Lemon and Fennel Cake with White Chocolate and Cream Cheese Frosting – Gluten free, soy free and vegan
If you’ve never tried fennel in a cake this is a must bake! This recipe makes a double layer 8 inch cake.
For the Cake
- 1 fennel bulb (fronds removed and grated with the large side of the grater)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 zest from 1 lemon
- 300 g GF flour (I used Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour)
- 1 tsp xanthum gum
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 drops lemon extract
- 130 ml rice milk (or your non-dairy milk of choice)
- 120 ml maple syrup
- 2 tbsp grapeseed oil (you could use olive oil or coconut oil but I like grapeseed oil for its neutral taste.)
For the Frosting
- 4 tbsp tapioca flour
- 200 ml almond milk
- 100 g cacao butter (melted)
- 130 g Noshing Naturally cream cheese
- 120 ml maple syrup
- 200 g nuttelex (I use the coconut oil one)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 10 drops lemon extract
- 2 tsp fennel fronds (chopped small)
For the Cake
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Preheat oven to 180C and line 2 x 8 inch springform cake pans with baking paper and lightly grease.
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Cut the stemsand fronds off the fennel. Reserve the fennel fronds for the frosting.
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Grate fennel bulb on the larger side of your grater. Mix together with lemon juice and zest.
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Add your extracts, milk, maple syrup and oil to a bowl and whisk to combine.
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In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
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Pour wet ingredients and fennel lemon mixture into dry ingredients and stir to combine.
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Divide mixture evenly between cake pans and bake for approximately 17 – 20 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
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Place on cooling racks and leave in cake tin for 10 minutes to cool. Remove from tin and allow to cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting
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Add tapioca flour and milk to a small saucepan and whisk to combine. Heat over medium low heat while continually stirring until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Set aside
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In a stand mixer, or handheld mixer, beat together the cream cheese, nuttelex and flavour extracts until creamy.
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Add tapioca mixture, melted cacao butter and maple syrup and beat together until thick and creamy.
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Gently stir through chopped fennel fronds.
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If needed, refrigerate until firm enough to pipe. I chilled mine for about 20 minutes before piping.
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Decorate with extra fennel fronds and lemon slices.
