January 25, 2015

Vegan Birthday Sponge Cake Recipe


THIS IS THE BEST CAKE I HAVE EVER EATEN. Fullstop. 

I really didn't know what to call it. I was so excited that I made a list with a few options:
  1. Vegan Birthday Sponge Cake
  2. Vegan TRIFLE Cake (It seriously tastes like a trifle)
  3. Vegan Victorian Sponge Cake
  4. Vegan Strawberries and Custard Cream Cake
  5. The Best Damn Cake In The Whole World
If you follow us regularly, you would know that I always guarantee that you will love our recipe and urge you to make it. However, I really really really mean this now. This cake is the epitome of delicious cakey amazing goodness. It is:
  • fluffy? tick!
  • decadent? tick!
  • sponge-cakey? tick!
  • creamy? tick!
  • sweet but not too sweet? tick!
  • easy? tick!

This recipe truly ticks every box. I think it is perfect for a birthday cake. Try it and thank me later!


serves 12

Cake:
   1 cup caster sugar
   1/2 cup margarine
   1 teaspoon vanilla extract
   2 cups self-raising flour
   1 cup plant milk (such as Soy Milky Lite)
   1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Custard cream:
   2 cups plant milk (such as Soy Milky Lite)
   4 tablespoons corn flour
   6 tablespoons caster sugar
   2 teaspoons vanilla extract
   2 tablespoons margarine

Other:
   icing sugar, to dust
   fresh strawberries, sliced
   strawberry jam

These are Australian measurements, so 1 cup = 250ml and 1 tablespoon = 20ml.


  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius and spray a 20cm diameter spring form tin with oil (I use spray coconut oil).
  2. Make the cake: In a large bowl, beat the caster sugar, margarine and vanilla until creamy. Add all other 'cake' ingredients and beat until smooth.
  3. Pour the cake mixture into the tin and place in the oven.
  4. Bake for 30 minutes or so until lightly brown on top, risen and a skewer comes out clean when poked in the centre. If you have a hot-ass oven like mine, you may need to lower the temperature half way through to avoid the top burning.
  5. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool. Remove from the tin.
  6. In the meantime, make the custard cream. Mix the corn flour with a dash of plant milk first until the lumps have dissolved. Add this and the rest of the 'custard cream' ingredients to a pot on medium heat and whisk until combined. Bring to the boil and then take off the heat and allow to cool. Set aside.
  7. Once the cake has cooled, carefully cut it in half.
  8. Lightly spread some strawberry jam on the bottom half.
  9. Pour the custard over the strawberry jam and spread evenly.
  10. Cover the custard with sliced fresh strawberries.
  11. Place the top of the cake back on.
  12. Dust with icing sugar.
  13. DEVOUR!

20 comments :

  1. Oh thank you for posting this incredible and super easy recipe. It looks fantastic ��

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  2. I have just stumbled over to you site from Minimalist Baker to check out your Parmesan Cheese. I made it already and it is definitely a new staple in our household.
    I am realizing i am not certain what Caster Sugar is. I think it is regular sugar. I live in New Hampshire in the USA!
    Can't wait to check out more recipes on your sight. I love what i have seen already.
    xoxox rm

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    1. Hehe thanks so much! Caster sugar is a finer white sugar that is used for baking :)

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  3. This cake is so fantastic! Best vegan sponge, light and fluffy and very tasty. Kept well for a few days and didn't dry out. Bookmarked as a favorite, thankyou for posting!

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  4. Wow ...this is an amazing cake...I made it substituting full fat milk instead of soy and its a perfect eggless vanilla cake !!so easy to make.. to be frank when i began the process of making , i was veey skeptical as the came mixture looked curdled after I mixed milk (straight out fridge ;-) ) into the sugar+butter+vanilla mixture . But once all the ingredients were in my kitchen aid bowl and i mixed it in slow speed for a minute the batter looked perfect!!!!!!
    This is an EXCELLENT recipe ..... and its rare to come across such gems !!!!

    Thank you so much for sharing this awesome cake ....!!!!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for letting us know. So glad you loved it :)

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  5. Awesome recipe, thanks!! I made 2 30x30cm cakes (doubled the recipe for each) for a layer cake. I am so impressed! No sinking in the middle, strong enough to layer up and yet crumbles perfectly! Tasted amazing with strawberry jam and lemon buttercream filling..thank you!!

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  6. Loved it, very yummy cake but would suggest you put to sieve the flour in the recipe because I forgot to do that and the batter was quite lumpy and took me ages to beat the lumps out haha

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  7. This sounds so delightful. I'm also in the U.S. In Plymouth MA. We live in the historic district. We are near the Mayflower 2 and Plymouth Rock. We have so many visitors from the UK, Australia, Germany, etc...who always ask were they could find a tea house. I've had a dream of opening a vegan tea room right in the middle of the quaint shops. I've been looking for a Victorian Sponge!!! So I'm going to add this to my Pinterest board of vegan tea house recipes!!! I like to dream big! I will also make this very soon. Perhaps Thanksgiving! Thank you!

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  8. I have tried this recipe and it is delicious and stays fresh a good 5 days! I would like to use this recipe for a wedding layer cake! my layers are 18cm, 22cm and 26cm round tins - any ideas how much i would need to alter the recipe for each?

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  9. Gustavo Woltmann thinks that this is great blog! - Gustavo Woltmann

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  10. Hello, i would luke to ask you is it possible if i replace the margarine with corn oil? Thx u for sharing the recipe btw :)

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    1. I've got no idea what corn oil is but you could always try :)

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  11. Hi! Thank q so much for the great recipe! May I know the ratio for the chocolate flavor? Can I use a natural cocoa powder instead of the Dutch process? Pls advice, thank q!

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  12. Hi! Thank q so much for the great recipe!... I've tried making the chocolates versions and I just reduced half of the amount of the vinegar, because I am using the natural untreated cocoa powder. It taste so wonderfully!

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  13. This was truly magnificent!!!!!!!! that custard is to die for!

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  14. Can you use regular milk, regular flour, regular sugar?

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