Chocolate Mousse Cake

Dry ingredients:

1½ cups (375ml) all-purpose flour

¾ cup white sugar

¼ cup (60ml) cocoa powder

1 tsp (5ml) baking soda

½ tsp (2.5ml) salt

Wet ingredients:

1 cup (250ml) cool water 90ml oil (light olive or canola oil)

1 tbs (15ml) fresh lemon juice or vinegar

1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extra

Mousse:

2 ripe avocados

90ml maple syrup or sweetener of your choice

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 20cm or 22cm baking pan with oil and line the bottom with parchment paper – keep aside.

Sift all the dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

Mix the wet ingredients in a separate container. Give it a nice good whisk.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture – mix to a smooth batter.

Pour the cake batter into a greased and lined baking tin. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.

While the cake is baking, deseed and peel the avocados. Chuck them into a blender, along with the maple syrup, and blend until smooth.

Insert a toothpick in the centre of the baked cake. When it comes out clean your cake is ready. Allow to cook and then slather on the mousse.

Hot tip: To bake cupcakes with the same batter, add a full cup of sugar.

I find removing the paper from the cupcakes better the next day.

I like using a 22cm baking tin. The cake may be flatter but it’s much lighter.