VEGAN PINEAPPLE LAYER CAKE

When someone bakes as much as I do, some cakes inevitably become personal classics. This is one of those cakes.

It is not one of those show-stopping cakes that take a lot of time to prepare and assemble. It is also not something that makes people go out of their way to find the ingredients. It is a simple, flavourful, light cake that is suitable as an everyday treat and as a really pretty celebratory cake.

It is actually my mother's favourite cake, and it is a staple when it comes to family celebrations. Rightfully so, as well. Soft vanilla cakes, plenty of creamy vanilla filling, and lots of fresh pineapple. A marvellous little cake, indeed.

My tips for success.

Because semolina absorbs liquid quickly, it is quite important to work equally quickly once you mix it with the wet ingredients. That is why I advise preparing your pans in advance and having the oven nicely preheated.

When choosing the milk, go for the one you enjoy drinking, always. You can even choose a barista-style milk, such as oat or rice milk, but do be careful of any vanilla added to it, and adjust the quantity of vanilla you add yourself, so it doesn't turn bitter.

You can use all brown sugar in the filling, if you like; it will give a marvellous caramel undertone that pairs so well with vanilla and fresh pineapple. You can also add a dash of caramel flavouring, for the same purpose, of course.

Speaking of pineapple, I find that small dice works best, as it allows for the cleanest slices. However, you can even mince it and drain it well; it will be just as delicious.

Ingredients
For the vanilla cake layers
180 grams plain flour
40 grams semolina
100 grams granulated sugar
80 grams light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
180 millilitres cold water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the vanilla filling and frosting
400 millilitres soy or almond milk
40 grams plain flour
40 grams cornflour
50 grams granulated sugar
50 grams light brown sugar
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste
150 grams vegan block butter, at room temperature
300 grams fresh pineapple, diced

Preparation

Start by making the vanilla cream filling, as it needs to cool down completely before whipping and assembling.

Pour the cold milk, soy or almond, into a heavy-bottomed pot, add in the flour and the cornflour, sugars, and vanilla. Whisk very well, place the pot over medium-high heat, and let it slowly heat up. As soon as it starts to steam, start whisking. Let it come to a gentle boil and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes, until it thickens. Remove from the heat and immediately add 30 grams of vegan block butter. Whisk until melted and incorporated or emulsify using an immersion blender. Cover the top with cling film or a piece of baking parchment, and let it cool down to room temperature.

To make the vanilla cake layers, sift together the plain flour and the baking powder into a large bowl, add in the semolina and the sugars, and whisk everything well. Set the bowl aside. Let the oven preheat to 180°C and line three small round cake pans (15 cm) with baking parchment. Combine all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.

Just before baking, pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and quickly whisk until just blended. As soon as the batter is ready, divide it between the prepared pans and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for 12-15 minutes, checking for doneness with a toothpick. As soon as a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, it is done. Remove them from the oven and let cool down in the pans completely.

Once the filling is at room temperature and ready, place the remaining softened vegan butter into a large bowl, and whip it with an electric mixer on high for about 5 minutes, so it becomes light and airy. Separately whip the cooked custard until it becomes smooth, and without stopping the beaters, add a tablespoon of the custard at a time to the whipped butter, blending them together until smooth and creamy.

Once the filling is ready, proceed to assemble the cake. Level the cakes, if necessary, and divide the filling into three equal parts. Set one of them aside, as it will be used as frosting. Chop the pineapple into desired pieces, keeping in mind that smaller dice works best for serving.

Place the first cake layer onto the serving platter, put a tall sheet of acetate around it, and close the cake ring tightly. Spread one-third of the vanilla filling over the first layer and add half of the chopped pineapple. It is fine if it sinks into the whipped custard. Place the second cake layer on top, spread another third of the filling, and top with the rest of the pineapple. Top with the final layer, cover with a piece of cling film, to stop it from drying out, and then place it into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.

Once ready, take the cake out of the refrigerator, remove the cake ring and the acetate sheet, and decorate as desired. If using fresh pineapple for decoration, place it on the cake just before serving. Serve well chilled. Yields 16 generous servings.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE BISCUIT CAKE

Years and years ago, when I was taking my first pastry steps, no-bake cakes were my first choice. Effortless to make with readily-available ingredients, universally loved because of the sheer amount of chocolate, and very easily tailored. I love them even today, even though I don't make them as much as I once did.

This little beauty is made with chocolate, sweet and sticky maple and date syrup, and plenty of dried figs and almonds. Such a lovely treat that is perfect for any gathering or simply a cup of afternoon coffee.

My tips for success.

When choosing the biscuits, go for thinner ones, as they will get softer due to the warmth of the syrup. If you do like firmer pieces of biscuits throughout the cake, then choose the ones you love the most.

You can soak the dried fruit in some brandy or rum before adding it to the batter and you can also roughly chop it or blend it up coarsely, that is up to your preference. The texture will be smoother with blended dried fruit, definitely.

If serving the cake to the little ones, or you want to avoid using rum, use rum flavouring and increase the amount of milk by 50 millilitres and it will be perfect.

Ingredients
For the cake
350 millilitres almond or soy milk
50 millilitres dark rum
50 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
50 millilitres maple syrup
50 millilitres date syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
150 grams vegan block butter, cubed
80 grams extra dark chocolate (80%), chopped
400 grams vegan vanilla biscuits, roughly chopped
50 grams toasted almonds, chopped
75 grams dried figs
50 grams raisins
For the chocolate topping
50 grams dark chocolate (75%), chopped
20 grams vegan block butter, cubed
15 millilitres almond or soy milk

Preparation

Take a serving platter, place a 15-cm cake ring in the middle, line it with a strip of acetate, and close it tightly. Set the platter aside briefly. Take a heavy saucepan, add in the milk, rum, cocoa powder, maple and date syrups, and vanilla, and place it over medium high heat.

Let it slowly come to a boil, and cook, stirring often, for about 5-6 minutes, until the syrup thickens slightly. Remove it from the heat and add in the cubed butter and chocolate. Mix until everything is melted and combined.

Allow the syrup to cool down for a bit, until it's no longer piping hot. Meanwhile, combine the biscuits, dried fruit, and almonds in a large bowl. Pour in the syrup and mix thoroughly, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides regularly, so everything is combined.

Add the chocolate batter in layers to the prepared cake ring, pressing lightly as you go, so there are no air pockets once it cools down. Level the top and place it in the refrigerator for a moment.

For the chocolate topping, melt everything together over low heat, let it cool down briefly, and pour it evenly over the cake. Gently shake the platter so everything settles, and place it in refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably 8. Yields 16 servings.

VEGAN PUMPKIN LEMON CAKE

This type of dessert has been capturing my attention more and more. Effortlessly elegant and pretty straightforward to prepare, it has the perfect blend of visual appeal and flavour.

Marvellously soft and tender vanilla cake, gorgeously earthy pumpkin insert, and an airy layer of lemon ganache, whipped to perfection. Just a wonderful little symphony of flavours.

My tips for success.

Once you cook the batter for the insert, depending on your texture preferences, you can use an immersion blender to make it perfectly smooth. It will be equally delicious in that form, as well. This can also be done prior to cooking, if that is easier for you.

When it comes to the lemon ganache, I find that it performs the best after chilling for at least 6 hours in the refrigerator. That will, however, greatly depend on the chocolate and cream themselves. Some will whip up beautifully after barely 2-3 hours, and some will need the full 6, so do adjust the chilling time to your ingredients.

As for the decoration, I chose a bit of lemon gel and some gorgeous and vibrant pistachios for the colour and a bit of crunch, but you can decorate however you like.

Ingredients
For the delicate cake layer
60 grams flour
15 grams cornflour
75 grams sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
65 millilitres water
15 millilitres oil
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
For the whipped vegan white chocolate ganache
100 grams white chocolate
50 grams butter
50 grams cream
1 heaping teaspoon vanilla bean paste
zest of two lemons
pinch of salt
For the pumpkin lemon insert
150 grams grated pumpkin
50 grams fresh lemon juice
75 grams granulated sugar
30 grams cornflour
100 millilitres water
25 grams butter

Preparation

Start by making the pumpkin insert, as it needs to be frozen. Mix together all the ingredients for the insert apart from the butter, and add them to a saucepan. Place it over medium high heat and let it slowly come to a boil. Once it starts to bubble, cook and stir for 2-3 minutes, until very thick and fragrant. Remove from the heat and add in the butter. Mix until incorporated, using an immersion blender if desire. Pour it into a 12 cm cake or pastry ring and freeze it solid, preferably overnight.

To make the white chocolate ganache, start by zesting the lemons and heating up the cream and butter until it almost comes to a boil. While the cream is heating up, mix together the chopped chocolate, lemon zest, vanilla, and salt. Pour the cream over the chocolate and mix until everything is smooth and blended. Let it cool down to room temperature, stirring from time to time as it cools. Cover the top with cling film and let it cool completely in the refrigerator, for at least 4 hours.

To make the soft cake layer, take a large bowl and sift in the plain flour, cornflour, and the baking powder. Whisk them together very well, and add in the sugar. Combine and set aside. Turn on the oven to preheat to 180°C and line the bottom and sides of a small round cake pan (15 cm) with baking parchment. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, and add in water, oil, and vanilla. Quickly whisk until blended, and as soon as the batter is ready, pour it into the prepared pan, tap it lightly once or twice on the counter, and bake in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for 12-15 minutes, checking for doneness early. Every oven bakes differently, so as soon as a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, it is done. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool down in the pan completely.

When everything is ready, whip the ganache with an electric mixer on high until very firm peaks form, and set it aside. Place the cake onto the serving platter, close a cake ring around it, and line it with a strip of acetate. Remove the pumpkin insert from the mould and place it on top of the cake layer. Gently spread the whipped filling on top and all around it, leaving a few tablespoons for the decoration. Tap the platter a few times on the counter so the filling settles, and place it in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. Yields 12 generous servings.

VEGAN APPLE PIE DOUGHNUTS

First time I baked my doughnuts instead of frying them, they resembled dinner rolls with a sweet glaze, but I was mighty proud of my creation. Being someone who does not enjoy deep-fried foods, that was a breakthrough moment for me.

Over the years, I've perfected my baked doughnuts, and I am very happy to say they are pillowy soft and supremely aromatic. Full of apple pie filling enriched with vanilla and rosewater, they are one of life's simple pleasures, especially served with a mug of hot tea on a chilly day.

My tips for success.

First and foremost, please don't be tempted to add a lot more flour. I know the dough is very soft and sticky, but have patience and let it rest during kneading, if needed, to keep it as soft as possible. This type of pastry depends on the dough hydration and baking time.

Second, please don't be tempted to sample them before they cool down, because they will be molten hot. Spoken from experience, it is much better to let them cool down so you don't burn yourself.

And lastly, if you like the flavour combination of apples and honey, feel free to add a big spoonful of honey, either vegan or bee honey, just before filling the doughnuts. That way, the flavour will remain prominent and wonderful.

Ingredients
For the soft dough
420 grams plain flour
120 millilitres apple juice, room temperature
120 millilitres warm water
40 millilitres vegetable oil
40 grams fresh yeast
25 grams light brown sugar
10 grams salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the apple pie filling
500 grams apples, peeled, cored, and diced
150 grams light brown sugar
15 grams cornflour
50 millilitres cold water
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
¼ teaspoon rosewater
For the crunchy topping
100 grams vegan block butter, melted
50 grams granulated sugar
50 grams dark brown sugar

Preparation

To make the dough, take a large bowl, crumble in the fresh yeast, add in the sugar, apple juice, and warm water. Mix it well so the yeast starts to dissolve, and set it aside for about 10-15 minutes. Once ready, add in the oil and the vanilla, mix well, and then sift in the flour and the salt. Mix with a wooden spoon until a very soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead it by hand for about 5 minutes, until it becomes supple and smooth. It should not stick too much to your hands, but if it does, feel free to add a bit more flour. Place the dough back into the same bowl, cover, and let it rise for about an hour, or until doubled.

While the dough is resting, make the filling. Combine the finely diced apples and sugar in a saucepan, and place it over medium high heat. Let it cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, until the apples soften. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cold water, cornflour, vanilla, and rosewater, and add it to the bubbling apples. Cook, mixing and folding constantly, until all the liquid evaporates and the filing becomes sticky and aromatic. Set aside to cool.

Take the risen dough out of the bowl and knead it very lightly by hand, just to knock some of the air out, and then divide it into 9 equal parts, by weight. Without any shaping, flatten them you’re your hand on the work surface, add a portion of the filling, and close it very well. Take your time with this step so the filling stays inside while baking. Arrange them on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment, generously mist them with cold water, cover with a kitchen towel, and let them rise until doubled. Meanwhile, turn the oven on to preheat to 200˚C.

As soon as they're ready, bake in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 12-15 minutes. They need to remain as soft as possible, so watch them carefully. While they are baking, melt the vegan block butter, and mix the sugars in a separate bowl. As soon as they are done, take them out of the oven, let them cool slightly, and carefully, as they will be piping hot, dip them in the melted butter on all sides, and then immediately in the sugar. Place them on the serving platter and serve as soon as they are comfortably warm to your liking. Yields 9 very large doughnuts.

VEGAN WALNUT COOKIES

I don't really bake that many cookies these days, but they are always welcome as a quick little treat, especially on chilly days, with a cup of coffee. Not to mention the power they have to brighten up any dessert platter at any gathering or celebration.

Full of walnuts and almonds, with just a touch of vegan milk chocolate, they are a fantastic sweet snack done fairly quickly, making them perfect for weekdays. They are truly the best the same day they are baked, but if you have some leftovers, store them in a tightly sealed container, and they will be good for a couple of more days.

My tips for success.

Even though many of my cookies do not require chilling, these do, so please chill them in the freezer or refrigerator, depending on how much time you have, until firm. They will spread out regardless, but this will make for a more controlled spread.

I usually decorate half of the cookies generously, and leave the other half plain, so everyone can pick the cookie they like, but if you want, you can use the whole chocolate bar and decorate all of the cookies, of course.

My cookies are usually done after barely 8 minutes, but my oven does run a bit hot, so pay really close attention to them, and take them out as soon as they get some colour.

Ingredients
100 grams vegan block butter, softened
60 grams icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
100 grams plain flour
50 grams toasted walnuts, ground
30 grams toasted almonds, ground
25 grams cornflour
50 grams vegan milk chocolate, for the decoration

Preparation

Take a large bowl, add in the softened butter, icing sugar, and vanilla, and beat with an electric mixer on high until blended. Add in the walnuts, almonds, and cornflour, and blend well. Finally, add in the flour and baking powder, switch to a wooden spoon and mix them through, forming a dough.

Roll the dough out immediately between two sheets of baking paper, to about 5mm thickness, and place them in the freezer for about 15-20 minutes. Let the oven preheat to 180°C, and line two large baking sheets with baking paper.

Place the chilled dough onto a lightly floured surface, and use a 5 cm round cookie cutter to get as many cookies as possible, and then arrange them on the baking sheets. Bring together the scraps of the dough, knead briefly, roll it out, and cut out cookies in the same fashion until all of the dough is used up. If it starts to get warm and sticky, place it back into the freezer for about 10 minutes.

Bake them in a nicely preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 8-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on them, as they will spread out, and can burn easily. As soon as they get some colour, they are done. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool down and firm up on the baking sheets.

Meanwhile, melt the vegan milk chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave and decorate the cooled cookies to your liking. There is enough chocolate for a moderate decoration, so do adjust the quantity to your preference. As soon as the chocolate sets, they are ready to serve. Yields 24 cookies.