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Victoria Sponge Cake

A vegan take on an all-time classic bake, this Victoria sponge from The Happy Pear is made with a coconut milk filling and topped with fresh berries for a bright, summery taste.

Ingredients

For the sponge:
400g plain white flour
300g caster sugar
2 tbsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
200ml unsweetened almond milk
200ml neutral-tasting oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
For the filling and decoration:
2 × 400ml tins full-fat coconut milk
1 tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp vanilla essence
100g raspberry jam
fresh berries

Essential kit

You will need 2x 20cm springform cake tins.

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Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/400°F/gas 6. Grease and line 2x 20cm springform cake tins with non-stick baking paper.

2. Put the tins of coconut milk for the frosting into the fridge to allow the cream to separate and harden.

3. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then sift them through a fine mesh sieve into a separate large bowl. Make a well in the centre.

4. Mix all the wet ingredients together, then add to the well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Using a spatula or a hand mixer, mix together until just combined.

5. Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, rotating the tins halfway through the cooking time to ensure they cook evenly. When done, a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean – if not, they need to go back in the oven for a little longer, until the skewer comes out dry. Remove the cakes from the oven and set aside on a wire rack to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out and allowing to cool completely before frosting.

6. Remove the tins of chilled coconut milk from the fridge, taking care not to shake the tins. Spoon off the hardened cream at the top of the tins and place in a bowl with the maple syrup and vanilla, mixing until smooth but being careful not to overmix, otherwise it can start to clump and slightly curdle.

7. Put one cooled cake on a cake stand or serving plate and add the jam filling to the top of the cake, spreading it evenly but not all the way to the edge, leaving about 1cm clear. Add half the cream, then, working your way out from the centre, spread it nearly to the edge in an even layer. Place the second cake on top, pressing it down lightly so the filling just comes to the edge. Then add your top layer of cream to the top of the cake, again working your way from the centre, spreading the cream to the edge. Add the berries to decorate and cut into slices to serve.

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