Easy Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Sponge Cake

Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cake on Cake plate with fresh fruit piled on top.

5 from 1 vote

Easy Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Sponge Cake

This Easy Gluten-Free Vegan Vanilla Cake is a wonderful treat if you are dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free and can't tolerate xanthan gum. Two cake layers of soft vanilla sponge with a hint of lemon are filled with a whipped plant-based lemon cream and filled with fruity jam. It's a delicious fluffy vanilla cake suitable for any occasion and loved even by those who don't need allergy friendly bakes.

Prep Time45

Cook Time40

Total Time1 25

Course: Cake

Cuisine: British

Servings:

Calories: 449kcal

Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

Sponge Layers

30 g ground chia seeds
150 g water
250 g white rice flour
250 g almond flour (ground almonds)
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon salt
40 g olive oil
320 g caster sugar
1 lemon zest only
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
240 g coconut yoghurt
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Lemon Cream

220 g coconut cream
1 tablespoon icing sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ lemon juiced
4 tablespoons jam strawberry or raspberry
150 g mixed fresh berries optional
1 tablespoon icing sugar to sprinkle over the top

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Sponge Cakes

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan assisted / gas mark 4 / 350°F.
Grease and line 2 x 8 inch cake tins (4 inch depth) with baking parchment paper.
Combine the ground chia seeds and water in a small bowl. Stir well to mix, making sure the chia seeds are fully immersed in water. Allow the mixture sit for about 5-10 minutes until it thickens to a gel-like consistency.
In a large bowl, whisk together the white rice flour, almond flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Set aside for a moment.
In another large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, caster sugar, coconut yoghurt, apple cider vinegar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract until well combined and slightly creamy.
Add the chia seed mixture to the wet ingredients and mix well until fully incorporated.
Pour the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix again until everything is well combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake tins and smooth the top with a spatula. For a really even surface grease your hands slightly with some extra oil and use them to smooth out the tops of the cake batter.
Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before filling with the jam and cream.

Lemon Cream

Pour the coconut cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract into a medium sized bowl. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the cream until it reaches soft peaks. This can take a few minutes.
Add the lemon juice to the whipped coconut cream, then continue to mix in until the cream reaches stiff peaks.

Assembly

Place one of the sponge cakes on a presentation plate or cake stand then pipe or spread the lemon cream onto the top.
Spoon the jam on top of the cream.
Place the second sponge cake on top. Dust the top of the cake lightly with icing sugar then arrange the fresh fruit if you are using. Finishing with a final dusting of icing sugar.

Notes

Flour substitutions. I don't recommend using a gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of the almond flour and rice flour as this cake has been carefully developed to work perfectly. However, the rice flour can be swapped for sorghum flour.
Mix dry ingredients before wet to save on washing up and use the same measuring spoons.
Use precise measurements, especially with gluten-free flours, to maintain desired texture. Digital scales are recommended for accuracy.
Level out chia seeds for consistent texture; precise measurement is crucial.
After pouring batter into cake pans, smooth the surface with lightly oiled hands to prevent a bumpy texture.
Whip coconut cream to a stiff but spreadable consistency; it may not be as stable as dairy whipped cream.
For easier spreading, melt jam in a saucepan for a minute, then cool before spooning over cream.

Make In Advance

You can bake the sponges in advance and store at room temperature in a cool dark place in an airtight container. However, I recommend filling and decorating the cake on the day you serve it.

Storing

Once filled with the cream it should be refrigerated and will keep for up to 3 days but store in an airtight container to help avoid the sponges from drying out too much.

Freezing

You can freeze the individual cake sponges before filling with the cream. Cool the sponges completely then wrap in plastic wrap and aluminium foil before freezing. They can freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature then you can assemble the full cake once defrosted.

Ingredient measurements

Please note when you see ‘grams’ listed as opposed to ‘millilitres,’ or any other term of measurement, that is not incorrect. I weigh all of my ingredients, including liquids, for accuracy.

US customary measurements

These US measurements for the ingredients provided are based on a conversion calculator. This recipe was tested with metric measurements and I recommend using a digital scale to weigh ingredients for the most accurate results. READ MORE >>> Why you should always weigh vs measuring with cups

Nutrition information

Please note that the nutrition information provided below is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients you use. Please seek a professional nutritionist’s advice for further clarification.

The nutrition serving is for 1 slice of cake, assuming the cake is cut into 12 servings.

Nutrition