Birthday Cake (Chocolate Cake)

Here's a recipe I found for chocolate cake by Sarma Melngailis. My hubby and I love great food but like to make sure the ingredients are great for us too! Although we aren't 100% raw vegans we love to make most of our food vegan and raw because it's so good for our bodies! Here's the cake I made for his birthday. It's so delicious and nutritious but really rich so this recipe can serve 12-16 people.

Tools you'll need: blender, dehydrator

Chocolate Cake:

2c. walnut pieces, soaked 2 hours or more

1 1/2c. maple syrup

1c. filtered water

1t. vanilla extract

2c. cocoa powder (raw preferably)

3c. almond flour

1t. salt

Blend walnuts, maple syrup, water and vanilla extract in high speed blender until completely smooth. 

In a large bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, almond flour and salt. Add the wet ingredients from the blender and combine well by hand, making sure there are no lumps.

Transfer the batter to a parchment-lined sheet pan ( or tupperware) and smooth the surface with a spatula. Place the sheet pan in a dehydrator and dehydrate at 115 degrees for 24 hours.

Note: You're going to have three layers of cake so you can either make 3 pans of the same size or make a large sheet that will be cut into three. If the layers are too thick they won't dehydrate well. I ended up trying to dehydrate in tupperware and after 12 hours I ended up spreading the thicker mix onto two teflex lined dehydrator sheets. This gave me great, even sizes for cake and the cake dehydrated better. 

Chocolate Mousse:

2c. cashews soaked 4 hours or more

1c. young coconut meat

1/4c. cocoa powder

2 1/2t. vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

1c. agave nectar (I used honey and a little less than called for)

1 3/4c. filtered water

1 1/2c. coconut butter or oil, warmed to liquify (I used oil)

Blend all ingredients except the coconut oil in the blender till completely smooth.

Pour the coconut oil/butter slowly into the blender while running and run till incorporated. 

Transfer the mousse to a covered bowl or container and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight. 

*I neglected to see the last part so I ended up putting the mousse in the freezer and stirring every 30 minutes or so. You want the mousse pretty thick so it's more spreadable. 

Assembly:

Cut cake into equal thirds

Spread 1/3 of the mouse onto 1/3 of the cake

Place next piece on top of the mousse and gently press down

Repeat

Spread mousse on top of the cake and on the sides

Place cake in the freezer to set for about an hour or till firm

Trim the edges of the cake for clean, even sides

Store in the fridge till ready to serve