Gingerbread Cake Truffles

These are a variation of the Gingerbead Cake Pops David and I used to make many years ago. We would make them and sell them at vegan markets in NYC. I wanted to do a version that avoided the muss and fuss of the lollipop sticks, and here it is! Moist gingerbread cake rich in flavor and spiced with gingerbread coated in white chocolate and topped with vegan sprinkles, if you like. These are sure to become a holiday favorite!

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Gingerbread Cake Truffles

Makes: 40 truffles

Serving size: 1 truffle

Cake Truffles:

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

¼ cup unsweetened soy milk

1 ½ cup all-purpose flour or gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour

2/3 cup organic cane sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup molasses

¼ cup canola oil

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

Vegan sprinkles or edible dust (optional)

Frosting:

½ cup non hydrogenated shortening

2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons non dairy milk or non dairy creamer

White Chocolate Coating:

1 (8 ounce bag) vegan white chocolate chips (I use King David Kosher)

1 tablespoon refined coconut oil, as needed

Procedure:

Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly grease a 8x8 baking dish, set aside.

Combine milk and apple cider vinegar in a medium bowl, set aside.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk to combine the ingredients.  

Add canola, applesauce, and molasses to the milk and cider mixture, whisk until combined.

Add wet mixture to dry mixture and mix with a paddle attachment until combined with no lumps, do not overmix.

Transfer to the prepared  8x8 baking dish, bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, get your frosting prepared. Whip the shortening with a stand or hand mixer, add the powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time, add the non dairy milk or creamer and mix until well combined and fluffy.

Remove cake from the oven and let cool completely.

Cut the cake into 4 large squares. Over a large bowl rub two squares together at the edges crumbling it to bits in the bowl. Repeat with the remaining two squares. Add ½ cup frosting to the mixture, mix it in well, you don’t want clumps of frosting, it should be worked into the mixture but you should still have a crumbly texture. The frosting serves as a binder to create your cake balls so the cake sticks together when creating the truffles.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, the baking sheet should fit in your freezer.

Scoop 1 level tablespoon of the cake and frosting mixture out and form it into a ball. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the mixture until it is all turned into cake balls.  

Place the cake balls in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or a double boiler. If using a microwave, heat in 30 seconds increments and stir between. Add the coconut oil and stir to combine. Transfer melted chocolate to a small bowl so that the truffles are easily submerged into the chocolate.

Dip the cake ball into the chocolate mixture and gently rotate to fully coat. Scoop out with a fork, tap on the edge of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Transfer back to the baking sheet and top with sprinkles or edible dust, if using. Repeat with all balls until they are coated.

Allow truffles to sit for an hour for the chocolate to fully seize.

These will keep in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Let set out at room temperature to serve.