Spiced Cranberry Cake - Vegan

 Are you making your own cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving? 

Well I have bad news... your guests probably want the canned kind and you best start brainstorming how you will be consuming all that sauce on your lonesome. I say this from experience. It doesn't matter how good it is, there will be A LOT leftover. That humbling experience is what brought me to this recipe in particular. It’s coffee cake meets orange cranberry loaf and goes perfectly with black coffee on a cold winter morning. So don't be sad that no one ate your sauce made from scratch, make it into a cake and eat it in front of all your friends ☺️.

It is also worth mentioning that this is a very dense and moist cake which can make it difficult to judge when it is done. The safest way is to check the internal temperature of the bread making sure it has reached 200ºF. You can also use the toothpick method however there will be pockets of cranberry sauce making it difficult to know what is wet and what is just a pocket of berry goodness. 

Spiced Cranberry Cake- Vegan

Makes 2 9x5 loaves or 1 13x9 cake

Ingredients:

• Batter

• 2 chia or flax eggs
• 2 tablespoons ground chia or flaxseeds 
• 6 tablespoons water
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• heaping 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 1/2 cup granulated vegan sugar of choice
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk of choice
• 1 heaping cup homemade cranberry sauce

• Topping 
• 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoons coconut oil

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF and prep your pan. If you are making a loaf, spray the tin and line with parchment paper for easy removal. If you are making a cake, you only need to spray the pan. 
2. Prepare the topping by mixing the almond flour and sugar in a bowl and adding the oil. Mix well and break up the clumps by gently rubbing the mix between your hands. When it is done it should feel like slightly damp sand. To test, squeeze it in your hand, it should hold that shape before being easily broken apart. Set the finished topping aside.
3. Mix the 6 tbsp water, 1/2 cup oil, and ground chia. Mix thoroughly so the chia doesn't clump and work quickly as the chia will start thickening the moment it touches liquid. 
4. Stir in the milk and both types of sugar
5. Now mix the flour, spices, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. 
6. Add the dry to the wet and whisk until just combined with no clumps.
7. Pour your batter into the prepped tin and place spoonfuls of cranberry sauce around the loaf. Gently press the sauce into the batter and gently swirl it a bit with a spatula. 
8. Liberally sprinkle with the topping.
9. Bake 50-70 minutes or until you stick a toothpick in and it comes out clean.
10. Remove from the oven and let cool for 20 min.
11. Enjoy! This cake is best warm with a delicious cup of coffee.