Tropical Chocolate Mousse Cake
If you think chocolate mousse cakes are purely decadent, then you’ve probably not tried the one with a tropical twist – a mango-infused vegan gluten free chocolate cake.
This dairy free chocolate mousse cake is composed of eight layers of alternating fruity chocolate mousse and rich chocolate sponge that will surely satisfy your chocolate cravings.
The best part? This recipe has no eggs, no dairy, and is not overly sweet, so any strict dieter can have a slice of this amazing chocolate cake.
Mango-Chocolate Fusion
What makes this chocolate cake unique? It’s the fusion of tropical mango flavors with dark chocolate. If you’re a fan of anything mango, this cake will leave you swooning—especially with the refreshing contrast between the chocolate and the tropical fruit.
What makes this vegan chocolate cake even better is the texture. The mango-chocolate mousse has a light and airy texture thanks to the agar powder, which helps achieve that airy texture. No added sugar in this mousse since mango and chocolate are already sweet.
This fusion of flavors transforms the classic chocolate cake into a modern recipe. If you love mango or chocolate or are looking for a tasty vegan and gluten free dessert, this cake is for you.
Chocolate Sponge Sheet
The sponge is baked flat on a sheet pan, making it easy to cut and layer seamlessly with the mousse. Of course, you can also bake the sponge in a springform pan.
This egg-free chocolate sponge recipe uses store-bought gluten free flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and brown sugar. The liquid ingredients are oat milk with lemon juice added to make it thicker like a buttercream. Instead of using vegan butter, I opted for olive oil.
The moist chocolate sponge tastes incredibly good, even without dairy and eggs.
Substitution Table
| Original Ingredients | Substitute With |
|---|---|
| Boiron Sugar-Free Puree | Fresh Ripe Mango Puree |
| Guanaja Dark Chocolate 80% | Pascha Dark Chocolate |
| Flora Heavy Cream 31% fat | Silk or Califia Farm Heavy Cream (GF/DF) |
| Lemon juice | Passion Fruit Nectar |
Process Steps
Baking Chocolate Sponge Sheet
- Preheat the oven to 338°F (170°C) and line a wide baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, sieve together the dry ingredients: gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
- In another bowl, combine oat milk and apple cider vinegar. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes to curdle slightly.
- Combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients, whisking until smooth.
- Pour the batter evenly onto the baking sheet and spread it into a thin, even layer (about half a centimeter thick).
- Bake for 13–16 minutes or until the top sponge peels off easily from the parchment paper. Let the sponge cool completely before cutting.
Making Mango-Chocolate Mousse
- Do this if you don’t have access to Boiron Mango Puree: Blend ripe fresh or frozen mango chunks until smooth, then strain to remove fibers if needed.
- Combine mango puree, agar-agar powder, heavy cream, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Whisk continuously while bringing it to a quick boil. Cover and keep in a warm place to prevent it from curdling.
- Melt dark chocolate in a Pyrex bowl over a double boiler or microwave.
- In a bowl placed on top of a pan with hot water, combine the mango-agar mixture with the melted chocolate using a whisk or hand blender until smooth. Keep the bowl on the hot water pan to warm the mango-chocolate mixture. Agar-agar sets quickly at room temperature, so it’s important to keep the mousse warm for the cake assembly later.
- Whip the heavy cream until slightly stiff. Fold half of the whipped cream into the warm mango-chocolate mixture until homogenous. Fold the remaining whipped cream until the mousse is smooth and well-mixed. Place the mousse on the pan filled with hot water to keep it warm.
Assembling The Cake
- Prepare cake ring and acetate: Line an 18 cm metal cake ring with a 17 cm tall acetate cake sheet on top of a large plate of cake board. Ensure the acetate is snug against the inner wall of the cake ring for clean, smooth sides.
- Cut the sponge according to the size of the cake ring. Place the first chocolate sponge layer at the bottom of the cake ring. Make sure it fits snugly and is evenly centered, then moisten it with chocolate mango syrup.
- Add a layer of mango chocolate mousse on top of the sponge. Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly, about 1.3 cm (1/2 inch) thick. Gently tap to smooth out any air pockets.
- Continue alternating between layers of chocolate sponge and mango chocolate mousse. Each mousse layer should be approximately the same thickness, keeping the height of each layer consistent.
- By the end, you should have eight layers: four chocolate sponge layers and four mango chocolate mousse layers.
- The topmost mousse layer should be thicker. Use the spatula’s tip to swirl from the center to the edges, creating a spiral effect on top.
- Refrigerate for at least 4–6 hours or overnight to allow the mousse to set firmly. You can also freeze the cake for an hour to set quickly.
- When the cake is firm enough, sprinkle the top with cocoa powder. Carefully remove the cake ring. Gently peel away the acetate sheet to reveal the sides of the cake.
- The finished cake should be approximately 16 cm tall, with alternating layers visible from the sides. Slice using a warm knife and serve.
The Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cake With Tropical Mango Twist
A Chocolate Mousse cake with luscious layers of vegan gluten free chocolate cake sponge and mango-infused dark chocolate mousse.Note: Use the unit converter if needed. This recipe is measured by weight (metric) for accuracy.
Equipment
- Digital scale
- cake ring. 18 cm x 4.5 cm (7 in x 1.8 in)
- hand blender
- Cake acetate sheet
- cake board optional
- whisk
- offset spatula
Ingredients
Chocolate Sponge Sheet
- 210 g all-purpose gluten free flour
- 38 g organic cacao powder
- 135 g demerara sugar or brown sugar
- 11 g baking powder
- 6 g baking soda
- 70 g olive oil
- Vegan Buttermilk:
- 300 g oat or rice milk barista gluten free
- 20 g lemon juice or white vinegar
Mango-Chocolate Mousse
- 170 g heavy cream DF/GF
- 140 g mango puree, Boiron or pureed ripe mangoes
- 20 g lemon juice
- 6 g agar agar powder
- 250 g dark chocolate 80% DF/GF
- 330 g whipped heavy cream DF/GF
Mango Chocolate Syrup
- 200 g hot water
- 15 g cacao powder
- 70 g mango puree
- 20 g lemon juice
Instructions
Chocolate Sponge Sheet
- Preheat the oven to 338°F (170°C) and line a wide baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, sieve together the dry ingredients: gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
- In another bowl, combine oat milk and apple cider vinegar. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes to curdle slightly.
- Combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients, whisking until smooth.
- Pour the batter evenly onto the baking sheet and spread it into a thin, even layer (about half a centimeter thick).
- Bake for 13–16 minutes or until the top sponge peels off easily from the parchment paper. Let the sponge cool completely before cutting.
Mango Chocolate Syrup
- Combine all ingredients and stir to dissolve the cocoa powder. Set aside or keep in the fridge while waiting for the cake assembly.
Mango-Chocolate Mousse
- Do this if you don’t have access to Boiron Mango Puree: Blend ripe fresh or frozen mango chunks until smooth, then strain to remove fibers if needed.
- Combine mango puree, agar-agar powder, heavy cream, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Whisk continuously while bringing it to a quick boil. Cover and keep in a warm place to prevent it from curdling.
- Melt dark chocolate in a Pyrex bowl over a double boiler or microwave.
- In a bowl placed on top of a pan with hot water, combine the mango-agar mixture with the melted chocolate using a whisk or hand blender until smooth. Keep the bowl on the hot water pan to warm the mango-chocolate mixture. Agar-agar sets quickly at room temperature, so it’s important to keep the mousse warm for the cake assembly later.
- Whip the heavy cream until slightly stiff. Fold half of the whipped cream into the warm mango-chocolate mixture until homogenous. Fold the remaining whipped cream until the mousse is smooth and well-mixed. Place the mousse on the pan filled with hot water to keep it warm.
Cake Assembly
- Prepare cake ring and acetate: Line an 18 cm metal cake ring with a 17 cm tall acetate cake sheet on top of a large plate of cake board. Ensure the acetate is snug against the inner wall of the cake ring for clean, smooth sides.
- Cut the sponge according to the size of the cake ring. Place the first chocolate sponge layer at the bottom of the cake ring. Make sure it fits snugly and is evenly centered, then moisten it with chocolate mango syrup.
- Add a layer of mango chocolate mousse on top of the sponge. Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly, about 1.3 cm (1/2 inch) thick. Gently tap to smooth out any air pockets.
- Continue alternating between layers of chocolate sponge and mango chocolate mousse. Each mousse layer should be approximately the same thickness, keeping the height of each layer consistent.
- By the end, you should have eight layers: four chocolate sponge layers and four mango chocolate mousse layers.
- The topmost mousse layer should be thicker. Use the spatula’s tip to swirl from the center to the edges, creating a spiral effect on top.
- Refrigerate for at least 4–6 hours or overnight to allow the mousse to set firmly. You can also freeze the cake for an hour to set quickly.
- When the cake is firm enough, sprinkle the top with cocoa powder. Carefully remove the cake ring. Gently peel away the acetate sheet to reveal the sides of the cake.
- The finished cake should be approximately 16 cm tall, with alternating layers visible from the sides. Slice using a warm knife and serve.
Notes
- Freezing the assembled cake for few hours makes it easy to remove the cake ring and acetate.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
