Vegan Victoria Sponge!
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A delicious two-layer vegan Victoria sponge with vanilla buttercream frosting, strawberry jam and more!
Veganuary!
Oh hey January, it’s been a while… obviously. It honestly doesn’t feel like it should be January already?! I still feel like it should be about September time, definitely not January, and a new decade.. but here we are!
And as most of you know by now, January = Veganuary. It’s a month dedicated to encouraging a vegan lifestyle and diet, and I thought I would treat you guys to a classic, turned vegan. And in genuine honesty, I LOVE THIS RECIPE.
Vegan Victoria sponge
Something about this cake… It’s so soft, so delicious, and so good. Genuinely think it’s just as good as the original non-vegan version, and that’s saying something. I will say before anyone comes for me for calling it a vegan Victoria sponge and not using a classic ‘fresh cream filling’ that 1) you can’t as it’s vegan, and also… I don’t care.
The amount of vanilla/Victoria style cakes that are called a Victoria sponge that have a different middle is so broad, that I will call is a Victoria sponge. It means you know what you are getting – a vanilla sponge, vanilla centre, and jam/fresh fruit.
I based this recipe on my vegan vanilla cupcakes and my vegan Biscoff cupcakes as I just love them. They are obviously different as this needed to be increased to get the right sizing, and to suit a sponge rather than cupcakes.
Alternative milk
I tend to use almond milk in my vegan baking as it’s my personal favourite amongst the dairy free milks – but you can use any. I generally tend to avoid Soya as it’s my least favourite by far – but it’s up to you. It won’t affect the bake too much, but I would also say coconut milk could potentially bake weirdly.
Sugar
There was a slight change in the recipes here – I found that if I used all caster sugar, the colour of the sponge was vary pale and anaemic and not that pleasant – so I tried using half caster and half light brown sugar, and it produced a lovely looking sponge. With something like a Victoria sponge you want it too look decent from the outside!
Vanilla
I use my favourite Nielsen Massey vanilla as it’s the only one I will EVER use – and I recommend using it down to the ground. Extract, paste and pods are the ones you should try to use – essence is rarely actually vanilla so I avoid it at all costs!
Oil and vinegar
For the oil, I use vegetable oil as I generally have it around. I find it much cheaper than coconut oil, and it works so beautifully in this bake. Also, I use white wine vinegar as it’s my favourite – but you can easily use apple cider vinegar! Both work wonderfully. Generally though, any white vinegar will work!
Buttercream
For the buttercream, it’s an obvious thing to say… but make sure you use dairy free/vegan butter. You just need to remember that dairy free butter tends to be softer, so can be slightly slacker in general.
Jam
For the jam, just make sure it’s vegan friendly – most should be but there are some curveball products out there. Randomly you’ll come across something with gelatine in, and it’s weird!
Decoration
For the decoration though, you can easily just use fresh fruit if you prefer – like I used for the decoration! The freeze dried raspberries always look very cute though!
Top tips!
And one last thing… when making it, DO NOT OVER MIX IT. The mixture needs barely any mixing, so I use a bowl and a spatula. Also, keep an eye on it when baking. The skewer will come out clean when baking – but cooling in the tin helps the sponge not break apart as it’s so soft! I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! Enjoy! x
Vegan Victoria Sponge!
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 450 g self raising flour
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 150 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 400 ml dairy free milk (I use Almond)
- 175 ml vegetable oil
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
For the Decoration
- 150 g dairy free/vegan butter
- 350 g icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Jam
- Strawberries
- Freeze dried raspberries
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan and line two 8"/20cm cake tins with parchment paper!
- In a large bowl, add your flour, sugars, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder and mix until it's all mixed together evenly.
- Add to the bowl your dairy free milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and white wine vinegar.
- Mix as little as possible, until combined.
- Split evenly between the two tins and bake for 35-45 minutes. I check from 35 minutes onwards!
- Once baked, leave to cool fully in the tins.
For the Decoration
- Beat your butter on it's own to make it lovely and smooth.
- Add in your icing sugar and vanilla and beat again until combined, lovely and fluffy. I use my mixer with the paddle attachment!
- Get your first sponge, and spread over half of the buttercream.
- Add on a few tablespoons of jam and spread.
- Add on the second sponge, and spread on the rest of the buttercream.
- Decorate how you fancy - I used fresh fruit and freeze dried raspberries! Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is based on my vegan vanilla cupcakes and vegan Biscoff cupcakes recipes!
- I used baking powder and bicarbonate in the cake sponges (and not in the cupcakes) as I felt it baked much better for the larger sponge size - I don't think the cupcakes need it though.
- I used Tate & Lyle icing sugar which is a vegan icing sugar.
- This cake is very soft - and will last for at least three days!
- If your sponge turns out rubbery, it's most likely over mixed. I personally have never experienced this!
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J x
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Hi Jane, I attempted to make the Victoria sponge cake. But it turned out really dense and dry. It was sticky to touch, something like play dough, you press it and it would remain in the shape. Not sure what i have done wrong. Could you please advise me.
Ross
It’s very very hard to say for certain without knowing more… what brands of ingredients did you use, what type of milk, did you substitute anything due to lockdown shortages, what oven do you have, and how did you mix it?
Hi I was wondering how much I would need to scale the recipe up by for an 10 inch cake? Thanks!
Hey! A 10″ one is about 2/3 more – so you need 1.6x the recipe!
Hi there! This recipe looks good! I was wondering if I could use apple cider vinegar instead of white wine vinegar? Do you think it will have the same results?
Thanks in advance for you help!
Yes that should be fine!!
Hi Jane, could I use whole milk instead of almond milk? looking to make an eggless cake not necessarily vegan
Yes you definitely can! x
Could I add coffee and walnuts to this cake recipe to make a vegan coffee and walnut cake?
Thanks
Hi Jane
Should you use sweetened or unsweetened almond milk?
Thanks
Whatever you prefer – I generally use unsweetened!
Absolutely delicious recipe, thank you so much. My daughter is allergic to eggs and it made her birthday to have a cake she could eat.
I made this cake yesterday and it turned out amazing! I did have an issue using stork for the buttercream but I used vegan butter and it worked well enough to pipe the buttercream on. Thanks for this amazing recipe!
I made this and was so pleased with the result! Really great rise and texture on the sponge, lovely flavour. Quickly demolished by vegan and non-vegan friends alike!
Ahh yay! So glad you all enjoyed it!
I am going to make this tomorrow and was hoping to use coconut milk but I see you don’t recommend it. If I risk it would you suggest full fat canned coconut milk or will shelf stable cartoned coconut milk work? Thank you!
Do you have to use the white wine vinegar, would I the okay without?
Yes, its used for the rising. It’s important in vegan baking!
Can I ask if you think it would work with gluten free flour too? Would some g/f baking powder and xantham gum need adding?
Thank you
Hello Jane,
Would this work as a lemon sponge please?
Thank you x
Yep!
Did you use it as a lemon sponge in the end? Did you change anything else or just add zest/juice? Thanks
Thank you so much for this, it is going to come in very useful as so many friends are now vegan. x
Awh that’s okay!! x
Hi Jayne,
Please could you tell me which size cake this recipe is for? Thanks 🙂
As written in the method, 8″/20cm x
Hi Jane,
Love your recipes, they are amazing (mars bar brownies are a current favourite of my work colleagues) and make them all the time for work occasions.
I’m after a good egg free recipe doesn’t necessarily have to be Vegan as my parents are lacto-vegetarians therefore would this recipe also work with the usual dairy milk, I tend to buy & would use semi-skimmed milk but would you recommend full fat?
Many thanks,
Sushma
Hiya! I haven’t tried this with dairy milk, but I assume it would work the same – I generally recommend whole/fullfat milk for baking as it prevents the mixture splitting and just bakes better! X
Hi. Just reading your comment and wondering if you did end up using full fat dairy milk? I’m not vegan but have an egg allergy so thinking of baking it with full fat milk? Thank you