There is something so beautiful in creating a cake that is completely to your liking. The joy and elation in every step of the process, the love for the craft, love for working with different types of dough and batters, and love for decorating, all combined in one little bundle.
Even though I was convinced my baking journey would take me in a different direction, cakes and other types of confection have truly stolen my heart.
And if there is one thing I love, it's soft cakes. Cakes that melt on every bite, blurring the lines between layers and fillings. And that is why I make my cakes just like that. Soft layers, smooth fillings, and plenty of coffee.
When it comes to cakes, I find nothing satisfying in a dry cake, hence why I put such an emphasis on baking times and checking on cakes earlier than indicated in the recipe. Every oven is different, and it is much better to check early than to have to start again.
Ingredients
For the soft honey cake layers
265 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
250 grams dandelion honey
75 millilitres vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
300 millilitres warm water
For the coffee walnut filling
600 millilitres soy milk
120 grams cornflour
120 grams light brown sugar
3 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
150 grams vegan block butter
150 grams toasted ground walnuts
Preparation
This little beauty is a wonderful blend of strong coffee, dandelion honey, and toasted walnuts. Although a typically colder weather flavour combination, it is still simply perfect for any brunch or celebration, especially with a glass of coffee liqueur.
Ingredients
For the soft honey cake layers
265 grams plain flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
250 grams dandelion honey
75 millilitres vegetable oil
3 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
300 millilitres warm water
For the coffee walnut filling
600 millilitres soy milk
120 grams cornflour
120 grams light brown sugar
3 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
150 grams vegan block butter
150 grams toasted ground walnuts
Preparation
Start by making the walnut filling, as it needs a bit of time to cool down. Pour the cold soy milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add in the cornflour, sugar, and coffee granules, and whisk until nicely blended. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and let it heat up slowly. As soon as it starts to steam, start whisking.
Once it comes to a boil, cook it, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Remove it from the heat, transfer it to a large bowl, and add in the vanilla and the vegan butter, one piece at a time, whisking constantly. If you wish, you can use an immersion blender, as well. When the filling is nice and blended, cover the top with a piece of cling film or baking parchment and let the filling cool down to room temperature.
To make the cake layers, take a large bowl and pour in the dandelion honey, oil, vanilla, vinegar, and warm water, and whisk them vigorously until combined. Set the bowl aside, and prepare a round cake pan (20 cm in diameter) by lining it with baking parchment; bottom and sides. Sift the plain flour and the baking soda into the honey mixture, and whisk everything together until just blended.
As soon as the batter is ready, pour it into the prepared pan, tap them a few times on the counter to pop any air bubbles, and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for 15-18 minutes, checking for doneness early on. As soon as a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove it from the oven and let it cool down in the pan.
Once everything is cool to the touch and ready, proceed to assemble the cake. Level the cake, if necessary, and slice it into three thin layers. Set them aside. Transfer the filling into a large bowl, and blend it with an electric mixer on high until completely smooth. Make sure to scrape the bottom and side of the bowl and blend until there are no clumps of custard visible. Add in the toasted ground walnuts, and blend again. Once done, divide the filling into three equal parts, and reserve one-third for the decoration.
Place the first cake layer on the serving platter and carefully spread on the filling. It does not need a cake ring, as the filling is firm enough on its own. Top with another layer, add more filling, and repeat until all the cake layers are used. Cover the entire cake in the reserved filling, and place it into the refrigerator for at least eight hours. Yields 16 rich servings.
