Vegan Raspberry Sponge Traybake Recipes

VEGAN SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line the bases of 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment and grease with a little of the dairy-free spread.
• Put the dairy-free milk into a jug and add the vinegar, leave for a few minutes until it looks a little lumpy. Put half of the vanilla seeds and all the other cake ingredients into a large bowl then pour over the milk mixture. Using electric beaters or a wooden spoon, beat everything together until smooth.
• Divide the mix between your two tins then bake in the centre of the oven for 30-35 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out cleanly. Leave them in their tins until cool enough to handle then carefully turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
• While the cakes are cooling, make the filling. To make the vegan buttercream, whisk or beat together the dairy-free spread, icing sugar and remaining vanilla seeds until pale and fluffy. Dairy-free spreads do vary so if the spread you are using is quite soft try to avoid using electric beaters. Stir the ingredients together instead to avoid overworking it. However, if the mixture is too firm, use electric beaters to help lighten it and add 1-2 tbsp of dairy-free milk when whisking.
• Spread the jam onto one of the cooled sponges, top with the buttercream then place the other sponge on top. Dust the assembled cake with a little icing sugar or caster sugar before slicing.

VEGAN RASPBERRY SPONGE TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Line a 30cm x 20cm baking tray with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 220C/fan 200C.
• In a small bowl, add the vinegar to the soya milk and give them a stir (this will make the soya milk curdle and thicken); set aside.
• Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and then add the sugar, baking powder, oil and vanilla essence. Pour in the curdled soya milk/vinegar mixture and stir to mix thoroughly.
• Fold in the frozen raspberries. Pour the mixture into the baking tin and bake until firm and springy to touch and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean (about 20-25 min).
• When the cake is done, take hold of the edges of the baking parchment and lift the cake out of the tin and on to a cooling rack, baking parchment and all, and leave to cool.
• Once the cake has cooled, pour a little boiling water onto a few raspberries and press with the back of a spoon to extract a pinkish raspberry-flavoured liquor. Half fill a teacup or small bowl with icing sugar and start to add the pink liquid a little at a time, stirring continually, and adding more icing sugar if necessary, until you have thick pouring consistency. Drizzle the pink icing backwards and forwards across the cake in whatever pattern takes your fancy and cut into slices to serve.

VEGAN CHOCOLATE PARTY TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Oil a 23 x 33cm baking tin (at least 4cm deep) and line the bases and sides with baking parchment. Whisk the milk and vinegar together in a jug - the milk should curdle slightly. Set aside.
• Whisk the sugar, oil and vanilla extract together in a bowl, then whisk in the yogurt, making sure to break down any sugar lumps. Pour in the soured milk and mix well.
• Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and ¼ tsp salt into a separate bowl and stir well to combine. Gradually whisk the wet ingredients into the dry until you have a smooth batter, but be careful not to over-mix.
• Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 30-35 mins, until well risen and springy, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out almost clean. A few sticky crumbs are fine, but the mixture should not be wet.
• Leave the cake to cool in its tin for 20 mins, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. It will be delicate so be gentle. The sponge will keep, covered, at room temperature for up to two days.
• For the vegan buttercream, melt the chocolate in the microwave or a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Leave to cool. Beat the spread and vanilla on high speed in a stand mixer for a few minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the icing sugar gradually, beating on slow to start with, then turning up the speed to max until the mixture is light and creamy. Pour in the cooled chocolate and combine thoroughly, add a splash of plant milk if the icing is very stiff. Chill the buttercream for at least 30 mins before using.
• When the cake is completely cool, spread the icing over the top and decorate with the sprinkles, if you like. Keep the cake in the fridge to stay firm, then remove 1 hr before serving. Will keep, covered, in the fridge, for up to three days.

RASPBERRY & ALMOND TRAYBAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/fan160C/gas 4. Butter an oblong cake tin (about 31 x 17 x 3cm). Tip the flour, ground almonds, butter and sugar into a food processor and whizz just until the butter is evenly distributed - or rub together by hand. Remove 85g/3oz of the mix, stir in the coconut and put to one side. Add the eggs to the remaining mixture in the food processor and whizz quickly - or mix with a wooden spoon. It doesn't need to be very smooth.
• Spread this mixture over the base of the tin, then scatter half the raspberries over the top. Sprinkle with the coconut mixture and bake for 45 mins. Dot the remaining fruit over the surface and cook for a further 15 mins, until firm to the touch. Cool in the tin and cut into slices, squares, whichever shape you want. They will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge.