This easy one-bowl Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake is light, fluffy and absolutely delicious. Strawberry jam and vanilla cream are sandwiched between vanilla sponge cakes. Try this vegan version of the classic British cake recipe.
Recipe commissioned by Trex.
An easy, one-bowl, vegan Victoria sponge that's light, fluffy and delicious, what's not to love?!
In this classic British cake, strawberry jam and vanilla cream are sandwiched between vanilla sponge cakes. It's light, airy and tasty.
I love creating vegan cake recipes that work so well that nobody would guess they're dairy-free and egg-free.
For this vegan Victoria sponge cake recipe, I was delighted to finally hit upon the perfect ratio of ingredients.
Just sweet enough, nice and fluffy and with a delicate crumb.
The cakes aren't too domed so they sit perfectly flat, ready for a sprinkling of icing sugar.
It's my ultimate vegan version of the classic British cake. I hope you'll love it too.
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Reader Testimonials
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This is hands down the best sponge I’ve ever made. I’m really picky about vegan cake recipes and I couldn’t find a vanilla sponge recipe that was quite right. It’s sturdy and light and baked up perfectly. It was amazing." - Rahne
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Oh my giddy aunt! This was so good! New vegan here, and I’m always looking for vegan recipes the kids will eat too! I’ll be back soon for more yumminess!" - Greta
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A great cake and so easy to make! Now where are my baking tins…must be time to make again?!" - Michelle
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This cake was so simple and elegant, but didn’t lack in flavor. So delicious! Thanks for the recipe." - Julie
Vegan Cakes
There's a myth out there that vegan cakes are dry and somehow inferior.
My super-popular vegan chocolate cake is always a hit. I have so many readers telling me it's their go-to cake recipe now, regardless of it being vegan.
It's always high praise when non-vegans love a vegan cake!
My husband and kids all gave this Victoria sponge very enthusiastic thumbs up.
It's moist, fluffy, delicate and absolutely delicious.
What is a Victoria sponge?
Also known as a Victoria sandwich, it's a vanilla two-layer cake with jam and cream in the middle.
It was named after Queen Victoria, who was partial to a slice.
It's a traditional British cake and it's often found as a birthday cake, at afternoon tea or for any special occasion.
Cook's Tips
- You can use any jam you like in the cake, from raspberry to apricot (or even carrot jam!). But strawberry jam is the most traditional.
- Instead of jam, try it with a quick homemade fruit compote! Strawberry compote, raspberry compote or even blueberry compote.
- Feel free to sprinkle the top of the cake with caster sugar instead of powdered sugar
- Strawberries make a nice decoration for the top of the cake
- Serve it as a birthday cake or with afternoon tea
Storage and Freezing Tips
- How long will Victoria sponge keep? Store it in an airtight container (or wrapped) for up to 4 days.
- Store it in the fridge, wrapped or covered, for up to 7 days.
- The cake layers can be frozen. Just wrap them well and freeze for up to 3 months. If the cake has any icing or jam added, it can no longer be frozen.
How to make vegan Victoria sponge cake
Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.
1 - Stir the vinegar or lemon juice into the dairy-free milk to make 'buttermilk'. Set aside for a few minutes.
2 - Add the buttermilk and all other ingredients to a large bowl.
4 - Mix all ingredients until combined.
5 - Pour into the prepared pans and bake.
I used Trex for this recipe. It's a vegan solid vegetable oil for baking and I've seen it at most supermarkets in the butter aisle.
It's great for cakes and for making pastry flaky and biscuits crispier. Another bonus is that it whips up really well and is pure white - so it's ideal for white icing.
I found that it made this cake really fluffy and very evenly baked.
It's a new staple in my kitchen for all my vegan cakes and bakes! Plus I love that it’s low in fat and healthier than other vegan butter alternatives.
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Thanks for checking out my recipe! I love hearing from my readers. You all allow me to do what I love and be a food blogger, sharing vegetarian and vegan recipes, vegetable cake recipes and also easy vegan desserts.
Kate x
Disclosure: This recipe was commissioned by Trex. All opinions are my own.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups (300ml) dairy-free milk almond, oat etc.. work well
- 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 3 ⅓ cups (325g) self-raising flour
- 1 cup (200g) caster sugar
- ¾¾ cup (150g) Crisco or Trex (solid vegetable baking fat) , plus extra for greasing
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
For the filling
- ½ cup (100g) Crisco or Trex (solid vegetable baking fat)
- 1 ⅛ cups (150g) powdered icing sugar sifted
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons strawberry jam
icing sugar, to decorate
Instructions
- Heat oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly grease 2 x 20cm (8") round cake pans and line the bottoms with baking parchment.
- Stir the vinegar or lemon juice into the dairy-free milk and leave for a few minutes to curdle slightly and create ‘buttermilk’.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, TREX, vanilla, baking powder and buttermilk and beat (with a wooden spoon or electric mixer) until smooth. Take care not to overmix.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the filling:
- Beat the TREX, icing sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. If the mixture is too thick, add a tablespoon of dairy-free milk. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag with a plain nozzle.
To assemble:
- Spread the jam over the bottom layer of completely cooled cake. Pipe the buttercream over the jam, then place the second layer of cake over the top.
- Sift a dusting of icing sugar over the top layer.
Video
Notes
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- How long will vegan Victoria sponge keep? Store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- You can use any jam you like in the cake, from raspberry to apricot (or even carrot jam!). But strawberry is the most traditional.
- Feel free to sprinkle the top of the cake with caster sugar instead of powdered sugar
- Strawberries make a nice decoration for the top of the cake
- Serve it as a vegan birthday cake or with afternoon tea
-
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.
Anna Lee Smith
Made this today. It was good.
Angela
Made this today. I checked the weight vs the volume given for each ingredient in the recipe some were spot on, while others were quite different, especially the flour. The recipe calls for 3 1/3 cup (325g) of self-rising flour. 3 1/3 cup cup weighed over 400g. This might explain why some of those that commented said the cake was dry.
Flavors were good.
Rita
Hi,
I need to make a dairy free victoria sponge but not necessarily totally vegan, therefore can use eggs. Would it be o.k. if I added eggs to this recipe and if so how many in which case should I reduce something else to compensate for the eggs. Thank you.
hardeep
I have been experimenting with different recipes, for a while and finally found this one. It is the best, moist and delicious cake. No one believed it was vegan. My mother was so impressed that she asked for another slice, thanks you 🙂
Mandy
I made this cake and it tasted pretty good. However, it was a little dry. What could cause this? I did use a stand mixer, on low. The batter was quite thick, but could drop off spoon.
A very simple recipe, which I like as I’m just getting back into baking after many years.
Renee
When making the cake is that 3/4 plus another 3/4 cup of tree?
Helen Aiken
Must try this recipe. My daughter is allergic to eggs and her Papa has told her that Victoria Sponge is his favourite cake and she's wanting to make him a Victoria Sponge. Perhaps we can have tried it and perfected it for his birthday in a couple of months...
Jagoda
I made this cake twice, once according to the instructions and once I left it in the oven for an extra 10 minutes but both times it ended up raw in the middle, what am I doing wrong?
Kate Hackworthy
Hi Jagoda
That is very strange! I wonder if your oven is running too cold? An oven thermometer could be useful to test it. Sorry this hasn't worked for you.
Sham
Hi do you have any tips on how to adapt this recipe to make cupcakes? I tried the original recipe and my cupcakes were really dense, perhaps I overbeat the mixture .....any suggestions ?
Kate Hackworthy
Hi Sham, a Victoria sponge has a slightly different texture to typical vanilla cupcakes. Try my vegan vanilla cupcake recipe and it should be fine! https://veggiedesserts.com/vegan-vanilla-cupcakes/
Eileen Maguire
Would this cake be suitable for a vegetarian
Kate Hackworthy
Hi Eileen, yes it absolutely would!
Rahne
This is hands down the best sponge I’ve ever made. I’m really picky about vegan cake recipes and I couldn’t find a vanilla sponge recipe that was quite right. I made a mini version of this to test it out and it’s perfect. It’s sturdy and light and baked up perfectly. I doubled the vanilla and it was amazing.
Kenzie A.
I just put these cakes in the oven, but I'm a bit worried 😟 The batter was pretty thick. I used my kitchen aid with the wisk attachment and mixed just until everything was combined, bit it didn't look like a smooth cake batter at all, in fact, it almost looked like a biscuit dough. I followed all the instructions and the ingredients to a T (I'm in the US and used Crisco and powdered sugar in the cakes). I have no idea how they'll turn out. What did I do wrong?
Anni
Try using a solid mild coconut oil like Biona that has no coconut taste, if you can't find Trex or Crisco. This cake looks delish. I'm definitely going to make this today!
Jennifer hirst
Can gluten fre flour be used as substitute?
Kate Hackworthy
Hi, it should be fine. Also check the baking powder is gluten free. Happy baking!
Greta
Oh my giddy aunt! This was so good! New vegan here, and I'm always looking for vegan recipes the kids will eat too! I'll be back soon for more yumminess!
Erika Sanders
Hi! I would love to try this, but there isn't crisco or trex in norway. Can i use something else?
F
Can i use dairy free margarine like Vitalite instead of Trex? Has anyone tried that substitute? And would the measurement be the same? TIA
Lana
Can't wait to try this out!!!
Do you use self raising cake and pastry flour or ap?? 🙂
Lynn Fraser
I want to try this but am a non-vegan. The recipe states not to overmix - so how long would you beat this - say at medium speed in a stand mixer?
Kate Hackworthy
Hi Lynn
I usually combine wet and dry ingredients mixing by hand - gently until it's all just come together and you can't see any dry ingredients in the batter. Using a stand mixer, I'd set it to low and keep an eye on it. Just go until there are no flour streaks and it's completely combined, but don't try to beat air into it or anything.
I hope you enjoy it!
Kate
Michelle Alexander
A great cake and so easy to make! Now where are my baking tins...must be time to make again?!
Rachael
My goodness me, that looks incredible! Who doesn’t love a good Victoria sponge, eh?
Julie E
This cake was so simple and elegant, but didn't lack in flavor. So delicious! THanks for the recipe. I hand't used Trex before, but it's crazy how light it whips up. I bet I could do it by hand!
natty
(I spoke to you on facebook, hi!) I made this Victoria Sandwich for my cousin's birthday and people didn't guess it was vegan. Mine wasn't as pretty as yours but still looked good and tasted even better. Going to try your vegan chocolate cake next!
Jen
That looks delicious! You can't beat a good Victoria Sponge!
Rebecca | AAUBlog
this looks amazing! I am impressed t how light and fluffy it looks as when I've baked without eggs it usually goes pretty solid - amazing! x
Rhian westbury
I don't think vegan cake tastes much difference to normal cake so it's good that there's more vegan options. I love a good victoria sponge cake x
Anna
I wouldn't mind a nice, big slice of this Victoria Ponge right now! To be able to make it in 30 minutes is a total bonus...
Danielle
This looks delicious and so authentic! I doubt anyone would guess that it's vegan.
linda spiker
What a lovely dessert. Perfect for dinner parties.
Mirlene
Wow!!! You nailed it with this cake. I have not tried vegan sponge cake but looking at this picture and reading the recipe, I am so ready to try it. Pinning!
Helen of Fuss Free Flavours
That is a wonderful looking Victoria sponge cake. It is a classic bake, yet can go horribly wrong if over cooked or the cakes dome too much. You've got it just right and it looks delicious.
Rachel
I love a good victoria sponge cake, you can never go wrong with it! Great that you've put together a vegan version! xo
Emily Leary
What a gorgeous vegan sponge cake - it looks delicious and perfect to eat with a cuppa for afternoon tea!
Eva Katona
Love it! Loving to have options for a vegan cake these days. Lasts for 4 days in the cupboard? It won't last for a day in our house 🙂
Kirsty
I’ve been looking into recipes for a Victoria sponge cake for my daughter as she has a dairy allergy and I can never find one that taste as nice as the original so I’ll be giving this a go!
Kate Hackworthy
I hope you enjoy it!
Kara
I do love to bake but am ashamed to say I have never made a victoria sponge - it looks delicious
Linda Hobbis
I'm not a vegan but this version of one of my favourite cakes looks fabulous. Would never have thought of using Trex.
Hannah
I love a Victoria Sponge. I will have to make this one and see what its like
Leah Lander-Shafik
Out of all the cakes there is only one which I can, hand n heart, say is my favourite and it's the Victoria sponge. Your cake layers look AMAZING, So thick. I never get that great a rise out of my bakes which is why I find my baking is a no go. Great recipe. Thanks.
Amy | The Cook Report
Love that you've managed to make this classic cake vegan, it looks so beautiful too!
Marjory
This is absolutely amazing! My daughter is vegan AND we just finished watching the last Great British Baking Show so we have been talking sponge cake all week long! Will be looking for Trex, but in case we can't find is there a substitution you could recommend. Love this recipe!!!!
Kate Hackworthy
Hi Marjory
I believe crisco is vegan - that should be perfect to substitute. Happy baking!
Traci
I'm right there with you on creating the secretly healthy V & GF recipes. It's so easy to do these days. I'm loving the sound of this cake and the fact that it's in one bowl. Thanks for sharing!
Indra Rickiyanto
I want to know what TREX, in my country i think don't have TREX.
Kate Hackworthy
Hi Indra
You can use Crisco instead of Trex if you can get that!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
I'm going to give you A LOT of props for this one. That cake looks absolutely PERFECT. I can't believe that it's vegan. I've never tried TREX before, but I will be on the lookout for it. Glorious cake!
Lauren Vavala @ Delicious Little Bites
I love that this cake is vegan! It's beautiful and sounds delicious! I've heard of Trex a few times recently - will have to look into it more!