Vegan Mocha Roll Cake

I feel like my Birthday crept up on me this year. There has been so much crazy stuff going on, and so many changes, including my kitchen remodel that just wrapped up a couple weeks back (thank goodness) that I forget what month we are in.  But I still decided to make a birthday cake this year and give the new oven a go baking a larger cake.  My old oven was a little touchy and sometimes would malfunction, but this one seems to work great and I am grateful to be able to use it from now on.  I baked a mug cake with sprinkles last Friday, but that was my test cake before the Birthday cake, so this one was the first full sized one I have made. This year I decided to make a roll cake. This past year has pretty been the year of the roll cakes for me, I have fallen in love with them.

Funny, because I used to be so intimidated by them in the past and now I find them easier and faster to make than a traditional layer cake.  I wanted something with coffee, so I made a mocha cake this time!  Chocolate and coffee are a match made in heaven after all!  For the cake portion, I like to use my date sweetened cakes for the roll cake, because they are a bit more forgiving and pliable.  Plus I just like date sweetened cakes in general.  The dates give the cake a slight caramel flavor, similar to how brown sugar would. I just added some of my favorite strong brewed coffee to it to give it mocha flavor and it tasted amazing!

For the coffee cream filling, I used a combination of coconut milk and raw cashew butter to make it nice and creamy, and added a bit of coffee and cacao to it to give it that mocha flavor.  It was heavenly even before I added it to the cake!  Lastly it needed something on the outside so I gave it a ganache icing.  It was lovely!  I am a big fan of ganache on cakes if I am in a chocolate sort of mood!

I could not wait to try it!  But I let it sit overnight because I was making it in the evening for the next day and I wanted it to cut nicely.  It was well worth the wait!  Sooo heavenly!  That rich coffee cream, soft dark chocolate cake and gooey ganache were a perfect trio!  If you are a chocolate and coffee fan, definitely give this a try!

Vegan Mocha Roll Cake
Makes one 15 inch long roll cake

Ingredients:

10x15 inch jelly roll pan

Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and drained
• 1/4 cup raw cashew butter or almond butter (or your preferred nut butter, just make sure it is smooth)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp espresso powder
• 2 cups strong brewed coffee
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Filling:

• 1 15 oz can organic full fat coconut milk, such as Thai Kitchen chilled (you want to make sure it is a brand that is 3/4 of the can cream or it will not work)
• 1/2 cup raw cashew butter or raw almond butter
• 2 Tbsp espresso powder
• 2 Tbsp cacao powder, or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp melted coconut butter (NOT OIL), warmed to liquid

Ganache:

• 3/4 cup chopped vegan dark chocolate
• 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
2. Line a 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper.
3. Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
4. Place dates, coffee, almond butter, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
5. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-18 minutes.
6. Cool cake completely.
7. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.
8. Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
9. When ready to assemble, spread filling over the top of the cake, then roll up jellyroll style starting with the short side and using the parchment to assist you in rolling.  Be careful because the cake is fragile, but if it cracks as you roll it no worries, keep rolling because the cake will be covered.  Let chill in the freezer once rolled for a few hours before topping with the ganache.  Once it has chilled, cut off the ends to make it nice and even.
10. To make the ganache, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, then whisk in the coconut milk until smooth.  Pour over the cake and smooth out over the top and sides (but leaving the pretty ends exposed).
11. Chill until the ganache has firmed up, and serve!

*If you would like to make this gluten free, swap the whole wheat flour for Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (I have tested this brand and know it works, but have not tried other brands so I am not sure if they would turn out the same).