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What is always moist, fluffy, comforting at any time of the day and a definite crowd-pleaser? Why, Vegan sponge cake! This egg-less, dairy-free, cruelty free, simple yet yummy cake is perfect for: breakfast, mid-morning snack, tea time, coffee break, dessert, or any other random moment of the day. It can be eaten alone as is (my fave, I’m a simple gal), or topped with your favorite ingredients (vegan nutella spread, peanut butter, chocolate pudding, jam, sugar sprinkles, fresh berries, you name it) or it can even be used as a basic ingredient in more elaborate preparations such as marbled cake, trifle and tiramisù (more on this soon!) – so as you can see it is also very versatile.
I think Vegan sponge cake is the perfect addition to your cold winter afternoons – see proof number one: this picture taken by my husband just before we’d munch on our slices, together with some warming green tea for me and some herbal tea for him (aren’t those mugs the cutest? they are the Christmas gift my parents got us ♥)
Funny thing is… the first question I get asked about Vegan baking is: how do you replace the egg? So I start explaining how many and interesting egg replacements there are, from store bought products to flax seeds, but in this particular recipe no special egg replacer is used. A few simple ingredients that you already have in your kitchen cabinets are all you need to start eating a freshly baked cake in just above 1 hour!
Indeed this recipe is so simple it doesn’t even require shortening or any such products. I never use shortening (not sure what it is) as my Italian background is made of very basic mostly fresh ingredients. For this cake, I have been inspired by the cakes my mom used to bake on sunday when I was a child, the basic one was a very similar vanilla cake and when she really wanted to spoil us, she would cut up a chocolate bar and add little chocolate chips. Ah, such sweet memories! So all I’ve done here was to think of that flavor and texture, and veganize what I remembered.
So are you ready? Let’s get started!
Vegan sponge cake
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup coconut oil (liquid form)
- 1 cup plant-based milk I used soy
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
Dry ingredients
- 3 cups flour pastry flour or use rice for gluten free
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- As first thing, preheat your oven to 180°C (356°F).
- In a big bowl, beat all the wet ingredients (by hand with a whisk, or with a hand-held beater) until they are all well incorporated. Scrape the sides if needed.
- In the same bowl, sift in the flour, the salt and the baking powder. Incorporate all the ingredients well with a spatula, but do not overmix. (See what I've done here? It's a one-bowl preparation, how cool is that? Less stuff to wash at the end :) ). The consistency should be fairly liquid, you can add a splash of plant-based milk if you fell the need to.
- Now the fun part! As this is an egg-less cake obviously (!!!) feel free to lick the spoon, clean up the bowl and be sure to share with someone you love! ;-)
- Pour your mixture in a non-stick plum-cake mold, smooth out the top and place it on the middle rack of your pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes. Depending on your oven, the cake might take a couple of minutes more or less to be fully cooked so start checking out with a cake tester (or a fork, or a wooden toothpick, whatever you have at hand) around the 45 minutes' mark, and if the cake tester doesn't come out clean leave it a bit longer. I usually turn the oven off at 45 minutes, and leave the cake in the oven for 5 more minutes.
- Once cooked, let it cool outside the oven. The cake should be nice and gold on the outside and super soft and moist on the inside. Turn the mold over and the cake will slide right out. Now, sprinkle some powdered sugar on top like I did, and cut up your little slice of heaven ♥
Notes
Did you enjoy this post? I would love for you to pin it! Thank you! ♥Also, do let me know in the comments which cake brings back memories of your childhood, and if you've tried to veganize it :) Save
This looks delicious. I pinned it and will be trying hopefully soon. Always trying to add new things to our kitchen :)
Oh good! Let me know how it goes if you ever make it & thank you for the comment ;-)
Nice recipe, but I have a question! I’m allergic to coconut (sadly) and I was wondering what you would recommend using instead of the coconut oil. I don’t think normal vegetable oils would work since they’re liquid at room temp, right?
Hello KFC and thank you for your comments. Actually, normal vegetable oils can be used! As a matter of fact, the coconut oil to be used in this precise recipe needs to be liquid (so if it’s too cold at room temperature, one would need to nuke it for 30 seconds). I suggest you try with a very mild oil (sunflower? corn? your favorite). Also remember that fats can be substituted with other fats, like peanut butter for example. In that case you only need to think it out adding some more plant-based milk. Let me know if you give it a try :)
Hello , could I replace the brown sugar with white ?
Also did you buy yout plum cake mold online ? I have not heard of them, I have only loaf pans , but I would love to get one if you have a recommendation.
Thank you very much. The cake looks quite delicious and am excited to make it !
Hey Brooklyn, thank you so much for passing by and for your comment.
Sure go ahead, use white instead of brown sugar: I tend to use brown sugar for my baking, but in this case the texture and taste do not especially need one over the other.
Also, I have a plum-cake mold but to tell truth you can totally use your loaf pan tin. No need to get something special.
Happy baking!
So simple and yet so good!!! Loved this cake, made it over the weekend, thanks