Ingredients

• Ingredients For the cake: 100g/4oz dairy-free spread/margarine 150g/6oz soft brown sugar 200g/8oz self-raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tbsp instant coffee granules dissolved in 200ml/8 fl oz boiling water (or cooled espresso/filter coffee) 1 tsp white wine or cider vinegar 1 tsp xanthan gum* 100g/4oz roughly chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts) – reserve 25g/1 oz to top the cake For the vegan butter-cream icing/frosting: 1 tbsp coffee dissolved in 3 tbsp boiling water 200g/8oz icing sugar 50g/2oz dairy-free spread/margarine, softened

Preparation

• Method Make up the coffee and set to one side to cool. Pre-heat the oven to 170C/160C Fan/325F/Gas3. Cream the spread and sugar. Add all of the remaining ingredients (reserving 25g/1oz of the nuts) and mix until just combined. Divide the mixture between 2 greased and lined 7″ sandwich tins. Bake for 20-25 mins until the cakes are firm and spring back slightly if pressed gently in the centre. Turn out onto a wire rack and remove the greaseproof paper. Allow to cool before icing. Soften the spread in a bowl and stir in the icing sugar. Mix together, adding just enough of the coffee to make a thick, spreadable icing. Spread in the middle and on top of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with the remaining nuts. Suitable for freezing. Love this recipe? Want more like this? Sign up to Veganuary for delicious recipes, our celebrity meal plans, nutritional advice and so much more. The best part is it’s 100% free! *I made this cake as an experiment, to try out the tub of xanthan gum I had recently bought. Xanthan gum is a binder and emulsifier which is often used in gluten-free baking – it can be found in the baking or free-from section of most big supermarkets.