Vegan Sponge Cakes (Strawberry Shortcake)

Vegan Sponge Cakes- made with simple pantry ingredients, these vegan sponge cakes come together in less than 30 minutes! (gluten-free option)

I have a burning question for you…do you eat strawberry shortcake on a biscuit or sponge cake?

Growing up in the south meant all I ever knew was strawberry shortcake served with sponge cake. Specifically the dessert shells you buy at Publix. They are like the perfect little vessel for a pile of ripe juicy strawberries topped with whipped cream. YUM.

Unfortunately I am now the person who religiously reads ingredient labels and, holy cannoli, is there a lot of junk in those sponge cakes. Not only are they not vegan-friendly but they are full of preservatives. Thankfully making your own vegan sponge cakes at home is super easy. Let me show you how!

Vegan Sponge Cake Ingredients + Substitutions

• All-Purpose Flour- I rarely bake with all-purpose flour (because I like to squeeze in as much nutrition as possible) but for the sake of strawberry shortcake, we need a light and fluffy texture which only all-purpose can achieve. The only substitute I would suggest is gluten-free all-purpose flour, if you need the recipe to be gluten-free.
• Cornstarch- To keep the recipe vegan, we’re using cornstarch to act as a binding agent. I haven’t tested it with arrowroot but that would be the closest possible substitute.
• Baking Powder and Salt- Baking powder helps the sponge cakes rise while a bit of salt balances out the sweetness. I like to 1/2 teaspoon of salt but feel free to reduce it 1/4 teaspoon, if you like.
• Non-Dairy Milk- I used soy milk as that is what I had on hand but any kind of milk should work.
• Apple Cider Vinegar- Combining the milk with apple cider vinegar creates a buttermilk to enhance the flavor and texture of the cakes. You can also use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar.
• Cane Sugar- You can use organic cane sugar or coconut sugar. Either way, I do recommend sticking with a granulated sweetener for best results. A liquid sweetener would require adjustments to the amount of milk in the recipe.
• Vanilla Extract- A necessity so please don’t skip it!
• Coconut Oil- I tend to use unrefined coconut oil as that is what I have on hand but refined will work the same. Be sure to melt and allow the coconut oil to cool down before adding it to the recipe, otherwise it will solidify when combined with the cold milk.

How to Make Vegan Sponge Cakes

1. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. Combine wet ingredients (milk, vinegar, vanilla and melted coconut oil).
3. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients. If you don’t have a fine mesh sieve, you can add the flour mixture directly to the bowl. It may be a little lumpy but that’s ok!
4. Transfer batter to mini loaf pan (or muffin pan). Bake for 18-20 mins.
5. Allow to cool completely. Serve with whipped cream and berries, and enjoy!

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