Vanilla Caramel Cake

Directions

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1. Start by making the caramel sauce, add all the ingredients except for the vanilla to a saucepan. Stir continuously while you bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, cooking uncovered for 8 - 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow the caramel sauce to sit and cool; it will continue to thicken as it cools, and thickens even more once refrigerated.
3. Grease two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans with oil and line the bottom with a cut-out round piece of parchment paper.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
5. To a medium bowl, add the milk and vinegar, and give it a mix. You will see it starts to curdle, by doing this we are creating vegan buttermilk.
6. Place a sieve over a large bowl, sift all the dry ingredients through it: the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix, and then create a shallow well in the middle.
7. Returning to the medium bowl, add the melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract.
8. Add the wet ingredients to the large bowl with the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined.
9. Divide the batter between the two greased baking pans, and give the pans a gentle tap on the counter to release any air bubbles.
10. Bake the cakes on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 33 - 35 minutes, or until the edges are golden and a thin wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
11. Meanwhile, make the frosting by adding the butter to a large bowl. Use an electric electric hand mixer to mix the butter until fluffy, this takes about 5 - 10 minutes.
12. Place a sieve over the bowl with the butter, and sift in ½ cup of icing sugar at a time, and mix until incorporated.
13. Add ¼ cup of the caramel sauce made in step #1 (reserve the remainder for garnish), and add in the vanilla extract, and mix until combined.
14. When the cakes are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes in the cake pan before transferring to a cooling rack to let them cool off completely.
15. If you like, you can level your cakes with a serrated knife to create a flat surface for stacking the cakes on top of each other.
16. Drizzle 2 Tbsp of caramel sauce on one of the cakes, and using a spatula or butter knife, spread out about 1 cup of frosting on it.
17. Place the second cake on top and drizzle with another 2 Tbsp of caramel sauce and frost with the leftover frosting. Smooth out the frosting on the top and sides of the cakes.
18. Optionally, spoon the leftover caramel sauce on top of the cake and let it drip down the sides. Top with some berries and enjoy!

Notes

• * Coconut cream is obtained by scooping the thick part out from the top of a can of coconut milk. To more easily obtain the cream from your can of coconut milk, it can help to refrigerate the can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight.

Storage

• Best if enjoyed immediately.
• Store the whole cake in the fridge for up to 1 - 2 days.
• Store leftovers an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.