Vegan Battenberg Cake recipe

This vegan Battenberg cake would be beautiful as part of a Christmas feast… or whenever you damn well please.

Red as a Beetroot Sponge

• 80g Raw Beetroot, peeled and sliced thinly
• 80g Coconut oil
• 80g 100% fruit blueberry jam
• 150g Organic White Self Raising Flour

Put the sliced raw beetroot, coconut oil and sugar free jam in a blender. It needs to be a strong one, like a Ninja or NutriBullet.  Grind to a smooth paste. Put this in a bowl and slowly incorporate the flour. Beat well – it should be a sticky dough. Add a little almond milk if it seems a bit dry. Transfer to a small square baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 180 C for about 20-25 minutes until firm to the touch, then leave to cool on a wire rack.

Cool as a Coconut Sponge

• 60g Coconut oil
• 80g Agave syrup
• 100ml Almond milk
• 150g Organic White Self Raising Flour
• 25g desiccated coconut

Put the coconut oil, syrup and almond milk  in a blender. Grind to a smooth paste to soften the oil. Put this in a bowl and stir in the desiccated coconut. Slowly incorporate the flour and beat well. It should be a sticky dough, so add a little almond milk if it is a bit dry. Transfer to a small square baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake at 180 C for about 20-25 minutes until firm to the touch, then leave to cool on a wire rack.

Finishing touches

You can use sweet apricot jam between the layers and cover with vegan marzipan, then sprinkle with freshly ground almonds.

Keith Squires is a vegetarian chef with over 30 years of experience who has even been asked to advise Parliament about plant-based eating, so he knows his stuff. See more vegan inspiration on keithonfood.com.