Gluten free vegan gingerbread layer cake with sugared cranberries

INGREDIENTS

sugared cranberries

• 1 cup cane sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1/4 cup cane sugar {for rolling}

gingerbread cake

• 3 cups Sarah's gluten free flour blend
• 1 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup So Delicious unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
• 2/3 cup grape seed or sunflower seed oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

orange buttercream

• 3/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
• 3 cups organic powdered sugar
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1-2 tablespoons So Delicious unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make sugared cranberries, start by mixing 1 cup sugar and water in medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and add cranberries. Stir to coat. Allow cranberries to soak 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Transfer cranberries to wire cooling rack, letting dry about 20 minutes.
3. Pour remaining sugar into shallow dish. Toss dried, still tacky, cranberries in sugar. Place on parchment paper to dry completely, about 1 hour. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare 3 8-inch round cake pans by spraying with cooking spray and lining bottom with parchment paper.
5. Whisk together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
6. In large mixing bowl, stir together almond milk, oil, water, sugar, applesauce, molasses, vinegar and vanilla. Mix until well blended. Add flour mixture and stir until smooth.
7. Divide cake batter evenly into prepared cake pans {it's helpful to use measuring cup}. Bake 23-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 5 minutes, then invert onto cooling rack to cool completely.
8. To make orange buttercream, place shortening in bowl of standing mixer with paddle attachment. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute.
9. Add sifted powdered sugar, orange zest, maple syrup, almond milk and vanilla. Mix until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Fill large piping bag with buttercream, fitted with large round tip.
10. Place one cooled cake layer on cake plate/stand. Add large dots of buttercream to outer border of cake. Using offset spatula or spoon, swipe dots inward, creating scalloped/petal edge. Fill in center with even layer buttercream.
11. Top with another cake layer. Repeat frosting technique. Tope with final layer. Create petal/scallop edge and repeat with a second layer of petals. Fill in center with buttercream.
12. Garnish center of cake with carefully placed tower of sugared cranberries. Slice and serve.

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