Method (sponge)

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C fan and line a 8 inch loose base / push up cake tin with greaseproof paper. 
2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined. Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan ‘buttermilk’.
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well to combine.
4. Add the oil into the ‘buttermilk’ and whisk to combine.
5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.
6. Fold in the ground pistachio nuts. 
7. Pour the batter into the lined cake tin. Make sure to tap the tin on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.
8. Pop the cake into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes. You will know it’s done when you put a knife or skewer in to the centre of the cake and it comes out clean and it’s springy to the touch.
9. Place the cake on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully in the tin, as we’ll be layering the mousse in the tin.
10. To store, cover the top of the cake with some grease proof paper then place in a sealed container while in the tin. I like to store the cake overnight so its 100% cool before adding on the cream layers. 

Method (chocolate mousse layer)

1. Fill a small saucepan 1/4 full with water and place on the hob over medium heat. Add the dairy-free chocolate and butter into a heat proof bowl. Place the bowl over the pan, creating a bain-marie. Allow the chocolate & butter mixture to melt, stirring with a heat-proof spatula. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes while you whip the cream.
2. Add the double cream into a stand mixer fitted with balloon whisk attachment. Whip the cream on high speed for 5-8 minutes or until it holds a stiff peak. The Coconut Collaborative double cream will whip up very thick!
3. Once thick and the chocolate mixture has cooled down, pour the chocolate into the cream and whip to combine. 
4. Spoon and spread the thick chocolate layer to the pistachio cake base. Chill in the fridge before adding on the next layer on top.

Method (pistachio cream layer)

1. In a stand mixer add in the double cream and pistachio cream and whip until thick and holds a stiff peak.
2. Spoon and spread the pistachio cream on top of the chocolate in an even layer. 
3. Repeat for the plain white vanilla cream layer on top. You’ll then have 3 layers of flavoured creams.
4. To add some decoration to the top of the dessert, transfer 2 tablespoons of pistachio cream into a piping bag and snip off the tip. Pipe lines over the dessert, then use a tooth pick or skewer, drag it through in the opposite direction to create a fun feathered effect (watch my video for reference).
5. Decorate the top of the cake with some ground / roughly chopped pistachio nuts.
6. Chill the dessert in the tin overnight in the fridge.
7. Once the dessert looks set, carefully use the loose base of the tin to push the dessert out of the tin and onto a serving plate.
8. Use a knife sharp knife to cut the cake into servings.
9. Serve and enjoy. Optional: serve with extra pistachio cream as a drizzle!