Vegan Harvest Bundt Cake

I utilized this recipe to make a delicious vegan alternative. Again, I'm not claiming that there are any miraculous health benefits here, though I do believe a vegan choice is a healthier option than a non-vegan choice.

A word of warning: this recipe will definitely work on your vegan baking skills. It takes time and love, but it is so worth it!

Meanwhile, I've made vegan pumpkin pie (recipe to come later), vegan snickerdoodles, vegan sugar cookies (with the kids at work), and this vegan harvest bundt cake for my co-workers to try. All have been loved. Yay!

Julie's Vegan Harvest Bundt Cake

Julie's Vegan Variation on the Autumn Harvest Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• Raw vegan cream cheese*
• Replacer for 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup Vermont maple syrup
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons vegan margarine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup cranberries, chopped

For the Cake:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raw cane sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup vegan margarine
• Replacer for 4 eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 cup raw sour cream**
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*For raw vegan cream cheese:

• 1.75 cups cashews
• 1/4 cup macadamia nuts
• 2 teaspoons unpasteurized white miso
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

**For vegan sour cream:

•  3/4 cup soy milk
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

1) Begin by making the raw vegan cream cheese. Puree all ingredients together in a high-powered blender until smooth. If high-powered blender or food processer is unavailable, use 2 cups of cashew butter as an alternative and blend all ingredients together.

2) If using a blender or food processer, add filling ingredients to vegan cream cheese mix--blending on high until smooth. If not using blender/processer: in a medium bowl, beat together the raw vegan cream cheese, egg replacer, cornstarch and maple syrup. Add the honey, sugar, margarine, salt, cinnamon and cranberries until combined. Refrigerate until ready to use.

3) Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.

4) Grease a 12-cup Bundt pan with coconut oil and set aside.

5) In another bowl sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt. Set aside.

6) Make vegan sour cream by simply adding the ingredients together and stirring till blended. Set aside.

7) In a large bowl beat the sugar, honey, maple syrup and margarine from the cake ingredient list until light and fluffy. Add egg replacer and mix until blended. Beat in pumpkin, vegan sour cream and vanilla until well combined. Beat in the flour mixture until just combined.

8) Spoon one third of the cake batter into the pan. Spoon filling in a circle on top of the batter but do not allow filling to touch the edge of the pan. Top with remaining batter.

9) Bake for 55-65 minutes until golden brown and cake tester comes out clean.

10) Remove from oven and place on cooling rack for 15 minutes. Turn out on to serving plate to cool completely.

11) Share and enjoy!