This vanilla berry sheet cake is about to be your new favourite Spring-Summer dessert! It’s so simple to make and is bursting with fresh, sweet flavours! This recipe is completely plant based, but as always, you would never guess! The base of the cake is a super fluffy sponge, flavoured with the delicate notes of vanilla. A mixture of fresh berries are then studded throughout, their incredible juices bursting out with each mouthful. To finish, the cake is topped with a delicate vegan whipped cream topping and garnished with a selection of fresh summer fruits!
This is the perfect cake to make when you’re looking for something fuss free that can be baked in one tin using minimal effort and equipment. I love to serve this at summer dinner parties or to accompany an afternoon tea spread! Something else that I love about sheet cakes is how easily they can be sliced into portions for serving.
Why you should make this vanilla berry sheet cake
- It’s easy to make and doesn’t require any fancy equipment!
- This cake can be baked in one pan- so minimal washing up is needed!
- It’s completely plant based
- Has a super fluffy sponge cake
- Perfect for spring and summer months with really fresh flavours!
- Can be made from accessible store cupboard ingredients
- Is perfect for sharing and serving at dinner parties!
What will you need to make this recipe
- Self raising flour: this recipe uses a self raising flour blend, as this will help to create a light and fluffy texture and give you a nicely risen cake. You can try subbing this for a GF self raising flour If needed however, I haven’t personally tested this yet.
- Olive oil: I’ve used olive oil for this cake in place of butter. This is a great dairy free alternative in baking and also creates a beautifully light sponge texture. I always recommend using a light & mild variety, so to not overpower the other flavours.
- Caster sugar: I’ve used a golden caster sugar as the sweetener of choice in this recipe. It’s very finely milled, which is also helpful to add lightness to a sponge cake.
- Soy milk & apple cider vinegar: the combination of these ingredients is what I use to create a vegan buttermilk alternative. You can use other non-dairy milks, but I do find soy to be most effective.
- Mixed berries: for me, these are the stars of this recipe and what really add that extra dose of deliciousness to this cake. You can use fresh or frozen berries for this- whichever you have to hand! I love using a combination of blackberries, raspberries and blueberries.
creating the perfect fluffy vegan sponge cake
A common issue that I hear from people when it comes to vegan baking is how to achieve a nicely risen sponge. I know that this can sometimes be a little challenging when baking without eggs, so I wanted to share my top tips for the ultimate fluffy sponge!
- Use a good quality self raising flour. The quality of the flour used can make a difference when it comes to the texture of your bakes. A more finely milled flour will create a lighter cake.
- Don’t over mix the batter! As we’re working with regular flour here (not gluten free), it’s important not to over mix the cake batter and try and maintain as much air as possible.
- Allow your batter to sit for 5 minutes prior to transferring to your baking dish. I’ve recently started leaving my batter to sit for 5 minutes after mixing to allow the raising agents to get to work a little before baking! This works really well when baking cupcakes and muffins!
- Something I have also learned over my years of vegan baking, is that you will use a lot more baking powder than with regular baking. You do also want to be cautious not to over do this, as this can cause your cakes to dip in the middle!
Vanilla Berry Sheet Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 cup soy milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 cup self raising flour
- Dash vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh mixed berries
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch sea salt
Topping
- 2 cartons (540ml) vegan whipping cream
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- dash vanilla extract or powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180c fan and line a brownie tray with baking paper.
- To create your vegan buttermilk, combine the apple cider vinegar and soy milk and mix well. Set these aside for 5 minute to allow the mixture to thicken and curdle.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and olive oil. Use a wooden spoon to cream these together until pale and fluffy.
- Whisk in the buttermilk mixture and vanilla extract, then sift in the dry ingredients. Fold the wet and dry ingredients together to create a smooth, airy batter.
- Gently stir in the mixed berries, then transfer your mixture to your baking tin. Bake for 30-35 minutes until cooked through. Your cake is done when you can insert a toothpick and this comes out clean.
- Allow your cake to cool completely on a wire rack. Meanwhile, for the topping, whip your cream to soft peaks, then add in the icing sugar and a generous dose of vanilla extract or powder.
- Transfer your cream to a piping bag and decorate your cake with some gorgeous piped swirls. Top with fresh fruit and serve.
