Vegan Vanilla Cake (Drip Icing)

This dairy-free, eggless vanilla drip cake needs only a few basic ingredients. It’s moist, delicious and easily customizable.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 40

Resting/Chilling Time 2

Total Time 3 40

Servings

Calories 996

Prepare three 6-inch cake pans with parchment or by using one of the alternatives to parchment paper. I recommend using cake strips for a more moist, even bake. Soak them in water until ready for use. Then preheat the oven to 340°F/171°C.
In the large bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar then sift in the remaining dry ingredients.
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ¾ cups cake flour, 2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon salt
In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients until fully combined.
1 cup soy milk, ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, ½ cup plus 2 tbsp oil, 3 tbsp vanilla, ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
Add the bowl of dry ingredients to the stand mixer and while mixing on low, gradually pour in the wet ingredients. You can also mix by hand.
Mix for about 30 seconds or until most of the flour just moistened. The batter should be smooth with a few tiny lumps.
Scrape the bottom of the bowl with a large spoon or silicone spatula to mix in any dry flour. Don’t overmix.
Evenly distribute the batter between the cake pans. If using cake strips, squeeze out excess water, wrap around each pan and secure.
Place the pans in the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes with cake strips or about 20 to 25 minutes without. A skewer or toothpick inserted should come out clean.
While the cake is baking prepare the Vegan Vanilla Buttercream as directed.
1 batch Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Fully cool the cakes in the pans before removing.

Filling a piping bag, or zip-top bag with the corner snipped, with frosting.
Dab a bit of frosting on your cake board, stand or plate. Place the first layer on the board.
Pipe a swirl of frosting on top, without gaps. Spread evenly then add the second cake layer.
Add another swirl of frosting, then the final layer, bottom side up.
Spread the top and sides with a thin layer of vanilla frosting to crumb coat. Place in the fridge for one hour or until the frosting is chilled and set.
Spread the sides and top with the remaining frosting. Smooth the frosting with a cake smoother or palette knife.
Place the candy melts and soy milk in a bowl. Microwave for about a minute, stopping and stirring every 15 seconds until completely melted. If it’s still too thick to drip, add a bit more soy milk.
6 oz dairy-free candy melts, 1 ½ tbsp soy milk
Allow the candy drip to cool slightly then drip along the edges of the cake with a spoon. Pour the rest on the top of the cake and spread evenly.
Place the cake in the fridge to chill for about 10 minutes or until the drip is set.
Use a 1M piping tip with a piping bag to make about 8 ruffled mounds on top. Hold the bag straight up with the tip close to the cake. Squeeze to release the frosting while slowly moving the bag upwards until you get to the desired height.
Add specks of edible gold leaf to the sides and top to finish.
Edible gold leaf

You can also substitute half the vinegar with fresh lemon juice and zest for a more lemony flavor.
If you don’t have cake flour, you can use more all-purpose flour and replace 3 tablespoons of the flour with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch.

Other plant-based milk could be used as a substitute. Bear in mind that full-fat canned coconut milk may change the flavor. It also adds extra richness to the cake.