The Devil’s Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Mousse

After 12 or so attempts at making a vegan cake with no funky aftertaste, Selange Giannetto, a trained culinary chef, but self-taught pastry chef, hit the jackpot. Just to make sure, the St. Charles, Ill., resident asked all sorts of people to try it. Most of them didn’t believe it…

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.

After 12 or so attempts at making a vegan cake with no funky aftertaste, Selange Giannetto, a trained culinary chef, but self-taught pastry chef, hit the jackpot. Just to make sure, the St. Charles, Ill., resident asked all sorts of people to try it. Most of them didn’t believe it was vegan. This recipe received an honorable mention in our 2008 Reader Recipe Contest.

Servings
16

Ingredients

Chocolate cake

  • 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups beet sugar or cane sugar
  • 6 Tbs. Equal Exchange Organic Baking Cocoa
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 Tbs. white vinegar
  • 2 tsp. Simply Organic Vanilla Extract

Fudge icing and peanut butter mousse

  • 1 lb. plus 2.5 oz. confectioners' sugar, divided
  • 1/2 cup Equal Exchange Organic Baking Cocoa
  • 1/2 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening
  • 2 1/2 tsp. Simply Organic Vanilla Extract, divided
  • 4 oz. smooth peanut butter
  • 4 oz. firm silken tofu

Preparation

1. To make Chocolate Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray and dust with flour. Sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into large bowl. Whisk together vegetable oil, vinegar, vanilla, and 2 cups water in separate bowl. Fold oil mixture into flour mixture, but don’t overmix. Pour into prepared pans, and bake 40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan, then unmold.

2. To make Fudge Icing: Sift 1 lb. confectioners’ sugar and cocoa into mixing bowl. Add shortening; beat 1 minute with electric mixer on low speed, or until well combined. Add 2/3 cup boiling water and 1 tsp. vanilla. Beat until smooth. Cool 20 minutes.

3. To make Peanut Butter Mousse: Purée peanut butter and tofu in blender until smooth. Blend in remaining 2.5 oz. confectioners’ sugar 1 Tbs. at a time, then blend in remaining 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla. Chill mousse until firm enough to spread.

4. To assemble: Place one cake layer on plate; top with Peanut Butter Mousse, then second cake layer. Frost with Fudge Icing.

Nutrition Information

  • Calories 526
  • Carbohydrate Content 78 g
  • Cholesterol Content 0 mg
  • Fat Content 22 g
  • Fiber Content 3 g
  • Protein Content 6 g
  • Saturated Fat Content 4.5 g
  • Sodium Content 354 mg
  • Sugar Content 55 g