Chocolate Molasses Layer Cake with Candied Fennel Frosting
[Vegan]

For the Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the molasses and maple syrup, then mix in the vegan eggs.  In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cacao powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Mix in the sifted dry ingredients into the wet. Add the hot water and orange zest, mix until fully combined.
2. Grease two baking pans (if you have two, or bake one after the other as needed). Divide the batter in half and pour evenly between the two pans. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until done. Remove from oven and allow to fully cool before removing from the pans.

For the Seeds:

1. Heat a skillet on medium heat. Add the sugar and water, bring to a simmer. Stir continuously until the mixture becomes syrupy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the fennel seeds. Continue to stir until the mixture crystalizes, it’s a quick process so don’t walk away.
2. Quickly remove from heat and continue to stir a few more seconds until the fennel seeds are dry and separated. Allow to cool before storing in airtight container.

For the Frosting:

1. Drain and rinse the cashews. In a high-speed blender, combine all the ingredients and blend until creamy. Transfer to a bowl and cover. Chill the frosting in the fridge for at least 2 hours before using.