This Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Coconut Labneh is a crowd pleaser. The layer cake is topped with vegan meringue made using aquafaba, aquafaba is the liquid from cooked chickpeas. The best way to use this is from tinned chickpeas.
Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Coconut Labneh Recipe
Serves 10
Ingredients:
3 ½ cups plain flour
2 cups caster sugar
2 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
200ml light olive oil
400ml unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp vegan vanilla extract
1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tbsp poppy seeds
Dried citrus slices, to serve
Coconut Labneh
(Start this recipe the day before)
900g thick unsweetened coconut yoghurt
1 cup vegan icing sugar mixture, sifted
1 tsp vegan vanilla extract
Vegan meringue
¾ cup aquafaba liquid, at room temperature (see note)
¾ cup caster sugar
Method:
To make coconut labneh, combine yoghurt and ½ tsp table salt in a bowl. Transfer to a colander lined with muslin or a clean thin tea towel set over a bowl. Fold over cloth to cover and weigh down with a plate. Refrigerate overnight to drain.
The next day, remove the yoghurt from refrigerator. Place drained yoghurt in the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk. Add icing sugar and vanilla and whisk for 8 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan forced). Grease and line 3 x 20cm (base measurement) round cake tins with non-stick baking paper.
Combine the flour, sugar, ¼ tsp salt and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl. Combine the oil, almond milk, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice in a jug and whisk to combine.
Gradually pour into the flour mixture, stirring to combine. Add the poppy seeds and mix to combine. Divide the cake batter evenly between cake tins.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centres comes out clean. Set aside in the tins to cool for 10 minutes before turning out cakes onto racks to cool completely.
To assemble, place cake on a cake stand. Spread with half the icing. Top with a cake and spread with remaining icing. Top with cake and refrigerate.
To make the vegan meringue, place the aquafaba in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk and whisk on high speed for 5 minutes, or until foamy. Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue to whisk for 5 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved and the meringue is stiff.
Spoon on top of the cake. Using blow torch, torch the meringue. Decorate with dried citrus to serve.
Smart Tip:
Aquafaba is the liquid from cooked chickpeas. The best way to use this is from tinned chickpeas. A 400g can of chickpeas, drained will give you ¾ cup aquafaba.
