Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease the sides of two 8-inch round cake pans and line their bottoms with parchment. This supported vegan sponge is baked in regular lined cake pans; do not use an ungreased inverted angel-food tube-pan method.
- In a large bowl whisk and sift together the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk in the superfine sugar, holding back ¼ cup for the foam.
- Add the softened vegan butter to the dry ingredients. Beat on low to medium speed until the butter is evenly distributed and the mixture resembles damp, fine sand.
- In another bowl whisk together the yogurt, coconut milk, vanilla, almond extract and lemon zest. Add to the buttery flour mixture and mix on low just until thick, smooth and fully combined; stop when no dry streaks remain.
- In a completely clean bowl whip the chilled aquafaba and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add the reserved ¼ cup superfine sugar; beat until soft, glossy peaks form, about 4–8 minutes depending on the mixer and aquafaba.
- Stir about one-third of the foam into the thick cake batter to loosen it. Fold the remaining foam in two additions, gently lifting the mixture with a spatula until no large white streaks remain. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for approximately 35–42 minutes, until the centers spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Avoid opening the oven during the first 25 minutes; if centers are unset, bake a few minutes longer.
- Cool the cakes in their pans for 10–15 minutes. Loosen the edges, turn out carefully, remove parchment and cool completely on wire racks for 1½–2 hours. Do not frost warm cake.
- Slice or quarter roughly 1¼ pounds strawberries for the filling. Toss with maple syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and salt; rest 20–30 minutes. Drain the berries, saving the beautiful juice for serving. Leave the reserved ¾ pound berries whole or cut into attractive halves and slices for the finish.
- Chill the mixing bowl and whisk, then whip the cold plant-based heavy cream until it begins to thicken. Add powdered maple sugar, vanilla and salt, and continue until it holds billowy medium-firm peaks, following the brand’s whipping directions. Refrigerate until assembly.
- Set one cooled cake layer on a platter. Spread a generous, even layer of whipped cream over it, keeping a slight border. Add the drained strawberries in an even layer rather than a tall mound; this helps the cake hold together when sliced.
- Place the second sponge layer on top. Decorate generously with the remaining cream and fresh strawberries. Chill for 15–20 minutes to settle the layers; slice with a sharp knife. Spoon reserved berry juices alongside each serving rather than soaking the whole cake.
Nutrition
Notes
A cloud cake rather than a classic angel food cake: A traditional angel food cake gets nearly all its volume and structure from egg-white foam and contains no added fat. This vegan, gluten-free version uses plant-based butter, yogurt, coconut milk, starches and chemical leavening to make a moist, more stable sponge. Bake it in lined round cake pans rather than using an inverted angel food tube-pan method.
Aquafaba and coconut milk have different jobs: Aquafaba can trap air when whipped and bring lightness to the batter; carton coconut milk provides moisture without the heaviness of canned coconut milk. The gluten-free flour, starch, binder and baking powder do the principal structural work here. Aquafaba alone is not a dependable one-for-one egg-white replacement in a traditional angel food cake. If the chickpea liquid is unusually watery, gently reduce it, cool completely, and then measure the specified ½ cup before whipping.
For a pale, beautiful crumb: Fine certified-vegan cane sugar dissolves readily and keeps the sponge visually light. Coconut sugar and maple syrup change the sponge’s color, moisture and structure, so keep the specified cane sugar in the cake and save maple sweetness for the glossy strawberries and cream.
Keep the cake soft, not gummy: Use a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum, keep the wet ingredient quantities consistent, and bake until the center is fully set. Cool completely before adding strawberries and cream. A slight natural settling is possible. Wet centers need further baking; deeply sunken or fragile layers should not be stacked. Serve fully baked, cooled fragile cake with the berries and cream alongside.
For striking strawberries: Macerate some berries for fragrance and shine, but drain the fruit before using it as a filling. A mix of sliced and halved fresh berries across the top adds vivid color and keeps the cake from becoming soggy.
Vanilla whipped cream: Choose a plant-based heavy cream specifically intended to whip to soft peaks. Coconut cream is an optional more coconut-forward topping, but brand-to-brand results vary; for tall piped swirls, use a verified whipping cream.
A special egg-white option for nonvegan guests: For guests who eat eggs, use ½ cup pasteurized liquid egg whites specifically labeled suitable for whipping in place of the aquafaba. Whip with the same cream of tartar and reserved sugar to glossy soft peaks, then fold in as directed. Some pasteurized carton whites will not whip, so check the manufacturer’s directions. This variation is nonvegan and contains egg allergens; keep it separate from egg-free servings and use clean utensils. The crumb, rise and baking time may differ, so use the fully set-center doneness cues. Do not substitute whole eggs or yolks.
Make ahead and storage: Bake the sponges one day ahead, cool completely and wrap airtight at room temperature. Refrigerate berries and whipped cream separately. Assemble near serving time for defined layers; refrigerate leftovers promptly and enjoy within 1–2 days as berries progressively soften the crumb.
Nutrition is an estimate for one of 10 filled and frosted slices, including all berries, cream and maple syrup. It uses representative label values for unsalted vegan block butter, plain unsweetened cashew yogurt, unsweetened carton coconut milk, aquafaba and dairy-free whipping cream; brands and discarded berry juices change the result. The yogurt is estimated at 120 g per ½ cup, and each tiny salt pinch at 1/32 teaspoon. Egg-white, coconut-cream and vanilla-bean alternatives are excluded.
