Cake Ingredients:
- 250ml dairy-free milk
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 100g caster sugar
- 250g self-raising flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 70ml sunflower oil
- 100g chopped apple
Caramel Ingredients:
- 320g Natures Charm sweetened condensed oat milk
- 135g dairy-free block butter
- 50g light brown sugar
Frosting Ingredients:
- 80g Natures Charm Oat Whipping Cream
- 100g dairy-free butter
- 230g icing sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Splash of dairy-free milk (if needed)
- Red food gel
- Green food gel
Instructions:
1. Cake: a. Preheat oven to 180ºC (fan). Line an 8x8 inch square cake tin with parchment, with edges overhanging for easy removal. b. In a bowl, whisk dairy-free milk with apple cider vinegar. Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle, making a vegan ‘buttermilk’. c. In another bowl, mix sugar, flour, spices, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Add oil to 'buttermilk' and mix. d. Combine wet and dry ingredients, then fold in the chopped apple. e. Spread batter evenly in the tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. f. Let it cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Ensure it’s fully cool before frosting.
2. Caramel: a. In a saucepan, combine all caramel ingredients. Heat on low/medium, stirring continuously, until it thickens and turns amber, approximately 15-20 minutes. b. Transfer caramel to a bowl to cool. Once cooled, it can be refrigerated. c. Pour caramel into a piping bag, cut the tip, and pipe into holes poked into the cake with a wooden spoon handle.
3. Frosting: a. Whip dairy-free butter and oat whipping cream until creamy. b. Sift in icing sugar and cinnamon, whipping until smooth and airy. Adjust consistency with milk or butter as needed. c. Spread white buttercream evenly on the cake. d. Portion some buttercream into two bowls. Tint one portion red and a smaller portion green. Transfer to piping bags. e. Pipe apple shapes with red buttercream, and leaves with green. Drizzle leftover caramel on top.
4. Final Touch: Slice and savor the delightful blend of apple, spices, and caramel in every bite!
