Vegan School Cake Recipe

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Bring back a taste of the school canteen with this easy Vegan School Cake recipe. This nostalgic British traybake features a light, fluffy vanilla sponge topped with a sweet water icing and colourful rainbow sprinkles, just like the classic school cake served in canteens throughout the 90s and early 2000s. It’s completely dairy and egg free but every bit as delicious as you remember.

TL;DR

• Classic British school dinner cake
• Light vanilla sponge with crisp icing
• Dairy-free and egg-free
• Easy traybake that’s perfect for beginners
• Ready in just 45 minutes

Vegan School Cake Recipe

Ingredients

For the Sponge

• 150g Caster Sugar
• 50g Light Brown Sugar
• 300g Self Raising Flour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 300ml Soya Milk
• 100ml Vegetable Oil
• 1 tsp White Wine Vinegar or Cider Vinegar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Icing

• 300g Icing Sugar
• Boiling Water
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• Rainbow Sprinkles

How to Make This Vegan School Cake Recipe

For the Sponge

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F and grease and line a 20x20cm baking tin.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the caster sugar, light brown sugar, self raising flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl or jug, whisk together the soya milk, vegetable oil, vinegar and vanilla extract.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until you have a smooth batter with no lumps.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it evenly.
6. Bake for around 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin.

For the Icing

1. Place the icing sugar into a large bowl and stir in the vanilla extract.
2. Add one tablespoon of boiling water and mix well. Continue adding boiling water one teaspoon at a time until the icing becomes thick but spreadable.
3. Working quickly before the icing begins to set, spread it evenly over the cooled sponge using a palette knife or the back of a spoon.
4. Immediately scatter over the rainbow sprinkles.
5. Leave the icing to set completely before slicing into 9 squares.

Top Tips

• Wait until the sponge is completely cool before adding the icing.
• Work quickly when spreading the icing as it begins to set fast.
• Add the boiling water gradually to avoid making the icing too runny.
• Sprinkle the decorations on immediately so they stick before the icing hardens. I like to Use Dr. Oetker Unicorn Confetti as they have bright colours and vegan.

Serving Suggestions

This Vegan School Cake is delicious:

• Served with warm vegan pink custard for the full school dinner experience
• With a cup of tea or coffee
• Packed into lunchboxes
• As an easy birthday party traybake
• Alongside fresh strawberries or raspberries

Storage

Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

For longer storage, freeze individual slices for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before serving.

FAQs

• Which Sprinkles Are Vegan?
• Which Vegan Milk is Best For Baking?

Recipes Similar to Vegan School Cake Recipe

• Vegan Brownies
• Jammie Dodger Trayabake
• Vanilla Cupcakes

Vegan School Cake

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy

Servings

9

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

45

minutes

A classic cake found in any English school canteen in the 90s and early 2000s, this vegan school cake is dairy and egg free.

Ingredients

• For the Sponge

• 150g Caster Sugar

• 50g Light Brown Sugar

• 300g Self Raising Flour

• 1 tsp Baking Powder

• 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

• 300ml Soya Milk

• 100ml Vegetable Oil

• 1 tsp White Wine Vinegar or Cider Vinegar

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• For the Icing

• 300g Icing Sugar

• Boiling Water

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• Rainbow Sprinkles

Directions

• For the Sponge
• Preheat the oven to 170ºc/340ºf and grease and line a 20x20cm baking tray.
• Mix the caster sugar, brown sugar, self raising flour, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder in a large bowl until well combined.
• In a separate bowl mix together the soya milk, vegetable oil, vinegar and vanilla extract.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix well until there is no lumps.
• Pour the cake mix into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer come out clean.
• Leave to cool completely in the tin.
• For the Icing
• Put the icing sugar into a large bowl and add the vanilla extract. Add a tablespoon of boiling water and mix. You want it to become a thick but spreadable consistency and you must work fast or it will set. If it it not spreadable add more boiling water 1 teaspoon at a time.
• Pour over the sponge and use a palette knife or spoon to help spread it to the edges and corners.
• Quickly sprinkle over the rainbow sprinkles and leave to set.
• Slice into 9 and serve.

Comments

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out.