Plant-Based Fruit Topped Cake with Nut Date Frosting
Vegan layer cake with oat, sorghum, and almond flours, sweetened with maple syrup and molasses. Topped with a creamy cashew or walnut and date frosting, then decorated with fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and optional edible flowers for a seasonal presentation.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup plant-based milk, unsweetened unflavouredoat milk1:1vegandairy-free
neutral flavor
- ½ cup dark maple syrupagave nectar1:1veganFull guide →
- 3 tbsp dark molasses
- ¼ cup vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp ground golden flaxseed or ground chia seeds
- 1 cup oat flour
- ¾ cup sorghum flour
- ½ cup superfine almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup cashews or walnuts
- 12 dates, pitted and diced
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pint strawberries
- ½ pint raspberries
- 1 pint blueberries
- 25 lilac petals or other edible flowers(optional)rose petals1:1vegan
adds elegance
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 335°F. Line cake pan bottoms with parchment paper.
- 2
Combine plant-based milk, maple syrup, molasses, vanilla extract, vinegar, and ground flaxseed or chia seeds in a bowl.
- 3
Whisk oat flour, sorghum flour, almond flour, baking powder, and baking soda in another bowl.
- 4
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- 5
Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake for 30 minutes, then check doneness with a wooden skewer. Bake 2-3 minutes more if needed. Do not overbake.
- 6
Cool cakes in pans until slightly cool, then transfer to a cooling rack.
- 7
While cakes bake, soak pitted diced dates and cashews or walnuts in separate bowls for 30 minutes until soft.
- 8
Transfer soaked dates and nuts to a food processor. Add water as needed to reach desired frosting consistency.
- 9
Once cakes are completely cooled, frost the first layer. Top with the second layer and frost.
- 10
Decorate with fresh strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Add flower petals as desired.
Tips
Do not overbake the cake layers or they will dry out.
Ensure cake layers are completely cooled before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
Soak nuts and dates in separate bowls so you can control the texture of each component if desired.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate frosted cake for up to 3 days. Store unfrosted cake layers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Bake cake layers up to 1 day in advance and store unfrosted. Prepare frosting up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerate; bring to room temperature before applying.
Serve at room temperature or chilled. Add fresh fruit topping just before serving to prevent berries from releasing excess liquid.
Common Mistakes
Overbaking the cake will result in a dry, dense crumb. Remove when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Using warm cake layers will melt the frosting. Cool completely before frosting.
Adding too much water to the frosting will make it runny. Add water gradually to achieve spreadable consistency.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Vegan Options
adds elegance