Vegan Victoria sponge cake - this delicious egg free and dairy free vanilla Victoria sandwich cake with jam and vanilla buttercream is light, soft, easy to make and perfect for Afternoon Tea!
I'm on a bit of a mission to perfect vegan versions of all of the classic bakes. For the most part, the majority of recipes are not too hard to veganise well; though if anyone has a recipe for vegan choux pastry that actually works do let me know!
Victoria sponge cake has to be the ultimate classic cake recipe, and fortunately it works very well as a vegan version. The cake is light, soft and moist, with just the right amount of fluffy vanilla buttercream and strawberry jam.
This is a perfect cake for all occasions, whether you make it as a birthday cake, or just for a simple afternoon tea. It is the kind of cake that is good for both children and adults so it is bound to be a crowd-pleaser.
What Is Victoria Sponge Cake?:
Victoria sponge cake, also known as Victoria sandwich, is the quintessential British cake. It is named after queen Victoria, who reportedly liked a slice with her afternoon tea.
It is comprised of two layers of buttery vanilla cake filled with jam and cream or buttercream. It is often baked as a birthday cake, for afternoon tea, or just because it's Tuesday.
The Best Ingredients:
Butter: It is very important that you use a vegan block butter/margarine for both the cake and the buttercream - the kind that comes in a foil wrapped block, NOT the spreadable kind in a tub which has too high a water content for baking.
As this is a fairly simple cake, a lot of the flavour comes from the butter, so it is best to also use one that tastes good. I absolutely love Naturli Vegan Block and almost always use it for baking.
It is currently unfortunately only available in Sainsbury's but if you are able to get hold of it that is 100% the brand I would recommend (not sponsored, I just think it's great).
Otherwise, Stork block or Vitalite block both work well; and in the US Earth Balance buttery sticks would be the right kind of product to use.
Yogurt: Non-dairy yogurt replaces the eggs and helps to keep the cake soft and moist. I use Alpro vanilla soy but a plain variety will also work, as will coconut yogurt; though I would stick to a thinner type rather than a really thick, set style of yogurt.
Jam: Victoria sponge cake is traditionally filled with jam (purists would say it should contain ONLY jam, no buttercream, and no vanilla extract either!); either strawberry or raspberry is best (and traditional), but you can use any variety you prefer.
How To Make Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake:
(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)
*For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.*
Start by greasing two 19-20cm/7.5-8inch round cake tins and lining the bases with baking parchment. My tins are 19 cm so if you use 20cm ones the cakes will be very slightly thinner than pictured.
Cream together the softened vegan butter and sugar with an electric mixer for a good few minutes until very light and fluffy. You want to try and get lots of air incorporated for a fluffy cake.
Add the yogurt, milk, vanilla, flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and gently mix everything together until it forms a smooth batter. Take care not to over-beat it as that can make the cake tough and you don't want to knock out too much of the air you've just beaten in.
Divide the batter between the tins and bake for about 25-35 minutes until the cakes are springy to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
Once the cakes have cooled, make the buttercream. Place the softened vegan butter, sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk with an electric mixer for at least a couple of minutes until smooth and fluffy.
If the buttercream is too stiff you can whisk in a little bit of milk until it forms the right consistency, no more than a teaspoon at a time.
Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate and spread over a generous quantity of jam.
Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle and pipe blobs of the buttercream on top of the jam. (Alternatively, you can spread the buttercream over the bottom cake layer with a palette knife first, then spoon the jam on top).
Place the second cake layer on top. Sprinkle with a little caster sugar or dust with icing sugar and serve.
Top Tips:
- Make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature before you start - if the yogurt and milk are too cold it can cause the butter to harden and the batter to curdle.
- Strawberry jam is the most traditional, but you can use any kind you like. It would also be great filled with lemon curd.
- I like to sprinkle the top with caster sugar, but you could dust it with sifted icing sugar instead.
- If you don't have self-raising flour, you can swap it for regular plain flour and add an extra 3 ½ tsp baking powder instead.
- This vegan Victoria sponge cake is lovely served with fresh fruit, especially strawberries or red berries.
- It will keep for up to four days in an airtight container.
- Best enjoyed with a cup of tea.
More Classic Vegan Cakes:
- Vegan chocolate fudge cake
- Vegan lemon drizzle cake
- Vegan carrot cake loaf
- Vegan courgette (zucchini) cake
- Vegan coconut layer cake
- Easy vegan ginger cake
- Vegan biscoff banana bread
- Easy vegan chocolate cake
- Vegan Christmas cake
- Vegan apple bundt cake
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Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 175 g (⅔ cup + 1 Tbsp) vegan block butter (NOT the spreadable kind. I use Naturli Vegan Block) softened
- 265 g (1 ⅓ cups) caster (superfine) sugar
- 175 g (⅔ cup + 1 Tbsp) non-dairy yogurt (I used vanilla soy)
- 175 ml (⅔ cup + 1 Tbsp) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy)
- 2 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 350 g (3 cups minus 2 Tbsp) self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
Buttercream:
- 125 g (½ cup) vegan block butter (NOT the spreadable kind. I use Naturli Vegan Block) softened
- 220 g (2 cups) icing (powdered) sugar sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- strawberry or raspberry jam
- caster sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease two 19-20cm/7.5-8inch round cake tins and line with baking parchment.
- Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for a good few minutes until very light and fluffy.
- Add the yogurt, milk, vanilla, flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and gently mix everything together until it forms a smooth batter. Take care not to over-beat it as that can make the cake tough.
- Divide the batter between the tins and bake for about 25-35 minutes until springy and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- Once the cakes have cooled, make the buttercream. Place the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk with an electric mixer for a couple of minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate and spread over a generous quantity of jam.
- Transfer the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle and pipe blobs of the buttercream on top of the jam. (Alternatively, spread the buttercream over the bottom cake layer with a palette knife first, then spoon the jam on top).
- Place the second cake layer on top. Sprinkle with a little caster sugar and serve. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Vegan Life.
Steph
Thank you so much for this recipe. My daughter has an egg and dairy allergy and I used this recipe for her birthday cake and it came out beautifully.
Stephanie
I don’t usually take the time to go back and leave comments, but this is our favorite cake. Everyone in our family loves it! I first made it as a birthday cake for myself last summer, and we’ve made it at least two or three times since then. Seriously cannot get enough! I usually use a homemade blackberry jam, but we also love it with raspberry jam. It is so simple to make and so elegant if you do it correctly. The first time I made it, it was very hot in our kitchen and the whole thing just melted all over the place, but the next time I was able to do the piping and it turned out lovely!
Lorna
Brilliant recipe, so thrilled that I have a fool proof vegan recipe. I don't think anyone would know it was vegan. I used spy milk and soy vanilla yogurt like the recipe suggests. This is the second time I have made it and I am so pleased. Thank you for sharing.
Clair
My partner is vegan although I'm not despite eating a lot of vegan products. I love baking but everything I make is non vegan. As a treat I decided to make him this vegan cake. I tried a vegan sponge a few years ago and it was heavy and dry, needless to say, I was expecting this to be the same, and believed that you needed eggs and butter to make the perfect sponge.
Well, how wrong was I! This recipe is fantastic, as good as the sponges I have made before, so moist and light. This has completely changed my opinion and has inspired me to bake more vegan cakes.
We made your vegan lemon curd last night, so simple and tastes amazing. I shall be using that in a cake later today!
Payton Creamer
I have now made this cake for my own birthday, for a trip to my cousins, for fun, and for my boyfriends birthday, needless to say it is my favorite cake recipe to now make! It's always a massive hit because it just tastes SOO GOOD! I never seem to be able to make it as pretty as the picture loooks though LOL but maybe one day! but i guess all that matters is that it tastes GREAT <3
Natasha Reed
This is now a family favourite. Any excuse for a cake and this is the one we make. It’s my sons 13th birthday today and he requested this for his birthday cake. It’s a joy to make and super easy ( and I’m no baker). Please never remove the recipe from your website!
Thanks
Natasha x
Leslie Smith
My 22 year old vegan daughter made this and it's got a great density and vanilla taste. It's so beautiful; a real treat to eat.! I'm making it for her birthday. Your cakes look so delicious . I'm trying the apple bundt cake next.
Max
Made this gorgeous and simple recipe for my 30th last month. Celebrated solo, but in style with it! Love your work and recipes (and *also* waiting anxiously for the day vegan choux pastry comes out well). I pass through BHX here and there professionally (viola player, when COVID isn't a barrier)...have scoped out the pastry scene there, but nothing I saw or tried was as compelling as your product x
Arsine
Hi, looks delicious. Can I make this with all purpose flour instead of self raising? How much baking powder and/or baking soda do I have to add? Thank you
hannahhossack
Hi Arsine, I haven't tried making it with plain flour so I'm not sure how the results would differ. I would try adding an extra 3 tsp baking powder, so a total of 4 (level) tsp baking powder and 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda.
Lily
This looks delicious! Would it work ok if I used gluten free flour? Never made a gluten free cake before but I am baking one for a friend and am hoping it would work for this recipe!
Hannah
Hi Lily, I haven't tried it with gluten free flour I'm afraid. I suspect that it should work ok but I can't say for sure.
Vanessa Ridler Dutton
Loved the fact it’s using vegan butter instead of oil, (used block Stork) - the best flavoured vegan vanilla cake I’ve tasted! Would it freeze ok?
Hannah
Hi Vanessa, I'm not sure about the buttercream but the cake freezes fine.
Louise
I made this yesterday and it was truly delicious. Better than any sponge I made before becoming vegan. It rose beautifully and had a great texture. I only had Alpro coconut yoghurt so used that but there was no coconut taste. I will definitely be making this again, so thank you very much.
BeeH
I made this cake on Saturday morning to take to my sister's for a second B-day lunch celebration I just can say OMG, what a delicious spongy cake!!. I'm not really into baking, I love to cook but my husband loves sweets and I try once in a while to make cakes. I have a very successful recipe for vegan carrot and a vegan chocolate cake. However, I have spent hours looking for a good, simple vegan vanilla sponge cake and tried a few unsuccefully. I can’t thank you enough for this recipe is now my favorite vanilla sponge cake. I followed the recipe to the tee and it was just like the picture. I added fresh strawberries to add freshness everyone was raving about. Thank you!!!!
Stephanos
Made it for Valentine's Day and it turned out amazing! Just a little too sweet so I will adjust recipe next time and use less sugar.