Egg-free Saffron and Cardamom spiced cream cheese and chocolate cake

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C or 160C for fan assisted. Grease and line 2 x 8inch cake sandwich tins or you can bake in one 8 inch cake tin
2. Sift flour and cocoa in a bowl, add sugar, cardamom powder, soda bi carb, water,oil and vinegar and mix until all ingredients combined and batter is smooth.
3. Split the batter equally into the prepared tins and bake in the oven for approx 30 minutes. To check if cakes have baked, an inserted skewer should come out clean.
4. Once baked remove from oven leave in tin for 5 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cool. 5. To make the icing , using a paddle attachment or handheld mixer, beat butter until creamy, add cold cream cheese and beat until combined. Gradually add the icing sugar, saffron milk and cardamom powder and beat until smooth and combined.  Do not over beat the mixture or else it will start to become loose and runny, as soon as you achieve a smooth creamy mix stop beating. It took about a minute to achieve this consistency.
5. To assemble the cake, transfer one layer onto a serving dish or cake stand, spread icing and sprinkle with pomegranates. Place the other layer on top and spread icing on top layer. Sprinkle pomegranate, pistachios and almonds and your cake is ready to be served.

Chintal Kakaya is a food blogger who specialises in vegetarian recipes and Indian inspired cakes. Read more about her on her blog or find out what she's been up to on twitter.