Strawberry Almond Cake (Vegan)
Delicate almond-infused cake layers filled with a lightly sweetened strawberry compote and topped with homemade whipped cream. This dairy and egg-free dessert is perfect for any occasion.
This delicious almond-infused cake has light and airy layers generously filled with a delightful strawberry compote, adding just the right amount of sweetness. Topped with a fluffy layer of homemade whipped cream, this dessert is not only incredibly tasty but also dairy and egg-free, making it a perfect treat for any celebration or gathering!
What you will need:
This recipe uses simple and readily available ingredients. I made my own strawberry compote and whipped cream, but you can make the process easier by using store-bought strawberry preserves and whipped cream instead. Whether you choose to prepare these components from scratch or buy them, this cake is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Almond Cake
- all purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- plant based milk
- aquafaba – drained liquid from a can of chickpeas
- plant based yogurt
- lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- almond extract
- cane sugar
- oil – I used olive oil
- plant based butter with salt
Strawberry Compote
- fresh strawberries
- cane sugar
- lemon juice and lemon zest
- cornstarch
Whipped Cream
- plant based heavy cream
- powdered sugar
- plant based cream cheese
- almond extract
How to:
Let’s start with our homemade strawberry compote. It can be prepared a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the cake. If you are looking for an alternative to homemade compote, strawberry preserves will work just as well.
To prepare the strawberry compote, start by washing, hulling, and halving the fresh strawberries. Add the strawberries to a medium pot along with the sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water; whisking until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the pot with the strawberries. Stir the strawberry mixture until all ingredients are well combined. Place the pot over medium to medium-low heat and bring the mixture to a light simmer. Allow it to thicken slightly and the strawberries to soften. This step will take 10 to 12 minutes. Once thickened, remove the pot from heat and pour the compote into a heat-safe container. Allow it cool to room temperature before assembling the cake. The compote can be prepared a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the cake.
The next step is to prepare the almond cakes. Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare two 6-inch round pans by greasing them and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
To a small bowl, add all of the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk the ingredients together until well combined; set aside for later. To a medium bowl, add the sugar, butter and oil. Using a handheld mixer, whip the ingredients together on high speed for 2 minutes. In a separate medium bowl, add the yogurt and aquafaba. Using a handheld mixer, whip the yogurt and aquafaba on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the yogurt mixture, milk, and lemon juice to the sugar mixture and blend with the hand mixer on medium-low speed for 30 seconds or until well blended. Sift and fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Pour the batter evenly into your two prepared pans. Bake them for about 40 minutes or until they’re lightly browned; the edges should be pulling away from the sides and a toothpick inserted should come out clean. Let the cakes sit in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack. The cakes are ready to assemble once they have cooled to room temperature. If you want to prepare the cakes in advance, you’re in luck! You can easily store them in the fridge or freezer. Simply wrap the cooled cakes in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag for optimal freshness. If you plan to assemble the cake the same day or the next, keeping it in the fridge is ideal. However, for storage longer than that, freezing is your best option.
The compote is ready, and the cakes have been baked and cooled. Now, let’s prepare the whipped cream. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar. Using a balloon whisk attachment, whip on medium-high speed for 30 seconds to a minute until smooth and creamy. Next, add the cold heavy cream, the remaining powdered sugar, and the almond extract to the bowl. Continue whipping on high speed with the balloon whisk attachment for 2 to 3 minutes or until medium-stiff peaks form. If you plan to pipe the whipped cream onto the cake, transfer it to a piping bag fitted with your preferred piping tip.
Note: The cream cheese is added to create a more stable whipped cream, making it easier to pipe. If you do not need the whipped cream to be pipeable, you can omit the cream cheese.
Now, place one of the cake layers onto a plate, cake pedestal, or serving dish. Pipe or dollop a border of whipped cream around the edge of the cake. Inside the whipped cream border, add the strawberry compote, using about half to three-quarters of a cup. Next, place the second layer of cake on top of the compote and whipped cream. Top this layer with whipped cream, either by piping or dolloping it on. Finally, decorate with a few strawberries and serve.
Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Alright, let’s get started. Please make, bake and enjoy!
Strawberry Almond Cake (Vegan)
Ingredients
Strawberry Compote
- 16 oz fresh strawberries – remove cap and core and halved
- 4 tbsp cane sugar
- ¼ tsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
Almond Cake
- 270 grams / 2¼ cup all purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 cup / 200 grams cane sugar
- 4 tbsp oil – I used olive oil
- 4 tbsp plant based butter with salt – room temperature
- 2½ tsp almond extract
- ½ cup / 120 grams plant based yogurt – room temperature
- ½ cup / 125ml plant based milk – room temperature
- 2 tsp lemon juice (you can also use apple cider vinegar)
- 4 tbsp aquafaba – drained liquid from a can of chickpeas
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup plant based heavy cream – cold
- 1 tbsp plant based cream cheese – room temperature ( if you don't need the whipped cream more stable and pipeable, this ingredient can be omitted)
- ½ cup/ 60 grams powdered sugar
- ⅛ tsp almond extract
Instructions
Strawberry Compote
- Place the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a medium pot; stir to combine.To a small container, add the cornstarch and water. Stir until fully combined and add to the strawberry mixture. Stir until all ingredients are fully combined.Place the pot over medium to medium-low heat. Bring the mixture to a light simmer and allow it to thicken slightly and the strawberries to soften. This will take 10 to 12 minutes. Once the strawberries reach the desired consistency, remove the pot from the heat, pour the compote into a heat safe container and allow it to cool to room temperature.The compote can be prepared a day or two ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the cake.
Almond Cake
- Pre-heat the oven to 350F and prepare two 6 inch round pans by greasing and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.To a small bowl, add all of the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder and baking soda; whisk to combine and set the bowl aside.Add the sugar, butter and oil to a medium bowl. Using a hand held mixer, whip the ingredients together for 2 minutes on high speed. In a separate medium bowl, add the yogurt and aquafaba. Using a hand held mixer, whip the yogurt and aquafaba on high speed for 2 minutes. Add the yogurt mixture, milk and lemon juice to the sugar mixture and blend with the hand mixer on medium low speed for 30 seconds or until well blended. Sift the dry ingredients before adding them to the wet ingredients. Gently fold the dry ingredients in just until fully incorporated.Divide the batter between your two prepared pans. Bake the cakes for 40 minutes or until they are lightly browned, the edges are pulling away form the pan and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.Let the cakes rest in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack. Let them cool to room temperature before assembling the cake.The cakes can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or freezer. Wrap the room temperature cakes in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer storage bag. If you are assembling the cake the same day or the next day – place the cakes in the refrigerator. If you have prepared the cakes more than a day ahead of time, store the cakes in the freezer.
Whipped Cream
- ***The cream cheese was added to create a more stabile whipped cream (I was looking for a pipeable consistency). The cream cheese can be omitted if you do not want/need the whipped cream to be pipeable.***
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of powder sugar . Whip on medium high speed with a balloon whisk attachment for 30 seconds to a minute. You want it to be smooth and creamy.Add the cold heavy cream, the rest of the powdered sugar and the almond extract to the bowl. Continue whipping on high speed with the balloon whisk attachment for 2 to 3 minutes or until medium stiff peaks are achieved.If you are piping the whipped cream onto the cake, place the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with the piping tip of your choice.
Assembling the Strawberry Almond Cake
- Place one of the cake layers onto a plate, cake pedestal or serving dish. Pipe a border of whipped cream around the edge of the cake. If you are not piping, you can dollop the whipped cream onto the cake. Place the strawberry compote inside of the whipped cream border. I added about a half to 3/4 of a cup of compote to the cake.Place the second cake layer over the top of the compote and whipped cream. Top the second layer with whipped cream by piping or dolloping it on.Decorate with a few strawberries and serve. Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
