Chocolate Raspberry Trifle

Cake Ingredients:

1 ½ c whole wheat flour

1 ½ c white whole wheat flour

2/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking soda

1 1/3 c maple syrup

¾ c unsweetened applesauce

2 Tbsp white vinegar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ c cold water

Mousse Ingredients:

16 Deglet Noor dates (use less if using Medjool Dates)

24 oz. Silken Tofu

2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

Trifle Ingredients:

6 Tbsp. 100% Fruit Raspberry Jam (fruit juice sweetened)

Fresh Raspberries for garnish

Prep:

-Drain tofu and wrap with paper towels; press for at least one hour. Change paper towels once wet.

-Soak dates in water for at least 15 minutes.

-Cut parchment paper to fit 2 9×9” round (or square) cake pans or a 13×9 pan.

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Instructions:

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking soda – mix well.  Add remaining cake ingredients and mix well to combine.
  2. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cake cool. Meantime prepare mousse.
  3. Prepare mousse: drain dates and press with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Place dates with remaining mousse ingredients in high-speed blender or food processor and combine until smooth; scraping sides as needed. Taste for sweetness and adjust if needed by adding more maple syrup or a chopped date; blend until smooth. If cake is still cooling refrigerate mousse until needed.
  4. Assemble trifle once cake is cooled: cut cake into bite size pieces. Place half of cake into serving bowl. Top with ~ 3 Tbsp. of Raspberry jam spreading into a thin layer. Top with half of mousse. Repeat layers; ending with mousse. Top with fresh raspberries or garnish individual servings with raspberries.  Refrigerate until mousse is chilled before serving.