This week is a big week with a couple of important dates.

It is my birthday week!!! Well, my birthday month because I like to use my birthday celebration as an excuse for fun for as long as I can. And it is the anniversary of this blog!!! Happy first birthday to my blog.

Last year I worked hard for the first couple weeks of January so that while I was on vacation in Disneyland, I could hit publish and share with the world. It was truly one of the most magical weeks of my life and definitely one of the most magical of 2020. Because, you know...

Well, there is no Disneyland this year, but there is still reason to celebrate, and I just feel so lucky and so proud of how much I have learned in a year. I also feel humbled to know that there is still so much more to learn (hello, printable recipes are coming!!!)

I felt like a new cake recipe was the best way to celebrate, and I am just in love with hazelnut and chocolate lately. Don’t be fooled by the fact that this is vegan; it is definitely indulgent and sweet. You could make the cake and top it with just the chocolate ganache, or just the buttercream, but if you feel extra, combine all the elements, and you won’t regret it.

And, another reminder, this totally can be made with white/brown sugar, eggs, and butter if the vegan thing isn’t for you, the flavor combination will make your heart sing.

I just feel like if you are reading this, I owe a huge thanks to you for showing up and giving me support. All the comments, the hearts, the likes, and shares have meant so much. Together, we can bake some love into the world, well, at least that is what I am trying to do.

Vegan Hazelnut Cake

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups coconut sugar (or 1 cup white sugar, ½ brown sugar)

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 cup plant milk with 2 tsp apple cider vinegar mixed in it

½ brown butter cooled (yes, you can make brown butter with vegan butter)*

⅓ cup apple sauce

½ hazelnut butter **

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp espresso powder or coffee alternative

3 flax eggs***

1 cup hot water

*you can also just use cooled melted butter that hasn’t been browned

** you can use any nut butter, but if you want that nutty hazelnut flavor, use hazelnut butter

*** to make flax eggs, mix 3 tbsp of ground flax with 9 tbsp of water and let it sit for at least 5 minutes

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º. Prep 3 6-inch pans with non-stick spray, parchment round in the bottom, and then spray again.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix the following ingredients: milk, cooled butter, apple sauce, hazelnut butter, vanilla, espresso powder, and flax eggs.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides and then mix on low for about a minute while pouring in hot water.
Pour the batter into your prepared pan(s) and bake for 25-35 minutes, and a tester comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely before frosting. This cake keeps well in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Whipped Ganache

Ingredients

1 cup vegan chocolate

¾ cup coconut cream (I like to refrigerate a can of coconut milk for 24 hours and scoop off the cream from the top)

Directions

1. Put the chocolate into a medium-sized mixing bowl.

2. Over medium heat in a small saucepan, heat coconut cream until it barely starts to boil, then carefully pour over the chopped chocolate and let it stand for 5 minutes.

3. Using a whisk, mix the chocolate and cream until smooth.

5. Refrigerate for 2 hours, until it has completely cooled and thickened.

6. Using the whisk attachment on your stand mixer, or hand mixer, mix the filling for about 5 minutes.

Vegan Caramel Buttercream

Ingredients

1 ½ cup vegan butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp vegan caramel sauce (I used this recipe and just cooked it 5-10 minutes less, soft-ball stage)

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp plant milk

Directions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, caramel, and powdered sugar. Turn on low speed until the powdered sugar is mixed in.
Pour in the plant milk and turn the mixer up to medium/medium-high. Mix for 3 minutes
Scrape down the sides. Mix for another 5-7 minutes scraping down the sides as necessary.