It’s been a while since I perfected this eggless vanilla sponge cake recipe for my customers. I love how moist and tender the crumb is, but mostly how easy it is to make. And the best part is, that I customize this same recipe to make many different flavors of a moist orange cake or lemon cake, etc. I will also share those with you in the near future.
Why make this eggless cake?
This cake is moist and soft. It has a firm texture, yet light and airy with a soft crumb. It is perfect to fill and frost for a celebration cake. And it can also be used to carve for sculpted or novelty cake. It can also be used as a tiered wedding cake, as well as covered with fondant. And unlike most eggless cakes, this one has no condensed milk. (I do have a recipe for Eggless Sponge Cake using condensed milk too). The options for filling and frosting recipes that can complement this are endless. Today, I am using vanilla pastry cream, but you can use other fillings like eggless vanilla pastry cream, strawberry filling, blueberry filling, mango mousse, chocolate mousse as long as you use a frosting dam!! You will find more than 30 buttercream frosting recipes to try. You can see my video tutorial on how to level, fill, and frost a cake.
Ingredients and substitutes
All-Purpose Flour – You can use all-purpose flour, plain flour, maida for this cake. Do not use cake flour. I find that cake flour tends to make the texture very crumbly. Oil – I find that oil works best to keep the cake moist and the texture just right. I have tried it with butter – it works, but oil gives me the best results in texture. Sugar – It is best to use fine-grain white sugar or caster sugar as it melts easily in the mixture. If you don’t have fine-grain sugar, just pulse the sugar in the food processor to ensure it’s fine and not too coarse. Yogurt – I used a plain store-bought natural yogurt. You can also use homemade yogurt. If your yogurt is not sour you can add 1/4 tsp of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to it. Water – You can substitute water with milk, orange juice or buttermilk, BUT do ensure that it’s warm, not cold.
Step-by-step: Eggless vanilla cake recipe
Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3 Grease and line one 8-inch round baking pan or 2 x 6-inch round cake. You will need to double (2x) this recipe for 2 x 8-inch round cakes.
Eggless batter
Combine dry ingredients in one bowl – Flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.Pro tip – In baking, sugar is considered a wet, not dry, ingredient because it melts when heated.
Combine wet ingredients in another large mixing bowl – Yogurt, sugar, canola oil, and vanilla extract.Pro tip – Use a whisk to ensure there are no lumps. If necessary, whip the yogurt with a whisk first to remove lumps. Next, combine the wet and dry ingredients until smooth with no lumps.Pro tip – Use a whisk to ensure you have no lumps but do not overmix as we do not want to activate the gluten in the flour. Finally, add warm water or milk and stir well to combine.Pro tip – This step must be immediately followed by baking so ensure the oven is well preheated at this time.
Bake the cake
Pour the batter into the baking pan or pans, lined with parchment paper, and immediately transfer to the preheated oven. Scrape the bowl with a spatula to remove all the batter. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until a skewer (or a tooth pick) inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely before decorating.Pro tip – The cake must be completely cold before frosting or the frosting will melt on warm cake.
Tips for making eggless vanilla cake
Don’t Overmix the Batter: Overmixing can lead to a tough cake. Mix the dry and wet ingredients until just combined to avoid overdeveloping the gluten in the flour. Sift the Dry Ingredients: Sifting the dry ingredients, including the flour, baking powder, and salt, helps to aerate them and ensure a smoother batter. Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Let the butter, milk, and any other liquid ingredients come to room temperature before using them. This will help the ingredients incorporate evenly and result in a more tender cake. Add Acidic Ingredient: Since eggs provide structure and tenderness, it’s essential to include an acidic ingredient, such as vinegar or lemon juice, to react with the baking powder and create lift in the cake. Adjust Baking Time: Eggless cakes may take slightly longer to bake than traditional cakes. Keep a close eye on the cake and use a toothpick or cake tester to check for doneness. Use Good Quality Vanilla Extract: Since vanilla is the prominent flavor in a vanilla cake, using high-quality vanilla extract will enhance the taste of your eggless cake. Do Not Open the Oven Door Too Early: Avoid opening the oven door during the first half of the baking time, as this can cause the cake to sink or collapse. Let the Cake Cool Completely: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before frosting or serving to prevent the frosting from melting. Experiment and Adjust: Baking eggless cakes can sometimes require a bit of experimentation to find the right combination of ingredients for your taste and texture preferences. Don’t be afraid to adjust the recipe and try different egg substitutes until you achieve the desired results.
Troubleshooting
My cake became very hard? This cake must be baked at the right temperature and time. Overbaking or high heat will dry out the cake and make it hard. Cake became too dense?This cake uses no eggs, so it has less leavening. Which is why you must bake the cake soon after you add the hot milk. This helps the hot air in the oven get the best out of the baking powder and soda. The cake was raw in the center but cooked outside? Sounds like the oven was too hot so the outside was ready but the inside still needed some time. Always bake at the right baking time. Having said that, every oven works differently. So the baking times are just guidelines. In the case of cakes, a skewer inserted in the center is a great indication. If your cakes often bake too quick or too slow compared to the time given it might be a good idea to check if your oven needs calibration. An oven thermometer is a great little gadget to help keep the oven temperature in check. All you need to do then is adjust the temperature accordingly.
Here I have stacked this vanilla cake with alternating layers of my eggless chocolate cake recipe with alternating layers of my Eggless Vanilla Pastry cream cake filling, and an eggless chocolate mousse filling.
One bowl vanilla cake Light and fluffy vanilla cake Vanilla Cream cake using fresh cream in the batter White Wedding Cake Recipe See all vanilla cake recipes or see all layer cakes
Frequently asked questions
Creative ways to serve eggless vanilla cakes?
Cake Trifle: In a trifle dish, layer cubes of eggless vanilla cake with whipped cream and fresh fruits. Repeat the layers and top with a sprinkle of cocoa powder or shaved chocolate. Ice Cream Cake: Use eggless vanilla cake as the base for an ice cream cake. Layer softened ice cream on the cake, then freeze until firm. Decorate with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and sprinkles. Cake Pops: Crumble eggless vanilla cake and mix it with frosting to form cake pop dough. Roll the dough into balls, insert a stick, and dip the pops into melted chocolate or candy melts. Cake Parfait: In a glass or jar, layer crumbled eggless vanilla cake with yogurt, fruit compote, or pudding to create a delightful cake parfait. Tiramisu: Replace the traditional ladyfingers with slices of eggless vanilla cake in a classic Tiramisu recipe. Layer the cake with coffee-soaked layers and mascarpone cheese. Cake Truffles: Mix Crumble eggless vanilla cake with flavored cream cheese or buttercream. Shape the mixture into small truffles and coat them with chocolate or colorful candy melts. Cake Milkshake: Blend crumbled eggless vanilla cake with milk, ice cream, and a dash of vanilla extract to create a delightful cake-flavored milkshake. Top with whipped cream and cake crumbs. Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches: Sandwich a scoop of ice cream between two slices of eggless vanilla cake to make delicious and unique ice cream sandwiches. Cake Breakfast Parfait: Layer chunks of eggless vanilla cake with Greek yogurt and a variety of toppings like granola, fresh berries, and honey for a tasty and indulgent breakfast parfait. Cake Sundaes: Top slices of eggless vanilla cake with ice cream, chocolate sauce, whipped cream, and cherries for a delectable cake sundae. Cake French Toast: Dip slices of eggless vanilla cake in a mixture of eggs, milk, and cinnamon, then fry them until golden brown. Serve with syrup and fresh fruit for a delightful twist on French toast.
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