When it comes to baking for colleagues, any excuse will do. Whether it’s a birthday, a leaving do, or charity fundraiser, nothing makes faces light up like a slice of something sweet to punctuate the working day.
Macmillan Coffee Morning is the perfect reason to dust off your oven gloves and share in the joy of cake with colleagues – on top of a much-needed boost, you’ll be helping to raise vital funds to support the 3m people living with cancer in the UK.
But with different allergies and dietary requirements to consider, it’s easy to feel anxious about inadvertently bringing a risky ingredient into the workplace.
This showstopping recipe is your low-fuss solution, made without the most common allergens found in cakes – tree and ground nuts, eggs, dairy, gluten and soya.
Vegan, kosher and halal to boot, it’s the perfect cake that almost anyone can enjoy. Just be sure to read all your ingredient labels carefully to make sure there’s no risk of trace allergens or cross-contamination …
Universal chocolate mousse cake
Prep 20 min
Cook 20 min
Chill 4-5 hr
Serves 10-12
For the chocolate mousse
400ml plant-based milk
40g caster sugar
200g soy-free dark chocolate, 65%-75% cocoa solids
For the chocolate cake
150g soy-free dark chocolate, at least 65% cocoa solids, chopped
340ml oat milk
40g extra-virgin olive oil
70g cornflour
80g caster sugar
1⁄4 tsp baking powder
Pinch of sea salt
For the mousse, bring 200ml of the milk to a simmer with the caster sugar in a medium saucepan. Put the chocolate in a heatproof jug or bowl, pour the milk over, and blend with a stick blender until combined. Add the remaining chilled milk to the jug or bowl and blend again until the mixture is very glossy and you can see a shiny reflection of light with no oily streaks (if you have a thermometer, it should have reached 30-35C), then pour into a shallow dish. Cover with clingfilm – press it on to the surface – and leave to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours. This will create a ganache-like cream that you will whip and spread on top of the chocolate cake base.
To make the base, heat the oven to 190C (170C fan)/gas 5. Line the sides and base of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking parchment. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat the oat milk (or a coconut alternative) to a simmer and pour over the chocolate. Add the olive oil and whisk well to create a ganache. In another bowl, use a whisk to combine the cornflour, caster sugar, baking powder and a large pinch of sea salt. Add these dry ingredients to the bowl of ganache and use a silicone spatula to mix until combined. Pour the batter into the lined tin and tap to level the mixture. Bake for 18-20 minutes until the top springs back slightly when pressed with your fingertips. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.
When you are ready to assemble the cake, it’s time to whisk up the mouse. Chill a mixing bowl for 5 minutes, scrape the chilled chocolate cream into it, and whisk by hand or in a stand mixer until it forms stable peaks. Spread on top of the cooled chocolate cake in the tin. Return to the fridge for another 20 minutes before serving. Remove the cake from the tin, peel away the baking parchment and carefully transfer to a serving plate.
Want to get involved? Sign up to host a Macmillan Coffee Morning at macmillan.org.uk/coffee-morning
Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SCO39907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland.
