Torta od oraha (plant-based)
A super moist walnut cake layered with butterscotch pudding. This recipe is inspired by the kitchens of Serbia, but I adapted it to be vegan.My family gobbled this one up and I hope yours loves it too!For today's inspiration, here is a poem that Thich Nhat Hanh wrote during the Vietnam war, which seems very relevant today:"Life has left her footprints on my forehead.But I have become a child again this morning.The smile, seen through leaves and flowers,is back to smooth away the wrinkles,as the rains wipe away footprints on the beach.Again a cycle of birth and death begins.I walk on thorns, but firmly, as among flowers.I keep my head high.Rhymes bloom among the sounds of bombs and mortars.The tears I shed yesterday have become rain.I feel calm hearing its sound on the thatched roof.Childhood, my birthland, is calling me,and the rains melt my despair.I am still here alive, able to smile quietly.O sweet fruit brought forth by the tree of suffering!Carrying the dead body of my brother,I go across the rice field in the darkness.Earth will keep you tight within her arms, my dear,so that tomorrow you will be reborn as flowers,those flowers smiling quietly in the morning field.This moment you weep no more, my dear.We have gone through too deep a night.This morning,I kneel down on the grass,when I notice your presence.Flowers that carry the marvelous smile of ineffabilityspeak to me in silence.The message,the message of loveand understanding,has indeed come to us."
Ingredients
Walnut Cake
- ¾ cup ground walnuts
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ¾ cup canola oil
- 1 ¼ cup unsweetened soy milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Butterscotch Pudding
- 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp apple cider vinegar
- ½ of a 400mL can of coconut cream (or just don't shake a can of full-fat coconut milk, and scrape all the coconut cream off the top)
- 2 Tbsp plant-based butter or margarine
Topping
- ¾ cup ground walnuts, to sprinkle on top
Directions
Make the cakes
- In a large bowl, mix the cake ingredients: first the dry ingredients, then add the wet ones and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter evenly into 2 greased 9" cake pans. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans for 5 minutes, then gently loosen the edges and flip the pans over to turn the cakes out. Cool completely before assembling. You could even make the cake and the pudding the day before and store them in the fridge overnight.
Make the pudding
- Warm a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add and whisk together the coconut sugar, cornstarch, flour, and a little bit of the soy milk. Pour in the rest of the soy milk while whisking continuously, and keep stirring until it starts to bubble and thickens.
- After the pudding thickens, remove from the heat and mix in the vanilla, vinegar, coconut cream and plant-based butter. It should be lovely and glossy and thick. Cover it and put in the fridge while the cakes are cooling to thicken it up a bit more.
Assemble and decorate
- Put one cake on a serving plate and spread half of the pudding over it, right to the edges. Gently lay the second cake on top and spread the rest of the pudding on top. Sprinkle with ground walnuts as a fun decoration.
- Cool in the fridge if you have time, or cut into it gently and enjoy your little slice of heaven!
Notes
Did you make this? Tag @maitricooks on Instagram and leave a rating in the comments below. Lots of love!
Instagram comment from Helen: This looks amazing 😍😍
Facebook comment from Carola: Oooh – I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight, that looks sooo delicious! (I thought it was condensed milk caramel or a vegan version of it. That would really keep me awake!)
Facebook comment from Janine: It looks soooo good. 🙂
Facebook comment from Regena: this looks amazing! I’m going to have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing.
Facebook comment from Sylvia: Looks DELISH – sadly to many ingredients I can not have
Facebook comment from Sara: ::DROOL:: 🙂
So moist and delicious!