A Slice of Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake
Victoria sponge cake was a favourite dessert of Queen Victoria, who would serve it at her summerhouse on the Isle of Wight. It was invented around the same time as ‘afternoon tea’, something that was made popular by the invention in the 19th century of baking powder, that transformed baking from heavy yeast breads to airy sponges.
There was no cream in those days for cakes, as it was considered bad etiquette to get your hands messy – cakes were eaten with the hands, not cake forks! Even the Women’s Institute says today that a proper Victoria sponge does not use cream (and dusts the top with caster sugar, not icing sugar).
Reasons to try vegan Victoria sponge
A well-made vegan Victoria sponge tastes just the same, but it’s animal-kind, and you don’t have to worry about cholesterol or raw eggs or allergies to dairy.
It relies on the chemical reaction between baking powder and liquid to rise, and plant oils and milks mimic the taste exactly, with no aftertaste.
Reasons to make your own Victoria sponge
Most supermarkets sell Victoria sponges. But most are made with factory-farmed dairy and egg, and don’t taste that nice. They also are wrapped in plastic and work out way more expensive than home-made.
Plastic also traps humidity, so the cakes are quite damp and sticky, rather than light and airy. And the trapped moisture can soak in the sponge, ruining the cake anyway. Temperature fluctuations inside plastic packaging also cause oils in the frosting to separate, leaving a greasy film on the roof of your mouth!
Plus most store-bought Victoria sponges contain chemical shelf-life extenders, and some swap real vanilla for fake flavouring, and good oil for palm oil (not orangutan-friendly). Most also have far more refined sugar than a homemade version, meaning the cakes are higher in calories and overwhelmingly sweet.
A simple recipe for vegan Victoria sponge
This recipe only needs a few ingredients and can be made in one bowl with measuring cups (no scales needed):
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (or 350 degrees F or Gas mark 4)
- Grease two 20cm (8 inch) sandwich tins with a little oil.
To make the sponge:
- Mix 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of sugar and 1 tsp baking powder in a large bowl.
- Pour in 1 cup of plant milk, 1/2 cup of oil and 1 tsp vanilla.
- Stir with a spoon until smooth
- Pour the batter evenly into the two tins.
- Bake for 20 minutes, then leave to cool.
Make the filling while the sponge bakes:
- Assemble the Victoria sponge
- Place one sponge on a plate.
- Spread 5 tablespoons of berry jam on top.
- Sandwich the second sponge on top.
- Dust the top with caster sugar.
If you want to add a vegan buttercream filling, place 150g softened Flora or Lurpak plant butter in a bowl and beat with a wooden spoon until pale and creamy. Sift in 300g icing sugar (one half at a time) then beat until smooth.
