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.

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.)

Preheat oven to 180C and line 2 x 8 inch springform cake pans with baking paper and lightly grease.
Cut the stemsand fronds off the fennel. Reserve the fennel fronds for the frosting.
Grate fennel bulb on the larger side of your grater. Mix together with lemon juice and zest.
Add your extracts, milk, maple syrup and oil to a bowl and whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients.
Pour wet ingredients and fennel lemon mixture into dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Divide mixture evenly between cake pans and bake for approximately 17 – 20 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
Place on cooling racks and leave in cake tin for 10 minutes to cool. Remove from tin and allow to cool completely before frosting.

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
In a stand mixer, or handheld mixer, beat together the cream cheese, nuttelex and flavour extracts until creamy.
Add tapioca mixture, melted cacao butter and maple syrup and beat together until thick and creamy.
Gently stir through chopped fennel fronds.
If needed, refrigerate until firm enough to pipe. I chilled mine for about 20 minutes before piping.
Decorate with extra fennel fronds and lemon slices.

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