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Vegan Lumberjack Cake ( Apple and Dates Cake)

This old-fashioned lumberjack cake is rich, moist and loaded with apple, dates and studded with coconut doused in maple syrup and it is vegan!
Course Dessert
Cuisine Australian
Keyword apple and dates cake, cake, lumberjack cake, vegan baking, vegan cake
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

Set A - Dates Apple Mix

  • 2 large apple grated with skin
  • 12 large dates pitted and finely chopped
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup hot boiling water

Set B - Wet Ingredients

  • ¾ cup neutral oil like vegetable oil or a light olive oil
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds or flax seeds ground and mixed with 3 tbsp water (see instructions below)

Set C - Dry Ingredients +ACV

  • 1 and ¾ cup flour I used 1 cup plain flour ( maida ) and ¾ cup whole wheat flour ( atta).
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Set D - Topping

  • ⅓ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup milk of choice can use dairy milk or vegan milk. I used oat milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla essence
  • ¾ cup shredded coconut

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180C, grease,line a loaf tin ( or a 8 inch round tin) and set aside.

Egg Substitute

  • To make this, take 1 tbsp of ground chia seeds or flax seeds ( grind in a mixie) and add 3 tbsp of water and set aside. The purpose of this is to act as a binder in this cake.

Making the cake

  • Add chopped dates, grated apples, baking soda and hot water to a bowl and set aside for 15 minutes.
  • After 15 minutes, add the oil, chia egg, maple syrup and vanilla essence and mix well.
  • Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined.
  • Now, add 1 tsp ACV and mix it in lightly. The batter will slightly pale but that is all good. Remember not to overmix and use a light hand.
  • Bake the cake for 35 minutes.

Making the topping

  • To a saucepan, add the maple syrup, milk, coconut and vanilla essence and stir until it simmers lightly. It will become a delicious smelling mixture and blend well.

Adding topping to the cake

  • After 35 minutes, remove the cake from the oven and pour topping over the cake.
  • Bake the cake again for 15 minutes.

Notes

  • If the coconut starts to brown quickly, cover with a aluminium foil and bake. 
  • The chia egg acts as a binder and the ACV provides a mild lift and crumb to this cake.   If you are okay to use egg, you can add ONE egg in this recipe.  I have tried the cake with both a chicken egg and a chia egg - there is no difference in texture but yes, the egg is a easy add if you can use one. 
  • The flavour of maple syrup is wonderful in this cake. However, it can be substituted with coconut sugar or brown sugar. I highly recommend using maple syrup if you have access to it. I have not tried this cake with honey or any other liquid sweetener in the cake. The topping can be made using honey.
  • The cake is not very sweet on its own without the topping. If you plan to make the cake without the topping ( and yes, you can), then you may need to add 1/4 cup more of sweetner to the cake.  It will still be a delicious apple and dates cake.