Chocolate layer cake with chai cashew buttercream frosting
Ingredients
Cake
- 360g (13oz) plain flour
- 100g (4oz) cacao powder
- 300g (11oz) coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk
- 1 1/3 cups grapeseed oil
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1/3 cup loose leaf chai tea
- 4 cups boiling hot water
- 3 cups natural cashews
- 1 cup canned coconut milk
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 tsp salt
- Juice from 1 lemon
Preparation
Preheat oven to 170C/340F. Grease and line the base of 2 x 6 inch cake tins, set aside. Note: It is best to start the cashew buttercream the night before or early in the morning.
In a medium mixing bowl, add milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, sift flour, cacao and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add coconut sugar and salt, and combine well.
Add the oil and vanilla to the milk mixture, and whisk together. Pour this mixture into the dry mix bowl, and fold until everything just comes together. Pour evenly between the two cake tins, and bake for 40-45 mins or until springy and a skewer comes out with only a few cake crumbs. Allow cakes to cool 5 mins before turning out to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the buttercream: Brew the tea in the hot water for 5 mins, then drain and reserve the brewed tea. Soak cashews immediately in the hot tea for 1 hour, then drain.
Add cashews and remaining ingredients to a blender and blitz until very smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
Place mixing bowl in the freezer for 30 mins, then remove and beat with electric beaters for 1-2 mins.
Repeat step 7 2-3 more times. Once buttercream texture is to your liking, allow to warm for 20+ mins before spreading between the cake layers and icing the outside.
