Caramelized Walnut Cake With Coffee Cream Frosting

This gluten-free cake is topped with rich coffee cream frosting and caramelized walnuts. Make it part of your holiday dessert spread!

CARAMELIZED WALNUT CAKE WITH COFFEE CREAM FROSTING [VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE]

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE WALNUT CAKE:

• 2 cups packed gluten-free flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup walnut halves
• 2 cups unrefined sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed, plus 3 tablespoons water
• 3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup, plus scant 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 teaspoons coffee extract

FOR THE COFFEE CREAM FROSTING:

• 2 13 and 1/2-ounce full-fat coconut milk, chilled in the fridge overnight
• 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons coffee extract
• A drop of vanilla extract

CARAMELIZED WALNUTS:

• 8-10 walnut halves
• 1/3 cup unrefined sugar

PREPARATION

TO MAKE THE CAKE:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350ºF. Line and grease around, 8-inch spring-form pan.
2. Add the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, lightly combining with a fork.
3. In a big cup, combine the non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside to curdle.
4. If you haven’t already, melt the coconut oil. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add this, the vanilla and coffee extract and curdled non-dairy milk to the bowl of dry ingredients, and fold them in.
5. Pour the cake batter into the cake pan, smoothing out the top with a spatula.
6. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.

FOR THE FROSTING:

1. In a large mixing bowl, whip all the ingredients together by hand or by using an electric mixer. When the cream is smooth and glossy, place in the fridge.

FOR THE CARAMELIZED WALNUTS:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Add the sugar to a small saucepan on medium-high heat and leave to melt. After about 10 minutes, the sugar will have bubbled and turned to caramel — DON’T stir it, as that will disturb the process.
3. Drop each walnut half in, one at a time, stir it around in the caramel and then lift it out with a teaspoon. Place onto the baking paper to cool.

TO ASSEMBLE:

1. When the cake is baked and cooled, slice in half through the middle.
2. Spread a third of the frosting over the bottom tier of the cake, then sandwich the other tier on top. Frost the cake with the remainder of the frosting.
3. Decorate with the caramelized walnuts when they are cool.

NOTES

Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/carmelized-walnut-coffee-cake/