I've been in the mood for all kinds of chocolate goodies lately. Well, when am I not in the mood for chocolate desserts, really, but you know ;) Maybe extra enthusiastic is a good way of putting it. And being extra about chocolate can certainly lead to delicious things...
I made these little cakelets over the weekend and they turned out creamy dreamy, light, almost "fluffy" even, sweet, and so pretty to serve -- these little raw white chocolate cakes are just ♡.
Of course a key player in the "pretty factor" here are the cute silicone bundt pan molds. They make the loveliest tiny cakes, but speaking of extra things, if you're not in the mood for yet another mold just to make a dessert, you can just make this treat in some silicone muffin liners, or even add a little crust and make this in a 6" springform pan.
But then again, it's hard to resist mini bundts, isn't it? :) They make for pretty cakes to share with others.
Sidenote on this subject: one thing to keep in mind if you choose to go the mini bundt route is to carefully unmold the cakes when they are fully frozen. Also don't fill them to the brim. Otherwise you might struggle to loosen them out of this type of a pan gracefully.
But back to these cakes, another factor that made these extra special for me is the colors. I used a raw blueberry powder to add hints and layers of lavender-gray. The powder is used in a relatively small quantity, and given the stronger flavor of the cacao butter you're unlikely to taste blueberries. The powder here is really just for color. But such pretty shades! :)
These cakelets however are extra delicious served with fresh blueberries -- a lovely way pairing with the creamy chocolate base. You can fill just the center with some fresh blueberries prior to serving.
Another beautiful thing about these cakes is the possibility of accenting it with some lavender...because chocolate + lavender + blueberries is an incredible combo. Alas, I made these for company where someone is really anti-lavender (shocking, I know)! I still managed to sneak in some at a very low dose, but my personal preference is to up that flavor. I recommend starting with somewhere between ¼ - ½ teaspoon of the flowers for starters and see how you go.
White Chocolate Cream Cakes
These vegan white chocolate cakes are creamy, light, sweet, and make for a pretty treat to serve. Optional: they are lovely when accented with lavender and served filled with fresh blueberries. This recipe is gluten-free, paleo, refined sugar-free, coconut-free, and can easily be made raw.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Cake
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
White Layer:
- 1 ¼ cup raw cashews, pre-soaked and strained*
- 7 ½ tbsp almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla)
- 6 tbsp maple syrup**
- 5 tbsp melted cacao butter (liquid, but not hot)***
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp raw ground vanilla bean****
- optional: ¼ teaspoon - ½ teaspoon edible dried lavender (or more to taste)
Light Gray Layer:
- 1 ¼ tsp blueberry powder
Darker Gray Layer:
- 2 ½ tsp blueberry powder
Instructions
1. Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before getting started. Blend all white layer ingredients together in a power blender until completely smooth. Place a silicone mini bundt pan (or some silicone muffin liners, etc.) onto a metal tray. Divide a third of the white mixture between the 6 cavities (either pipe it in through a piping bag, or just carefully spoon it in). Tap the tray down on the counter to flatten the mixture in the pan and release excess air bubbles. Place in the freezer (tray and bundt pan together) for 15-20 mins to set.
2. Add in the blueberry powder for the light gray layer into the remaining mixture in the pan and blend to combine. Carefully spoon (or pipe) half of this mixture over the white mixture in the chilled bundt pan. Tap the tray on the counter again several times to flatten the mixture and release excess air bubbles. Return to the freezer for 15 mins to set.
3. Add more blueberry powder to the remaining mixture in the blender and blend to combine. Carefully spoon (or pipe) this mixture over the light gray mixture in the chilled bundt pan. Tap the tray on the counter again several times to flatten the final layer and release excess air bubbles. Return to the freezer for 5-6 hours or overnight to set.
4. Once fully set, unmold the cakes. If using a mini bundt pan, I recommend un-molding immediately after removing from freezer so that the cakes keep their shape, and placing them on a piece of parchment paper set on the chilled tray. Serve with fresh blueberries or on their own and enjoy straight away or return to the freezer until ready to serve.*****
Notes
*To pre-soak cashews: 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, cheesecake-like 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.
**If you want to keep this recipe strictly raw, use your favorite raw sweetener instead of maple syrup (like raw agave, etc.).
***If you have the Unconventional Treats book & video series, check out the video on the best way to melt raw cacao as well as the chapter on how to work with it if you need any assistance.
****Raw ground vanilla plays an important role in terms of flavor in this recipe. But if you can't source it, use either half of a freshly scraped vanilla bean pod or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
*****Storage notes: treat this dessert like ice cream. It should be kept frozen until serving, and any leftovers should be kept frozen as well.
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