Read the post in:
繁體中文
Fluffy sponge cake with buttercream and strawberry jam, this Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake is one of the classic yet stunning desserts that are perfect for every occasion. It’s not very sweet, with ingredients like soya yogurt and applesauce to make it less heavy and richer in flavour!
Sponge cake is such an essential dessert that I’ve been thinking about making it for a long time (yes, a true cliche) but hadn’t been able to until now.
One reason is that I don’t want to make a “regular” sponge cake, like the one made with only flour, sugar, milk, and oil because, you know, I’m a rebellious baker with tons of idiosyncrasies. If I want to share something, I want it to be “special”.
So this victoria sponge cake is kind of special because it uses less fat-packed ingredients (margarine or vegan butter) and also I make it with gluten-free flour.
But don’t frown yet if you don’t have gluten-free flour. You can just use normal self-raising flour or plain flour (all-purpose flour) as well. The details are down below so don’t worry. (wink wink)
This sponge cake recipe not only includes yogurt, but also applesauce which makes this cake moist without so much high-fat content ingredient. This cake stays moist even after 2 days of making!
Ingredients You Need for Sponge Cake
This sponge cake recipe is a bit different from common ones. Besides being vegan, this sponge cake also includes some special ingredients like applesauce and soya yogurt, which you don’t be able to taste but the result is really amazing!
- Vegan spread: aka margarine, or you can use vegan butter for an even richer flavour.
- Applesauce: Here I sneak in some applesauce to make the cake moister without adding that much vegan spread/butter. (Homemade Applesauce Recipe)
- Caster sugar: Here I’m using golden caster sugar. You can also use regular caster sugar or cane sugar. Just double-check if it’s vegan because, in some countries, not all caster sugar is vegan.
- Soya yogurt: Yogurt gives this cake a subtle flavour that makes it less heavy and moister. I use soya yogurt because it’s the most neutral one for me. But you can also use another plant-based yogurt like coconut yogurt.
- Soy milk (soya milk): I use soy milk because it’s my staple and it’s pretty neutral in flavour as well. But you can use any kind of plant-based milk.
- Pure vanilla extract: I think we all know that vanilla is essential in a good cake, especially in a victoria sponge cake.
- Self-raising flour: You can use either normal self-raising flour or gluten-free self-raising flour. I’m using this one gluten-free self-rasing white flour for this recipe and it turns out very good. If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can also use 350 g plain flour (all-purpose flour) plus 3.5 tsp baking powder.
- Baking powder: Even though we’re using self-raising flour, we still need some help from a bit more baking powder to help create a beautiful sponge cake.
- Baking soda: We also need a bit of baking soda to create more texture and height for our victoria cake.
- Salt: As usual I like to add a pinch of salt to bring out more flavour.
Other Ingredients You Need to complete the cake
If you want to make a more complete victoria cake, you gotta need some buttercream and some jam. So here I also list out a few more ingredients you need for that.
- Vegan butter, or vegan spread (margarine)
- Icing sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
- Strawberry jam
How to Make Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake
To make the sponge cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease two 20cm (8-inch) round cake tins with vegan butter or coconut oil if using non-stick tins. Line the bottom of the cake tins with baking paper.
- In a mixing bowl, use a whisk to mix together the vegan spread, applesauce, and sugar. Whisk until the vegan spread/butter turns a bit lighter in colour.
- Add soya yogurt, soy milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk all ingredients until all incorporated. Make sure to not overmix the batter. Otherwise, the cake will be tough.
- Divide the batter into the prepared cake tins and spread it out evenly. Gently drop the cake tins against the counter to even it out.
- Bake them in the preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for 25-30 minutes. Use a small knife to insert into the centre of the cake for testing. If it comes out clean, it’s done.
- Transfer the cake tins onto wire racks to cool down to room temperature, or at 1east 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cake from the cake tins. Let the cakes cool down completely.
To make the buttercream:
- Add the vegan butter, icing sugar, and vanilla to a mixing bowl. Use a whisk (or hand mixer/stand mixer if you don’t want to use your muscle) to whisk all ingredients together and whip it until it becomes lighter in texture and colour.
- Transfer the buttercream into a piping bag. If the weather is warm, put it into the fridge for 30 minutes.
To assemble:
- Place one cake on a plate. Spread the strawberry jam on top evenly.
- Pipe the buttercream on top of the jam layer. (I didn’t do that in the picture because it’s too warm on that day and the buttercream kept moving).
- Place the other cake on top of the buttercream and decorate it with more buttercream, icing sugar, and fresh strawberries, or just the way you want. Enjoy!
How to Store Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake
This cake is best to be served on the day you make it. If you got leftover, store the cake in containers in the fridge and better finish it in 2~3 days.
Questions You Might Have
I don’t have self-raising flour, can I use plain flour (all-purpose) flour instead?
Yes, you can use an equal amount of plain flour (all-purpose) flour in replace self-raising flour. But remember to add another 3.5 tsp baking powder.
Are there other substitutions for soya yogurt?
You can use other types of plant-based yogurt. I haven’t tried to use other ingredients instead of yogurt so I’d say follow the recipe exactly for the best result.
What kind of sugar can I use?
Here I’m using golden caster sugar because that’s what I usually have in the UK. You can also use white caster sugar. Just keep in mind to check if it’s vegan because in some countries not all the caster sugar is vegan, especially in the US.
Final Words
This victoria sponge cake is really fluffy, sweet but not overly sweet, and perfect as a birthday cake or any celebration cake. I hope you will like this sponge cake recipe as well. Let me know if you have other questions by commenting down below. Also welcome to tag me on Instagram (@barrelleaf) if you make any of the recipes. Enjoy!
More Vegan Recipes:
- Vegan Spiced Giginer Chocolate Brownie Cake
- Vegan Strawberry Bakewell Tart (gluten-free)
- Healthy Fudgy Carrot Cake (Gluten-free, Vegan)
Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake
Ingredients
Sponge Cake
- 100 g vegan spread, (margarine), or vegan butter
- 55 g applesauce, Homemade Applesauce Recipe
- 150 g golden caster sugar
- 175 g soya yogurt
- 175 g soy milk, or other plant-based milk
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 350 g self-raising flour, or gluten-free self-raising flour*
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
Buttercream
- 125 g vegan butter, or vegan spread (margarine)
- 240 g icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Assembly
- 120 g Strawberry jam
Instructions
To make the sponge cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease two 20cm (8-inch) round cake tins with vegan butter or coconut oil if using non-stick tins. Line the botton of the cake tins with baking paper.
- In a mixing bowl, use a whisk to mix together the vegan spread, applesauce, and sugar. Whisk until the vegan spread/butter turns a bit lighter in colour.
- Add soya yogurt, soy milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk all ingredients until all incorporate. Make sure to not overmix the batter. Otherwise the cake will be tough.
- Divide the batter into the prepared cake tins and spread it out evenly. Gently drop the cake tins against the counter to evenly it out.
- Bake them in the preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for 25-30 minutes. Use a small knife to insert into the centre of the cake for testing. If it comes out clean, it's done.
- Transfer the cake tins onto wire racks to cool down to room temperature, or at 1east 30 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cake from the cake tins. Let the cakes cool down compeltely.
To make the buttercream:
- Add the vegan butter, icing sugar, and vanilla to a mixing bowl. Use a whisk (or hand mixer/stand mixer if you don’t want to use your musle) to whisk all ingredients together and whip it until it becomes lighter in texture and colour.
- Transfer the buttercream into a piping bag with a pastry tip. If the weather is warm, put it into the fridge for 30 minutes.
To aseemble:
- Place one cake on a plate. Spread the strawberry jam on top evenly.
- Pipe the buttercream on top of the jam layer. (I didn't do that in the picture because it's too warm on that day and the buttercream kept moving).
- Place the other cake on top of the buttercream and decorate it with more buttercream, icing sugar, and fresh strawberries, or just the way you want. Enjoy!
Notes
- *Self-raising flour: You can use either normal self-raising flour or gluten-free self-raising flour. I’m using this one gluten-free self-rasing white flour for this recipe and it turns out very good. If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can also use 350 g plain flour (all-purpose flour) plus 3.5 tsp baking powder.
- Storage: Store this cake in containers in the fridge and better finish it in 2~3 days.
- Recipe adapted from domestic gothess
