Vegan Margherita Cake

This vegan margherita cake is inspired by the classic Italian torta margherita. A traditional margherita cake can include as many as ten egg yolks, which give the sponge a distinctive light yellow colour. This vegan version obviously contains no eggs but I’ve included a little turmeric to mimic the colour of the original.

The rich vanilla-lemon flavour and soft texture mean that this cake can be eaten on its own, madeira-style, but it’s equally good iced, with fruit, or in layered cakes like victoria sponges and birthday cakes.

The secret of its soft texture is potato. Potato starch is often an ingredient in traditional recipes for torta margherita, but I’ve used whole mashed potato because it’s readily available and works well. (Use any potato you would use for mash.) It helps to bind the other ingredients and produces a surprisingly delicate, moist sponge. It also contributes a creamy flavour that you probably wouldn’t identify as potato if you didn’t know it was in there.

There are different theories about the origin of torta margherita, which means ‘daisy cake’ in Italian. It was either named in honour of Queen Margherita of Savoy or because the yellow sponge under a dusting of white icing sugar brings to mind the colours of a daisy.

Vegan torta margherita…

Ingredients

• 120 g mashed potato (cooled)
• 120 g vegan margarine (not a low fat variety)
• 190 g caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• zest of around 1/4 of a medium lemon
• 250 g self-raising flour
• 50 ml oat (or other non-dairy) milk
• 1 tsp icing (confectioners’) sugar for dusting

Method

1. Cook and mash the potato in advance to give it time to cool. Mash it really well to minimise lumps.
2. Set the oven to 180°C/360°F and lightly oil/line an 8″ cake tin.
3. In a large bowl, beat the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer.
4. Add the vanilla, lemon zest and turmeric and mix a little more. (Don’t be tempted to add more turmeric – the colour continues to develop during cooking.)
5. Stir in the mashed potato, then fold in half of the flour, followed by half of the milk.
6. Fold in the remaining flour and milk. It should be around dropping consistency. Because moisture levels in potatoes can vary, you may need to add another tablespoon or two of milk.
7. Spoon the mixture into the pan and level the top.
8. Transfer to the oven and cook for around 50 minutes until the crust is a deep golden colour and a carefully inserted skewer comes out clean. This cake doesn’t rise much but has a surprisingly light texture.
9. Allow it to cool completely (ideally, leave it to settle overnight) before dusting with icing sugar and serving.

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