This recipe was created by my chef student, Patricia Estrada Carmona and featured on the Veganuary website.

Prep time - 40 minutes

Cook time - 90 minutes

Difficulty - Medium

Serves / makes - 1 20cm / 8 inch cake

Ingredients

300g Doves gluten free plain flour

1tsp baking powder

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2tsp ground cardamom

1/2tsp ground cinnamon

1/4tsp salt

150g coconut sugar

The juice and zest of 2 oranges

120ml olive oil

180ml water

1tsp vanilla essence

4 thin slices of orange

30g pecans, you can also use almonds or walnuts

200g cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes

120ml plant milk

2tbsp agave syrup

1/2tsp vanilla essence

25g glace cherries, halved

Equipment

Large bowl

Mixing spoon

Ring shaped cake tin or a 20cm/8 inch cake tin with a ramekin in the centre

Baking paper

Blender or food processor

Method

1. Heat your oven to 180c/360f/GM4.

2. In a large bowl mix the flour, raising agents, spices, salt and sugar. Make a well in the centre, add the juice and zest, oil, water and 1tsp vanilla essence. Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. 

3. If you do not have a ring shaped cake tin put a ramekin in the middle of a 20cm/8 inch cake tin. Pour the batter around the ramekin filling the cake tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake is cooked through. Remove from the tin. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the frosting.

4. Turn the oven temperature down to 70c/160f/GM⅛. Cover a baking tray with baking paper, put the orange slices on the paper with the nuts. Bake for 45-60 minutes until the orange has dried out and the nuts are toasted. Finely chop the nuts. 

5. To make the frosting drain the cashew nuts, blend the cashew nuts with the plant milk, agave and 1/2tsp vanilla essence until completely smooth. The frosting needs to be completely smooth so that it is thick and will not slide off the cake. 

6. Spoon the frosting onto the cake. Dress the cake with the orange slices, nuts and cherries.