MISSISSIPPI MUD PIE (GF & DF) | dolly and oatmeal

a multi-layer cake? at the end of january? because, why not!?

in all sincerity though, this month marks 8 years of this blog, dolly and oatmeal. initially, i felt kinda silly celebrating as i’ve come to it so infrequently over these past few months, and i was ready to go without acknowledging it. but if there’s one thing that means the most to me aside from my family and friends, it’s this space. a space where i’ve connected with so many of you over the years, where i’ve had the privilege of sharing recipes and stories and images, of food and meals that have made it feel like we’re all connected in some way. i only hope to continue and strengthen that connection in the coming years. and although i don’t show up here as much as i would like recently, my intention is to be back here at full capacity soon :)

now, mississippi mud pie! i’ve loved mud pie since childhood. notoriously chocolatey, and sometimes way too dense, it was always my dessert of choice as a kid. the recipe for this mud pie inspired by the ever talented samantha seneviratne and her new york times recipe for a version mississippi mud pie that called to me. her iteration is based off of matt lewis and renato poliafito’s of the bakery, baked (which was our little beloved neighborhood coffee shop when we lived in red hook). so when i came across samantha’s recipe, it felt in many ways that the stars were aligned, bringing together joyful memories of childhood and adulthood, and bringing it all to this space that also makes me so very happy. so that’s how this gluten-and-dairy-free (and grain-free) mud pie was realized.

because there are lots of layers to this pie/cake, i tried to keep it as simple as possible by not using various flours, sweeteners, etc. instead, i took care to keep the ingredient list paired down to the same ingredients - almond flour, coconut oil, cacao powder, maple syrup, coconut sugar, cashews, and eggs are our main ingredients.

we begin with a graham cracker crust, which we make from scratch (i have yet to find a store-bought variety that i like, so graham cracker crust from scratch, it is!). from there, we make a fudgy, crackly brownie layer. during its cooling period, the brownie sinks ever so gently which becomes the perfect vessel to hold our chocolate cashew custard. next, we make our vegan custard that is silky smooth, and perfectly rich - but not too rich. it’s made from soaked cashews, a good amount of melted dark chocolate, cacao powder, almond milk, and sweetened with maple syrup - *chef’s kiss*. last, is the whipped coconut cream. we whip it until a fluffy and smooth, then dollop it over the cake, and top it all with a dusting of cacao powder. it’s really the perfect mid-winter treat, or celebration cake, or pandemic-fatigue cake - just consider it your go-to, all occasion cake, really.

i hope you love this one! xo!

mississippi mud pie | gf & df

recipe inspired by samantha seneviratne’’s mississippi mud pie from the new york times

| makes 1 eight-inch round cake, about 16 servings |

print the recipe

ingredients:

graham cracker crust

1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cassava flour
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
3 tablespoons water

brownie layer

1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup coconut sugar
2 large pasture raised eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup dark chocolate (60-70% cacao, preferably)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

chocolate cashew custard layer

1/2 cup dark chocolate (60-70% cacao, preferably)
1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons cacao powder
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

coconut whip

2 (13.5 oz) cans coconut cream, refrigerated at least 12 hours
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
cacao powder, for dusting (optional)

method

preheat oven to 325°F. grease the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan. line the bottom with parchment paper, and then grease that.
make the graham cracker crust. in a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cassava flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. break up any almond flour clumps with your fingers. add the coconut oil, and water; and mix until combined and dough holds together when you squeeze it between your fingers.
scatter graham cracker dough into your pan, and use your fingers to press it into an even layer, spreading it about 2 1/2 inches up the sides of the pan as well. par-bake in the oven for 10 minutes. remove, turn oven heat up to 350°F, and set the crust aside.
make the brownie layer. while the graham cracker crust is baking, prepare your brownie batter. in a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour (break up any clumps with your fingers), cacao powder, baking soda, and salt. in a large bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs with an electric mixer on high for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture becomes pale in color and has slightly thickened. in pot over low heat, melt the coconut oil and measure out 1/2 cup in a liquid measure. add the chocolate and stir to melt. once melted and cooled, mix into the egg and sugar mixture, along with the vanilla until combined.
a little at a time, add the dry ingredients, and mix on low until everything is combined. turn the batter out into the graham cracker crust, and use an offset spatula to smooth the top. return to the oven for 28-30 minutes, until top is set and has craggy cracks (image below for reference), and a toothpick inserted comes out with moist crumbs. place the cake on a cooling rack and let it cool completely.
make the cashew custard. melt the chocolate over a double boiler, let cool. in the container of a high speed blender, combine the soaked cashews, melted chocolate, cacao powder, maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla, and salt. whiz everything together on high, stopping to scrape down the sides until everything is silky smooth. pour the custard over the cooled pie, using an offset spatula to smooth the top. tear a piece of plastic wrap, pressing it gently to cover the surface of the custard (this is to prevent a skin from forming). refrigerate at least 5 hours, or overnight.
prepare the whipped coconut cream. turn the cans upside down, and open from the bottom. pour out any liquid, then scrape remaining coconut cream into a large metal bowl. beat on high until any little clumps are gone, about 1 minute. sift over powdered sugar, and beat once more until combined and coco whip is fluffy.
dollop the top of the pie with the coco whip, and dust the top with cacao powder. slice, serve, and enjoy!
leftover cake can be stored in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. let it sit at room temp for 1 hour before serving. store leftover pie in your fridge for up to 4 days.

recipe notes:

this pie can be made in increments if need be. if you want to make it ahead of time, start by making the graham cracker crust, and brownie layer. at this stage, you can cool the pie, cover it with plastic wrap and store in your fridge for up to 2-3 days. then you can go ahead and prepare the custard and whipped coconut cream as instructed.
the brownie layer will puff up in the oven and then deflate while it cools (this is exactly what we want), if it doesn’t deflate (as pictured below), go ahead and gently tap it on your counter a couple times to encourage it to collapse slightly.
the cashew custard can be made of time as well. however, i like making it the day of just because a skin can form on top. however, if you need to make it ahead, scoop it into a bowl, and press plastic wrap into its surface and store in the fridge.
i call for melted dark chocolate a few times in this recipe. my favorite dairy-free option is chocolove.
i also call for canned coconut cream - not canned coconut milk. i tried 3 different brands here, and the most successful was whole foods brand (365) coconut cream.