Nutcracker cake

• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 500 g coconut sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 350 g butternut squash pumpkin puree
• Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
• 60 ml grapeseed oil
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp hot water)
• 1 kg mascarpone
• 150 ml plant-based milk
• 200 g nuts

How to prepare the pumpkin:

• Cut the pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, and drizzle with olive oil
• Place it in the oven, cut side down, at 220°C (430°F) for 1 hour
• Once it’s done, let it cool while you start preparing the cake batter

How to prepare the cake batter:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C
• Line a 24 cm (9.5 in) round cake pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it with a little oil
• In a bowl, combine the flour, 300 g coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves
• Prepare the egg replacer: mix 1 tbsp ground flax seeds with 3 tbsp hot water and let it sit for 2–3 minutes until it reaches an egg-like consistency
• Stir the flax mixture, pumpkin puree, oil, vinegar, and vanilla into the dry ingredients until you get a creamy batter
• Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40 minutes. To check if it’s done, insert a toothpick in the center — it should come out clean
• Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely
• Cut the cake in half. To do this neatly, you can insert toothpicks around the cake as a guide. Use dental floss (or regular thread), slide it under the toothpicks, and gently pull toward you. Then separate the two layers

For the nuts:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and toast the nuts in the oven at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes
• Once done, chop them into large pieces with a knife

Hop to prepare the filling:

• In a bowl, mix the vegan mascarpone, 200 g coconut sugar, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Gradually add the plant-based milk while stirring until smooth
• Finally, fold the toasted nuts into the cream

Assembly:

• Place one layer of cake on a plate, spread a layer of cream over it, add the second cake layer, then cover with more cream. Finish by sprinkling the nuts on top