Simply pour the apple cider vinegar into a measuring cup or small bowl (I prefer the measuring cup as it has a spout) and whisk (or mix with a fork) to combine. It may separate after a few minutes which is totally normal! Just give it another quick mix when it’s time to add it to the dry mix.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and line an 8x8 square baking pan or 8” round cake pan with parchment paper and/or baking spray. I’ve found the best results (with this recipe) using a 8x8 inch square pan and creating a parchment paper sling (2 lengths of parchment, one on top of the other, just turned the other way, creating a “sling” to remove the cake easily. A tab will be available on each side of the pan enabling you to easily remove it without turning the pan upside down.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sea salt, and sugar.

Use a large spatula to create a well in the center of the dry mix and pour in the vegan buttermilk mixture, unsweetened applesauce, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using). Gently mix with your large spatula until just combined. It’s not a super thick batter. Try not to overmix.

Pour all of the mixture (scrape the sides of the bowl too) into your prepared baking pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter a few times to shake out any air bubbles.

Bake on the center rack for 35-40 minutes, taking care NOT to open the oven door before 30 minutes has elapsed. Test the cake with a toothpick or cake tester. If it comes out clean or with tiny crumbs stuck to it, the cake is done. Remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. If you lined it with parchment paper, you can let it cool in there for an hour because it will be just as easy to remove. If you prefer, you can leave the cake in there for the last few steps and serve it straight from the pan.

When the cake is completely cooled, make your three milks mixture by whisking together the canned coconut milk, soy (or other unsweetened carton non-dairy milk) milk, and vegan condensed milk. Your condensed milk (if you bought canned) may have a solid-ish lump in it. This was normal for the brand I bought. Just use a little arm strength and whisk it up (or use a hand blender or mixer if needed).

If you removed your cake from the pan, I’d place it on a cooling rack on top of some foil or parchment paper for easy cleanup, as some of the syrup may drip down onto the table.

Using the wider end of a chopstick (or use anything round with a diameter between ⅛-inch and ¼-inch), poke holes in the cake all the way down to the bottom of the pan. Space your holes about ½-inch apart. Once you’ve covered the entire cake, Carefully pour the vegan tres leches (three milks) mixture over the cake, concentrating on all the holes you created. You may not end up using all of the mixture. Let the cake absorb the milks for a minimum of a half hour. If your cake looks like it could take on more of the mixture, go ahead and add some more, but don’t add so much that the liquid begins pooling on top of the cake (if that starts to happen, just wipe up the excess with a paper towel).

After 30 minutes, refrigerate the cake (preferably covered) until ready to use. When you’re ready to serve it, pile on the vegan whipped cream and spread evenly. Keep in mind that the vegan whipped cream seems to melt pretty quickly, at least under hot photography and video lights… but probably also on a hot day, so you may want to serve quickly. Serve with fresh sliced strawberries (or any berries) or a dusting of cinnamon if you prefer. Enjoy!

Refrigerate leftover vegan tres leches cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days. After that you start to lose some texture. It never seems to last that long in my house, though.