Looking for a dessert that brings together chocolate, coffee, and pumpkin without feeling heavy or overly sweet? This one is built in three distinct layers, each with its own texture, and slices cleanly once fully chilled.
On the bottom, a thin, tender chocolate sponge. In the middle, a pumpkin-white chocolate cream, topped with a light coffee-chocolate mousse. If you want more ideas, browse the site’s other gluten-free cakes.
What is this gluten-free, lactose-free pumpkin cake?
It’s an entremets assembled in a ring mold, with three layers: gluten-free chocolate sponge, pumpkin-white chocolate cream, and coffee-chocolate mousse. Chef Rommel Reyes’s version is vegan and lactose-free, with balanced sweetness, especially in the mousse, which contains no added sugar. The cake holds together thanks to a sponge that stays tender yet sturdy enough to support the creams without crumbling, and to the acetate lining that keeps the edges sharp.
The main ingredients
The sponge begins with a mix of gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda, all sifted to prevent lumps. The non-dairy milk (oat or rice, barista-style and gluten-free) is acidified with 18 g of lemon juice or white vinegar to create a vegan « buttermilk », then olive oil is added as the fat instead of margarine or a neutral oil. For sweetness, the recipe calls for 130 g of demerara sugar or brown sugar.
The pumpkin layer is a mousse-like cream made with 300 g of pumpkin purée (canned or homemade), lactose-free white chocolate, a little maple syrup (or agave), and agar-agar. The maple syrup is used sparingly, just enough to lift the pumpkin flavor without overpowering the rest. The top mousse combines coffee-infused cream made with instant coffee and 80% dark chocolate, then gets folded with whipped non-dairy cream. There’s no added sugar here, since the cream and chocolate already bring enough sweetness.
Technical tips and pitfalls to avoid
Chocolate sponge: consistency first
Start with the vegan « buttermilk »: mix the oat or rice milk with the lemon juice (or white vinegar), then let it sit for 10 minutes, until it thickens slightly. Sift all the dry ingredients except the sugar to create a more even base. Add the buttermilk and olive oil, then the sugar, and beat with an electric mixer until the batter is smooth and lump-free.
Preheat the oven to 170 °C and line a flat baking tray with parchment paper. Spread the batter in an even layer, about 1 cm thick; otherwise, some areas will dry out while others stay soft. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, no more, no less. Let the sponge cool completely before cutting if you want clean discs that won’t tear.
Pumpkin-white chocolate cream: agar doesn’t wait
Work quickly with agar-agar. In a small saucepan, combine the cream, maple syrup (or agave), and agar-agar, then whisk constantly until it just comes to a boil. Agar sets fast and can make the cream turn grainy, so if it splits, blend it briefly with an immersion blender until smooth. Keep the mixture warm so it stays workable.
Melt the white chocolate gently in a bain-marie or in the microwave, then keep it lukewarm. Whip the non-dairy cream to soft peaks, no further, and leave it at room temperature.
Warm the pumpkin purée slightly in the microwave until lukewarm but not hot, then immediately mix it with the melted white chocolate and the still-hot agar cream before it starts to set. Finish by folding in the whipped cream with a spatula to keep the texture smooth and creamy, then keep the mixture warm until assembly.
Coffee-chocolate mousse: warm and pourable
First dissolve the coffee granules in the cream so the flavor is evenly distributed before heating. Bring it just briefly to a boil, then remove it immediately from the heat. Melt the dark chocolate in a bain-marie, then mix it with the hot coffee cream while everything is still warm to create a smooth base.
Whip the cream to soft peaks and keep it at room temperature. Fold it in gently, stopping while the mousse is still slightly fluid; that’s the texture you want here. It should stay warm and pourable until assembly, otherwise it won’t settle properly.
Assembly: acetate does the work, as long as the temperatures are right
Prepare an acetate cylinder 18 cm in diameter and 12 cm high, sealing it well with tape. Cut two sponge discs using a ring or a paring knife: the first to match the acetate exactly, the second slightly smaller so there’s a narrow gap between the sponge and the side. Prepare the coffee syrup in advance as well, either by stirring instant coffee into hot water or by using freshly brewed espresso, then set it aside.
Place the first disc inside and soak it with the coffee syrup. Pour in the pumpkin-white chocolate cream and smooth it with a spatula if needed. Set the second disc in the center, soak it as well, then pour the coffee-chocolate mousse over the top. It should be slightly warm and fluid enough to fill the small gap between the sponge and the acetate. Refrigerate for at least 3 to 5 hours, ideally overnight, so the layers can firm up.
Storage
To get ahead, make the chocolate sponge the day before and freeze it, then thaw it in the refrigerator on the day you assemble the cake. Once assembled, it needs at least 3 to 5 hours in the fridge to set, ideally overnight. Just before serving, dust the top with cocoa before removing the acetate. For extra texture, add dark chocolate shavings or toasted pumpkin seeds.
The rest of my vegan desserts are all in one place.
Recipe created by chef Rommel Reyes. Find more of his work on Instagram, through his Substack newsletter, and on his YouTube channel.
Ingredients
- 210 g gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 38 g organic cocoa powder Navitas cocoa powder preferred
- 130 g demerara sugar or brown sugar
- 12 g baking powder
- 6 g baking soda
- 70 g olive oil
- 300 g gluten-free barista-style oat or rice milk
- 18 g lemon juice or white vinegar
- 100 ml hot water, to mix with
- 8 g instant coffee
- or use 100 ml freshly brewed espresso
- 150 g heavy cream lactose-free/gluten-free
- 6 g agar-agar powder
- 25 g maple syrup or agave syrup
- 150 g Pascha white chocolate lactose-free/gluten-free
- 300 g canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree
- 100 g whipped heavy cream lactose-free/gluten-free
- 125 g heavy cream lactose-free/gluten-free
- 125 g Guanaja 80% dark chocolate
- 5 g Segafredo coffee granules
- 125 g whipped heavy cream lactose-free/gluten-free
Instructions
Gluten-Free Chocolate Sponge
- Make the vegan buttermilk: combine the oat milk and lemon juice. Let stand for 10 minutes, until slightly curdled or thickened.
- Combine and sift the dry ingredients, except the sugar, into a mixing bowl.
- Add the vegan buttermilk, olive oil, and sugar, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth and lump-free.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a flat baking tray with parchment paper.
- Spread the batter about 1 cm thick on the lined tray and bake for 15-17 minutes.
- Let the sponge cool completely before cutting.
Pumpkin-White Chocolate Cream
- Bring the agar-agar cream to a quick boil: in a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream, maple syrup, and agar-agar powder. Cook, whisking constantly, until it comes to a boil. Note: agar-agar sets quickly and can cause the cream to curdle; use an immersion blender to smooth it out and keep it warm. Set aside.
- Melt the white chocolate: place the vegan white chocolate in a bowl and melt it over a double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside and keep warm.
- Whip the lactose-free cream: in a bowl, whip the lactose-free heavy cream until soft peaks form. Set aside at room temperature.
- Mix and fold in: gently warm the pumpkin puree in the microwave until just lukewarm, not hot. Add the melted white chocolate and the cream-agar mixture, both lukewarm, then mix well. Fold in the whipped cream until smooth and creamy. Set aside and keep warm while you assemble the cake.
Coffee-Chocolate Mousse
- Prepare the coffee-cream mixture: dissolve the coffee granules in the heavy cream. Bring just to a boil, then immediately remove from the heat.
- Melt the dark chocolate: melt the chocolate over a double boiler.
- Whip the lactose-free cream: in a bowl, whip the lactose-free heavy cream until soft peaks form. Set aside at room temperature.
- Mix: combine the lukewarm coffee-cream mixture with the lukewarm melted chocolate. Gently fold in the whipped cream until you have a mousse with a slightly fluid consistency. Set aside and keep warm while you assemble the cake.
Cake Assembly
- Prepare a cylinder of cake acetate 18 cm in diameter and 12 cm high. Make sure the ends are securely taped together.
- Use a pastry ring or paring knife to cut out two sponge discs. One should be the same diameter as the acetate, while the other should be slightly smaller, leaving a gap around the edges.
- Chocolate sponge layer: place the first chocolate sponge disc in the bottom, then brush it with coffee syrup.
- Pumpkin cream layer: pour the pumpkin-white chocolate cream over the sponge. Smooth with a spatula if needed.
- Coffee-chocolate mousse layer: place the second sponge disc in the center on top of the pumpkin cream, then brush it with coffee syrup. Pour the coffee-chocolate mousse over it. The mousse should be slightly warm and fluid enough to fill the narrow gap between the sponge and the acetate.
- Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 3-5 hours, preferably overnight, so the layers can set and firm up.
- Before slicing and serving, dust the top with cocoa powder, then remove the acetate. You can also add grated dark chocolate or toasted pumpkin seeds for extra texture.
