Chai-spiced Plum cake (vegan)

 

Ingredients

90ml coconut oil, melted

¼ cup coconut sugar

4 to 5 small plums, pitted and thinly sliced

2½ cups whole spelt flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1½ tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp fennel seeds

¼ tsp ground cloves

2 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground star anise

½ tsp fine sea salt

1 cup maple syrup or raw honey

190ml Almond or Coconut milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180C. Coat the bottom of a 18cm springform cake tin with ½ tablespoon of the melted coconut oil, and sprinkle the coconut sugar evenly over it to cover the base. Neatly lay the plum slices in concentric rings on the bottom of the cake tin.
  • In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and the ginger, cardamom, fennel seeds, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and salt. Whisk to combine.
  • In a medium saucepan, melt the remaining six tablespoons of coconut oil. Add the maple syrup, milk, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk to remove any lumps. Add the vinegar and whisk quickly to incorporate.
  • Pour the batter into the cake tin, and put the tin on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any liquid that may seep out while baking). Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.
  • When the cake has cooled, loosen the springform latch to open the tin. Invert a plate on top of the cake, and swiftly invert the two together so that the plums are now on the top. Serve.