Vegan "Snickers" Layer Cake

Picture a snickers bar but in cake form - layers of chocolate sponge, caramel and peanut butter buttercream!

I always wanted to make a snickers flavour layered cake. I love chocolate, I love peanut butter and I LOVE caramel so why it took me so long I really can't tell you. But the day came to finally make one and it did not disappoint. The chocolate sponges were perfectly succulent, the sweet caramel in the middle and the creamy nutty peanut butter in the buttercream was a mouthful of heaven. The perfect celebration cake for any snickers lovers out there! And now I can finally say there is outstanding vegan snickers chocolate bar - Buttermilk have gone above and beyond with their Peanut Nougat chocolate bar so I just had to top the cake with chunks of it. If you haven't tried one, you can find them in Sainsbury's :) 

If you love chocolate, peanuts and caramel....

Check out my other recipes for more inspiration!

• Peanut Butter Rocky Road
• Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Bournville Chocolate Drip Cake

Recipe

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 30 minutes

Serves: 10-12

Notes:

• I have specified about using the Buttermilk Peanut Nougat Chocolate bars however I know these might not be accessible for everyone. Use snickers instead or a supermarket own brand version if easier!
• Store-bought caramel will also work here but I recommend making it as it's much tastier!

Ingredients

• Cake
• 220g Self-raising flour
• 120g Caster sugar
• 100g Light brown sugar
• 30g Cocoa powder 
• 1 tsp Instant coffee granules
• 120ml Soya milk + 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 90g Vegetable oil
• 1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
• Pinch of salt
• Caramel
• 200g Soya cream - I used Alpro
• 100g Butter
• 200g Caster sugar
• Buttercream
• 250g Butter
• 2 heaped tbsp peanut butter
• 400g Icing sugar
• Buttermilk Peanut Nougat Chocolate bars x2
• Peanuts

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180℃ and grease and line x2 6 inch cake tins. 
2. Make the cake. In a bowl combine the flour, sugars, cocoa powder, bicarb, salt and coffee granules together.
3. Add the apple cider vinegar to the soya milk to create a 'buttermilk', after about 5 minutes it will curdle and be thick.
4. Add the veg oil and vanilla to the 'buttermilk' and mix. 
5. Make a well in the centre of the dry mix and pour in the wet ingredients. Whisk together until fully incorporated.  
6. Pour the batter into the cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes inserted comes out clean. Once baked, leave to cool in the tins before removing and keep covered to not dry out. 
7. Make the caramel. Place the sugar into a medium saucepan. Place the pan on the hob over a low heat and allow the sugar to melt, this will take around 5-8 minutes but don’t burn the sugar. 
8. Swirl the pan to help the sugar dissolve but don't be tempted to stir just wait till it melts. 
9. Keep heating the sugar until it is a golden amber colour, then remove from the heat and mix in the cream. The mixture might boil but keep whisking together. 
10. place back on the heat and whisk the butter in and let the caramel thicken up for a few minutes. 
11. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before using. 
12. Make the buttercream. Using an electric whisker or standing mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. 
13. Add in the peanut butter and continue to beat until incorporated. 
14. Sift the icing sugar, then gradually add the sugar into the butter mix bit by bit. 
15. Keep mixing the buttercream until combined - scrape at the bottom of the bowl to collect butter that may not have been mixed in with the sugar. 
16. Turn the mixer speed onto low to gently release any air bubbles in the buttercream as this can make it hard to get smooth sides on the cake. 
17. Assemble the cake. Place one chocolate sponge onto a cake board. Spread some of the buttercream on top. Then spoon about 2 tbsp of caramel in the middle and sprinkle on some of the peanuts. Pipe a border of buttercream around the outer rim of the sponge to keep the caramel in the middle. Then place the other chocolate sponge on top.
18. Cover the top and sides in buttercream to lock the crumbs in. Chill the cake till firm.
19. Cover the top and sides again in more buttercream and use a cake scraper to create a smooth finish. If you have leftovers, pipe swirls of buttercream on top.
20. Drizzle more caramel on top of the cake and then sprinkle on more peanuts. Cut up the peanut chocolate bars into pieces and place on top of the swirls. Place in the fridge till ready to serve. Enjoy!

Christina 

xx