Getting into it, the first recipe of the year is for a vegan vanilla cake! It may sound super simple and it is but finding the perfect recipe has been a little struggle.
I have made other vegan cakes so easily but a vanilla cake? its honestly been a journey but we are at the end and I can share the recipe with you all!
It’s light and fluffy – the perfect cake and best of all, you can’t tell its vegan… I know thats not the point but even those picky friends and family won’t be able to tell – its just delicious.
Anyway, lets get started, shall we?
Ingredients:
Cake:
90ml vegetable oil (flavourless ideally).
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract.
15ml white vinegar.
350ml alternative milk (I used soya).
320g self raising flour.
270g granulated sugar.
1 tsp baking powder.
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda.
Buttercream:
350g vegan butter alternative.
500g icing sugar.
2 tsp vanilla extract.
Method:
Before you get started on the recipe, you’ll want to do some prep work. I like to get started by weighing up all of my ingredients, preparing my 2×6 inch by brushing them lightly with some flavourless oil and placing the greaseproof round into the base of the tin. Don’t forget to preheat your oven to 180˚c/350˚f and get any equipment you may need, such as a stand mixer and spatula.
To get started on the recipe, you’ll want to make the vegan buttermilk (as this isn’t readily available in stores). Simply take a bowl or jug and place in the alternative milk and white vinegar, give them a brief mix and allow to stand for 10 minutes – this will make it a DIY buttermilk, perfect for this recipe.
In the meanwhile, you can go ahead and weigh up the sugar, flour and raising agents into the bowl, then combine these until combined, now add in the buttermilk mixture, followed by the oil and vanilla extract and mix until, everything is fully combined. This usually doesn’t take long but continue to mix and be fully sure.
Seeing as this cake contains a lot of raising agents, it can’t be made too far in advance otherwise the rise won’t be the best you can achieve. So once your cake batter is mixed, give the bowl a good scraping down, just to ensure you’ve incorporated any bits that may not have been fully incorporated and then transfer into a jug or something similar (with a spout makes this easier to pour as its a runnier consistency).
Split the cake batter between the two cake tins, I like to weigh mine for the ultimate accuracy (also this helps consistency while baking) but you can just do it by eye if you’d prefer.
Place into your preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a tester comes out clean when inserted into the centre. Once the cakes have been baked, allow to cool fully before you use them.
While the cakes are cooling you can make the vegan buttercream – this is even easier than making the cakes, I promise.
Take a mixing bowl and place in the vegan butter alternative and beat until, its lighter ands fluffier in colour and consistency, this usually takes around 5-7 minutes – after that time and once you’ve achieved the right consistency, you can go ahead and add in half of your icing sugar. Mix on a low speed to start, working your way ups to a medium-high, allowing everything to be fully incorporated. Repeat with the seance half of icing sugar.
Once you have added all of the icing sugar, you can go ahead and add in the vanilla extract, allowing it to be fully incorporated into the mix.
Give the bowl a good scraping down, this is just to incorporate any bits that ma not have been fully incorporated – the buttercream is ready to use. If you don’t intend on using straight away, store in the fridge for up to 3 days covered with clingfilm.
Whenever you’re ready, you can start the decorating process. If your cakes are domed, level them off using a cake leveller or serrated knife and then you can start the assembly.
Take your board/plate/stand of choice and smear a small amount of buttercream into the centre of it then place your first layer of cake on top (press it down to secure it in place with the buttercream). Top the first layer of cake with a good amount of buttercream and level it out as best you possibly can, then top it with your second layer of cake. With the remaining buttercream, spread/pipe it around the sides and top of the cake and smooth off as best you can or want too – I kept it pretty simple and rustic looking.
Chill in the fridge for around 30 minutes before serving or until you need it.
That’s all for today guys, I hope you enjoyed. If you did, don’t forget to share this recipe with your family and friends and enjoy it. I’ll be back soon with another blog post and YouTube video, so join me then. In the meanwhile, don’t forget to check out my other social’s – Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The YouTube tutorial will be linked down below.
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