Summer Berry Birthday Cake- vegan, nut free

Simple to make and looks pretty too!

Excuse the slightly blurry picture, but we really wanted to share this cake with you guys, blurry or not! It was made for a birthday celebration, in two heart-shaped silicone cake moulds. It is a light and fluffy, buttercreamy, berry-licious confection based on white self-raising flour, raw cane sugar, coconut oil and soya milk- we reckon it's fine to have a slice of something like this as a treat every once in a while! I would probably have used coconut whipped cream rather than vegan margarine-based buttercream if we had been at home, but the cake had to be transported, and it was a very warm evening. If you'd like to try this cake for yourself, here's how to make it:

Cake:

400g self raising flour

4 tsps baking powder

200g light brown unrefined sugar

400ml soya (or other plant) milk

150ml melted coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla essence

Filling and frosting:

a few handfuls of summer berries- we used cherries and blackberries, but currants, blueberries, strawberries or raspberries would also be delicious

vegan margarine (we used Pure brand)

unrefined icing sugar (or grind your own)

a little jam (optional)

• To make the cake, mix the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet ingredients in another and then beat the wet into the dry.
• Turn into prepared cake moulds and bake in an oven preheated to 180C for 25-30 mins, until cooked through.
• Meanwhile, either make coconut whipped cream or use the vegan margarine and unrefined icing sugar to make buttercream. 
• When the cake is completely cool, fill and top it with the buttercream and berries, adding some jam to the filling if you like.
• Now all you need are some candles and guests and the party is ready...