Chocolate Date Mousse Cake with Fresh Raspberries

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with this elegant chocolate mousse cake featuring nutrient-packed dates. Oh-so chocolatey, oh-so decadent, oh-so delicious!

Feb 14, 2023

I have a confession to make. For me, Valentine’s Day is all about the chocolate. I’m serious. I can forego the flowers, the fancy dinner, the sweet card, and even the jewelry, but not the chocolate.

A few years ago, I came across a recipe for a chocolate date cake by chef Tyler Florence. What intrigued me most about this recipe were the ingredients. The cake was made with dates, sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, flour, and egg whites. That was it, no butter, no oil, no melted semi-sweet chocolate. While I had little hope that this cake was going to satisfy my Valentine’s Day chocolate fix, the dietitian in me had to find out if a fat-free chocolate cake would actually taste good.

After making a few minor ingredient tweaks, I tested this revamped cake recipe and can sum up the results in four words – decadent, rich, chocolatey, and delicious. Beyond the amazing flavor, I love that this dessert features dates. Naturally sweet and fiber-packed, dates provide potassium, iron, and calcium. While there are several varieties of dates, you’ll likely find Deglet Noor dates or Medjool dates at the grocery store. Either variety will work well in today’s recipe, just be sure they’re pitted.

This recipe isn’t difficult to put together, but there are several steps. Let me take you through the process with pictures. Full disclosure, you’re going to dirty a few bowls.

First things first – you need to soften the dates. Place 1 cup of pitted dates in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water. Gently simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the dates are soft. If your dates are fairly soft to begin with, this simmering process should take about 10 minutes. One clue that the dates are soft enough is they will split open. The date should feel soft, not mushy, when gently pressed with the back of a spoon. As each date softens, remove it from the saucepan and place it in a food processor. If some dates remain firm after the 10-minute simmering time, continue to simmer and add additional water as needed, 1/2 cup at a time, until all the dates are softened.

As dates soften, remove them from the saucepan and place them in a food processor.

Once all the softened dates are in the food processor, add the granulated sugar, chocolate syrup, and vanilla extract. Process these ingredients until smooth and then place the mixture in a large mixing bowl.

To the softened dates, add the granulated sugar, chocolate syrup, and vanilla extract.

This pureed date mixture is ready to be placed in a large mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the date puree and mix, using a rubber spatula, until just combined. This mixture will have the consistency of a thick frosting.

Date mixture after the dry ingredients are incorporated.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. This should take about 4 to 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the date mixture. This is really the trickiest part of making this cake. Because the date mixture is so thick, and the egg whites are so delicate and fragile, you need to take this folding process slowly. It will seem as though the date mixture and egg whites are not going to come together but be patient and continue to gently fold. It’s fine to see a few streaks of egg white remaining in the folded batter.

The gentle folding is just getting started.

This batter is perfectly folded and ready for the baking pan.

Gently add the batter to your prepared springform pan or souffle dish and get it into a preheated, 350-degree oven. Allow the cake to bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the outer most ring of the cake is set. Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature before serving. It’s beautiful when garnished with fresh raspberries and a dusting of powdered sugar. One of the things I love most about this cake is the texture. The outer edge of the cake will be almost brownie-like, and the center will be quite soft and mousse-like. Happy Valentine’s Day!

To your health,

Darlene

CHOCOLATE DATE MOUSSE CAKE with FRESH RASPBERRIES

Yield: 8 servings

Serving Size: 1 slice

Prep: 20 minutes

Ready: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

1 cup pitted dates
1 cup water (additional water may be needed)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup (such as Hershey’s chocolate syrup)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
6 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1/3 cup fresh raspberries
1 tablespoon powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Place dates and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Gently simmer, stirring occasionally until dates are soft, about 10 minutes. An indication of adequate softness is seeing the date split open. The date should feel soft, not mushy, when gently pressed with the back of a spoon. As dates soften, remove them from the cooking liquid and place them in a food processor. If some dates remain firm after the 10-minute simmering time, continue to simmer and add additional water as needed, 1/2 cup at a time, until all dates are softened.
To the food processor, along with the softened dates, add granulated sugar, chocolate syrup, and vanilla extract. Process until smooth and place date puree in a large mixing bowl.
In a separate small bowl, combine cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Add flour mixture to date puree and mix using a rubber spatula until just combined (mixture will have the consistency of a thick frosting).
In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 4 to 5 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold egg whites into date mixture. Note: the date mixture is very thick, and the egg whites are very delicate, so be sure to gently fold these ingredients together.
Spray an 8-inch springform pan or oven-safe souffle dish with cooking spray. Add batter to prepared baking pan and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 18 to 22 minutes, or until outer most ring of cake is set. Allow cake to cool at room temperature.
Just before serving, garnish with fresh raspberries and dust with powdered sugar. Note that when serving, the center of the cake will be quite soft and mouse-like in texture.

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories 215, Total fat 0 g, Saturated fat 0 g, Trans fat 0 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 74 mg, Total carbohydrate 52 g, Dietary fiber 3 g, Total sugars 41 g, Added sugars 31 g, Protein 4 g, Vitamin D 0 mcg (0%), Calcium 14 mg (2%), Iron 1 mg (6%), Potassium 196 mg (4%)

Adapted from Tyler Florence and tested by Darlene Zimmerman, MS, RD