I have been meaning to post this recipe for quite some time now but the photos I took aren't great. At the time the camera was running out of batteries, and I couldn't get my lighting right, so all my shots were blurry and dark. The ones I have here are the best that I managed to get and, believe me, they do not do this cake justice. I keep making this cake to take places, but then by the time it is finished I have to leave, and if there are any leftovers they do not last long enough for me to photograph....and I take almost all of the blame for that. Why don't I just bake a cake for myself and take photos? Because I can't put that kind of temptation in front of me! This is the kind of cake that I will eat for every meal until it is gone. What is wrong with me? Or rather, what is so right about this cake?
I recently took this cake to a summer BBQ where one of my friends said he could eat it all day. Even more recent, I took it to a party at another friend's house. My friend is Italian, and this party was full of her Italian family and other Italian friends. I figured it would be a tough crowd to convince that my gluten-free-vegan cake was actually good and they should try it out. But I didn't have to convince them at all. I have never, ever, received such wonderful and plentiful compliments for my cooking, and it made me blush.
The flavour of this cake is reminiscent of carrot cake, which I think is why it pairs so nicely with my Vegan Buttercream, which slightly resembles cream cheese icing. On the other hand, my husband is not a fan of carrot cake and yet loves this cake. It is an excellent cake for this time of year when you want to take advantage of apple season, but are looking for something different than a pie or a crisp.
It is Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend and I am going to make this cake for one, or more, of my celebrations. Perhaps then I can get a better photo. (That is, if there is time before it is all gobbled up!) I hope you can wow some of your family and friends with this cake. I promise you, not many people can tell that it is either gluten-free, or vegan. Maybe don't even tell them...
Apple Spice Cake
2 1/2 cups sorghum flour
1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
4 tbsps tapioca flour/starch
4 tsps baking soda
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp xantham gum
3 1/2 cups apple sauce
1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sunflower oil, or other light tasting oil
Preheat oven to 325° F / 167° C. Grease two 9" / 23 cm round cake pans, if your pans generally stick a little, you may want to line them with parchment paper as well.
In a medium bowl mix wet ingredients (including brown sugar), set aside. In a large bowl sift dry ingredients together. Add wet to dry and stir just until combined. Divide batter into pans, and bake on second-from-top rack for 38-45 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in in pans on a rack for about 15-20 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely before icing.
Ice cake with my Vegan Buttercream icing and dust with ground cinnamon.
This can also be made into cupcakes, it will yield about 24. Bake at the same temperature for 20-25 minutes. I have not made these cupcakes in a while, so please keep an eye on them in case they end up cooking quicker than I have noted.
Please Note: This cake is gluten-free, free of all top allergens, and vegan. If you are baking for a vegan, check to see if they eat refined sugar because many do not, do to how it is processed. You can always look on packaging to see if something is certified vegan, or contact the company. I, personally, am not vegan, but am allergic to eggs (and until recently, dairy) which is why all of my baking is vegan, or close to it.
*Please Note* These recipes are part of my personal allergy diet. Please remember that everyone's allergies are different. If you are unsure about any ingredients listed in these recipes please check with your doctor before introducing.
