{"id":166334,"title":"Gluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Cake with Mango","modified":"2026-08-25T19:17:45+02:00","plain":"Looking for a chocolate cake that slices cleanly, with distinct layers and a mousse that holds its shape without feeling heavy? Here, dark chocolate leads the way, followed by mango for a fresher, brighter finish. The result is lightly sweetened, with no eggs, no dairy, and no gluten.\n\n\n\nThis is a layered, assembled cake: precise, but easy to follow, as long as you keep the mousse warm throughout. You can also explore the site\u2019s other gluten-free pastries.\n\n\n\nAnother rich vegan chocolate cake: the vegan chocolate mousse cake.\n\n\n\nWeigh every ingredient to the gram for consistent results from start to finish.\n\n\n\nWhat is this chocolate and mango mousse cake?\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s a tall entremets made with eight alternating layers: four layers of chocolate sponge and four layers of mango-chocolate mousse. The sponge is baked in a sheet, then cut into rounds for neat, even layers. The final mousse layer is thicker, with a spiral finish on top.\n\n\n\nWhat makes this version stand out is the contrast between dark chocolate and mango. There\u2019s no added sugar in the mousse, since the mango and chocolate already bring enough sweetness. Agar-agar gives it a light texture while helping it hold neatly when sliced.\n\n\n\nThe sponge itself is simple: gluten-free flour, cocoa, sugar, and olive oil in place of vegan butter. The acidified plant milk thickens slightly and acts like a vegan buttermilk substitute, helping keep the crumb tender without eggs.\n\n\n\nKey ingredients\n\n\n\nThe base is an all-purpose gluten-free flour mixed with cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. You can use either demerara sugar or brown sugar. For the fat, opt for olive oil rather than vegan butter.\n\n\n\nFor the vegan buttermilk, use oat milk or rice milk, then add lemon juice or white vinegar. The acid thickens the plant milk slightly. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes so it curdles a little before using it.\n\n\n\nFor the mousse, you\u2019ll need mango pur\u00e9e, plant-based cream, lemon juice, agar-agar, and 80% dark chocolate. If you don\u2019t have Boiron mango pur\u00e9e, simply blend ripe mango, fresh or frozen, then pass the pur\u00e9e through a sieve if it\u2019s fibrous. The chocolate-mango syrup is used to soak the sponge layers; keep it aside or refrigerate it while you prepare the rest.\n\n\n\nCraving banana and coffee? The vegan banoffee pie is waiting for you.\n\n\n\nTechnical notes and pitfalls to avoid\n\n\n\nThis cake is mostly about order and timing. The sponge must be thin and even, the mousse must stay warm, and the assembly needs to move along without long pauses. Get those three points right, and the rest falls into place.\n\n\n\nFor the chocolate sponge\n\n\n\nPreheat the oven to 170\u00b0C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. You can also bake the sponge in a springform pan if you prefer, but baking it as a sheet makes cutting the layers easier. Sift the dry ingredients together to keep the batter smooth and even from the start.\n\n\n\nMix the liquids into the dry ingredients and whisk just until smooth. Spread the batter into a thin, even layer about 0.5 cm thick. Bake for 13\u201316 minutes; the right cue is a sponge that lifts easily from the parchment on top.\n\n\n\nLet it cool completely before cutting. If it\u2019s still warm, the edges will tear more easily and the layers won\u2019t be as neat. Then cut the discs to the exact size of the ring.\n\n\n\nFor the mango-chocolate mousse\n\n\n\nHeat the mango pur\u00e9e with the agar-agar, plant-based cream, and lemon juice in a small saucepan, whisking constantly until it comes briefly to a boil. Once it boils, cover it and keep it warm to prevent it from separating. Here, the agar-agar affects both structure and texture, keeping the mousse lighter than a dense filling.\n\n\n\nMelt the dark chocolate in a Pyrex bowl, either over a double boiler or in the microwave. To combine the mango-agar base with the chocolate, set the bowl over a saucepan of hot water. You can mix with a whisk or an immersion blender, but the final texture should be perfectly smooth.\n\n\n\nKeep this mixture over hot water throughout assembly. Agar-agar sets quickly at room temperature, so if the base cools, the mousse will begin to firm up before you even spread it. The finished mousse should also stay warm over a hot water bath.\n\n\n\nWhip the cream only until lightly firm. Fold half into the warm mango-chocolate base first, then add the rest. Incorporating it in two additions helps keep the mousse smooth and supple during assembly.\n\n\n\nFor assembly\n\n\n\nPrepare an 18 cm metal cake ring lined with a 17 cm-high acetate collar, then set it on a large plate or cake board. The collar should sit snugly against the inside of the ring so the sides come out smooth when unmolded. That\u2019s what gives you those clean, sharp layers all the way around.\n\n\n\nPlace the first sponge disc in the bottom, making sure it is centered and fits neatly. Soak it with the chocolate-mango syrup. Every sponge layer should be soaked; otherwise, the cake will be drier and the contrast with the mousse less defined.\n\n\n\nSpread the mousse with an offset spatula in even layers about 1.3 cm thick, then tap gently to release any air pockets. Keep the mousse layers roughly the same thickness to maintain an even height. In total, you should have eight layers: four sponge and four mousse.\n\n\n\nThe top mousse layer should be thicker than the others. Finish by drawing a spiral with the tip of the spatula, from the center outward. It\u2019s a simple finish, but it looks especially good on a tall cake like this.\n\n\n\nStorage\n\n\n\nOnce assembled, refrigerate the cake for at least 4\u20136 hours, or overnight, so the mousse can set firmly. If you want to speed things up, place it in the freezer for 1 hour. In either case, wait until it is fully set before removing the ring.\n\n\n\nTo unmold, dust the top with cocoa, remove the ring, then gently peel away the acetate to keep the sides clean. For serving, slice with a hot knife. The layers will stay neater and the mousse will compress less.\n\n\n\nServe it with homemade vegan pastry cream.\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll also find this recipe in my vegan recipe collection.\n\n\n\nRecipe developed by chef Rommel Reyes. Discover his work on Instagram, through his Substack newsletter, and on his YouTube channel.\n\n\n\n\n\n\tGluten-Free Vegan Chocolate Mango Cake\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t210 g gluten-free all-purpose flour38 g organic cocoa powder135 g demerara sugar or brown sugar11 g baking powder6 g baking soda70 g olive oilVegan buttermilk:300 g gluten-free oat milk or barista-style rice milk20 g lemon juice or white vinegar170 g plant-based, gluten-free whipping cream140 g Boiron mango pur\u00e9e (or pur\u00e9ed ripe mango)20 g lemon juice6 g agar-agar powder250 g 80% dark chocolate, dairy-free and gluten-free330 g plant-based, gluten-free whipping cream, whipped200 g hot water15 g cocoa powder70 g mango pur\u00e9e20 g lemon juice\t\n\t\n\t\tChocolate Sponge SheetPreheat the oven to 170 \u00b0C and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.Sift the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl.In another bowl, whisk together the oat milk and the lemon juice or vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes so it curdles slightly.Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.Pour the batter onto the baking sheet and spread it into a thin, even layer about 1\/2 cm thick.Bake for 13\u201316 minutes, or until the sponge releases easily from the parchment. Let it cool completely before cutting.Mango-Chocolate SyrupWhisk together all the ingredients until the cocoa powder dissolves. Set aside or refrigerate until you're ready to assemble the cake.Mango-Chocolate MousseIf you don't have Boiron mango pur\u00e9e, blend fresh or frozen ripe mango until smooth, then strain if needed to remove the fibers.In a small saucepan, whisk together the mango pur\u00e9e, agar-agar powder, whipping cream, and lemon juice. Bring quickly to a boil, whisking constantly. Cover and keep warm to prevent the mixture from setting.Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl over a double boiler or in the microwave.Set a bowl over a saucepan of hot water. Add the mango-agar mixture and the melted chocolate, then whisk or blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Keep the bowl over the hot water to keep the mango-chocolate mixture warm. Agar-agar sets quickly at room temperature, so it's important to keep the mousse warm until you're ready to assemble the cake.Whip the cream until softly whipped. Fold half into the warm mango-chocolate mixture until smooth, then fold in the rest until fully incorporated. Set the mousse over the saucepan of hot water to keep it warm.Cake AssemblyPrepare the cake ring and acetate: line an 18 cm metal cake ring with a 17 cm-high strip of acetate and place it on a large plate or cake board. Make sure the acetate sits snugly against the inside of the ring for clean, smooth sides.Cut the sponge to fit the cake ring. Place the first chocolate sponge layer in the bottom of the ring, making sure it fits snugly and is evenly centered. Brush it with the mango-chocolate syrup.Spread a layer of mango-chocolate mousse over the sponge. Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly to about 1.3 cm thick. Gently tap to release any air pockets.Continue alternating layers of chocolate sponge and mango-chocolate mousse. Keep each mousse layer roughly the same thickness for an even, neat finish.You should end up with eight layers: four layers of chocolate sponge and four layers of mango-chocolate mousse.Make the top mousse layer slightly thicker. Use the tip of the spatula to swirl from the center outward, creating a spiral pattern on top.Refrigerate for at least 4\u20136 hours or overnight, until the mousse is firmly set. For a quicker set, freeze the cake for 1 hour.Once the cake is firm enough, dust the top with cocoa powder. Carefully remove the cake ring, then gently peel away the acetate to reveal the sides.The finished cake should be about 16 cm tall, with the alternating layers visible from the sides. Slice with a warm knife and serve.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166334","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166334"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166334\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/165070"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166334"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=166334"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166334"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}