Tall, golden, and built from scratch—this is your new go-to vegan sponge cake recipe. She’s serving height, confidence, and a soft, sweet center. Light as air, effortlessly elegant, and ready to be crowned the centerpiece of your dessert table—this the kind of cake that turns any gathering into a celebration. Whether dressed in berries and florals or kept classic with a dusting of frosting, this is the cake that shows up flawless and knows how to work the room.
The texture? Springy, tender, and built from whipped aquafaba and plant-based buttermilk that gives it all the lift without the eggs. There’s structure beneath the fluff, which means it layers like a dream and slices clean every time. Make it a birthday cake, a tea-time treat, a let’s-make-something-pretty weekend bake, or the base for a full-blown Victoria sponge moment. She’s versatile. She’s gorgeous. And yes—she’s vegan.
When a cake looks this good and tastes even better, there’s no turning back. Whether you’re baking for a crowd or just feel like making something pretty on a Sunday afternoon, this sponge brings texture, flavor, and flair to the table—without eggs, dairy, or fussy steps. This is a beauty queen with a solid résumé. Here are some reasons to love this recipe:
This cake has range and restraint. A few everyday ingredients come together with just enough flair to pull off something soft, springy, and seriously impressive. Every ingredient plays its part, and the result is effortless elegance. Here’s what you’ll need:
This sponge is as easy to love as it is to make. You’ll whisk a little, fold a little, and suddenly you’ve got a golden, tender cake ready for layering or dusting or devouring straight from the rack. You’re basically one whisk away from a standing ovation. For full recipe details, scroll to the end of this post!
Step 1: Prep your pans: Grease two 8-inch cake pans and dust them with a little flour. Preheat your oven to 325°F so it’s ready when you are.
Step 2: Whip the aquafaba meringue: Using an electric mixer, whip the aquafaba and cornstarch on high for 5–10 minutes until stiff, glossy peaks form.
This creates the structure and lift—don’t rush it, and definitely don’t try this step by hand!
Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients: Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
Pour in the canola oil and whisk until the flour is fully coated
It’ll look sandy and a little clumpy—and that’s okay! Be sure not to overmix.
Step 4: Make your vegan buttermilk: In a separate bowl, mix the plant-based milk and vinegar and let it sit for a couple minutes to curdle. Then stir in the water and vanilla.
Step 5: Combine the wet and dry: Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth and fully combined. The batter will be thick but pourable.
Step 6: Fold in the meringue: Gently fold the whipped aquafaba meringue into the batter using a spatula.
Fold just until the mixture is uniform—don’t overmix or you’ll lose all that lift.
Step 7: Pour and bake: Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.
Bake for 60–70 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 8: Cool completely: Let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully. Once cooled, you can frost, layer, or top however you like.
This sponge may be light and airy, but it’s built on precision. These small but essential moves make all the difference—so your cake rises tall, stays tender, and slices like a dream. Follow these tips for success every time!
This vegan sponge cake is soft, sweet, and ready to be styled. There are endless ways to take this cake from simple to fully staged and spotlight-ready. Whether you’re layering it up for a birthday or slicing off a piece because you deserve something fabulous (you do), these toppings, sauces, and scoops help turn your cake into a moment.
Yes, you can absolutely make a sponge cake without eggs or dairy. This vegan version uses aquafaba and plant-based buttermilk to create a light, airy texture with all the lift you’d expect from a classic sponge.
It’s all about the meringue. Whipping aquafaba with cornstarch until stiff peaks form helps trap air, while folding it gently into the batter keeps the structure intact for a light, airy crumb.
Avoid under-whipping your aquafaba or overmixing the batter once it’s combined—both can deflate the structure and lead to a dense cake. Skipping the curdling step for the plant milk can also affect rise and texture.
If you make this vegan sponge cake recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know what you think in the comments below! I love hearing from you!
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Absolutely great recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Is the measurement the same if I use cake flour?
Yes! You can substitute AP flour with cake flour 1:1 in this recipe. The texture will be softer and more tender but equally delicious!
Hi, it’s in the oven right now… only had organic bicarb soda so added 2 teaspoons (instead of baking soda and powder). I hope it works, any advice on what I should have done… thank you again!
Hi there! I hope it worked for you! In the future, you can substitute 1/4 tsp of baking soda plus 1/2 tsp of vinegar for every teaspoon of baking powder that is needed in a recipe. Good luck and hope you loved the cake!
This seems like an amazing recipe! Just wondering what can be used in place of tapioca flour. Does it act as a thickener for the aquafaba and if so can corn starch be used instead?
Yes, the tapioca flour helps to thicken the aquafaba. Another reader has used cornstarch with great results, so I don’t see why not! If you try it, please let us know how it turns out for you! 🙂
Is there any substitutes I can use for tapioca flour ?
Unfortunately, this recipe hasn’t been tested with a substitute for tapioca flour. You could try arrowroot powder but we can’t guarantee results. If you try a substitute, please let us know how it goes!
Hi there, how long would you suggest baking this for if you are cooking it in two 8 or 9″ pans?
Hi Julianna, if doubling the recipe into two pans you shouldn’t need too much extra time, if any. Just make sure to bake them on the same rack for even baking and make sure there are at least two inches of space between them for airflow. Happy baking! 🙂
Thank you helping me make vegan cake
I used gluten-free flour and it worked wonders. I also used coconut sugar so it was darker but still lush.
I made it. It worked. I’m happy. Thank you!
Ps: I popped some pre pears inside and halved the sugar which suited my lower sugar flavour. I look forward to trying it with some lemon perhaps make a ;lemon drizzle cake mmmmm
I was craving cake and took a chance to look up a recipe for it and finally I found an easy recipe.
I’m so glad you found this, hope you loved it!!
Thank you for this wonderful recipe! I’ve been craving a very simple sponge cake and nothing in the stores provided what I was looking for. I used this recipe as a base and made a chai flavoured/infused cake! I steeped chai bags in hot soy milk (1.5 cups, replacing the water called for in the recipe) and let it cool down and proceeded with the rest of the steps. I also had to use corn starch for the tapioca, as I had none at home- it worked fine. The batter was beautiful and airy with the whipped aquafaba!
I ended up baking mine only for around 40 mins (maybe the tea/soy milk vs. water made a difference) when it was ready in the center. I eagerly waited for it to cool down and glazed it with a very simple maple cardamom powder sugar + soy milk glaze. WOW. Easily the best non-chocolate vegan cake I have ever made. This recipe produced such a beautiful tender crumb, likely from the fat-flour mixing method and the aquafaba. I’m saving this one and will use it all the time! Looking forward to making a classic Victoria sponge cake next week with a light vegan whipped and homemade jam. I’m amazed!!
I’m so glad you loved this vegan cake! Thanks for sharing, Sarah!
The most perfect vegan sponge cake I have ever made! Perfectly fluffy and moist!
Tasty basic cake recipe. So many variations I can use this for
Classic and so good, simply delicious vanilla sponge cake.
Truly a fabulous vegan cake recipe!
Vegan sponge cake!!! So good and the texture was perfect.
Love that this is just made with pantry staples I already have!
So lovely, light and delicious! I can’t wait to make this at my next vegan tea party! Woooo!
So light and fluffy!
It’s such a perfect, everyday cake recipe – yum!
Yummy looks so good!
This sponge cake turned out perfect! Spot on texture and sweet flavor!
So incredibly easy using ingredients that are pretty much staples in the pantry.
Delicious! I love to serve this with strawberries and berry sauce.
Must try!!