Cake Without Animal Products; basic, adaptable recipe

Oh yes, you can have your cake and eat it too! Vegans don't miss out on a single treat these days... and not only is it the lightest, fluffiest sponge ever, but it's also really easy to make. (Don't know where it stands in relation to healthy eating though- let's just say it's a treat, and much better than additive-laden bought confectionery.) This recipe is based on what I learned and adapted from Cintia Stammers' excellent "The Book of Egg-free cakes." It changed my life (and my dress size, for a while!) You can add coconut, lemon, cocoa, etc. to vary the flavour. Here's how:

400g self-raising flour (I have yet to find a wholemeal one)
4 tsps baking powder (not just bicarb)
200g caster sugar/ fine brown sugar*
400ml soya milk
150ml good quality sunflower, coconut or ricebran oil
natural vanilla essence
1x 9-10"/ 2x 7-8" cake tins, greased and floured, or dampened silicone cake moulds
Oven pre-heated to 180C
*Don't be tempted to mess around with alternative sugars if you want a classic sponge cake: gour or soft brown sugar produce a fudgy, more brownie-like cake. Demerara sugar will do rather than white, but better still if you can whizz it down a bit in a grinder. You can, however, use xylitol as sugar or 200ml agave nectar in the wet ingredients- even a combo of both. Agave gives a slightly wetter mixture, and a reallylovely soft texture.

• Combine all dry ingredients and all wet ingredients in separate bowls. then add the wet to the dry and beat for about 1-2 minutes max. 
• Put into cake tin and bake straight away for about 30-40 minutes... et voila!