even confirmed my guess that cashews might replace the tofu. I wish I’d seen this before my birthday sugar binge. This WILL be made soon though, reason to celebrate or not. WOW!!!
Anonymous
When you crave chocolate you go all out!
Annie
Messy edges or not – this is one stunner of a dessert!
cherry fe vallejo
Wow fantastic what a perfect cake yummy I want this cake 🙂 I love this 🙂 Thank you : personal chef in austin tx
Nancy
Do you think the same amount of Thai coconut flesh could sub for the tofu? This looks so good, but I don’t have any tofu.
Richa
it should work fine with the coconut flesh. if the mousse doesnt set well, freeze it for half an hour or so.
Nancy
great, thanks. I can’t wait to try it
Ellen Lederman
You deserve a treat like this for all your hard work in developing recipes and posting them for us to enjoy!
Richa
you bet. i ate a lot of it 🙂
Liane
OMG! How is this so perfect? I want it now 🙂
Anonymous
Can you suggest a replacement for the tofu?
Richa
very thick cashew cream
Vicky
Richa! This is “death by chocolate”!!! I am pinning this for later and will try it sometime with cashew cream instead of the tofu – it looks very decadent – a truly lovely dessert xo
Richa
haha , indeed. death by chocolate mousse. it is quite decadent. thankfully i cannot eat more than a thin slice at a time, so it lasts a very long time. 🙂
Anonymous
What type of coconut milk?
Richa
canned full fat will work best
Lisa | Mummy Made.It
This looks too good to be actually good for you!
Richa
😀 it is good for you in small amounts 🙂 it immediately puts me in a happy mood 🙂
Shannon
Soo good! How big was your cake pan, I’m planning on scaling down a bit since I don’t want to eat it all myself 😉
Shannon
Nevermind, 8 inch! Hah, I can read, honest 😉
Richa
🙂 yes 8 inch, spring form pan. you can freeze it too. i had to freeze half of it. and it stays well. 🙂
Janet Parker
the whole melted chocolate cocoa butter mixture goes both in the crust and in the dark chocolate layer? I don’t understand… was it half / half?
Richa
just 3 Tbsp in the crust and rest in the dark chocolate layer. i listed it in the ingredients, now added it to the instructions as well. i also changed the instructions to use the same names. hope that helps.
Vegyogini
I’m still a bit confused about this: You say to reserve 3 T of the base cocoa butter/chocolate mixture (step 2) and then say to add 3 T to the crust (step 5) and 3 T to the light mousse layer (step 7). Are we meant to reserve 6 T from the original mixture? Thanks, this recipe looks delicious!
Richa
reserve 3 Tbsp of just the melted cocoa butter (before dark chocolate is added to it ),which is added to the top mousse layer.
the 3 tbsp in the crust is the cocoa+chocolate mixture.
PamelaN Kanoa
I’m drooling…
T'ya
I was just about to say the same thing. I want. But I am on a detox! Bookmarking for later for sure 🙂
Caitlin
wowza. that’s all i can say.
Richa
i know right!