Try this vegan sponge cake for the most incredibly light, airy, and pillowy dessert you’ll ever taste! Made with aquafaba, avocado oil, soy milk, and a few other pantry staples, it’s proof that you don’t need eggs or dairy to create a show-stopping cake. It’s like a little piece of vegan heaven in every slice!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Fluffy: Aquafaba gives this cake a perfectly light and airy texture in place of eggs, while avocado oil and soy milk make sure it stays ultra-moist and tender.
- Simple: With easy-to-find ingredients and detailed step-by-step instructions, anyone can make this cake, even if you’re a beginner baker.
- Versatile base: This vegan sponge cake serves as the perfect canvas for a variety of toppings and fillings. Whether it's fruit, cream, or chocolate, you can customize it however you like!
Fluffy vegan sponge cake
This vegan sponge cake is my plant-based take on one of the most popular cake recipes around. After testing out many variations, I’m proud to say I’ve landed on a winner! It’s unbelievably soft, moist, and tender.
Since traditional recipes call for eggs, I’ve opted for aquafaba to fill their role. Once aquafaba is beaten, it provides a similar fluffiness as eggs, which means a perfectly textured sponge cake.
And if you’re not much of a baker, don’t worry! This recipe comes together so easily that anyone can do it. Whether you need a birthday cake or tea-time treat, or you’re just in the mood for something sweet, this versatile recipe can do it all!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Cake flour: Provides the soft and delicate crumb characteristic of sponge cakes. You can substitute cake flour by combining ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.
- Baking powder & soda: You’ll need both leavening agents to create a light and airy cake texture. Make sure they’re fresh or well within their expiry dates.
- Salt: Brings out the sweet flavors, preventing a flat-tasting cake.
- Aquafaba: Also known as chickpea brine, you can use canned aquafaba or cook your own chickpeas and use the cooking water.
- Cream of tartar: To stabilize the aquafaba and prevent it from losing its shape. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can use lemon juice or vinegar in a pinch.
- Avocado oil: Gives the cake a moist texture without weighing it down. You can use any neutral vegetable oil that you prefer, like sunflower, canola, or grapeseed.
- Soy milk: Adds additional moisture. I prefer soy milk for its thick and creamy consistency, but oat or cashew milk make good alternatives.
- Vinegar: Helps activate the baking soda, causing the cake to rise. I use regular vinegar, but apple cider vinegar or lemon juice will also work.
- Vanilla extract: For a classic vegan vanilla sponge cake flavor, you need vanilla extract! I recommend splurging on pure vanilla extract for the best results.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar delicately sweetens the cake without overpowering the vanilla flavor. You can use organic granulated sugar or cane sugar interchangeably.
How to make vegan sponge cake
- Step 1: Sift the dry ingredients through a mesh sieve into a mixing bowl. This ensures there are no lumps and helps aerate the flour.
- Step 2: To make your vegan buttermilk mixture, combine soy milk and vinegar in a separate bowl or container, which helps in the cake's rise and flavor development.
- Step 3: Whip the aquafaba and cream of tartar on medium-high speed until it an light and airy texture. Patience is key here, but be careful not to overmix as this can cause it to deflate.
- Step 4: Add the sugar gradually to the whipped aquafaba, then incorporate the wet ingredients slowly to maintain its airy texture.
- Step 5: Gently fold in the dry ingredients. Again, be careful not to overmix to prevent a deflated vegan vanilla sponge cake.
- Step 6: Transfer the cake to a silicon mold or a greased and parchment-lined pan, then pop it into the oven. Bake it until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. To prevent the cake from deflating, resist the urge to open the door unless absolutely necessary!
- Step 7: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for about an hour in the pan before removing it and transferring it to a cake tray. Serve it with your favorite toppings!
What to serve with vegan sponge cake
As I mentioned before, this vegan sponge cake can serve as the base for virtually any topping! Here are some of my favorites:
- Fresh berries or fruit compote
- Oat milk whipped cream
- Vegan chocolate ganache or vegan caramel
- A sprinkle of powdered sugar
- A drizzle of Rose Simple Syrup, lavender syrup, strawberry syrup, blackberry syrup, or any floral or fruit simple syrup.
- Vegan ice cream or sorbet
Storage
Follow these simple instructions to keep your vegan vanilla sponge cake fresh:
- Room temperature: If you wrap and cover your cake, it will last at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Fridge: For longer storage, transfer it to an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Wrap pieces of the cake in aluminum foil and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Variations
- Citrus zest: Add fresh lemon, lime, or orange zest for a citrusy note.
- Spiced: A touch of cinnamon or nutmeg can add a festive element.
- Matcha: Add a teaspoon for a green tea flavor and gorgeous color.
- Chocolate: Mix in cocoa powder for a chocolatey sponge cake.
Top tips
- Gentle folding: Overmixing can deflate the batter and make for a dense sponge cake. Ensure you mix it just enough until all the ingredients are combined.
- Aquafaba: Make sure your aqaufaba has a thick consistency. If it’s as thin as water, reduce it on the stove by at least half of the volume.
- Even oven rack: Place the cake pan in the center rack of the oven for an even bake.
- Cooling time: Let the cake rest for at least an hour post-baking for the best texture.
FAQ
Why did my cake not rise properly?
If your cake didn’t rise properly, it’s likely because your baking powder or baking soda wasn’t fresh, you overmixed the batter, or the oven wasn’t adequately preheated.
How do I know when my vegan sponge cake is done?
You’ll know your vegan sponge cake is done when you insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean or with very few crumbs attached.
More vegan dessert recipes
If you love vegan treats, test out some more of my most popular dessert recipes like these:
- Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake: A classic Italian favorite made plant-based.
- Vegan Flan: Rich, creamy, and indulgent flan made without eggs or dairy!
- Vegan Tiramisu: Decadent layers of lady fingers and velvety vegan mascarpone.
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Muffins: Indulgent yet healthy-for-you muffins.
Vegan Sponge Cake
Serving Size: 8 slices
DESCRIPTION
This vegan sponge cake is my plant-based take on one of the most popular cake recipes. It's incredibly light, airy, and moist with the magic of aquafaba, soy milk, avocado oil, and a few other pantry staples. Serve it with fresh fruits, whipped cream, or chocolate. It's a perfect canvas for a variety of toppings and fillings.
INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup aquafaba
- ½ teaspoon cream of tarter
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- 1 cup soy milk
- 1 tablespoon vinegar I used distilled
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cups sugar
METHOD
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and grease a 6” round baking pan with some olive oil and layer the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Or simply use a silicone baking pan.
- Sift the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt through a fine mesh sieve into a mixing bowl.
- Combine soy milk and vinegar in a separate bowl or jug and mix together.
- Whip aquafaba and creme of tarter with an electric whisk or stand mixer on medium-high speed. Whip till it starts to fluff up or create stiff peaks.Note: Do not over-whip aquafaba. Stop once it fluffs up with air. Whipping too long can deflate it.
- Slowly start adding sugar to the aquafaba as it is whipping. Do not dump the sugar all at once because that can cause it to deflate. Once sugar is added, the mixture should start to look slightly glossy.
- Next, add vanilla extract and avocado oil to the aquafaba while it is still whipping.
- Next, slowly start adding the soy milk curd mixer. Note: Stop whisking once it's all combine because you do not want it to deflate.
- Once the wet ingredients are all combined then use a spatula to slowly fold in the dry flour mixer. Note: Avoid over mixing. Stop once the ingredients are combined to form a batter.
- Transfer batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about an hour in the baking pan. Then gently remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a cake serving tray.
- Serve with a dollop of vegan whipped cream, fresh strawberries, or powdered sugar, if desired.
NOTES
- Gentle folding: Overmixing can deflate the batter and make for a dense sponge cake. Ensure you mix it just enough until all the ingredients are combined.
- Aquafaba: Make sure your aqaufaba has a thick consistency. If it’s as thin as water, reduce it on the stove by at least half of the volume.
- Even oven rack: Place the cake pan in the center rack of the oven for an even bake.
- Cooling time: Let the cake rest for at least an hour post-baking for the best texture.
NUTRITION
Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 282mg | Potassium: 67mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Arti says
But this is not a healthy and whole food recipe due to use of All purpose flour in it.
Puja Verma says
Yes, all-purpose flour is not considered a "superfood." It is not as nutritious as a whole grain flour due the milling process. You can always try to sub all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend or experiment with whole wheat flour. Just know that often times, flours with more protein content won't rise as soft and fluffy as the all-purpose flour. But I hope it can work out with a healthier option for you. Please share, if you get a chance to experiment with it.