I have said countless times: I love pumpkin! Because its colour is bright and beautiful color, because its flesh is soft and velvety, and because it can be used to cook savory or sweet dishes.

I tasted and fell in love with pumpkin pie many years aho. I was working in the toy department of a department store, which organized a costume contest and am afternoon tea for Halloween. The menu included a pumpkin pie. Disdained by participants – probably because they thought pumpkin is eaten primarily as a soup – I gobbled up several slices, both surprised and delighted by the taste that I had just discovered.

While I was preparing a pumpkin cream for dessert I got the idea to use it as a basis for making a firm pumpkin mousse. Because of the orange colour, I naturally made the association with Halloween. So I thought a cacao and chestnut sponge would be the ideal base for my Halloween cake. Given its photogenic appearance, I thought this cake would be the perfect subject for my first video!

The quantities of the recipes are adapted to a 6in diameter springform pan. The sponge is about 1/2 in thick a copyright of about 1.5 cm, for a cake with a total height of 2 in. If you want to make a larger cake, multiply the quantities and increase the cooking time of the sponge by a few minutes.

Since I like challenges, and I wanted this cake suits the greatest number of people possible, this recipe is gluten-free, vegan and contains no refined sugar. Classic pastry lovers, do not worry: I guarantee that the end result is tasty and the texture of the cake will please you! The proof in pictures:

Serves 8

Sponge

• 30 gr chestnut flour
• 24 gr brown rice flour
• 6 gr arrowroot starch
• 18 gr raw sugar
• 12 gr cacao powder
• 3 gr baking powder
• 1 pinch salt
• 18 ml melted coconut oil  + extra to oil the pan
• 3 ml balsamic vinegar
• 65 ml soy milk
• 18 ml soy yogurt

Pumpkin mousse

• 150 gr firm silken tofu
• 300 gr cooked pumpkin, still hot
• 50 gr cooked carrots, still hot
• 30 ml agave syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
• 1 clove, ground
• 1 pinch grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp agar
• 4 tbsp water

Directions

Sponge

• Preheat oven to 180 ° C
• In a large bowl, mix the soy milk, soy yogurt, melted coconut oil and balsamic vinegar.
• In another bowl, mix all the other ingredients: rice and chestnut flour , arrowroot starch, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt.
• Using a spatula, stir in gradually dry food to wet food. Mix thoroughly until homogeneous.
• Pour the batter into a springform pan oiled with coconut oil. Smooth the surface using a spatula and tapping the cake on the table.
• Bake 10 minutes at 180 ° C
• Let cool in the open oven before turning out.
• Place the cake in a pan lined with parchment paper.

Pumpkin mousse

1. Wrap the tofu in several layers of kitchen towels.
2. Place a weight on the tofu (a big book will do) and allow to sit for 15 minutes before unwrapping the tofu.
3. In the bowl of a high speed blender, pour: the tofu, agave syrup, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, ground clove, lemon juice, and the warm squash and carrot. Having them still hot is necessary to get a homogeneous mousse, because agar should not start setting in the bowl of your blender!
4. In a small saucepan, heat the agar and water. Stir constantly. Once boiling, leave for 2 more minutes. You must get a viscous gel texture.
5. Add the agar gel to the rest of the preparation.
6. Blend until smooth.
7. Pour immediately over the cacao sponge and smooth the surface.
8. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours.
9. Remove from pan, decorate and enjoy!

Bon appétit!

Eleonora