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king cake

King Cake for Mardi Gras

We love this oil-free, plant-based King Cake with maple sweetness and creamy cashew frosting. It's perfect for Mardi Gras or anytime you want a little Southern celebration without the heaviness.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 48 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 4 cups sifted flour, half oat flour, half whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¾ cup sweetener ½ maple syrup, ½ sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 cups soy milk
  • 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup applesauce
Frosting
  • 1 cup cashews soaked in boiling water at least 15 minutes
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Soy milk as needed for blending

Equipment

  • 1 Kitchaid Mixer

Method
 

Cake
  1. reheat oven to 350°F.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Let sit 1–2 minutes to curdle.
  4. Add vanilla and applesauce to the wet mixture.
  5. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Divide batter evenly into three cake pans.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  8. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
  1. Drain soaked cashews.
  2. Add cashews, maple syrup, vanilla, and a splash of soy milk to a blender or food processor.
  3. Blend until very smooth, adding soy milk as needed. The frosting should be thick but spreadable—not runny.
  4. Divide frosting into three bowls.
  5. Add plant-based food coloring to each bowl (purple, green, and gold are classic).
Assembly
  1. Frost the cooled cakes with alternating colored sections.
  2. Finish with white sugar sprinkles on top.
  3. Slice, share, and celebrate.

Notes

This cake is a lot of fun. You can make it messy by just piling it on top of each other, or be more super professional and slice the tops off so they'll lay on each other better, then frost and sprinkle. If you put a little plastic baby in it, push up from the bottom. 
Note: The plastic baby represents luck and prosperity for the person who finds it.