Cocktail cakes
Make a trio of decadent and boozy vegan desserts with Paul A Young’s recipe for piña colada, espresso martini and mojito drenched cakes.
Ingredients
For the basic cake
- 400g/14oz self-raising flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 4 tsp cornflour
- 280g/10oz caster sugar
- 320ml/11fl oz oat milk
- 40g/1½ oz agave syrup
- 140g/5oz vegetable oil
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
For the piña colada cake
- 1 tbsp desiccated coconut
- 1 pineapple slice, chopped into small pieces
- 4 tbsp white rum
- 2 tbsp pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1½ tbsp coconut cream
- ½ tbsp lime juice
- 150ml/5½oz oat-based whipping "cream"
- 1½ tbsp coconut milk
- maraschino cherries, pineapple wedges and cocktail umbrellas, to decorate
For the espresso martini cake
- 1 tsp instant coffee
- 2½ tbsp vegan coffee liqueur
- 3 tbsp vodka
- 2 tbsp brewed espresso
- ½ tbsp sugar syrup
- 200ml/7fl oz oat-based whipping "cream"
- coffee beans and gold lustre dust, to decorate
For the mojito cake
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
To make the basic cake mixture, place all the ingredients into a free-standing mixer with a whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth. Divide the mixture into three even amounts in three separate bowls.
To the first bowl, make the piña colada cake by mixing in the desiccated coconut and chopped pineapple.
In a separate small mug, mix the instant coffee with ½ tsp of boiling water to dissolve, then add this into the second bowl to make the espresso martini cake.
To the third bowl, make the mojito cake by mixing in the finely chopped mint and lime zest.
Divide the cake mixtures evenly between the 12 paper cases to create 4 cakes of each flavour. Bake for 12 minutes until golden and springy to touch. Allow to cool.
Make the cocktails while the cakes are cooling. To make the piña colada cocktail, blend the rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut cream and lime juice with a scoop of ice in a blender until smooth.
To make the espresso martini cocktail, fill a cocktail shaker with ice then add the vodka, 1½ tablespoons coffee liqueur, brewed espresso, sugar syrup and shake vigorously to chill. Strain into a glass.
To make the mojito, bruise the whole mint leaves in a glass, then add the rum, lime juice and sugar syrup and stir very well.
Remove the cakes from their paper cases and place each one into a dessert glass – use a decorative glass that a teaspoon can fit into, such as a whisky-style glass or short tumbler.
To assemble the piña colada cocktail cakes, soak the 4 coconut cakes with the piña colada cocktail so that the cakes are soaked but not drowning.
Whisk together the oat-based whipping cream and coconut cream until frothy and spoon over the cakes. Decorate each one with a maraschino cherry, wedge of pineapple, cocktail umbrella and anything sparkly.
To assemble the espresso martini cocktail cakes, spoon enough espresso martini cocktail onto the 4 espresso cakes as before.
Whisk the oat-based whipping cream with the remaining tablespoon of coffee liqueur until frothy. Spoon evenly over the cakes. Finish with a coffee bean or two and a touch of gold lustre dust, if you like.
To assemble the mojito cocktail cakes, spoon the mojito cocktail onto the 4 lime cakes to soak as before. Sprinkle each cake with 1 teaspoon of demerara sugar, some chopped mint leaves and a grating of lime zest.
Recipe Tips
You can make a simple sugar syrup by dissolving 50g caster sugar in 100ml boiling water. Allow to cool before using.
