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The very best Triple Chocolate Espresso Mousse Cake. Rich cashews blended into an extra smooth and creamy vegan chocolate mousse and spread over a gluten-free chocolate cake-like crust. Then chilled until firm, and topped with sweet dark chocolate. This is 3 layers of rich and creamy chocolate all made with real food ingredients.
If there was ever a cake that really made me think of my mom, it’s this cake. Chocolate mousse is one of her favorite desserts. Anytime I ask her for a suggestion on what to make, 9 times out of 10 she replies, “how about a healthy chocolate mousse?”.
She’s big on trying to avoid any added sugars, so the January desserts are always her favorites. As you can imagine, she was overly excited about the layer mousse cake.
Her message back to me after sharing the photos with her was simply, “LOVVVE❣️”.’
The facts
While this cake is not vegan, it is gluten-free and and free of any added sugar. I used maple to sweeten it up, and extra dark chocolate to keep the sugars as low as possible.
This is a very rich and creamy cake with notes of espresso and vanilla throughout, which we really love. It does take some time to make, but it’s mostly chill time!
And lastly, you do need a pretty high powered blender. I use my Vitamix or food processor to get the mousse nice and creamy!
Bake the crust
I wanted this to be like a fudgy chocolate cake, just a bit thinner. It’s a mix of maple, coconut oil, and almond butter, with an egg mixed in to keep the cake light.
Cocoa powder adds the chocolatey flavor, and almond flour bulks it up. Just bake and let it cool.
Make the chocolate mousse
It’s really is important to take the time to boil the cashews and let them soak. Because of this, the prep time on the cake is a little longer, but it’s by no means hard.
Once the cashews are soaked, they’ll be easier to blend into a creamy mousse. And trust me, this mousse is creamy. Because of all the nuts, it’s a little heavier than traditional mousse, but in the best way.
I added some instant espresso or coffee powder to bring out those rich, vanilla chocolate flavors.
The mousse does need time to chill, so plan ahead!
Finish it up
A simple chocolate layer on top to seal up that mousse and provide a chocolate “crack” with every bite. My one piece of advice here is to slice the cake before the chocolate top becomes too hard. This will make the cake easier to cut through.
I found that if I let the chocolate topping get too hard, it made the cake messy to cut. Since mousse can get soft at room temperature.
My moms verdict? She LOVED it, saying the espresso was possibly here favorite touch. It makes the cake just right.
Looking for other wholesome dessert recipes? Here are my favorites:
Homemade Vegan Peanut Butter Twix Bars
Healthier Homemade Nutter Butter Cookies
Healthy…ish Homemade Samoas Cookies
Tahini Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Salted Tahini Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Lastly, if you make this Triple Chocolate Espresso Mousse Cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Triple Layer Espresso Chocolate Mousse Cake
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 600 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
Mousse
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1 cup canned full fat coconut milk
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon instant coffee powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 8 ounces dark chocolate
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter or almond butter
- 1 pinch sea salt
Instructions
- 1. To soak the cashews. Place the cashews in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 2 minutes, then cover and remove from the heat. Let the cashews soak for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Drain.2. To make the crust. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.3. In a bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, almond butter, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the cocoa powder, almond flour, and instant coffee. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 10-12 minutes, until set on top. 4. To make the mousse. Combine the soaked cashews, coconut milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup, instant coffee, vanilla, and salt in a high-powered blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed, about 5 minutes. Pour the mousse over the crust. Cover and place in the fridge. Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight. 5. Melt together the chocolate and peanut butter in the microwave. Let cool 5 minutes and then spread the chocolate over the cake. Return to the fridge to set, about 15-10 minutes then slice. The chocolate will not be totally set, but slicing is easier this way. Keep the cake stored in the fridge.
Notes
Loose Mousse: If the mousse is too loose or messy, you can keep the cake in the freezer and remove it 10 minutes before eating to thaw.
To Make Sweeter: Taste the mouse before pouring over the crust, you can add up to 3 tablespoons additional maple syrup.
I made this recipe this weekend and was very pleased with how it turned out. The only substitution I made was butter for the coconut oil, and that’s only because I didn’t have coconut oil. I have been wanting to try a recipe with cashews replacing cream and really loved it! I had so many compliments on this dessert! Definitely making again.
Hi Samantha,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing what worked well for you! So glad it was enjoyed! xT
Hello
looks really good I want to try it
tried your other recipes they are amazing
can I substitute the almond butter with hazelnut butter ?
thanks
Thanks so much Hessa! Totally, I think hazelnut butter should also work nicely for you! I hope you love this recipe! xT
I, too, just poured the crust into a pan instead of pressing. I’m forging ahead anyway!
I hope you love the recipe, Gail:)
It says “press into 8” prepared spring pan”. But my mixture is very liquid form. It can’t be pressed! Did I do something wrong?
Hi Susan,
Your crust mixture is liquid? Sounds like something is off. Was there anything you adjusted? Let me know how I can help! xx
Hi Tieghan! I followed the recipe word by word,but the mousse part was super liquidy. I then saw your TikTok and the coconut milk looks super smooth and not runny. Did you use cream instead? Kinda disappointed about this one.
Hi Ana,
Thanks for trying this recipe and your feedback, sorry to hear you had some issues. I used coconut milk, was yours full fat? Anything else you may have adjusted? Let me know how I can help! xT
Hey!
I am wondering if I can sub honey for maple syrup in the recipe? Simply bc I have tons of local honey but very little maple. Would it be a 1:1 substation? Thanks!
Hey Liz,
You bet, that would work well for you! Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
Hello! Going to try this recipe this week! Could you sub peanut butter for the almond butter in the crust or would it alter the taste too much?
Hey Jodi,
Sure, that should be just fine for you to do! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope it’s delish! xT
This looks so good! Question for you. My son is allergic to cashews, pistachios, walnuts and pecans. Any chance you think I could sub with almonds? A different nut you would recommend?
Hey Stephanie,
So sorry, you’re going to need to use cashews for this recipe. You might like one of these recipes:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/6-ingredient-vegan-chocolate-chia-mousse/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/4-ingredient-chocolate-mousse/
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
This cake was absolutely amazing! I made it twice in one weekend-for a dinner party and then for my daughter’s birthday. Everyone wanted the recipe!
Hey Rosanna,
Amazing!! I appreciate you making this dish and sharing your review, so glad to hear it was a winner! xT
Hello! Since it seems that egg is the only non vegan part, would a flax egg be an adequate substitute to make this a vegan recipe?
Hey Daio,
You could certainly give that a try, I just haven’t tested it! Let me know how this recipe turns out for you! xx
Hi! Do you think non-instant espresso fine coffee will work or is instant espresso needed? Thank you!!
Hi Anna,
You’re going to want to use instant espresso for this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I am looking forward to making this for my husband’s birthday. Would a food processor work instead of a high powered blender?
Hi Heather,
Yes, that would work well for you! Let me know how this recipe turns out, I hope you love it! xTieghan