I essentially made her the cake I secretly hoped someone would make for me someday (but shh, it works here, too).
I made a half recipe of a cake I found online here, sliced it into 4 rectangles and sandwiched them with a full recipe of the Vegan Cupcakes take over the World chocolate mousse recipe, but with a bunch of wasabi and ginger added, yes!
Top it with some pretty kiwis and champagne grapes and white pearls and call it an ideal job. Just about exactly what I was aiming for – it’s elegant and spicy and rich. If I did it again I might add some cashew cream layers, or some strawberry jam, but really it’s perfect just the way it is right here. Roomie even professed to get a wasabi high off the mousse! Ha ha, couldn’t ask for more.
Black Sesame Cake
(from Alice Medrich’s Pure Dessert (veganized), via Dessert First)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup soy yogurt
3 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup canola oil*
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup soymilk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup toasted black sesame seeds
– Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a cake tin and dust flour inside it. Set aside.
– Add the vinegar to the soymilk and set aside to curdle.
– Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
– In a large bowl, beat together the soygurt, sesame oil, vanilla, canola oil, and sugar until it’s smooth and caramell-y, about 2-3 minutes with a whisk.
– Add 1/3 of the flour to the liquid ingredients and stir to combine. Add half the curdled soymilk and stir. Add another 1/3 of the flour (stir), then the rest of the milk (stir), then the last of the flour (stir). Make sure not to overwork the batter, but it should be smooth and pourable.
– Pour into the greased cake tin and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is glossy, firm and golden, and a toothpick/knife inserted comes out clean. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack, then let it cool completely before frosting.
* the original recipe called for butter, and you would probably get spectacular results with Earth Balance, I just didn’t have enough this time. Follow the recipe the same, but cream the margarine with the sugar with an electric mixer until it’s really white and fluffy, before adding the other liquid ingredients.
Wasabi Ginger Chocolate Mousse
(adapted from Vegan Cupcakes take over the World)
12 oz. package of medium firm tofu, drained
1/4 cup soy milk
2 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
1 tbsp wasabi paste (or more ;)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ginger powder
8 oz. chocolate chips (or higher quality chocolate if you’d like)
pinch of salt
– Bring a pot of water to a boil, then gently add your tofu, lower the heat and let it simmer for about 4-5 minutes. Drain carefully and let it cool.
– Once cooled, put the tofu, syrup, wasabi, vanilla and ginger in a blender and blend it until it’s completely smooth.
– Melt the chocolate carefully in the microwave then add it to the blender and whip everything together. Add salt if you like salt (I do), then stash it in the fridge for at least an hour to become firm enough to work with. Ice your cake!
17 comments
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August 25, 2009 at 8:53 am
The Voracious Vegan
You are one brave and creative vegan cook! Not only does that cake look beautiful, but the idea of putting wasabi into the mousse is just TOO awesome! Seriously amazing!
August 25, 2009 at 9:53 am
Mihl
How extraordinary! The decoration is so beautful, the idea is fantastic, and you are just such a great baker!
August 25, 2009 at 10:17 am
shelby
STUNNING CAKE!!! I love all of the little sesame jewels in the lightly colored cake. Beautiful.
August 25, 2009 at 11:33 am
autumn_leaves
Your roommate is SO SO LUCKY! love how you cut that kiwifruit!
August 25, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Ricki
Love it! I bet the sesame and wasabi worked beautifully together. And it looks stunning.
August 25, 2009 at 12:48 pm
sweetkaroline
gorgeous cake!wow!i can't stop looking at it!
August 25, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Jes
I am so so so in love with the wasabi ginger mousse! I know what I'm making soon! The whole cake not only looks beautiful, but seems like the perfect balance of some very strong, opinionated flavors.
August 25, 2009 at 3:46 pm
nora
wow, girl, you crazy!!! in a good way of course
August 25, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Amey
wow! so innovative! I"m super impressed… it's beautiful and creative and looks fabulous. 5 stars!
August 25, 2009 at 11:28 pm
Vaala
Wow that's one hell of an impressive and creative cake! I love your ideas 'cause they're always a little different.
August 25, 2009 at 11:41 pm
Gina
That sounds amazing (except I am a super wasabi wimp). You sound like one awesome roommate!!
August 26, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Sal
the cake is gorgeous! lucky roomie. wasabi mousse sounds awesome.
August 26, 2009 at 7:42 pm
itstartedwithafish
WHOA !That totally looks like a cake the hub would love !!!!!Will send link to myself to have it handy for his b'day, so thank you very much :)Yep, wasabi rules in Duisburg, too,- at least for my better half ;)
August 27, 2009 at 3:50 am
Ruby Red Vegan
your cake reminds me of this delicious vegan dark chocolate bar:http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/product/black_pearl_exotic_candy_bar/exotic_candy_barswhat a great ingredient combo – the chocolate, ginger, wasabi, and black sesame are in both!!! you really had me once you started talking about the chocolate mousse you sandwiched in there…wowee. but i bring a warning…beware of black sesame soymilk! i got some at the asian grocery store recently and it was the most disgusting thing i have had in a while – i actually couldn't finish it, which is saying a lot for me! i always clear my plate. :/
August 27, 2009 at 10:07 am
Vegetation
Wow, what an amazing sounding (and looking) cake!!!! I am absolutely intrigued by that combination of flavours!
August 28, 2009 at 12:39 am
aTxVegn
Oh, that is just fabulous! I know it was so delicious.
September 2, 2009 at 2:16 pm
bazu
I WANT that. lucky friend!