Description
Spice cake, ginger syrup, and pumpkin mousse make up the layers of these petite parfaits. Although the dessert requires a handful of components, don’t be intimidated. The cake, mousse, ginger syrup, and crunchy topping can all be made ahead of time and held until you’re ready to assemble the parfaits. For the coconut whipped cream, be sure to chill the cans of coconut milk for at least 24 hours to separate the water from the coconut cream.
Ingredients
Cake
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 1/2 tablespoons flaxseeds, preferably golden, finely ground
- 2/3 cup filtered water
- 2 cups gluten-free flour mix, such as Arrowhead Mills All-Purpose Baking Mix (see Note)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2/3 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- 1/2 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, such as Nielsen-Massey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons unfiltered apple cider vinegar
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold Earth Balance butter stick
- 1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
Roasted Pumpkin Mousse
- One 15-ounce can organic pumpkin puree
- 2 tablespoons unrefined cane sugar
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon agar-agar powder or 1 1/2 teaspoons agar-agar flakes (see Note)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves
- Pinch of ground cardamom
- One 15-ounce can coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, such as Nielsen-Massey
- 1 1/2 cups Coconut Whipped Cream (below)
Spiced Pumpkin and Almond Crunch Topping
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds
- 1/4 cup gluten-free flour mix, such as Arrowhead Mills All-Purpose Baking Mix (see Note)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons dark muscovado sugar
- 2 tablespoons unrefined cane sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Pinch of guar gum (see Note)
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons Earth Balance butter stick, melted
Coconut Whipped Cream
- Two 15-ounce cans coconut milk, chilled for at least 24 hours in the refrigerator (see headnote)
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, or 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, such as Nielsen-Massey Ginger Syrup
- 1/4 cup unrefined cane sugar
- 1/4 cup filtered water
- 2 tablespoons Canton ginger liqueur or one 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
Instructions
To prepare the cake:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously spray the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
- Whisk the ground flaxseed and water in a bowl until well combined.
- Meanwhile, combine the flour mix, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and baking soda in a large bowl and mix well.
- Stir the almond milk, applesauce, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar together in a mixing bowl until blended. Set aside.
- Put the butter substitute and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on low to medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flaxseed mixture and mix until smooth, about 1 minute. Be sure to scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl to fully incorporate the ingredients.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until fully incorporated. Mixing on low, pour in the almond milk/applesauce mixture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase to medium speed and mix until the batter is smooth, about 1 minute.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. The batter is thick; wet your spatula a bit to help smooth the surface if necessary. Let rest, away from heat, for 10 minutes. This rest helps the gluten-free starches absorb some moisture and results in a better rise when baked.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake is lightly golden at the edges and springs back when touched. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes, then invert the cake onto a rack, lift off the pan, and cool completely. (In the meantime, prepare the whipped cream, mousse, topping, and syrup.)
To prepare the coconut whipped cream:
- Put the bowl and whisk attachment of a stand mixer (or a metal bowl and the beaters of a hand mixer) in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
- Carefully turn over the cans of chilled coconut milk and puncture the bottoms with 2 holes; drain off and discard the clear coconut water. Then open the cans from the bottom and scrape the thick coconut cream into the chilled mixer (or mixing) bowl. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla bean seeds (or paste). Fit the stand mixer with the cold whisk attachment (or attach the cold beaters to the hand mixer) and start the mixer on low, then gradually increase and whip for a few minutes, until the cream is light and fluffy. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days. (You will use 1½ cups of the whipped cream for the pumpkin mousse and the remaining 1 cup for the topping.)
To prepare the mousse:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper.
- Spread the pumpkin puree out evenly onto the pan and sprinkle the cane sugar evenly over the top.
- Put the pan on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin looks dry and has cracked on the surface; it may be a bit toasty at the edges. Let cool to room temperature.
- Spoon the roasted pumpkin into the bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth.
- Combine the brown sugar, arrowroot, cinnamon, agar-agar, ginger, salt, pepper, lemon zest, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom in a medium saucepan and whisk to combine. Stir in the coconut milk and vanilla. (If using agar flakes, let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.) Set the pan over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly. Cook to thicken, until the mixture is thick and gel-like, 2 to 3 minutes. Or, if using agar flakes, cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Be careful not to scorch the bottom of the pan.
- Remove from the heat and transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor with the roasted pumpkin and puree. Scoop the mixture into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature.
- Using a large whisk, whip the 1½ cups coconut whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture until well blended and fluffy. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (The mousse can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
To prepare the crunch topping:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Combine the pumpkin seeds, almonds, flour mix, sugars, ginger, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, guar gum, and salt in a mixing bowl and toss well. Pour in the melted butter substitute and, using your hands or a wooden spoon, gently fold it into the dry ingredients. You want to keep some crumbs and texture in the mixture.
- Spread the pumpkin seed mixture out in an even layer on the prepared pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the almonds look golden and the pepitas start to puff and pop. Cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. (The topping can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
To prepare the ginger syrup:
- Bring the cane sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and add the ginger liqueur (or fresh ginger). Set aside at room temperature to cool and to infuse the ginger flavor.
- If using fresh ginger, strain the syrup to remove it. Refrigerate the syrup until ready to assemble the parfaits. (The syrup can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.)
To assemble the parfaits:
- Transfer the cake to a cutting board. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut the cake into 16 rounds. (Eat the scraps.) Using a pastry brush, brush the top of each cake with the ginger syrup.
- Put the pumpkin mousse in a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip. Pipe a ½-inch-thick layer of mousse into the bottom of a 6-ounce juice glass. Carefully set a round of cake on top, gently pressing it into the glass. Sprinkle on a tablespoon of the crunch topping.
- Pipe another ½-inch-thick layer of mousse on top. Add a second round of cake.
- Put the remaining 1 cup coconut whipped cream in a pastry bag fitted with an open star tip. Finish the parfait with a generous swirl of coconut whipped cream and another generous tablespoon of the crunch topping. Repeat to make 7 more parfaits. Serve at once.
Notes
*Gluten-Free Flour
You can buy gluten-free flour mixes or buy the ingredients to make your own mix. The mixes are usually a blend of white or brown rice flour, tapioca starch or flour, and potato starch. Also available are whole-grain flours such as sorghum, quinoa, and amaranth; bean flours like garbanzo and fava; and nut flours such as almond and coconut. As with cake flour, whole wheat flour, and regular all-purpose, they all have different functions in baking, depending on their carbohydrate and protein contents. Gluten-free flour mixes almost always include a binder such as xanthan or guar gum to provide structure and some elasticity in the absence of the gluten found in wheat flours. You have to experiment to get to know each flour or blend and discover the variance in flavor and texture. We use several types of flour mixes in these dessert recipes.
*Pamela’s Artisan Flour Mix and Authentic Foods
Multi-Blend Flour both contain sweet rice flour (which is different from regular rice flour). The rice flour results in a very chewy texture that is terrific for cookies like these Oat Florentine Cookies but not ideal for baked goods such as cakes. For the pumpkin spice cake in the Pumpkin Parfaits, we use Arrowhead Mills All-Purpose Baking Mix, a blend of sorghum, tapioca, and organic rice flour; sorghum is very good for you, so there is some nutritional value, and the flour results in a light texture that is perfect in cakes.
*Agar-Agar
Agar-agar is a gelling agent derived from a type of red algae. Gelatin is made from animal collagen; agar is a vegetarian substitute used to stabilize and thicken a variety of dishes. Like ordinary gelatin, agar is flavorless and becomes gelatinous when dissolved in water. Agar-agar is sold in powder or flakes and can be found at health food stores, Asian markets, and Whole Foods.
*Guar Gum
Guar gum is a natural thickening agent derived from guar beans. Often used in gluten-free baking to aid in structure and binding, it also keeps ice cream smooth by preventing ice crystals from forming. Bob’s Red Mill is a popular brand that can be found at Whole Foods and many other grocery stores.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1