No Bake Vegan Mocha Cake using Shelby’s Healthy Hedonism Espresso Almonds

I received these dipped and dusted espresso flavoured almonds from Shelby’s Healthy Hedonism to play with. Truth be told I didn’t expect these almonds to be as indulgent as they are but they were incredible! I almost regret making this cake with them because we loved eating the almonds as is! I’ve always loved the dark chocolate roasted almond combo and these almonds really hit the spot, especially with the addition of a little espresso powder.

I thought a vegan layered mocha cake would be fun to try. According to my husband, this is the best cake I have ever made. He absolutely loves anything coffee flavoured ( which is a shame because we don’t drink coffee because of the caffeine). Surprisingly this cake was very quick and easy to make (minus the soaking time). I usually hate making layered cakes because it feels like double the work and I can never make the layers turn out even. I also hate having to wait for the first layer to set before adding the second layer! it means one cake ends up taking hours! but with this cake, the first layer is thicker and so it firms up real quick. There is probably no need to put it in the freezer at all, but I placed it in there for the duration of time it took to make the second filling. Personally I find it easier to make my layers completely separate because it turns out more precise. You can choose to soak your cashews in the same bowl and melt your cacao butter together etc but I always find it hard to divide the mixture evenly so I separate the two different fillings. It took me a while to realize that this is what works best for me and that as much as I love to pump out desserts as fast as I can because I am short on time, I can’t cut corners because it turns out too messy! If you are more precise than me, go ahead and use a system that works best for you.

As always I have used organic decaf for my cake as I try to avoid caffeine as much as possible. I’m not too concerned about a tiny bit of caffeine here and there, especially in desserts but for me, it’s important to keep caffeine to a minimum. Even if you don’t do decaf, I suggest you find organic coffee as I have recently discovered that coffee beans are one of the most heavily sprayed crops and its good to try lower our environmental toxin intake when possible.

If you can find Shelby’s Healthy Hedonism Dipped and Dusted Espresso Almonds ( if you’re in Australia you can find them at Woolworths and online) I highly recommend using them because they are amazing! However, if you live in a different region you can easily adapt this recipe to make it work. You will need 2 cups roasted almonds, 3 TBSP maple syrup, 1 TBSP coconut oil, 2 tsp espresso powder, and 1 TBSP cacao powder. If the mixture is too dry, just keep adding water 1 TBSP at a time until it becomes sticky. Alternatively, you can also use dates instead of maple syrup but you will need about 1 cups worth if not more.

This recipe is incredibly indulgent but also highly nutritious and healthy. It’s loaded with healthy fats, plant-based protein, and antioxidants, as well as magnesium, iron and vitamin e. The recipe is vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free.

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