The following cake is perfect for Rosh Ha’shana and for holiday season. It’s a vanilla mousse cake with caramelized apples and cashew streusel that is super delicious and perfect for any special occasion. It’s beautiful and will make everyone at the table say “WOW” , and I assure you they will love it!
If you like apples and looking for a festive cake that is a bit different than your traditional apple cake – this vanilla mousse cake is definitely your answer. With the caramelized apples surprise it’s simply perfect, and the cashew streusel adds crunchiness and makes it absolutely stunning.

Photo: Natalie Levin
Vanilla Mousse Cake with Apples and Cashew
For the crust:
- 2 large eggs
- 40 grams sugar
- 1 tsp. honey
- Pinch of salt
- 45 grams all-purpose flour
For caramelized apples:
- 2-3 Granny smith apples (peeled)
- 50 grams sugar
- 2 tsp. honey
- Pinch of salt
- Juice of 1/4 lemon
For cashew crumble:
- 25 grams cashew nuts
- 50 grams all-purpose flour
- 50 grams cold butter cut into cubes
- 1 tbsp. light brown sugar
For vanilla and white chocolate mousse:
- 6 grams gelatin powder
- 30 ml. water
- 180 ml. milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 200 grams chopped white chocolate
- 375 ml. heavy cream
For transparent glaze:
- 10 grams gelatin powder
- 50 ml. water
- 200 grams sugar
- 200 ml. water
Decoration:
- Roasted cashews
- Apple chips
Base:
- Preheat oven to 175c degrees. Mark 2 circles over 2 baking papers circles: one 20 cm round circle (for the base) and another 16 cm round circle (for an inner layer of the cake).
- In a mixer bowl whip eggs, sugar, honey and salt for 6-8 minutes until the mixture is very airy and fluffy.
- Sift in flour and fold in gently with a spatula until blended.
- Transfer the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe 16 and 20 cm circles on the baking paper.
- Bake the bases for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Cool completely before assembling the cake.
Caramelized apples:
- Peel the apples and cut into 2*2 cm cubes.
- Put sugar and honey in a pan and form a caramel.
- When caramel is amber in color, add the diced apples, salt and lemon juice.
- Cook the apples in the caramel over low-medium heat until they soften, but still solid.
- Remove from heat, strain and cool until completely cold.
Cashew crumble:
- Preheat oven to 175c degrees.
- In a food processor with a steel blade put cashews, flour, butter and sugar and blend until mixture is crumbly.
- Transfer the crumbs onto a pan lined with baking paper and bake for about 10 minutes until golden. Cool to room temperature.
Vanilla and white chocolate mousse:
- In a small bowl mix gelatin and water and set aside for about 10 minutes until the gelatin absorbs the liquid.
- In a small pot, heat milk, vanilla and salt to simmering point.
- In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks until smooth.
- Pour about 1/3 of hot milk over the yolks while intense whisking.
- Add the remaining milk into the bowl and beat well.
- Return the mixture back into the pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and get to 82-84c degrees.
- Dissolve the gelatin and add into the mixture while stirring. Strain.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave or over double-boiler. Add in the milk mixture and mix well until uniform (the mixture is quite sparse and it’s fine).
- Cool for a few minutes in the refrigerator.
- Whip cream soft peaks form and gently fold cream into white chocolate mixture until a uniform and smooth mousse is formed.
Assemble the cake:
- Place the largest base (20 cm) at the bottom of the pan.
- Fill about 1/2 amount of vanilla mousse and flatten slightly.
- Place the smaller base (16 cm) on top of the mousse.
- Put caramelized apple cubes (without fluid) on the base.
- Pour the remaining mousse over the apples and gently flatten the top.
- Freeze the cake for at least 4-5 hours (preferably overnight), until it is completely frozen and set.
Transparent glaze:
- In a small bowl mix gelatin and water and set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature until the gelatin absorbs all the liquid.
- In a small saucepan put water and sugar and bring to a boil.
- Dissolve the gelatin and add into the sugar syrup. Mix well.
- Cool the glaze to about 35-40c degrees.
- Extract the cake for the pan and place it on a rack.
- Pour the glaze over the cake, allowing it to cover the top and the sides evenly. Freeze for 5 minutes to set.
Decoration:
- Put cashew crumble on the bottom sides of the cake.
- Sprinkle a little crumble over the top of the cake and decorate with apple chips and roasted cashews.
- Keep the cake in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days. You can use pears instead of apples.

Photo: Natalie Levin