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Victoria sandwich cake is such a classic and iconic bake, and no one has to miss out with this recipe for Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake! It features two layers of fluffy sponge cake, with a jam and buttercream filling. It's so easy and quick to make, with no special equipment or ingredients needed. It is the perfect centerpiece for a vegan afternoon tea! If you've not done much vegan baking before, make sure to read through my helpful tips first.

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Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information

I used almond milk for this cake, but you can use any vegan milk that you prefer.
You can use a different type of oil besides vegetable oil. I'd recommend one that doesn't have a strong flavour, canola and sunflower oil would both work well.
For the best flavour, make sure to use a good quality vanilla extract and not an essence. You can also use a vanilla bean paste. I like to use the brand Nielsen Massey.
I've found that the best dairy free butter for vegan buttercream is Flora Plant. Stork Baking Block is also very good. Using a block dairy free butter is much better for the buttercream. A margarine or spread style dairy free butter will make the buttercream too loose. I also like to add some vegan shortening to stabilise it even more, but this is optional.
I filled the cake with buttercream and jam, but you can do only jam, or swap the buttercream for a vegan whipped cream.
Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to make Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake

In a mixing bowl or large jug, whisk together vegetable oil, dairy free milk, vanilla extract and cider vinegar. In a second mixing bowl, stir together self raising flour, caster sugar and baking powder.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk them together until combined and smooth. It's best to do this by hand with a whisk to avoid over mixing. Then divide the mixture between the tins.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until risen and lightly golden, and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool completely. To make the buttercream, mix the dairy free butter on it's own until creamy, then add the icing sugar, dairy free milk and vanilla extract and mix together until smooth. Pipe the buttercream onto the cooled cake, top it with jam, add the second sponge layer and dust with icing sugar.

For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.

What is the best dairy free butter to use for the buttercream?

My favourite dairy free butter to use for vegan buttercream is Flora Plant. The Stork baking block is great too. Block style dairy free butters give the vegan buttercream a better texture. Using a spread or margarine style dairy free butter will make the buttercream much looser. If you only have a spread or margarine style dairy free butter, you don't need to add as much or any plant milk to the buttercream as it will be a lot looser.

Who is this cake suitable for?

This cake is dairy free and egg free, and suitable for vegans. It can also be adapted to be gluten free.

Can this recipe be made gluten free?

Yes, you can replace the self raising flour with a gluten free self raising flour blend. If you only have a gluten free plain flour blend, you will need to add additional baking powder. The general advice is to add 2 tsp baking powder per 200g flour. You may also like to add ¼ tsp Xanthan Gum for better texture.

Can you make the cake more golden?

Vegan cakes made using this method are naturally more pale in colour. If you want a darker more golden appearance, you can do this by swapping all or some of the caster sugar for a darker sugar like golden caster sugar or light brown soft sugar.

How can you decorate the cake?

Fresh fruit like strawberries or raspberries would be a lovely way to decorate this cake. As would freeze dried fruit. Sprinkles are also a fun and colourful option. If using sprinkles and serving these cupcakes to vegans, make sure to check the sprinkles are vegan. Many sprinkles use animal products for colour, and confectioners glaze is a common ingredient in sprinkles that is not vegan because it comes from insects.

How long does the cake last and can it be frozen?

The cake will last for 3 days in an airtight container in a cool place. You can freeze both the cake and the buttercream. To freeze them separately, wrap the cake well in cling film or put it in an airtight container. The buttercream can be frozen in a sealed tub. To freeze it decorated, freeze the cake on a plate until frozen solid, then carefully wrap in cling film. Remove the cling film when you take the cake out of the freezer to defrost, as if it defrosts with it still on it could damage the appearance of the buttercream.

Can you bake this cake in a different size cake tin?

Yes, absolutely! I've used 8" cake tins for this recipe, but please check out my Conversion Guide to find out how you need to adjust the ingredient amounts for a different tin size.

Can you make the cake with plain/all purpose flour?

Self raising flour, which is very commonly used in the UK where I am based, already contains a raising agent and a little salt too. Therefore if you want to swap it for plain or all purpose flour, you will need to add some additional baking powder and also a little salt if you like. Some people like to add salt to cake recipes and some don't, so I'll leave that up to you as it won't affect the bake. The general advice is to add 2 teaspoons baking powder (a measuring teaspoon, not the kind you stir your coffee with) per every 200g plain or all purpose flour. Please note, I have not tested this recipe using plain or all purpose flour.

Do you need to add the cider vinegar?

You do need to add the vinegar to this recipe to get a good rise - it reacts with the baking powder to create air bubbles. Cider vinegar is the best vinegar to use, but white vinegar would be a suitable replacement. Balsamic or malt vinegar (the kind you put on your chips) will not work. And don't worry - you can't taste the vinegar in the cake!

Do you need an electric mixer for this recipe?

You do not need to use an electric mixer to make the cake, mix by hand with a whisk for the best results. If you need to use an electric mixer, use the paddle attachment on a low speed and be careful not to over mix. For the buttercream, I recommend using an electric mixer for the best results, but you can make it by hand too.

More tips for making the Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake:

You can fill this cake with any jam or vegan fruit curd that you prefer!
Always pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients when making this cake. It is the best way to avoid a lumpy batter
To pipe the buttercream onto the cake, I used a Wilton 6B piping nozzle. Or you can spread it on with a spoon.

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!

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