White cake with a raspberry heart

Ingredients

• 300 g wheat flour, for the sponge
• 200 g sugar, for the sponge
• 12 g baking powder (about ¾ of a sachet), for the sponge
• ½ teaspoon baking soda, for the sponge
• A pinch of salt, for the sponge
• Zest of 1 lemon, for the sponge
• 300 ml soy milk, for the sponge
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, for the sponge
• 100 ml sunflower oil, for the sponge
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, for the sponge
• 300 g raspberries, fresh or frozen, for the filling
• 60 g sugar, for the filling
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, for the filling
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch, for the filling
• 150 g vegan butter at room temperature, for the frosting
• 300 g powdered sugar, for the frosting
• A pinch of salt, for the frosting
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, for the frosting
• 1-2 tablespoons soy milk, for the frosting

Missing an ingredient?

• What to use instead of sunflower oil
• What to use instead of sugar
• What to use instead of all-purpose flour
• What to use instead of cornstarch
• What to use instead of soy milk
• What to use instead of baking powder
• What to use instead of lemon
• What to use instead of vegan butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Brush a 20 cm round cake pan with a little oil and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. Mix the soy milk with the vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes: it will curdle slightly. In the oven, the vinegar reacts with the baking soda, making the sponge rise and stay more tender.
3. In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and lemon zest. Add the oil and vanilla to the soy milk, pour it over the dry mixture and whisk just until there are no lumps.
4. Pour the batter into the pan right away and bake for 35-45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Leave it in the pan for 10 minutes, then on a wire rack until it has cooled completely.
5. For the filling, put the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5-8 minutes, crushing the raspberries, until they break down.
6. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of cold water, add it to the saucepan and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly. It should be like a thick sauce, not like jam: that way it will flow out of the cake when you cut it. If you don't want seeds, strain it. Let it cool.
7. For the frosting, beat the vegan butter for 5-7 minutes, until pale and fluffy: the longer you beat it, the whiter it will be. Add the powdered sugar little by little, then the salt, the vanilla and, a tablespoon at a time, the soy milk, until you have a cream that spreads easily. If you have clear vanilla, use it here: the frosting will be whiter.
8. If the sponge has risen into a dome, level the top with a serrated knife. Cut it into two layers. In the center of the bottom layer, scoop out a hollow about 8 cm wide and 1.5 cm deep with a spoon; leave at least 1 cm of sponge underneath so it doesn't break or let the filling leak out. Pipe a ring of frosting around the edge so the filling stays in.
9. Fill the hollow with the raspberry filling and spread the rest in a thin layer up to the ring. Place the other layer on top.
10. Cover the whole cake with a thin layer of frosting and chill it in the fridge for 20 minutes. Then cover it with the rest and smooth it with a spatula so it is as white as possible.
11. Keep it in the fridge and take it out 20-30 minutes before serving: the filling loosens and the frosting cuts cleanly. When you cut through the center, the red filling will flow out.

Nutrition facts

Approximate, per serving (about 154 g). Calculated with data from USDA FoodData Central.