I am often asked by friends to make birthday cakes suitable for vegans, and this chocolate sponge recipe is the one I go to nearly every time because it never fails to please. Those who aren’t vegan can never believe that this cake doesn’t contain eggs, and vegans are always pleasantly surprised that it has the texture of “normal” cake – never mind that it’s also gluten free!

After coming across vegan marshmallows at my local supermarket, I really wanted to come up with a fun way to use them in a bake – so I decided to combine them with my favourite vegan sponge recipe and make a Vegan S’mores Cake.

Freedom Mallows are really similar to “real” marshmallows in both taste and texture. When I toasted them they lost their shape a little, but they are so close to the real thing I hardly think that matters. I found them in Sainsbury’s, but they can also be found in Holland and Barratt or online.

If you’re looking for a cake that is suitable for a party with guests who have multiple allergies, intolerances or requirements then this is the recipe for you – no need to prepare more than dessert with this easy crowd pleaser.

Gluten Free and Vegan S’mores Cake

Ingredients

For the sponge:

300g gluten free self-raising flour 

50g cocoa powder

200g caster sugar  

2 tsp baking powder

375ml sweetened soya milk 

150ml sunflower oil

For the frosting:

75g cocoa powder

75g golden syrup

50g dairy free butter

To decorate:

150g vegan marshmallows (I used Freedom Mallows)

Method

1) Preheat the oven to 180 C/160 C fan/gas mark 4.

2) Grease and line three 7 inch sandwich tins with greaseproof paper.

3) In a large bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, gluten free flour, caster sugar and baking powder until combined.

4) Whisk together the oil and soya milk in a separate bowl, then add this to the dry ingredients. Whisk until the ingredients are just combined and quickly pour the batter into the prepared tins.

5) Tap the tins gentle on the work surface to get rid of any air bubbles and bake for 15 minutes or until the cake is firm to touch and cooked right through.

6) Leave the cakes to cool slightly in their tins, before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool.

7) To make the frosting, melt together the butter and golden syrup in a small pan over a medium heat. Sift in the cocoa powder and stir until combined. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool – the mixture will become less runny and spreadable as it cools down.

8) To Assemble the cake, place one of the sponges on a serving plate then spread a third of the frosting over the top. Repeat with the remaining sponges until you have all three sponges stacked on top of each other – there should be a layer on frosting on top.

9) Spread the marshmallows out across baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Grill the marshmallows for 30 – 60 seconds or until golden brown – keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

10) Leave the marshmallows to cool slightly, then pile them on top of the cake.

I love seeing your take on my recipes, so remember to share a snap of your S’mores cakes over on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #titchytonbakes.