Vegan Victoria Sponge cake with berries and cream

A delicious vegan Victoria sponge cake, filled with fresh berries, jam and whipped vegan cream. A perfect British teatime treat for Summer!

Does any cake scream British afternoon tea more than a slice of Victoria sponge? Really?!

Sure you can make a case for the lemon drizzle, or maybe even the coffee and walnut, but when push comes to shove, the Victoria sandwich cake will always take first place. Deceptively simple, it consists of two layers of plain sponge sandwiched with a fruity berry jam. A dusting of caster sugar on the top is all the adornment it requires.

My kind of cake

I’ll be honest, this kind of cake is right up my street! I’m always more likely to choose a ‘less fancy’ cake than something that’s equal parts cake and frosting. And the combination of plain sponge cake with a gorgeous strawberry or raspberry jam is hard to beat.

Summer in a cake

I also think this type of cake is just perfect for Summer. Imagine, sitting in the garden, the tea things laid on a small table… A tea pot, china cups, a bowl of fresh ripe strawberries… And a perfect, sparkling Victoria sponge cake, all ready to slice.

I can practically feel the afternoon sun and hear the birdsong.

Vegan Victoria Sponge cake – a patriotic confection

The Victoria Sandwich cake was developed in the late 1800s following the invention of chemical raising agents for baking. People moved away from heavy fruit cakes and towards lighter, softer sponges, and this new type of cake was dedicated to the reigning monarch of the time.

Apparently Queen Victoria was quite partial to a slice of the deliciously new-fangled cake, and it’s a testament to its tastiness that we’re still enjoying it all these years later.

Turning a Victoria sponge cake vegan

The original cake recipe uses butter, eggs, and sometimes milk, alongside flour and a leavening agent, so it definitely isn’t vegan. However, it’s easy enough to make a vegan Victoria sponge using plant-based ingredients, and the resulting cake is still super-yummy.

The main issue I had when creating a vegan Victoria sponge was the colour! Egg yolks and butter give the classic cake an attractive yellow hue, while its vegan cousin was pale by comparison.

To give my vegan Victoria sponge cake it’s gorgeous golden colour, I used cold-pressed rapeseed oil, which is beautifully yellow due to the presence of carotenoids. These naturally occurring pigments have numerous health benefits, so this vegan cake is almost good for you!

Filling for a vegan Victoria sponge

I remember my school cookery teacher hammering home the idea that a REAL Victoria sandwich cake has ONLY jam in the middle. Anything else – fruit, cream, buttercream, whatever – and it ceases to be a true Victoria sponge cake.

What a miserable old stickler!

By all means stick to a layer of fruity jam – your cake will be delicious! But if you really want a Victoria sponge cake that’s fit for a celebration, I recommend adding some fresh berries at the very least, and ideally, a layer of cool whipped vegan cream as well.

If, like my home ec. teacher you can’t bring yourself to do it, simply serve your slice of vegan Victoria sponge with a generous helping of fruit and cream on the side. That way, you get the ‘classic’ jam-only cake, and all the flavours of the extras too! Win-win!

A Victoria Sponge Cake for a Shavuot tea party

Coming as it does in early Summer, Shavuot seems to be the perfect YomTov to throw a tea party. You can do it early in the afternoon and call it ‘lunch’, or later in the afternoon instead of ‘dinner’. Either way, a proper afternoon tea makes for a lovely, light and festive meal.

Of course you will have a beautiful Victoria sponge cake, oozing jam, cream and berries. Here are some other treats to include in a classic afternoon tea.

Classic British Afternoon Tea

• Dainty sandwiches – with the crusts cut off, of course! Fillings can include thinly sliced cucumber, egg mayonnaise (with or without cress), smoked salmon, cream cheese, sliced cheddar with a little chutney, or whatever takes your fancy!
• Mini quiches or savoury tarts – choose summery fillings like asparagus, spinach or tomato with herbs.
• Bridge rolls – I could (and at some point probably will) write an entire post about bridge rolls. Tiny, two-bite open sandwiches topped with egg mayo, smoked salmon, cream cheese, tuna mayo, chopped herring… Yum!
• Scones – it isn’t a proper tea without scones. Serve with jam and clotted cream for the full experience.
• Individual cakes or ‘fancies’ – beautifully presented squares of brownie, mini cheesecakes, little lemon cupcakes or butterfly cakes… As many different kinds as you like!
• Fruit salad or fruit skewers – I always put fresh fruit on a tea menu. It’s good to have something light and fresh alongside all the sandwiches and cakes.

And of course there should be a pot of piping hot properly brewed tea. Or skip that and serve a glass or two of bubbly instead!

Ingredients in vegan Victoria sponge cake

The ingredients in this yummy cake are very simple. To make one yourself, you will need:

For the cake

• Self-raising flour – this has the raising agents ‘built in’ but otherwise you can use plain (all-purpose) flour plus baking powder
• Caster sugar – also called superfine sugar, this has smaller crystals than granulated sugar
• Rapeseed oil – sometimes also called canola oil, this gives the cake a lovely golden colour, but you can use any neutral vegetable oil, such as sunflower oil, for a paler coloured cake
• Non-dairy milk – I like oat milk, but you can also use soy milk or a nut milk if that’s what you prefer
• Vanilla extract – a non-traditional, optional extra

For the filling

• Fruity berry jam – choose strawberry, raspberry, or a mixed summer berry jam, to sandwich your two layers of Victoria sponge together.
• Fresh berries (optional) – I used a combination of raspberries, strawberries and blueberries, but you can also add blackberries, stoned cherries (not technically berries but still delicious), or any other summer fruit.
• Vegan whipped cream (optional) – there are lots of options available for non-dairy cream. Go with whipped coconut cream for its simplicity, or there are plenty of non-dairy whipping cream alternatives available, including kosher parve whipped toppings, or vegan plant-based products. Choose your favourite and use that!

I also used a few chamomile flowers from my garden to decorate the cake. I think any edible flowers would look lovely and summery on this cake, but they’re not essential! A dusting of sparkling caster sugar is really all that’s required.

The cake layers need to be completely cold before you attempt to add the filling. It’s best to fill the cake a few hours before you intend to serve and eat it. Leave it in the fridge for the filling to firm up a little before you slice the cake. Otherwise, it will be quite gooey – which is also good!

The unfilled cakes will stay fresh for a day or two tightly sealed in an air-tight container such as a tin or plastic box. So you can bake ahead, then assemble and serve when you’re ready.

Time for tea and cake!

I don’t know about you, but all of this thinking about cake and tea has me really in the mood for a proper British Afternoon Tea! I hope you’ll find an excuse to join me!

If you want deliciously easy, family-friendly recipes like this one delivered straight to your inbox, simply click here to subscribe. (Of course, I’ll never pass on your email address to anyone.)

📖 Recipe

Vegan Victoria Sponge with berries and ‘cream’

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

A delicious vegan Victoria sponge cake, filled with fresh berries, jam and whipped vegan cream. A perfect British teatime treat for Summer!

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine British

Servings 8

Calories 476 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the cake

• 250 g self-raising flour
• 150 g caster sugar (superfine sugar)
• 150 ml cold pressed rapeseed oil (canola oil)
• 150 ml non-dairy milk – I used oat milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For filling and topping

• 4-5 tablespoon raspberry jam (or another fruity flavour)
• 100-150 g strawberries, quartered or sliced
• 50-75 g raspberries
• 50-75 g blueberries
• 250 ml dairy-free whipping cream – you probably won't need all of it
• caster sugar for dredging on the top
• additional fresh berries and/or edible flowers to decorate (optional)

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two 20cm (8 inch) sandwich tins with greaseproof paper or baking parchment.
• Sift the self-raising flour into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, oil, non-dairy milk and vanilla and beat well to give a thick smooth batter. The batter should drop easily from the spoon so add a little more liquid if necessary to achieve the right consistency.
• Divide the mixture between the two tins and level the tops. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes until the cakes are risen, golden, and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and turn the cakes out of their tins. Peel off the paper liners. Leave to cool on wire racks until completely cold.

To assemble the cake

• Once the cakes are completely cold, place the first one, top down, on a serving plate. Spread over the jam in an even layer, making sure to go right to the edges.
• Arrange the berries over the jam so there is an even layer of fruit, with the different sorts nicely mixed.
  
• Whip the non-dairy cream. Spoon some carefully over the berries so they are all covered to a depth of about 1cm (½ inch). Spread a thin layer on the bottom of the remaining cake layer.
• Gently place the second cake layer cream-side down on top of the filling. Gently press down so that the cream can find its way into any gaps.
  
• The filling will firm up a little given a short while in the fridge, but you can serve straightaway if preferred – it will just be a little bit messier when sliced!
• Drege caster sugar over the top of the cake for a sparkling finish. Decorate with additional berries or edible flowers if desired.

Notes

To make this cake using plain (all purpose) flour, use 240g plain flour + 2½ teaspoon baking powder.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Vegan Victoria Sponge with berries and 'cream'

Serving Size

 

1 slice

Amount per Serving

Calories

476

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

24

g

37

%

Saturated Fat

 

3

g

19

%

Trans Fat

 

1

g

Polyunsaturated Fat

 

8

g

Monounsaturated Fat

 

11

g

Sodium

 

163

mg

7

%

Potassium

 

82

mg

2

%

Carbohydrates

 

62

g

21

%

Fiber

 

2

g

8

%

Sugar

 

29

g

32

%

Protein

 

5

g

10

%

Vitamin A

 

47

IU

1

%

Vitamin C

 

10

mg

12

%

Calcium

 

38

mg

4

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword blueberry, cake, raspberry, strawberry, vegan

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More delicious cake recipes

If you’re in the mood for more yummy cake recipes, how about one of these?

Vegan cake recipes

• Spiced apple and raisin cupcakes
• Carrot cake with zesty orange icing
• Squidgy chocolate babka
• Pear and apple crumble cake

Vegetarian cake recipes

• Strawberry cheesecake flan
• Carob cupcakes
• Devon apple cake with honey crumble
• Coconut lemon cake with olive oil and yogurt
• Strawberry banana loaf cake