Pomegranate and Hazelnut Mousse Cake
Fruity, creamy, and fluffy pomegranate and hazelnut mousse cake -- a raw cake that's delightfully sweet with a hint of tartness.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6" cake
- Category: raw cake
- Method: raw, no-bake
- Cuisine: raw vegan
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup hazelnuts
- 3 soft medjool dates, pitted
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (unscented)
Filling
Make sure all ingredients are at room temp before starting*
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, pre-soaked and strained**
- 3/4 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/2 cup coconut cream***
- 6 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (from 1 med-large lemon)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (unscented)
- 1/2 tsp salt
Toppings
- 1/2 cup pomegranate arils
- 1/2 cup hazelnuts, crushed / ground
- fresh flowers, optional
Instructions
- Process all crust ingredients into a fine sticky crumble in a food processor. Transfer into a 6" springform pan and press down into a flat crust along the base. Freeze while working on the next step.
- Blend all filling ingredients into a completely smooth consistency in a power blender. Transfer this mixture into the prepared cake pan over the crust. Tap the pan down on the counter to smooth out the top, and even it out further with the back of a spoon as needed.
- Freeze for 10-15 minutes to allow the top to firm up slightly (so as to make sure the toppings in the next step don't sink in too much while the top is too liquid). Remove the cake from freezer and sprinkle the perimeter / edges of the cake with the ground hazelnuts. Then sprinkle the pomegranate arils in the center. Lightly tap the pan on the counter once again to help the toppings set into the filling a little.
- Freeze the cake for 5-6 hours or overnight. Then thaw out on the counter for 5 minutes or so, so that the springform ring can be removed. Transfer the cake onto a serving plate and place in the fridge for 2 hours to soften to a more creamy consistency prior to serving. Otherwise keep the cake frozen for longer term storage. See notes above recipe for more tips and details on thawing / freezing.
Notes
*Everything needs to be at room temperature, as cold ingredients will cause the coconut oil to solidify prematurely and not blend through into a uniform smooth mixture in the blender.
**To pre-soak nuts: place in a glass bowl, cover with water, and leave to soak for 4 hours (or overnight in the fridge). Then strain and discard the water. For a quick pre-soak, cover with boiled water and soak for 15 mins, then strain and discard water. (Note: this technique doesn’t preserve the nutrition of the recipe as well as the traditional soaking technique above). Note: the purpose of soaking the nuts is to re-hydrate them and plump them up for blending into a smooth, creamy consistency. Proper soaking techniques also maximize nutrition and digestibility. If you’re interested in learning more about nut soaking and other dessert prep tips and tricks, I delve into these subjects in detail in my book Unconventional Treats.
***The thick creamy layer skimmed off the top portion of a can of full fat coconut milk.