Decadent Vegan Raspberry, White Chocolate & Almond Sheet Cake: The Ultimate Eggless & Dairy-Free Traybake
Discover the joy of baking with this incredible vegan raspberry, white chocolate, and almond sheet cake. This eggless, dairy-free, and plant-based traybake is renowned for its wonderfully soft and moist crumb, generously studded with bursts of fresh raspberries and luscious white chocolate chunks. Perfect for any occasion, it’s a delightful treat that caters to all.
Prepare to fall in love with this vegan raspberry, white chocolate, and almond sheet cake. It’s truly the kind of confection that makes you reach for “just one more slice.” Its exquisite moisture and rich, nuanced flavors prevent it from being overly sweet, creating a perfectly balanced taste that keeps you coming back for more. This delightful plant-based traybake is an absolute must-try for anyone seeking a compassionate yet utterly indulgent dessert.
This versatile vegan cake is delightful on its own as a simple afternoon snack, perfectly paired with a steaming cup of tea or coffee. But its charm doesn’t stop there. For a truly memorable dessert experience, serve it warm with a scoop of your favorite vegan vanilla ice cream or a generous dollop of creamy dairy-free custard. It effortlessly transforms from a casual treat to a sophisticated pudding, making it a stellar addition to any menu, from family gatherings to special celebrations.
Why This Vegan Sheet Cake Recipe Is a Game-Changer
Creating a moist, flavorful, and perfectly textured vegan cake can sometimes be a challenge, but this recipe effortlessly achieves all three. The secret lies in a carefully selected blend of ingredients and techniques that contribute to its irresistible charm. This raspberry, white chocolate, and almond sheet cake isn’t just a delicious treat; it’s a testament to the fact that eggless and dairy-free baking can be every bit as luxurious and satisfying as traditional recipes.
The Magic of Ground Almonds and Cornflour
A significant factor in this cake’s superior texture and depth of flavor comes from the inclusion of ground almonds. These finely milled nuts impart a subtle nuttiness and a tender, slightly denser crumb that feels wonderfully indulgent. Beyond taste, the almond flour adds natural moisture and richness, elevating the overall eating experience. To ensure the cake remains incredibly soft and light, a touch of cornflour (also known as cornstarch in North America) is incorporated. Cornflour acts as a tenderizer, interfering with gluten development to prevent a tough cake, resulting in a crumb that practically melts in your mouth.
The Role of Glycerine for Ultimate Moisture
For those who desire an exceptionally soft and moist cake, a few teaspoons of glycerine are an optional yet highly recommended addition. Glycerine is a humectant, meaning it attracts and retains moisture, effectively keeping your bakes fresh and tender for longer. It’s a fantastic secret ingredient for many professional bakers. As a general rule of thumb, you can add 1 teaspoon of glycerine per 100g of flour to almost any cake recipe to boost its moisture content without altering the flavor profile. Its subtle presence makes a big difference in the longevity and delightful texture of your vegan sheet cake.
Optimal Fat Choices: Vegan Butter and Sunflower Oil
The choice of fats in any cake recipe is crucial, and this vegan raspberry and almond cake uses a clever combination to achieve perfection. Part of the fat content comes from solid vegan block butter, chosen specifically for its ability to mimic the rich flavor and structure of dairy butter. It’s essential to use the block variety, not the spreadable kind found in tubs, which contains a higher water percentage unsuitable for baking, potentially leading to a denser, less rich cake. Brands like Naturli Vegan Block (available at Sainsburys), Stork best for pastry, or Vitalite’s block margarine are excellent choices. Complementing the butter is sunflower oil, which contributes an unparalleled level of moisture, ensuring the cake remains wonderfully tender without becoming greasy. This dual approach guarantees both flavor and a luxuriously moist crumb.
Embracing Vegan White Chocolate and Fresh Raspberries
This traybake cake is generously studded with dairy-free white chocolate chunks, which have become increasingly accessible in the ‘free-from’ sections of most large supermarkets. The creamy sweetness of vegan white chocolate offers a delightful contrast to the other flavors. If vegan white chocolate isn’t available or simply not to your preference, chopped dairy-free dark chocolate makes an equally delicious substitute, adding a deeper, slightly bitter note. The cake is then crowned with a scattering of raspberries – frozen berries work beautifully as they collapse into tart, jammy pockets during baking, creating vibrant bursts of flavor. These pockets of intense raspberry tartness provide the perfect counterpoint to the sweetness of the white chocolate and the subtle nuttiness of the almonds, resulting in a harmonious flavor symphony. Fresh raspberries can also be used, offering a slightly firmer texture.
This base recipe, acclaimed for its reliable structure and delicious taste, is thoughtfully adapted from this easy vegan vanilla cake recipe by Namely Marly. Her blog is a fantastic resource for plant-based baking, and we highly recommend checking it out for more inspiring vegan creations!
Crafting Your Vegan Raspberry, White Chocolate and Almond Sheet Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating this delicious vegan sheet cake is a straightforward and rewarding process. While the full, detailed instructions and ingredient list are available in the recipe card below, here’s a narrative guide to help you through each stage, ensuring a perfect bake every time. For the best possible outcome, precision is key in baking, especially with vegan recipes. Therefore, I strongly advocate for using gram measurements with a digital scale rather than cup conversions, as the latter can be less accurate and may affect the final texture and consistency of your cake.
- Preparation is Key: Begin by preheating your oven to 180°C (350°F or Gas Mark 4). Next, prepare your rectangular traybake tin (approximately 23×33 cm or 9×13 inches) by lightly greasing it, then lining it with a strip of baking parchment. Ensure the parchment overhangs on two sides; this thoughtful detail will provide convenient “handles” to easily lift your delicate, freshly baked cake out of the tin once it has cooled.
- Creaming the Fats and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened vegan block butter (remember, not the spreadable kind!), caster sugar, and light brown soft sugar. Use an electric mixer to whisk these ingredients together for a few minutes until they are well combined and lightened slightly. Gradually, on a low speed, whisk in the sunflower oil, allowing it to fully emulsify with the butter and sugars, creating a smooth, cohesive base.
- Adding the Flavorful Wet Ingredients: Introduce the ground almonds, cornflour (cornstarch), baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cider vinegar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and the optional glycerine to the mixture. Continue whisking with the electric mixer until all these ingredients are smoothly incorporated and the batter is uniform. The vinegar reacts with the bicarbonate of soda to create leavening, contributing to the cake’s light and airy structure.
- Incorporating Dry and Wet Alternately: With the mixer set to a low speed, begin adding the plain (all-purpose) flour in three stages. Whisk in the first third of the flour, followed by half of the unsweetened non-dairy milk and some of the water. Then, add the second third of the flour, the remaining milk and water, and finally, the last third of the flour. It is crucial to avoid over-mixing the batter once all the flour and liquid have been added. Over-mixing can develop the gluten too much, leading to a tough, less tender cake. Mix just until combined.
- Folding in the Chocolate: Gently fold about two-thirds of your roughly chopped dairy-free white chocolate (or dark chocolate, if preferred) into the batter. This ensures a distribution of chocolate throughout the cake. Pour the prepared batter into your lined tin and gently spread it out evenly with a spatula, ensuring it fills the corners.
- Topping with Delights: Generously scatter the remaining chopped chocolate and all of the raspberries over the top of the batter. There’s no need to press them down; they will naturally sink into the cake as it bakes, creating those wonderfully jammy pockets of fruit.
- Baking to Perfection: Place the tin in your preheated oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes. The cake is done when a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Be patient, as vegan cakes can sometimes take a little longer. Once baked, the cake will be quite delicate while warm. It’s essential to allow it to cool in the tin for at least an hour before attempting to lift it out. Use the overhanging baking parchment strip to carefully transfer the cooled cake to a wire rack.
- Serve and Enjoy: Once fully cooled, slice your magnificent vegan raspberry, white chocolate, and almond sheet cake into squares or fingers. Serve it as a delightful snack, a comforting dessert, or a lovely centerpiece for your afternoon tea.
Storage and Freezing Guidelines for Your Vegan Sheet Cake
Proper storage is crucial to maintain the freshness and delightful texture of your vegan raspberry, white chocolate, and almond sheet cake. Due to the fresh fruit content, this cake has a specific shelf life, but it can also be easily preserved for longer enjoyment through freezing.
How Long Will It Keep?
Because this delicious cake contains fresh raspberries, which can shorten its shelf life compared to plain cakes, it’s best enjoyed within 3 to 4 days. Store any leftover slices in an airtight container at room temperature. This will help prevent it from drying out and keep it wonderfully moist. Unless your room temperature is exceptionally warm or humid, refrigeration isn’t usually necessary and can sometimes alter the cake’s texture. If you live in a very warm climate, you might consider refrigerating it after the first day, but always allow it to come to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
Can I Freeze It?
Absolutely! This vegan sheet cake freezes remarkably well, making it perfect for meal prep or saving for future cravings. To freeze, ensure the cake has completely cooled. Slice it into individual portions – this makes thawing and serving much easier. Wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap, then place the wrapped slices in an airtight freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. Stored this way, the cake will maintain its quality for up to 2-3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy a slice, simply remove it from the freezer and allow it to defrost at room temperature for a few hours. Once thawed, it will be as soft and flavorful as freshly baked!
Explore More Delicious Vegan Sheet Cake Recipes:
- Easy vegan chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream
- Vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cake bars
- Easy vegan ginger cake
- Vegan beetroot chocolate cake with chocolate avocado frosting
- Vegan chocolate sheet cake with ganache
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Raspberry, White Chocolate and Almond Sheet Cake (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 120 g (½ cup) vegan block butter (not the spreadable kind) softened
- 300 g (1 ⅓ cups) caster (superfine) sugar
- 100 g (½ cup) light brown soft sugar
- 60 ml (¼ cup) sunflower oil (or another neutral oil)
- 65 g (½ cup + 1 Tbsp) ground almonds
- 60 g (½ cup) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp cider or white wine vinegar
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tsp glycerine (optional)
- 385 g (3 cups + 2 Tbsp) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 180 ml (¾ cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used soy)
- 240 ml (1 cup) water
- 200 g (7oz) dairy free white chocolate (or dark chocolate) roughly chopped
- 200 g (7oz) frozen or fresh raspberries (I used frozen)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease a 23×33 cm / 9×13 inch rectangular cake tin and line with a strip of baking parchment, ensuring some overhangs for easy removal.
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In a large bowl, cream together the softened vegan block butter, caster sugar, and light brown soft sugar with an electric mixer until well combined. Gradually whisk in the sunflower oil until emulsified.
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Add the ground almonds, cornflour (cornstarch), baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cider vinegar, vanilla extract, almond extract, and optional glycerine. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and fully combined.
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On a low speed, alternately whisk in the plain flour and the liquids: add a third of the flour, followed by some non-dairy milk and water; then another third of the flour, the remaining milk and water; and finally, the last third of the flour. Mix just until combined, being careful not to over-beat the batter to prevent toughness.
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Gently fold about two-thirds of the chopped dairy-free white chocolate (or dark chocolate) into the batter. Pour the batter into your prepared tin and spread it evenly.
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Scatter the remaining chocolate and all of the raspberries over the top. There’s no need to press them into the batter as they will sink naturally during baking.
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Bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake will be delicate when warm, so allow it to cool in the tin for at least an hour before carefully lifting it out using the baking parchment.
Notes
Recipe adapted from: https://namelymarly.com/easy-vegan-vanilla-cake/
