Spiced Apple Cake with Cashew Cream Cheese Icing

Completely vegan and gluten free, this moist and sumptuous cake is so satisfying to eat! I’ve decided it’s basically Bircher in cake form (hehe)! It’s made from apples, oats, almonds and flaxseeds, so totally similar, yet feels so much more indulgent! It’s squishy and creamy with just the right amount of sweetness and spice. The cooler, rainy weather lately has had me desiring something just like this to accompany an afternoon cup of tea.

Cake 

3 flax eggs (3 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 7 ½ Tbsp water)

½ cup pure maple syrup

¾ cup macadamia oil or olive oil (I used half of each)

2 cups almond meal

 ¾ cup oat flour

2 cups apple, cut into 1cm pieces (approx. 1 ½ large apples or 2 small)

1 tsp. bicarbonate soda

Spice mix

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

½ tsp. ground cardamom

½ tsp. ground cloves

Cream Cheese Icing

1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight & drained

1 ½ tbsp. maple syrup

Pinch of salt

½ tsp. nutritional yeast

Juice of ½ small lemon

1 tbsp. coconut yoghurt

2 tbsp. Water

Toasted walnuts and dried apple slices, to decorate

1.         Preheat the oven to 160C and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.

2.         Make the flax eggs by combining all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and whisking to combine. Set aside to thicken.

3.         Add the maple syrup and macadamia/olive oil to the bowl and whisk again before adding all remaining ingredients, including the spice mix. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.

4.         Pour the batter into the lined cake tin, smoothing the top. Place into the oven to bake for 45-55 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

5.         Allow to cool completely in the tin before carefully turning it out onto a serving plate.

6.         Meanwhile, make the cream cheese icing by adding all ingredients to a blender and processing until very smooth and creamy. I use this coffee and spice grinder to get it super smooth – it only cost us $30 (on sale), and I have been using it for 4 years to make pesto’s, nut butter and icings, such as this one.

7.         Spread the icing over the cooled cake and then top with dried apple slices and crushed, toasted walnuts, if you fancy it. To make the dried apple yourself, simply use a mandolin to thinly slice one apple. Place the slices on a lined oven tray in a single layer and sprinkle with a tiny bit of cinnamon. Place into a 100°C oven to gently dry for 1-1.5 hours. Serve the cake at room temperature and then store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 days. Enjoy!