A light, moist and fluffy apple cake packed with pecans, richly spiced with warming chai flavours. Sandwich this vegan and gluten-free cake together with whipped cream and top with a rich dark chocolate ganache, more pecans and apple crisps for a cosy autumnal showstopper bake.
By Nourishing Amy
Chai Apple Cake with Chocolate Ganache
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Serves: 11-12 People
Ingredients
For the Cake
1 apple, grated
120ml plant-based milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
100g coconut or caster sugar
45ml (3 tbsp) sunflower oil
50g applesauce
30g thick dairy-free yoghurt e.g. coconut
1 tsp vanilla essence
175g plain or GF plain flour
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cardamom
A pinch of ground clove
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
A pinch of salt
50g pecans, chopped very small
For the Middle and Ganache
150-200ml vegan whipping cream
100g 85% Dark Chocolate, chopped very small
40g vegan butter, melted
10g pecans, chopped very small
For Decoration
Chopped pecans
Apple crisps
Redcurrants
Method
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180*C and line two 6-inch cake tins with baking paper.
Step 2
Core the apple (leave the skin on) and grate the apple, squeeze out the juice so you are left with 60g of apple (save or drink the apple juice). Leave to one side.
Step 3
To a large mixing bowl, pour in the milk and lemon juice. Stir and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.
Step 4
Add in the sugar, sunflower oil, applesauce, yoghurt and vanilla and whisk again.
Step 5
Sift in the flour and add all the spices, the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Whisk to a smooth batter with almost no specks of flour. Fold in the chopped pecans and the grated apple.
Step 6
Divide equally between the two tins, smooth over the tops and bake for 22 minutes, until golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Step 7
Cool for 10 minutes in the tin then carefully lift out to cool fully on a wire rack. Once cool, trim off the tops if they have domed, so you have a flatter surface and chill in the fridge.
Step 8
Whip the cream till fluffy.
Step 9
Add the dark chocolate for the ganache into a small heatproof bowl. Pour over the melted butter. Leave for 5 minutes then stir till smooth. If needed, heat the mix in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time till glossy and smooth. Allow to cool slightly so it’s thicker.
Step 10
Place one chilled cake on a serving board/plate and spread over the whipped cream. Sprinkle over the pecans and top with the second cake. Pour over the ganache, allowing it to drip down the sides.
Step 11
Decorate with pecans, apple crisps and redcurrants and slice straight away. As the chocolate ganache sets, use a warmed knife to slice the cake for neater slices.
Step 12
Keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can freeze unfilled cakes, wrapped well, for up to 1 month.
