Strawberry Cardamom Mousse Mini Cakes

Red and juicy, strawberries are a gift from nature. If you are like me and can eat tons of them a day, you will definitely find this new dessert appealing. Fresh strawberries are combined with light and airy mousse and paired with the deep yet elegant cardamom flavor. Spring-inspired plant-based mini cakes for every occasion.

The mousse in this recipe is cardamom flavored. This slightly atypical solution works extremely well in combination with fresh strawberries. The cardamom brings an elegant sweetness that pairs nicely with the sourness of the strawberry coulis. The dessert is not overly sweet but very flavorful.

Aquafaba is this magic ingredient that I love to use. It is super versatile and can be equally incorporated in plant-based as well as non-vegan recipes. Aquafaba is my secret weapon for when I want to create some air in a dessert as is the case with these mini cakes. The texture of the mousse is greatly contributed to the whisked aquafaba. If you have never done anything with aquafaba, now is a good time to start. It will be worth it.

The mini cakes are made of three layers. There is a fluffy sponge with a hint of lemon zest. The cardamom-flavored mousse follows. The cakes are finished off with a strawberry coulis that tastes fresh and it also contributes to the dramatic effect of the dessert's visual presentation.

Ingredients:

Sponge:

• 70 g spelt flour

• 50 g almond flour

• 100 ml plant-based milk

• 30 g cacao butter

• 30 ml maple syrup

• 5 g vanilla

• 2 g baking powder

• zest of 1 lemon

Mousse:

• 200 ml coconut cream

• 30 ml aquafaba

• 60 ml maple syrup

• 2-3 g cardamom

Strawberry coulis:

• 100 g strawberries + more to decorate

Preparation:

Sponge:

1. In a bowl, combine the spelt flour, the almond flour, and the baking powder.

2. Heat the milk and pour it over the mixture of cacao butter and maple syrup. Mix well until the cacao butter completely melts from the heat.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture.

4. Then add the vanilla and the lemon zest and mix well.

5. Transfer to a cake tin and bake at 180 degrees C for 20 minutes.

6. Allow the sponge to cool down.

7. [optional] Soak the sponge with a mixture of maple syrup and lemon juice.

Mousse:

1. In a bowl combine the coconut cream, half of the maple syrup, and the cardamom and whisk them up using a mixer until stiff peaks appear.

2. In a separate bowl, combine the aquafaba and the rest of the maple syrup.

3. Using a mixer, whip up the aquafaba mixture to stiff peaks.*

4. To prepare the mousse, fold the whipped aquafaba gently into the coconut cream using a spatula.

5. Pour the mousse over the cooled sponge.

6. Refrigerate for several hours to let the mousse set.

Strawberry coulis:

1. In a blender, process the strawberries until smooth.

2. Transfer to a pan on the stove and let the mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes to thicken slightly.

3. Cool the strawberry coulis down and once the mousse is set, pour it over the mousse.

4. Refrigerate again.**

5. Once the dessert sets and stable to the touch, remove it from the tin and decorate with fresh strawberries on top.

Serves 3 to 4 mini cakes.

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Tips:

* This may take around 10 minutes, depending on your mixer.

** Depending on the cake tins you are using, you may need to freeze the dessert before removing it from the tin.