I'm really excited to share this cake because it took a few experiments to get it right.
It uses an unusual ingredient which makes it light and spongy.
Mashed potato.
Yes, there is mashed potato in this cake but I promise you would never know it.
It tastes just like a traditional vanilla sponge and has the same lightness too.
Yet it's made with surprsingly wholesome ingredients and no refined sugars.
This idea is based off my Butternut Squash Cake recipe.
I figured that I could use potatoes instead of butternut squash for a similar result and it turns out you can.
You can do anything. There are no rules.
Except potatoes are even better because they yield a lighter colour and texture and are so much cheaper too.
And if I wasn't excited enough about the fact that the sponge cake turned out so perfectly, my experiments with a vegan white chocolate buttercream were also successful.
After making it, it was hard not to eat the whole bowl, it's that good.
I also used my trusty vegan lemon curd recipe with some added elderflower cordial for the centre filling.
The combination of these three is just heavenly... If I could do one thing different next time though it would be to add the lemon curd as a whole layer and not just in the centre of the cake.
MORE lemon curd. Always.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Elderflower Cake with Lemon Curd & White Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
- 300 ml 1 ¼ cups almond milk or preferred dairy-free milk
- Zest and juice of half a lemon
- 600 g 3 ⅓ cups plain white flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 150 g ¾ cup mashed potato
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 270 ml 1 cup + 2 tbsp agave nectar
- 80 ml ⅓ cup sunflower oil or other mild-flavoured vegetable oil
- Vegan lemon curd with elderflower
- Vegan White Chocolate Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180c. and grease three 8 inch sandwich tins. lemon juice and zest to the almond milk and set aside.
- Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and discard any large granules left in the sieve. Mix in the baking powder and bicarb.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the almond milk from earlier, mashed potato, vanilla, agave and oil. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until well combined and a thick, smooth batter is formed.
- Evenly divide the mixture into the three sandwich tins. The mixture will be quite thick and hard to smooth so I like to wet my hands and smooth the tops with my palms.
- Bake on the middle shelf for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake layers to cool at room temperature and then place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes (this makes them easier to handle and decorate.)
To assemble the cake
- Place the first cake layer on your cake stand and spread a generous layer of frosting on top.
- Dollop about four tablespoons of the lemon curd into the centre and gently smooth out.
- Place the next layer on top and repeat.
- For the last layer, simply smooth some icing on top using the back of a spoon.
- Decorate with fresh elderflower or other flowers.
- Serve and enjoy! This cake can be kept refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Alisa Fleming says
What a beautiful bouquet! And I love the way you tied in a delicious-looking cake on so many levels - the flavor, the earthy but light ingredients, yum!
Aimee says
Thank you Alisa!
Jenn says
Wow, the cake is beautiful and I can't believe there are mashed potatoes in there! Super creative! Those flowers are gorgeous too!
Aimee says
Thank you Jenn! I gave a few friends a slice to taste and when I told them it had mashed potato in it they were shocked! But it really gives an amazingly light, spongy texture :-)
Becky Striepe says
Oh cool! That cake looks amazing, and I love the idea of using fluffy mashed potatoes to make a fluffy cake!
Aimee says
Thank you Becky! It was an experiment that I didn't expect to work out as well as it did!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
This is so stunning, my friend!!
Never underestimate the power of the potato!! This came out so perfect <3 ooo I want a slice!
Aimee says
Potatoes make everything better, now including cake! Thank you my dear :-) I'd send you a slice if I could!
Mara says
Oh wow, this cake looks absolutely amazing! So beautiful and delicious!
My favorite kind of flowers are pink tulips, I looove them! :)
Aimee says
Thank you, Mara! Pink tulips are stunning! I love having a bouquet of them on my kitchen table :-)