After trying a couple of recipes from With Love, Meghan - one-pot spaghetti and focaccia - I was excited to try one more: her Honey Lemon Layer Cake with Raspberries from episode 1.
The recipe looked simple yet elegant, with bright citrus flavours and a soft, fluffy sponge. But as a vegan, I needed to modify it to make it completely plant-based while still keeping the flavours and textures as close to the original as possible. The result? A deliciously moist, lemony cake with a luscious buttercream and tangy raspberry filling—all without eggs or dairy!
1. Finding a Vegan Honey Alternative
Since honey isn’t considered vegan (as it comes from bees), I used a vegan honey substitute instead. I found Sweet Freedom's Vegan Honee, and it worked beautifully in this recipe. It’s made from apple and carob fruit extracts, with a similar floral sweetness to real honey as I remember it. Other alternatives you could use include: agave nectar, maple syrup or date syrup.
2. Replacing the Eggs
Eggs help bind and add moisture to cakes, so I swapped them for vegan yoghurt. This keeps the sponge soft and tender, preventing it from becoming dry or crumbly. If you don’t have yoghurt, you could also use: unsweetened applesauce or flaxseed egg (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg).
Ingredients
For the Sponge:
- 3 cups self-raising flour (or all-purpose flour + 1 tbsp baking powder)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.5 cups sugar
- 1.5 cups plant-based milk (I used soya milk)
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp vegan yoghurt
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 3 tbsp vegan honey (or alternative sweetener)
For the Lemon Honey Syrup:
- 1/2 cup vegan honey
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup water
- Zest of 1 lemon
For the Buttercream:
- 3 cups vegan butter
- 5 cups powdered sugar (575g)
- Pinch of salt
For Decoration:
- Raspberry conserve/preserves
- Fresh raspberries
- Fresh basil leaves
Method
1. Bake the Cakes
a) Preheat the oven to 175°C and prepare three 20cm cake tinss with parchment paper.
b) In a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder (if using all-purpose flour).
c) In another bowl, whisk together the plant milk, olive oil, lemon zest, and vegan yoghurt.
d) Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, then add the vegan honey. Mix gently until just combined—don’t overmix.
e) Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake tins.
f) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
g) Let the cakes cool completely on a wire rack before assembling.
2. Make the Lemon Honey Syrup
a) In a small saucepan, bring the vegan honey, lemon juice, water, and lemon zest to a simmer.
b) Remove from heat and let it cool completely.
c) Brush each cake layer evenly with the syrup before assembling.
3. Prepare the Buttercream
a) In a stand mixer or using a hand blender, whip the vegan butter until light and fluffy.
b) Gradually add powdered sugar and continue mixing.
c) Add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.
4. Assembling the Cake
a) Brush each cake layer with the lemon honey syrup.
b) Place the first cake layer onto a serving plate/stand.
c) Transfer the buttercream into a piping bag, cutting a small hole at the tip. Do the same with the raspberry preserves.
d) Pipe a spiral of buttercream inside, leaving space in between.
e) Fill the gaps with a spiral of raspberry preserves, covering the top of the cake layer.
f) Repeat this process for the second cake layer.
g) Stack the third and final cake layer on top.
h) Cover the entire cake with buttercream, smoothing it out with an offset spatula.
i) Decorate with fresh raspberries and basil leaves.
This cake turned out beautifully soft, citrusy, and just the right amount of sweet. The raspberry preserves add a fruity tartness that balances the richness of the buttercream, and the lemon honey syrup gives it that extra depth of flavour.
If you’re looking for a show-stopping vegan cake, this is definitely one to try. It’s perfect for special occasions, afternoon tea, or just because you feel like baking something delicious.
No comments:
Post a Comment