Vegan Bumbleberry Bun Cake
Author: 
Recipe type: Vegan, Breakfast, Breads
Serves: 15 buns / 2 tiered 5" cake
 
Ingredients
  • DOUGH
  • 1 cup almond milk
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2¼ tsp traditional yeast (one 8g package)
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2¼ to 2¾ cups all-purpose flour + more for rolling
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • FILLING
  • 3 tbsp soft coconut oil or vegan margerine
  • ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp coconut or brown sugar, divided
  • Zest of 1 lemon (save the juice for the glaze)
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 3 generous cups of fresh or frozen berries
  • ICING
  • ⅔ cup confectioners sugar (i.e. icing or powdered sugar)
  • 1 to 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
  1. Start by making the dough. Warm almond milk and maple syrup in microwave for 40 to 60 seconds, or until warm to the touch but not scalding. Stir in the yeast and allow it to bloom for 10 minutes. Activated yeast should be foamy.
  2. Mix 2¼ cups all-purpose flour and salt briefly in stand mixer to roughly combine.
  3. Pour the oil, vanilla extract, and activated yeast into the bowl of the standing mixer containing the dry ingredients.
  4. Mix on low speed until a thick and sticky dough forms. Increase to medium speed and knead the dough with the dough hook attachment for 5 to 7 minutes or until a soft dough forms and begins to gather around the hook. Add up to ½ cup more of all purpose flour after 2 minutes if dough still looks too wet. Finished dough will wrap around the hook like a ball and still be a bit sticky. Avoid over-kneading for soft and fluffy bread.
  5. Oil a large mixing bowl and transfer the dough into the oiled bowl. Turn the dough a few times to coat the surface of the dough with oil. This will prevent it from sticking as it rises. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a tea towel and store in a warm place and draft-free place (such as a microwave that isn't turned on) to allow dough to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
  6. While the dough is rising, mix the softened coconut oil with ⅓ cup of sugar and the lemon zest into a paste. Set aside.
  7. Once dough has expanded to twice its initial size, punch the dough and turn out onto a floured surface. Roll into a ¼ inch thick rectangle (about 10"x16") and spread the coconut oil and sugar paste all the way to the edges.
  8. In a separate bowl, mix the remaining 1 tbsp of sugar with cornstarch and berries. Gently mash berries to break up the large pieces. Then sprinkle this berry mixture evenly over the dough.
  9. Roll the dough up tightly starting from the long side. Slice into 14 to 15 even pieces and arrange in 2 greased 5" round cake pans; 6 with the cut-side facing the side of the cake pan and 1 or 2 in the middle with the cut-side facing the bottom of the pan. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let the dough rise again in a warm place for 30 minutes.
  10. Preheat oven to 350⁰F while the dough is proofing for the second time.
  11. After the second proofing, bake the buns on the center rack for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes so you don't end up with a melting coconut whip mess in the next few steps.
  12. While rolls are cooling, make the icing. Whisk together the confectioners sugar with 1 tbsp lemon juice until smooth. Add additional lemon juice 1 tsp at a time to reach desired consistency.
  13. To assemble, flip one 'bun cake layer' out onto a serving tray (upside down is ok). Spread about ½ of the frosting on top. Stack the second 'bun cake layer' on top and spread the rest of the frosting. Decorate with fresh berries if desired.
Recipe by Radiant Rachels at https://radiantrachels.com/vegan-bumbleberry-bun-cake-3rd-blogiversary/