Ingredients
Makes a 2-layer 15cm cake
buttercream
Method
- Preheat oven 160°C. Line 2 x 15cm cake tins with baking paper, grease with oil, and dust with flour.
- Mix the ground chia seed with the boiling water and beat with a hand mixer to remove any lumps (don’t use a fork to mix because you will get clumps in your cake). Set aside to thicken.
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar for a few minutes, until creamy with no lumps.
- Sieve the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and mix together.
- In a small jug, mix the soy milk with vinegar, until it thickens slightly. Then add the lemon juice, vanilla, lemon essence, and the chia egg replacer. Beat or blend together until completely smooth. Stir through lemon zest.
- To the creamed butter, add haft of the flour mix very slowly while mixing on the lowest speed, then add half the liquid while continuing to mix. Repeat until all ingredients are just combined. It will be a very thick batter.
- Pause the mixer and scrape down sides. Mix for a few more seconds.
- Divide the cake batter between the tins and tap the tins on the bench to release any air bubbles. Bake in the oven for 35–37 mins. Check if cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre. If it comes out clean, it’s ready. Let the cake cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then flip out onto a cake rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, to make the buttercream, sieve the icing sugar and set aside. Using a standard mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the shortening on low for 5 to 10 minutes until light and smooth, using a spatula to scrape down the sides. Then add in the butter and beat on medium for another 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Slowly add the icing sugar while beating on the lowest speed. Then add the hot water, vanilla, and almond extract, continuing to beat for another 5 minutes. Pause the mixer every few minutes to scrape down the sides. For a firmer mixture, chill in the fridge for 30 minutes, then beat for one minute before icing your cake.
- Cover the bottom layer of the cake with a thick layer of buttercream. Place the second layer on top and cover in the remaining buttercream using an offset spatula. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
TIP: You can make a flaxseed egg replacer instead, but you will see little flecks in the cake crumb.
