Vegan Merry Christmas Cake

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There’s nothing quite like the joy of holiday baking, and this Vegan Merry Christmas Cake brings all the festive magic to your kitchen in the most colourful, cheerful way. If you love soft, fluffy vanilla sponge cakes and fun, Christmassy decorations, this recipe will quickly become a go-to for your seasonal celebrations. Whether you’re hosting a cosy family gathering, heading to a Christmas party, or simply wanting a show-stopping centrepiece for your dessert table, this cake delivers charm, flavour, and festive flair. Plus it’s completely dairy-free and egg-free.

At the heart of this recipe is a beautifully light vanilla sponge, the kind that stays moist and tender without any complicated techniques or specialty ingredients. It’s the perfect base for the real star of the show: a bold green festive icing that instantly brings on the Christmas cheer. Vibrant, smooth, and easy to work with, the icing transforms the cake into a fun, merry design that even beginner bakers can achieve. Kids and adults alike will love the playful colour and the cosy winter feel it brings to your holiday spread.

To complete the look, the cake is decorated with delicate snowflake shapes, shimmering accents, and a touch of sparkle that makes it truly magical. However, one important note for vegan bakers: always double-check that your sprinkles and edible silver glitter are suitable for vegans. Not all brands are, as some sprinkles contain shellac, beeswax, or non-vegan colourings. Thankfully, vegan-friendly options are becoming easier to find, and choosing them ensures your cake remains completely plant-based while still looking beautifully festive.

This Vegan Merry Christmas Cake is more than a dessert. It’s a celebration of colour, creativity, and the joy of baking during the holiday season. It’s simple enough for a relaxed afternoon in the kitchen yet impressive enough to share proudly with friends and family. With its soft vanilla crumb, eye-catching green icing, and sparkling vegan-friendly decorations, it’s a cake made to spread festive happiness.

If you liked this Christmas recipe why not try another?

• Christmas Wreath Cake
• Christmas Pudding Cake Balls
• Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls

Vegan Merry Christmas Cake

Difficulty: Medium

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Ingredients

• For the Sponge

• 400g Self Rising Flour

• 250g Caster Sugar

• 1 1/3 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

• 75g Golden Syrup

• 110ml Vegetable Oil

• 400ml Soya Milk

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• For the Decoration

• 500g Vegan Butter Block at room temp

• 1kg Icing Sugar

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• Green Gel Food Colouring

• Snowflake Spinkles

• Silver Edible Glitter

Directions

• For the Sponge
• Preheat the oven to 160ºc/320ºf and grease and line two 8 inch round cake tins.
• Mix the self raising flour, caster sugar and bicarbonate of soda in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer.
• In a large jug mix the golden syrup, vegetable oil, vanilla extract and soya milk.
• Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until a smooth batter forms.
• Divide evenly between the two baking tins and bake for 30 minutes or until golden. The sponge should spring back when lightly pressed. Allow to cool completely.
• For the Decoration
• Beat the vegan butter block and vanilla extract with a stand or hand mixer until pale and smooth.
• Sieve in the icing sugar and mix until well combined.
• Put a few tablespoons of the icing aside to use for the writing. Add a little bit of green gel food colouring at a time to the rest of the icing and mix, adding more until you get your desired colour.
• Trim the tops off both layers of sponge to level them out. To assemble the cake, use a blob of icing to stick the first layer to your cake board or plate that the cake will sit on.
• Spread a layer of green icing over the first layer and place the second layer on top. Cover the whole cake with a thin layer of icing and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Cover the cake with another thicker layer of icing and smooth using a cake smoother.
• put the remaining green icing into a piping bag with a large open star tip nozzle and pipe a border around your cake.
• Put the 2 tablespoons of white icing into a piping bag with a small round piping tip and write Merry Christmas in the middle of the cake. I find it helpful to write it on a piece of paper first sonI can copy it onto the cake.
• Finally decorate with the snowflake sprinkles and dust with silver glitter.