Vegan Victoria sponge cake — a light, soft, egg-free and dairy-free vanilla sandwich cake filled with jam and vanilla buttercream. Easy to make and perfect for afternoon tea.
I’m on a mission to recreate classic bakes in vegan form, and the Victoria sponge is one of the best tests of a recipe’s simplicity and flavour. This vegan version keeps the cake light, soft and moist, and balances strawberry or raspberry jam with a fluffy vanilla buttercream.
This cake suits many occasions — birthdays, afternoon tea or a casual treat. It appeals to children and adults alike and makes a reliable crowd-pleaser.
What is Victoria sponge cake?
The Victoria sponge, also called a Victoria sandwich, is a classic British cake named after Queen Victoria, who famously enjoyed it with afternoon tea. It traditionally consists of two vanilla sponge layers sandwiched with jam and cream or buttercream. The simplicity of the components is what makes it timeless.
The best ingredients
Vegan block butter: Use a solid block vegan butter (foil-wrapped), not the spreadable tub. Block-style plant butter has the right fat content for creaming and stable buttercream. Choose a brand with good flavour; Naturli Vegan Block is a favourite, while Stork block, Flora plant butter block or Earth Balance (US) are good alternatives.
Non-dairy yogurt: Yogurt replaces eggs in this recipe and keeps the sponge tender and moist. I use vanilla soy yogurt, but a plain or light coconut yogurt also works. Avoid very thick, set-style yogurts — a thinner consistency blends more easily into the batter.
Jam: Traditionally the filling is just jam — strawberry or raspberry are classic choices. You can use your favourite variety; lemon curd is another delicious alternative.
How to make vegan Victoria sponge cake
(See the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and step-by-step instructions.)
Tips for best results: follow the gram measurements using a digital scale where possible. Baking is precise, and gram weights give the most consistent outcome.
Start by greasing two 19–20 cm (7.5–8 inch) round cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
Cream the softened vegan block butter and caster sugar with an electric mixer for several minutes until very light and fluffy. This aeration is essential for a tender, airy sponge.
Add the non-dairy yogurt, milk, vanilla extract, self-raising flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix gently until you have a smooth batter — avoid over-mixing to keep the sponge soft.
Divide the batter between the prepared tins and bake at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 for about 25–35 minutes, until the cakes are springy and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the buttercream, beat softened vegan block butter with sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. If the buttercream is too stiff, add non-dairy milk a teaspoon at a time until you reach a spreadable consistency.
Assemble the cake by spreading a generous layer of jam over one cake layer. Pipe or spread blobs of buttercream on top of the jam — piping creates a classic look, but you can also spread the buttercream first and spoon jam over it.
Place the second layer on top and finish with a light dusting of caster sugar or icing sugar.
Top tips
- Bring all ingredients to room temperature before starting — cold yogurt or milk can make the butter seize and the batter curdle.
- Strawberry jam is most traditional, though raspberry or any other favourite jam works well. Lemon curd makes a nice variation.
- Sprinkle caster sugar on top or dust with sifted icing sugar for a classic finish.
- If you don’t have self-raising flour, use plain flour plus an extra 2 tsp baking powder (total 3 tsp).
- Serve with fresh fruit like strawberries or mixed red berries for a seasonal touch.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Pairs perfectly with a cup of tea.
More classic vegan cakes
- Vegan chocolate fudge cake
- Vegan lemon drizzle cake
- Vegan carrot cake loaf
- Vegan courgette (zucchini) cake
- Vegan coconut layer cake
- Easy vegan ginger cake
- Vegan Biscoff banana bread
- Easy vegan chocolate cake
- Vegan Christmas cake
- Vegan apple bundt cake
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Vegan Victoria Sponge Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 175 g vegan block butter, softened
- 250 g caster (superfine) sugar
- 175 g non-dairy yogurt (vanilla or plain), room temperature
- 175 ml unsweetened non-dairy milk, room temperature
- 2 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 350 g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
Buttercream:
- 125 g vegan block butter, softened
- 220 g icing (powdered) sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Strawberry or raspberry jam
- Caster sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease two 19–20 cm round cake tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
- Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until very light and fluffy.
- Add yogurt, milk, vanilla, flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix gently until smooth, taking care not to over-beat.
- Divide the batter between the tins and bake for 25–35 minutes until springy and a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the buttercream by beating butter, icing sugar and vanilla until smooth and fluffy. Thin slightly with non-dairy milk if needed.
- Spread jam on one cake layer. Pipe or spread buttercream over the jam, then sandwich with the second layer.
- Sprinkle the top with caster sugar and serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days.
Notes
I adapted this recipe from Vegan Life Magazine; credit is also due to the original creator, Kate from The Veg Space, for the inspiration behind the recipe.
