Vegan White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Method (Cake)

1. Preheat your oven to 180ºC fan and line an 8 x 8 inch square cake tin with greaseproof paper. Allow the paper to hang over the tin slightly, this makes it easier to remove the cake when baked.
2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined. Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan buttermilk.
3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the sugar, flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well to combine. Add the oil into the vegan buttermilk and whisk to combine.
4. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just to combine.
5. Fold in the white chocolate chips. Don’t over mix!
6. Pour the batter into the lined tin and level out, getting it right into the edges of the tin.
7. Place the cake into the middle of the preheated oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes. You will know it is done when you put a knife or skewer down the middle of the cake and it comes out clean and it’s springy to the touch. If batter comes off on the skewer, it needs more time to bake. To prevent burning, top the cake with some greaseproof paper then return back into the oven.
8. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then carefully transfer onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool fully before filling and frosting. You can even place the cake in a sealed container once cool then frost the day after. It’s a very light sponge so be careful with it when removing from the tin.

Method (raspberry jam)

1. Add all of the raspberry jam ingredients into a medium sized saucepan. Place on top of the hob over low to medium heat and bring to a boil. This will take around 5-8 minutes. Keep stirring with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to prevent the mixture from sticking and burning. The raspberries will begin to soften, you can mash them down a little bit. It will turn thick.
2. Once thick, remove from. the heat and allow to cool. As it cools, it will thicken and turn jelly-like. If too thick, you can add in a tiny bit of water or lemon juice to loosen.

Method (raspberry poke)

1. Transfer the cooled raspberry jam into a piping bag and snip off the tip.
2. Once the cake has baked and cool, using the handle of a wooden spoon or the wide end of a chopstick, poke holes all over the top of the cake. In the holes, pipe in the jam. Set this to one side while you make the buttercream.

Method (buttercream)

1. In a stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment, add in the dairy-free butter, whip on high speed for 5-8 minutes to combine and until pale and creamy.
2. Gradually add in the icing / powdered sugar along with the vanilla mixing on low at first, then increasing speed until fully incorporated.
3. To loosen the mixture, add in 3 tablespoons of raspberry jam a-little at a time, beat for a further 3-4 minutes until light and creamy. You must make sure the jam is cold, or it will melt the butter.
4. You may may way to adjust the consistency if its too thick or soft. Add more butter to loosen or more powdered sugar to thicken, as needed. Optional: add a drop of pink food gel for a vibrant colour buttercream.
5. Spoon the buttercream over the top of the cake, and spread out using the back of a spoon or off-set spatula. Make swirls in the buttercream for decoration.
6. Add raspberry jam to the top of the cake and swirl around (refer to video for example). 
7. Decorate with some fresh raspberries and sprinkle of some white chocolate (i opted for chocolate curls).
8. Top with some fresh mint for decoration (optional). 
9. Use a sharp knife to cut the cake into squares.
10. Serve and enjoy!