Caramel Coffee Layer Cake

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 2 cups of almond milk
• 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
• 3 1/3 cups and 1/2 tablespoon of self-raising flour (gluten-free if necessary)
• 2 cups and 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons of coffee powder (or espresso powder)
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1/ 2 cup and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil (melted)
• 1 teaspoon of coffee extract (or one more teaspoon of vanilla)
• 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract

For the Buttercream Filling (Middle):

• 3/5 cup and 1 teaspoon of vegan butter
• 2 4/5 cups of powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon of brewed coffee (I use espresso)
• 1 tablespoon of coffee powder

For the Buttercream Coating (Outer):

• 3/5 cup and 1 teaspoon of vegan butter
• 2 2/5 cups of powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons of vegan caramel syrup

For Garnish:

• Melted vegan dark chocolate
• Coffee beans
• Vegan chocolate truffles
• Cocoa powder

To Make the Cake:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line four 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper (or you can use two 9-inch cake pans for a 2 tier cake).
2. In a bowl, combine the almond milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined. Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan "buttermilk."
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, coffee powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix well to combine.
4. Add the coconut oil, coffee extract, and vanilla into the "buttermilk" and whisk to combine.
5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix.
6. Pour equal amounts of batter into the lined cake pans. Make sure to tap the pans on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.
7. Pop the cakes into the center of the preheated oven and bake for around 28-30 minutes. You will know they are done when you put a knife or skewer in and it comes out clean and they are springy to the touch.
8. Place the cakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully. Once cool, pop them into a sealed container to keep them fresh before frosting.

To Make the Coffee Buttercream Filling and Layer the Cakes:

1. In a bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter on high then add in powdered sugar, brewed coffee, and coffee powder. Add milk if needed.
2. Level off your cakes (if needed) with a sharp knife.
3. Layer the cakes with equal amounts of buttercream. For the top layer, make sure to turn the cake layer upside down for a flat and even top. Stick thick straws or wooden skewers down the cake to stabilize it, but make sure to remove them before eating.
4. Crumb coat the whole cake with the coffee buttercream and pop into the refrigerator for an hour to chill.

To Make the Caramel Buttercream:

1. In a bowl/stand mixer, cream the butter on high then add in the icing sugar and caramel.
2. Once the crumb coat is set, smooth the caramel buttercream over and give a final thick layer.
3. Once the final layer of frosting is firm, decorate the cake with a drizzle of melted dark chocolate, swirls of leftover buttercream, coffee beans, truffles, and a dusting of cocoa/cacao powder.