Blogaversary and Blood Orange Vanilla Lavender Mousse Cake

Today is my 3 year blogaversary.  Hard to believe it has been that long since I started blogging, and looking back I have really come a long way.  I can remember my first post, it was red velvet cupcakes with beets. Looking back at it, my way of eating has since changed (I became vegan), my photography has much improved, and I am thinking more outside the box with my creations.  To be honest, when I started this blog, it was more of a just for fun thing, and I never thought anyone but maybe a few friends of mine would read it.  Boy have things changed!  I feel incredibly blessed with the amount of support I have received over the years and the amount of people who visit my page. It has even changed a lot in the past year.  Last year at this time, I was not yet vegan.  I was still baking with a lot of dairy, and the thought never would have even entered my mind to become raw.  Things change however, and last summer after my Birthday in July, I decided that I needed treat my body the best I possibly could and I began to experiment with the raw vegan way of preparing food.  I admit it started with a friend asking me to make a raw vegan cake...and me loving it, but it turned into so much more than that when I actually started preparing raw meals.  I fell in love with raw food and the way I felt eating it.  I had more energy, I slept better, my skin looked more radiant, and I was less sore.  That was 6 months ago, and now here I am thinking it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.  I am also really enjoying sharing my experiments in the raw dessert and savory realm with you all.  I know I still have a lot to learn, but that is the fun part.  I want to thank you all for visiting my blog and trying out my recipes!  Seriously, you guys are the best!  I love it when you send me pics of my recipes that you have made and leave such kind comments, it make me so happy! I hope to come up with even better recipes this year to share. 

For my blogaversary, I had to make a cake.  It was not even a question, it had to be something delicious! I knew I wanted it to include vanilla, as it is my favorite flavor, but I thought I would include a winter element as well with blood oranges.  Also, I thought lavender would be lovely with the orange and create a beautiful fragrance, so that was added as well. 

Instead of simply making a cakey cake I decided to combine it with mousse cake.  I am one of those people that has to have a creamy element on a cake, and plenty of it, so I admit it was mostly mousse cake and a little cakey cake. 

It contained a layer of sweet orange cake, a layer of blood oranges, a layer of blood orange mousse, then fragrant lavender mousse, then sweet vanilla cream.  It was heavenly.  The combination of blood orange and lavender may not seem like a likely one, but it was beautiful!  I shared the cake with my boyfriend Eric who is my number one taste tester and it was delicious!  If you would like to make this cake and do not have a dehydrator, don't fret, simply make a nut crust and make it cheesecake style (although it is mousse not cheesecake) it will still be amazing. 

Blood Orange Vanilla Lavender Mousse Cake
Makes one 6 inch cake

Cake:
1/2 cup raw almond meal

1 3/4 cups dried shredded unsweetened coconut
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 Tbsp orange zest

2 tsp duTerra sweet orange oil or 2 tsp orange extract
8 medjool dates, pitted
2  small sweet organic apples, diced

Cream topping:
2 cups raw cashew pieces (preferably soaked overnight)

2 cups fresh young coconut meat (or additional soaked cashews if not available)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp raw coconut nectar, or raw agave nectar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract and seeds of half a vanilla bean
1/2 cup raw coconut oil (warmed to liquid)

3 Tbsp coconut water

 

3 Tbsp blood orange juice

1 Tbsp blood orange zest

2 drops duTerra wild orange oil
3 Tbsp orange juice

2 drops duTerra lavender oil (optional

1 1/2 Tbsp dried lavender
3 Tbsp coconut water
natural purple food coloring (optional)
 

Assembly:2 blood oranges, peeled and sliced thinly
lavender flowers

For the cake, combine the almond meal and coconut in the food processor and process until finely ground like flour. Add sea salt, vanilla, and dates and process until well combined and dates have blended into the flour. Add the apples and orange zest, and process until smooth. Spread out into about a 6 inch circle on a teflex lined dehydrator tray and dehydrate for about 12 hours, then flip and dry an additional 3 or so until dried but still a little moist in the middle.

Meanwhile, to make the filling and topping, combine the cashews, sea salt, agave nectar, and vanilla anc process until smooth. Add the coconut oil slowly with the motor running (If the mixture starts to separate and clump, the filling is too cold to emulsify the oil, so warm some of it and process again). Divide the cream into 3 bowls, and place one back in the food processor.  Add the orange zest, juice and oil and process until combined, then remove and set aside in a bowl.  Rinse out and dry the food processor.  Add to the food processor the second bowl of  cream, add 3 Tbsp coconut water, then process until well combined.  Remove from the processor and set aside in a bowl.  Add the last bowl of the cream, 3 Tbsp coconut water and  the lavender oil  and food coloring to the food processor.  Remove from the food processor and stir in the lavender flowers, place in a bowl .  Place the 3 bowls of topping in the freezer for about 30-45 minutes until it firms up to whipped cream consistency.
Once ready to assemble, line a 6 inch springform pan with parchment on the bottom and sides. Place the cake at the bottom (trimming edges if too large).  Place the blood orange slices on top of the cake layer to cover it.  Then spoon the blood orange cream over and spread to the edges.  Next add the lavender cream and spread evenly to the edges.  Lastly, add the plain cream and spread to the edges.  Set in the freezer for a few hours until set, then before serving, garnish with additional lavender flowers on top. Keep leftovers in the fridge.