I’ve got heaps of friends who are vegetarian. I love them for their dedication to the cause and often join them in devouring delicious vego meals. I’ve got a couple of vegan friends (and have even made a sumptuous raw vegan dessert before) and I really admire them for their efforts. It’s not easy being vegan – in my research for this cake I found out that some sugars (apparently mostly in America) are processed with animal bones. I read that some baking paper isn’t vegan-friendly. I also learned that some apple juice is clarified using fish bladders.

Bleh.

Doing research into your food really pays off! While I can’t foresee myself ever going vegan, I love trying new things, and I’m going to stretch myself to try and make vegan recipes more often – it’s made me think more about the ingredients I’m putting in my recipes. If you’ve got some great vegan recipes, comment them below, I’d love some tips.

Plus, without butter and eggs present in this cake, it’s a glorious white colour, which I LOVE! Also. the mixture of Nuttelex, sugar and rosewater somehow makes a smooth, delicious caramel flavour. Try it, I dare you!

This recipe was devised a lovely little lady who’s not actually vegan, but has vegan friends attending her party and is catering to them – what a doll! Happy (early) birthday you lovely thing.

White vegan vanilla cake

• 1 cup sugar
• 110g Nuttelex
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 2 cups plain flour
• 3 tablespoons cornflour
• 1 ½ tsp bicarb

Icing:

• 340g Nuttelex
• 4 cups icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• ½ tsp rosewater
• 2 ½ tbsp almond milk

Preheat your oven to 180°C. Grease and line 3X20cm cake tins.

Cream together the nuttelex and sugar until creamy. Add in the vanilla, then the apple cider vinegar. Add in half of the flour and mix. Add in half of the milk, then mix. Add in the remaining flour and milk, mix until combined. Mix in the cornflour and bicarb until smooth.

Scoop the mixture into your prepared tins and pop them in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Remove them from the oven when they’re starting to brown on top. They won’t go very brown. Leave them to cool for ten minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely.

While the cakes are cooling, pop all of your ingredients (except for the almond milk) into your mixer and beat until smooth. Add in one tablespoon of your milk and mix until incorporated. Add in the remaining milk a little bit at a time until you have a silky, spreadable icing.

Blob a small amount of icing on your cake stand and place the first layer of cake on it. Cut three strips of baking paper and slip them under your cake so that you have a triangle of baking paper surrounding the cake. This triangle means you can be as messy as you want with your icing and keep your cake stand clean.

Scoop a generous amount of icing into the top of the first layer, spreading it out over the edge, and spread a very thin amount around the outside rim. Carefully position your next layer on top of the first and repeat the steps. Put your third layer on top and repeat. Top with dainty little flowers.

If you’ve not seen my tutorial for decorating a cake with fresh flowers, check it out here.

This cake is pretty dense and moist, so you’ll only need thin slices. Just because it’s vegan, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s healthy!