By now, it is almost my personal tradition to welcome in the coldest part of the year with spice cakes. And this one, full of vegan honey, cinnamon, and sweet apricot filling, really makes for a perfect sweet treat.
Growing up, I adored little honey cakes called Medeno srce, so any dessert that includes apricots and chocolate will forever be my favourite. Here, I paired the apricot filling with some ground Biscoff cookies, for some added texture and their signature spices, and it is a match made in dessert heaven.
My tips for success.
The cake layers are exceptionally fudgy and soft; particularly the ones with vegan honey and mixed nuts, so handle them gently. If you are more comfortable that way, leave the baking paper on until you are ready to assemble the cake, as it makes it easier to move the layers about on your work surface.
You can use fresh apricots if they're in season, defrosted ones if you have them in your freezer, or even tinned apricots from compote. The recipe works perfectly with all of those alternatives. Do keep in mind, though, that tinned ones might lack in flavour a bit, so you might want to consider adding a drop of two of apricot extract or flavouring to the filling.
As I usually do, I peeled the walnuts used for the white cake layers, just to make the contrast stand out even more when the cake is sliced and served. There is no need to peel the skins, and they can just be toasted and ground as they are, the cake will be equally delicious.
The Biscoff biscuits add a wonderfully spiced undertone to the filling, but I do recommend tasting it before assembling the cake, and if you find it perhaps a bit too sweet, add a small pinch of salt, and mix it through. That will balance it nicely.
Ingredients
For the chocolate fudge layers
130 grams plain flour
20 grams unsweetened cocoa
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
130 grams light brown sugar
160 millilitres water
35 millilitres vegetable oil
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the soft almond walnut layers
150 millilitres warm water
50 grams granulated sugar
80 grams vegan honey
120 grams plain flour
90 grams toasted almonds and walnuts, ground
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
For the Biscoff apricot filling
250 grams apricots
50 grams apples, peeled and cored
75 grams light brown sugar
60 grams vegan block butter
20 grams cornflour
25 millilitres water
40 grams Biscoff (Lotus) biscuits, finely ground
For the rocher glaze
150 grams vegan milk chocolate
60 grams toasted almonds and walnuts, chopped
30 millilitres vegetable oil
Preparation
Start by making the filling. Place the fruit into a small blender and let it run until it is completely puréed. Add in the sugar and blend again. Pour the fruit purée into a heavy saucepan and place it over medium high heat. Let it come to a boil and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until it starts to thicken slightly. Separately, whisk together the cold water with the cornflour, and add it to the fruit. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes more, or until thickened. Remove from the heat and add in the diced vegan butter. Stir and fold until combined. Alternatively, use an immersion blender. Let the filling cool down to room temperature, and then place it into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. This can also be done one day in advance.
To make the cakes, line two square (18x18 cm) baking pans with baking parchment, bottom and sides, and set them aside. Let the oven preheat to 180°C.
For the chocolate layer, sift together the plain flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Add in the sugar and mix very well. Make a well in the centre and add in the water, oil, vanilla, and the vinegar, and whisk until just combined.
For the almond and walnut layers, take a large bowl and pour in the vegan honey, sugar, vanilla, vinegar, and water, and whisk them vigorously until combined. Sift the plain flour and the baking soda into the honey mixture, add in the ground nuts, and whisk everything together until just blended.
As soon as the batters are ready, pour them into the prepared pans, tap them a few times on the counter to pop any air bubbles, and bake immediately in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 15 minutes, checking for doneness early on. As soon as a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, the cake is done. Remove them from the oven and let them cool down in the pans completely.
Once everything is cool to the touch, proceed to assemble the cake. Level the cakes, if necessary, and slice both of them in half, forming four long and narrow layers (9x18 cm each). Mix the filling to soften it slightly, add in the Biscoff crumbs, and blend together. Divide the filling into four equal parts.
Place the first chocolate cake layer on the serving platter, and spread one-fourth of the filling. Add an almond and walnut layer on top, and spread another fourth of the filling. Repeat this with the second almond layer, spread another fourth of the filling, and finally place the second chocolate layer on top. The cake is pretty firm, so it doesn’t require a cake form. Spread the rest of the filling all over the cake, and place it into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
Once the cake is firm, make the chocolate glaze. Melt together the vegan milk chocolate and the oil, and if desired, blend them further with an immersion blender. Add in the chopped nuts, and wait for it to cool down and thicken up slightly. Glaze the cake generously and place it back into the refrigerator overnight. Serve in thin slices, with strong coffee. Yields 8-10 servings.
