This Apple and Salted Caramel Cake Is the Holiday Dessert Every Guest Will Love
I’m always up for trying a vegan sweet treat, but I’m not always up for baking it myself. From the time it takes to get it prepped to more leftovers than needed, sometimes baking just isn’t worth the trouble. That is, however, until I discovered a recipe for an apple and salted caramel cake that seems super simple to make.
Richa, the plant-based wanderer of @deliciously.earthy, posted this recipe for her incredible Apple + Salted Caramel Cake, and it’s a hit for many good reasons. The main reason? The melt-in-your-mouth sweet-yet-contrasting tastes!
Start by gathering what you’ll need for making the cake itself: apples, brown sugar, olive oil, plant-based milk, apple cider vinegar, self-rising flour, ground cinnamon, and baking powder. Preheat your oven to 350°F and, while it’s warming, grease three loose-bottom pans.
Mix the plant-based milk and vinegar together, then set aside for five minutes. Combine the dry ingredients for the cake in a large bowl, mixing together until well-combined. Then add the olive oil and apple and milk mixture into the dry mix before folding everything together well.
Pour the cake mixture into all three tins, baking for 35 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Check the cake’s progress with a skewer or cake tester and when the skewer comes out clean, you’ll know it’s done. Once done, allow it to cool on a wire rack.
Now, it’s time for the oh-so-sweet topping. Combine vegan butter, icing sugar, and chai spice until smooth. For the caramel sauce, mix cashew butter and maple syrup, then gradually add in a small splash of plant-based milk until you feel the consistency is just right.
Once the cake is cooled, place the bottom layer of the cake on your cake tray and add a layer of frosting over it before topping with another cake. Repeat the process until complete. Now, smother the whole cake with the frosting, then drizzle the caramel sauce on the top and decorate the cake as you’d like. And voila! Now you have a dessert that’s just right for any celebration.
If you’re invited to a potluck this season, you can easily say, “I’ve got dessert!” with confidence. Looking for more more sweet treats to bring to the party? Consider making these maple-sweetened gingerbread people or these incredible vegan doughnuts. Either way, though, happy snacking on sweets at your holiday celebrations!