Butternut squash in a cake? We know it sounds strange, but it is actually incredible. This is the most quintessential autumn cake to have on the table for the holidays! The addition of orange enhances and brightens the warm notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s as if summer, autumn and winter all came together and created the ultimate celebratory dessert.
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups almond milk (or flax milk, cashew milk, coconut milk… any nondairy milk you fancy)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2¼ cups all-purpose or spelt flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup butternut squash purée (from 1 roasted butternut squash)
- Zest of 1 large orange
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup sunflower oil or coconut oil (You could also use a light olive oil.)
- 1 cup vegan butter (or unsalted butter for non-vegan version)
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Orange marmalade
- Optional: Spritz of Orange Hydrosol from Gara Skincare
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 9-inch cake tins.
Add cider vinegar to almond milk and set aside.
Sift flour into mixing bowl and discard any large granules left in sieve. Mix in spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
In a separate bowl, mix together almond milk, squash purée, orange zest, vanilla, almond extract, maple syrup and olive oil. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until well combined and a smooth soup-like texture is formed.
Pour mixture into cake tins equally and bake on oven’s middle shelf for 20—25 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Before you move to decorate your cake, ensure your cakes are fully cooled. This is critical if you do not want melted buttercream!
While the cake is cooling you can make the buttercream.
In a stand-up mixer or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, add butter. Beat on high until fluff y and light. Sift in powdered sugar and add zest and extracts. Beat until buttercream is light as air but creamy and decadent.
Decoration time:
Coat 1 side of 1 layer with marmalade and 1 side of the other layer with about half of the buttercream. Sandwich the two coated sides together.
If you have the orange hydrosol from Gara, spritz the top of the cake and let it soak in before adding buttercream.
Layer the rest of the buttercream on the top. Decorate to taste with pomegranates and oranges from the garden, along with some flirty nasturtiums and yarrow blooms.
Next step… Devour.
