Vegan Apple and Cinnamon Layer Cake with Frosting

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:

1. 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.
2. 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’.
3. In a separate large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda.
4. Pour oil into the ‘buttermilk’ and whisk.
5. Blend the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold in the chopped apples without overmixing.
6. Distribute the batter evenly across the prepared tins, tapping each to release air bubbles.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes in the oven’s center until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
8. 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:

1. Whip dairy-free butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until creamy.
2. Gradually incorporate icing sugar and cinnamon. Adjust consistency using dairy-free milk, more butter, or icing sugar as needed.
3. Start layering by placing one cake on a plate, spreading a layer of frosting, and optionally, adding some caramel sauce. Repeat for all layers.
4. Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
5. Apply a final thicker layer of frosting and smooth out the edges.
6. Decorate with piped white frosting swirls around the top using a star-tip nozzle.
7. 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.
8. Create apple designs around the cake using the colored frostings.

Cut into slices and savor this delightful apple and cinnamon vegan cake!