This is a lovely healthy twist on the traditional Victoria sponge, containing yoghurt and ground almonds with coconut sugar rather than refined white sugar.
It’s perfect for family celebrations tea parties – or simply if you are feeling a bit British! I made this union jack cake for VE Day celebrations, but you can decorate it with whatever berry arrangement you want!
As usual, I have given ingredient options to make this cake allergen-free or vegan so no one misses out!
Ingredients
Cake
- 80 g Butter (unsalted - can use light olive oil)
- 2 Eggs (or two flax eggs – 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds mixed with 6 tablespoons water)
- 80 g Coconut Sugar
- 250 g Greek Yoghurt (Plain Greek Style Yoghurt or coconut yoghurt)
- 0.5 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 Lemons (zest from both)
- 200 g Spelt Flour (or Plain Gluten Free Flour)
- 50 g Ground Almonds (or 50g of flour if nut free)
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 pinch Salt (optional)
Butter Icing
- 300 g Unrefined Icing Sugar (sieved)
- 175 g Soft Butter (use vegan margarine if dairy free)
- 0.5 tsp Vanilla Essence
Decorations
- 225 g Raspberries (1 large punnet)
- 200 g Blueberries (1 small punnet)
Units
Instructions
- Set your oven to 190 degrees (170 degrees fan).
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
- Beat the two eggs and mix in the coconut sugar and then the melted butter.
- Then add in the yoghurt, vanilla essence and the lemon zest.
- Stir in the flour, almonds and baking powder plus a pinch of salt.
- Line a 12 inch by 8 inch baking tin with some parchment paper, using a few little spots of butter to stick the paper to the tin.
- Pour the mixture into the lined baking tin and bake for 25 minutes. You can tell if it is done if you prick a cocktail stick into the cake and it comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool on a wire rack whilst you make the icing. It must be cooled entirely before putting on the icing.
- Take room temperature butter and add the vanilla extract. Mix with an electric whisk until smooth.
- Gradually add in the icing sugar and mix until it makes a lovely thick icing.
- Use a palate knife to spread the icing onto the cake and then start decorating with the berries to make a union jack shape.
