This tender, moist vegan vanilla layer cake is filled with tart berry curd and fluffy vanilla frosting. Top with fresh berries for a simple but elegant dessert! Easy to make and decorate, it’s perfect for any occasion from backyard get-togethers, birthdays or any other time you need a delicious layer cake!
Thank you to Stahlbush Island Farms for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions are my own.
How to Make a Vegan Berry Vanilla Layer Cake
We start with an easy, fluffy vanilla white cake. Simply whisk together the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another, then stir them together. The ingredients are straight forward – basic pantry staples and no unfamiliar ingredients!
It’s actually pretty easy to create a tender moist cake crumb that is is dairy-free and egg-free. After a lot of experimenting, I don’t find it necessary to use a store-bought egg-replacer. By using a combination of baking powder, baking soda, vinegar and a bit of cornstarch, you won’t miss the leavening or binding power of eggs at all. And no, you won’t taste vinegar! We use just enough to react with the baking soda and to curdle the dairy-free milk to make a vegan buttermilk.
Next we have the star of this beautiful vegan summer dessert: the jewel toned mixed berry filling. While some recipes use jam, it can be exceedingly sweet when added in between the layers of a frosted cake. This thick berry curd is heavy on fruit flavor, and is the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
I used Stahlbush Island Farms frozen Northwest Berry Blend which is a variety of the best summer berries – strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. The berries are cooked down so they release their juices, sweetened, and thickened with cornstarch. Add a little lemon juice for some zip, strain the seeds out and then chill it. It will continue to thicken and the flavors intensify as it cools. You’ll be left a luscious, smooth fruit filling which is perfect for cake layering, filling cupcakes and more! If this product is not available where you live, you may choose to use a blend of frozen strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, or even one type of berry would work. Fresh berries will also work in this recipe.
The third component for this vegan layer cake is the fluffy vanilla frosting. I like using a combination of vegan butter and shortening for my American style vegan buttercream. The vegan butter gives a nice buttery flavor and the shortening helps stabilize the frosting as it doesn’t melt as easily. If you can find it, clear vanilla extract is a wonderful addition to ensure a whiter frosting.
These is enough frosting for this cake to be crumb coated and given a final thicker layer if you like. I chose to go with a naked cake look – it’s basically just a crumb coat so you can still see the cake peeking through. This reduces the amount of icing used and therefore how sweet the cake is. I love the casual but classy look of naked cakes, which makes them perfect for easy celebrations. Effortless and elegant looking is hard to beat!
How to Assemble a Layer Cake with Curd and Frosting:
1 – I recommend chilling your cake layers before leveling and assembling the cake. This makes the cake much easier to work with as a chilled cake is firmer and not as sticky. Once they are room temperature after baking, wrap them in plastic wrap and place them on a tray in the fridge for about an hour.
2 – Use a large serrated knife to level the tops of each of your cake layers. I usually don’t take much off, maybe 1/8″. This vegan cake recipe produces cakes that don’t dome too much during baking. Keep the arm you’re using to cut the cake nice and tight to the side of your body is a trick to help ensure a nice straight cut. Ideally, each layer will be the same height once leveled for a nice even looking cake.
3 – Dab and spread a bit of frosting onto the middle of the cake board (or serving plate.) Then, center your first cake layer on it. Spread an even layer of frosting on the cake layer, then pipe a frosting dam along the edge using a 1/2″ round piping tip. The frosting dam helps confine the berry curd so it doesn’t slide out of the sides of the cake. Gently spread the berry curd over the top of the frosting; take care not to press in and lift any of the buttercream into the berry layer.
4 – Add the next cake layer and repeat until you have your 3 cake layers assembled with the berry curd and frosting. Smooth the frosting around the sides of the cake. If you want to add a thicker layer of frosting, chill the cake first so that the crumb coat can set up and hold those crumbs in. Once you’ve frosted your layer cake, you can decorate as you like. I went with an assortment of fresh berries and mint leaves for a natural, pretty look.
Cardboard cake rounds are great to set your cake up on. They allow you to decorate the cake in your work space then transfer it to your clean serving platter or plate. They aren’t necessary but make the process easier and less messy. A cake turn table is also a nice tool to have if you enjoy cake decorating, and it makes frosting the cake much easier – I love mine which also serves as a casual cake stand.
This vegan Chantilly style cake is best served at slightly cooler than room temperature. It keeps best in the fridge if you top it with fresh berries. Simply remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.
How to Make the Vegan Vanilla Berry Layer Cake Ahead of Time
This vegan layer cake can be made in advance. You can either make the whole thing and chill it, or make the components ahead of time and assemble it once you’re ready to do so.
Once the cake is completely assembled, chill in the fridge to firm up, then wrap the sides and top with plastic wrap. This is important for naked cakes as the fridge will strip the cake of its moisture without a thicker layer of frosting to seal it. If you choose to add a thicker layer of frosting once the cake is crumb coated, the cake does not need to be wrapped in plastic. The frosted layer cake will keep in the fridge for about 5 days. Garnish with fresh berries on the day you plan to serve it.
While many layer cakes can be frozen whole, a layer cake like this with curd in the middle would not freeze well. The berry curd may leach out a lot of it’s moisture and ruin your cake upon thawing.
To Make the Cake Layers, Fruit Filling and Frosting Ahead of Time without Assembling:
Once the cake layers are completely cooled to room temperature, (place each one on a cake round if you have them and then) wrap in plastic wrap. The cake rounds aren’t essential but they do help keep the cakes nice and flat. Place them in the fridge to chill and firm up. Once chilled, you can then stack them in an airtight bag and freeze them. They will remain fresh for about 5 days wrapped tightly in the fridge and up to a month in the freezer.
The frosting can be made and stored in a large plastic bag or airtight container for a few weeks in the fridge. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Bring it to room temperature before using it. The frosting will be very firm straight out of the fridge; it will tear your cake if you try spreading it while it’s cold. Once the frosting is back down to room temperature, give it a good stir before assembling your cake.
The berry filling can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge in a tightly closed jar for up to 2 weeks. Give it a good stir before assembling your cake – it will be thick like jelly. I don’t recommend freezing this berry curd though, as the texture may change and thin out.
Check Out These Other Vegan Showstopper Desserts:
- Strawberry Layer Cake
- Hummingbird Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze
- Strawberry Galette with Chocolate Hazelnut Cream
- Chocolate Orange Truffle Tart with Candied Kumquats
- Blueberry Ginger Galette
If you make this Vegan Berry Vanilla Layer Cake, please give it a rating in the recipe card and leave a comment below! Follow along on Instagram where you can tag me in your creations using my recipes. I love seeing what you’re cooking! You can also follow me on Pinterest for vegan recipe inspiration. Thank you for reading!
Vegan Berry Vanilla Layer Cake
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Cake:
- 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 6 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 cups plant-based milk I use soy milk
- 1 ¼ cups neutral oil eg. grapeseed, canola, sunflower etc
- 6 tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 3 tbsp vanilla extract (clear if possible)
For the Berry Filling:
- 20 oz frozen mixed berry blend (about 4 cups) may use fresh mixed berries
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 tbsp water
For the Vanilla Frosting:
- 1 cup vegan butter, stick style, not tub style
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- 6 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract (clear if possible)
- 2 tbsp plant-based milk
Optional Garnishes:
- fresh berries
- fresh mint leaves
Instructions
For the Vanilla Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C/gas mark 4. Prepare three 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans with non-stick baking spray and parchment paper cut into circles on the bottom.
- Sift the flour, sugar, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk well to evenly combine.
- Combine the plant-based milk, oil, vinegar and vanilla extract in a medium sized bowl or large measuring glass. Whisk well to emulsify the oil and milk together.
- Once the oven has completely preheated, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 35-38 minutes. Don't open the oven early or your cakes may collapse in the middle. The cakes are done once they pull from the sides, and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with a few cooked crumbs.
- Cool the cakes for 10 minutes on a rack. Gently run a sharp knife along the sides of the cakes to loosen any bits that are stuck. Gently and evenly turn the pans over on a wire cooling rack. Remove the pans. Leave the parchment on until you're ready to assemble the cake. Once completely cooled, gently wrap in plastic and store flat in the fridge.
For the Berry Filling:
- Add the frozen berries, sugar and lemon juice to a medium sized pot over medium heat. Stir the mixture until it starts to boil. Reduce the heat to low and allow the filling to simmer for 5-8 minutes. You want the berries to burst to release their juices and concentrate a bit, but you don't want it all to evaporate.
- Turn off the heat. Pour the filling into a metal sieve or strainer resting over a medium sized heat-safe bowl. Use a rubber spatula or large metal spoon to press the fruit against the mesh to get as much juice as possible out of the fruit. You'll have about 1/3-1/2 cup of seeds and berry skin – this can be composted or saved for another use like smoothies. Rinse out the pot and pour the strained berry filling back in.
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water together to make a slurry. Stir until the cornstarch is completely dissolved – any starch that is not dissolved will make lumps in your filling.
- Whisk the cornstarch slurry into the fruit filling. Turn the heat on to medium. Whisk constanty to prevent burning and lumps from forming. Once the filling is simmering, reduce the heat to low until the mixture begins to thicken. Cook one more minute once it has thickened. Remove from heat and pour the berry filling into a bowl. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly onto the hot fruit filling to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until completely chilled.
For the Vanilla Frosting:
- In a stand-mixer with a balloon whisk (or with a large bowl and beaters), beat the vegan butter and shortening together until smooth. Add in the sifted confectioner's sugar, one cup at a time. Beat for 3-4 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add in the vanilla extract and beat another minute. Add the plant-based milk 1 teaspoon at a time beating well each time. The frosting should be smooth and pipeable but not so soft that it slumps. If you add too much milk, you can add more sifted confectioner's sugar a few tablespoons at a time but this naturally will make the frosting sweeter.
To Assemble the Berry Vanilla Cake:
- Start with completely chilled cakes so they are firm. Use a large serrated knife to level the tops of each of your cake layers, removing about 1/8-inch or so. Ideally, each layer will be the same height once leveled for a nice even looking cake.
- Spread a bit of frosting onto the middle of the cake board (or serving plate) and then center your first layer on it. Spread about 3/4 cup of frosting evenly over the cake, then pipe a frosting dam along the edge to held in the berry curd using an approximately 1/2" (1.25 cm) round tip. Gently spread about 1/2 cup of the berry curd over the top of the frosting, taking care not to press in and lift any of the buttercream into the berry layer.
- Add the next cake layer and repeat until you have your 3 cake layers assembled with the berry layer and frosting. Smooth a thin layer of frosting on the top and around the sides of the cake. Top with an assortment of fresh berries and mint leaves, if desired. The cake is best served at slightly cooler than room temperature but stores best in the fridge considering it's topped with berries. Simply remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Info:
Notes:
The Nutrition Information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the Nutrition Information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
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Melissa
Tuesday 11th of July 2023
This cake looks beautiful! I am going to use the vanilla cake base and pair it with cherry and chocolate ganache filling. Do you think I could use olive oil instead of canola oil?
Melissa
Thursday 13th of July 2023
@Melissa, Update: I tested it with the olive oil and it came out great. The olive oil flavor comes through and the texture is beautiful! Planning on pairing it with a dark chocolate ganache and cherry filling and (vegan) swiss meringue buttercream frosting.
Viviane
Monday 26th of June 2023
I made this recipe and turned it into a fault line cake. Also made an Italian meringue buttercream (vegan) instead of the icing in this recipe. It’s for a friend’s birthday and hasn’t been eaten yet.
Viviane
Tuesday 27th of June 2023
@Bronwyn Fraser | Crumbs & Caramel, It was a hit :-) Thank you so much; this vanila cake recipe is amazing. Doesn't look like I can share a picture here but it was also very pretty.
Bronwyn Fraser | Crumbs & Caramel
Monday 26th of June 2023
Sounds like a beautiful cake, Viviane! I hope everyone enjoys it at the birthday celebration! Thank you for giving the recipe a try :) ~ Bronwyn
Anna kilmurray
Tuesday 20th of June 2023
Hello! Thanks for the lovely looking recipe! I’m going to be making this today and tomorrow for a bday party. I don’t find veg shortening where I live in Spain, and I know the butter I’m using (vioblock) melts very quickly out of the fridge. As it will be hot, I’m thinking of skipping the cream altogether but it won’t look/taste as lovely. Do you have any other suggestions for what could work alongside the fruit filling?
Bronwyn Fraser | Crumbs & Caramel
Tuesday 20th of June 2023
Hi Anna! Sorry, do you mean you're looking for suggestions to substitute the vanilla buttercream? If so, you could try using store-bought frosting which is usually shortening based and therefore much more stable in the heat. Many common brands of store-bought frosting are accidently vegan - just take a quick peek at the ingredient list to be sure. If you want to attempt to make the vanilla frosting using the vioblock, you can freeze the entire cake ahead of time to buy you time if transporting it in the heat. I hope you enjoy the cake! Let me know if you have any other questions :) ~ Bronwyn
Lena
Saturday 27th of May 2023
Made this for my friends graduation and it was SO GOOD. The frosting tastes just like really buttercream (definitely recommended Mykonos vegan butter for this). Our berry curd was a bit thin. I’m not sure why but it didn’t thicken up very much so the frosting dam was key in between the layers! Otherwise everything was wonderful!
Bronwyn Fraser | Crumbs & Caramel
Tuesday 30th of May 2023
Thanks for taking the time to share, Lena! I'm so glad it was enjoyed for your friend's graduation! For the curd, I'm not sure either as this ratio of berries to cornstarch yields a thicker than normal curd so it's less likely to leak out of the cake layers. Over-measuring the berries/water, under-measuring the cornstarch, or taking the curd off the heat too soon (the starch molecules haven't fully hydrated) or too late (the starch molecules burst) can yield a thinner curd. Let me know if I can help you troubleshoot for next time! Thanks again, Bronwyn :)
Viviane
Saturday 13th of May 2023
I am planning to make this cake for a friend’s birthday soon. What brand of clear vanilla do you use? I can’t seem to find pure clear vanilla online…
Bronwyn Fraser | Crumbs & Caramel
Monday 15th of May 2023
Hi Viviane! I've used different brands of clear vanilla. Brands I've used include Usumacinta (usually a very large bottle), but Watkins and Wilton make smaller bottles and are easier to find. All 3 brands are comparable in taste. If you can't find any clear vanilla, you can still use regular vanilla - the cake just won't be as white. Wishing your friend a happy birthday, and I hope they enjoy the cake you make them!