Cashew Ricotta Chocolate Sponge Cake

Between the three layers of this oil-free cake, a buckwheat-cashew ricotta is

alternated with a rich and chocolatey cream frosting. The layers are made of soaked buckwheat and millet, thus making the sponge cake gluten-free. The green layer is colored with matcha powder and the yellow one with turmeric, but don't worry, you won't taste them. Top with berries to make it even more fabulous.

Cashew Ricotta Chocolate Sponge Cake [Vegan, Gluten-Free]

Ingredients

For the Layers:

• 3/4 cup millet groats, soaked
• 3/4 cup raw buckwheat groats, soaked
• 1 1/2 tablespoons applesauce
• 1/2 cup oat or rice milk (as they are naturally sweet)
• 1 1/2 heaped tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 1/2 big, ripe bananas
• A pinch of sea salt
• 3 heaped teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon matcha powder

For the Chocolate Cream:

• 1 cup dates (measure whole dates), chopped
• 3/4 cup liquid (1/2 water and 1/2 coconut milk)
• 3 tablespoons cacao powder
• A pinch of sea salt

For the Buckwheat Cashew-Ricotta:

• 1/2 cup raw buckwheat groats, soaked
• 1 cup cashews, soaked
• 1 banana
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• A pinch of sea salt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/3 cup, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons naturally sweet non-dairy milk

Preparation

To Make the Cake:

1. Soak millet and buckwheat overnight (or all day) in separate bowls. Wash and drain (you can use one sieve).
2. Preheat oven 350°F.
3. Put all ingredients except baking powder, turmeric, and matcha powder in a blender and blend until a smooth batter is formed. Don’t worry; it’s supposed to be fairly liquidy, as millet swells quite significantly.
4. Pour the batter into a bowl weighing or measuring it at the same time.
5. Pour 1/3 of batter back into the blender and blend in 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
6. Pour the batter into a  7.5-inch cake pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 25-30 minutes.
7. Pour another 1/3 of batter back into a  blender and blend in 1 teaspoon of turmeric. Add baking powder just before the layer is about to go into the oven. Again, bake for 25-30 minutes.
8. Pour the last 1/3 of batter into a blender and blend in 1 teaspoon of matcha powder. Again, add baking powder just before the layer is about to go into oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
9. Let the layers cool.

To Make the Chocolate Cream:

1. Cut dates into smaller pieces and let soak in 3/4 cup of water/coconut milk mixture for at least 30 minutes.
2. Blend dates, the soak liquid, salt, and cacao into smooth cream. You’ll need to scoop with spoon in between.
3. Place in the refrigerator to allow the cream to firm up.

To Make the Buckwheat Cashew-Ricotta Cream:

1. Soak buckwheat overnight or all day and cashews for at least 2 hours. Drain and rinse.
2. Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until thick ricotta cream forms. You’ll need to help with a spoon.
3. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

To Assemble:

1. Remove the crust from top of all three layers to let them absorb moistness better. If you like, you can also remove the bottom crust.
2. Place one of the layers on a plate and moist with 6 tablespoons of juice or non-dairy milk of choice.
3. Spread 5 tablespoons of buckwheat ricotta cream evenly on the first layer.
4. Place the second layer on top of the ricotta cream. Don’t press. Again, moist the cake layer with 6 tablespoons of juice or non-dairy milk of choice.
5. Spread 4 tablespoons of date-chocolate cream evenly on the second layer.
6. Place the last layer on top of the chocolate cream and moist with 5-6 tablespoons of juice or non-dairy milk of choice.
7. Cover the last layer with as much as ricotta cream as you like.
8. Finally, cover the cake top and sides with cooled date-chocolate cream.
9. Place the cake into the refrigerator for a few hours before decorating. In fact, it is best to decorate just before serving, especially if you're using sliced fruits and/or berries.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/cashew-ricotta-chocolate-sponge-cake/