Blueberry Lemon Mousse Cake [V]

Blueberry and lemon works really well together, I often combine the ingredients in muffins and cakes. This cake is slightly different however, as it is dairy free and vegan. The chia seed paste gives a slightly grey hue to the cake (you can use flaxseed as a replacement, see my Cook’s Log on the use of vegan baking substitutes) but nobody but me seemed to notice.

Ingredients:

For the Blueberry Lemon Cake:

  • 250gr flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 120gr sugar
  • 230ml/gr almond milk
  • 80gr sunflower oil
  • juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 tbs white vinegar
  • 3 tbs chia egg replacement
  • 150gr blueberries

For the Blueberry Jam:

  • 300gr blueberries (frozen is fine)
  • 2 tbs sugar
  • 2 tsp pectin
  • 1 tbs lemon juice

For the Blueberry Mousse:

  • 150gr blueberry jam
  • 250gr coconut milk
  • 1.7gr agar agar (a tsp is 2gr)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 20gr sugar
  • 100gr coconut cream

Makes a low 20cm square cake or a tall 20cm round cake.

Recipe:

Make the Blueberry Cake:
Combine the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and lemon zest.
Combine the wet ingredients: almond milk, oil, lemon juice, vinegar and egg replacement.
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until no dry patches remain. Lumps are fine though, don’t overmix the batter.
Spread the batter in a 20cm square cake tin – I always line mine.

Spread the blueberries on top and push them somewhat into the batter.
Bake 30min on 190°C (square cake, add 10min for the round cake as the bake is deeper).
After cooling, slice the Cake horizontally.

Make the Blueberry Jam:
Combine the blueberries and sugar in a thick based sauce pan. Cook until the berries have defrosted and a sauce has formed.
Stir together half of the lemon juice and pectin powder, until no lumps remain. Add the remaining lemon juice and stir this into the blueberries. Cook until thickened slightly, then do the jam test. Pectin sets more when cooled so the consistency it has when warm may be far thinner than the end result.
You want a thick fruit coulis, not quite as set as a jam but close to it. I’d err on the side of too thick: you can always add a little water to thin it. But a too thin jam will need further setting later before being used.

Make the Blueberry Mousse:
Combine the jam, coconut milk, agar agar, vanilla and sugar and heat until it boils. Simmer for 3 more minutes to thicken somewhat.
Leave to cool to just above room temperature – it sets at room temperature and then you’ll have to re-boil it, so there’s a limited window.
Beat the coconut cream up to stiff peaks. Fold this into the blueberry mousse.

Assemble
Cut the cake in half horizontally. For a round cake, which is taller, you may want to make an extra layer, to divide the cake and mousse better.
Place the bottom cake layer in a ring of the same size, then top with the remaining blueberry jam. Top that with the blueberry mousse. Place the blueberry part of the cake on top.