Ingredients
For the Cake Layers:
- Dairy-free milk (soya milk preferred): 480ml
- Apple cider vinegar: 2 teaspoons
- Doves Farm Organic Self Raising Flour: 420g
- Caster sugar: 300g
- Sweet ground cinnamon (or regular ground cinnamon): 2 teaspoons
- Ground nutmeg: 1 teaspoon
- Baking powder: 1 teaspoon
- Bicarbonate of soda: 1 teaspoon
- Sunflower oil: 120ml
- Organic apples, chopped into small cubes: 150g
For the Frosting:
- Dairy-free block butter: 450g
- Dairy-free cream cheese: 80g
- Icing sugar: 500g
- Sweet ground cinnamon: 2 teaspoons
- Dairy-free milk, as needed
- Red, green, and brown food gel or cocoa powder for coloring
[Refer to the provided link for the caramel recipe]
Instructions
Cake Preparation:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C fan mode. Prepare three 8-inch loose base or push-up cake tins by lining them with greaseproof paper. If limited to fewer tins, keep unused batter covered with a damp tea towel.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together dairy-free milk and apple cider vinegar. Allow it to sit for 10 minutes to curdle, forming a vegan 'buttermilk'.
- In a separate large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda.
- Pour oil into the ‘buttermilk’ and whisk.
- Blend the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold in the chopped apples without overmixing.
- Distribute the batter evenly across the prepared tins, tapping each to release air bubbles.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes in the oven's center until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes slightly in the tins, then transfer to a cooling rack. Store cooled cakes in a sealed container until frosting.
Frosting and Assembly:
- Whip dairy-free butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until creamy.
- Gradually incorporate icing sugar and cinnamon. Adjust consistency using dairy-free milk, more butter, or icing sugar as needed.
- Start layering by placing one cake on a plate, spreading a layer of frosting, and optionally, adding some caramel sauce. Repeat for all layers.
- Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
- Apply a final thicker layer of frosting and smooth out the edges.
- Decorate with piped white frosting swirls around the top using a star-tip nozzle.
- Divide the remaining frosting into three portions: color most of it red for apples, some green for leaves, and a small portion brown for apple stalks.
- Create apple designs around the cake using the colored frostings.
Cut into slices and savor this delightful apple and cinnamon vegan cake!
