Vegan Whole Wheat Sponge Cake Recipe: Step by Step
Sponge cake is one of the most consumed desserts in Western countries. There are many varieties, depending on the ingredients used and the final texture you want to obtain.
In this case, we are going to present an option of vegan wholemeal sponge cake.
It’s important to note that it’s possible to include sweet desserts occasionally in your diet. If you exercise frequently and your diet is characterized mostly by the presence of fresh foods, there will be no problems in this regard.
Let’s take a look!
The benefits of wholemeal flour
Before we dive into the recipe, let’s introduce you to the main benefits of wholemeal flour consumption. After all, it’s better for your health to include this ingredient in your diet than refined wheat flour.
Wholemeal flour improves intestinal transit
Wholemeal flour has a higher concentration of fiber. This compound is essential to ensure a more efficient intestinal transit, as evidenced by research published in the journal Nature Reviews.
In addition, part of the fiber has the ability to ferment inside the digestive tract, serving as an energy substrate for the healthy bacteria that live here. Thus, the density of the microbiota can increase.
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It may help you lose weight
Eating wholemeal flour alone will not make you lose weight, but it’s true that this food is able to increase the feeling of satiety.
This is due to the action of fiber, as stated in a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. This element delays gastric emptying.
It helps protect your pancreatic health
The main problem with refined flours is their rapid glycaemic action. Glucose is quickly absorbed and distributed throughout the body, forcing the pancreas to increase insulin production. This leads to an increased resistance to the hormone.
Wholemeal flours, on the other hand, have fiber capable of modulating this entry of glucose into the blood. This is evidenced by research published in the journal PLoS Medicine.
Ingredients for vegan wholemeal sponge cake
To prepare a great vegan wholemeal sponge cake, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- Vanilla essence
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup vegetable drink or water
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
When choosing a vegan drink, it’s very important to look at the labeling. Most of these products have a high concentration of added sugars.
You will have to opt for a variety that does not have this ingredient in its composition. The taste will be affected, but sugar-free vegan drinks are much healthier.
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Step by step vegan sponge cake instructions
- Start by mixing the dry ingredients in a bowl. These are the flour, sugar and baking powder.
- At the same time, pour the liquids, oil, vanilla and water or vegetable drink into another bowl.
- Then, mix the dry ingredients with the liquids and stir well until you get a consistent and semi-liquid dough.
- Next, put extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of a baking pan suitable for oven, making sure to grease well all its walls. Put the sponge cake batter in it and use a spatula to spread it.
- Then, put it in the oven, which should be preheated at 180 degrees centigrade for about 30 minutes.
You’ll know that the sponge cake is ready when you stick a knife in the center and it comes out completely dry. At this point, remove it and allow it to cool slightly before unmolding.
It can be eaten at the time or kept covered with kitchen paper or a cloth, so that it doesn’t dry out excessively. It’s best to eat it before a couple of days so that it does not lose it’s organoleptic characteristics.
The risks of eating vegan wholemeal sponge cake
Despite the healthy properties of wholemeal flour already mentioned, this recipe has a number of limitations that you should know. Firstly, it should not be introduced into the diet of a person who has developed type 2 diabetes. The presence of sugar and large amounts of carbohydrates inside could complicate the management of blood sugar.
On the other hand, it’s not healthy for people who are overweight. In these cases, their diet has to be taken care of by ensuring that their protein and fat requirements are covered, but with a lower total carbohydrate content.
Nor is this recipe recommended for those who have developed celiac disease, as it has gluten inside. People with inflammatory bowel disease may also benefit from eating less gluten.
Make vegan whole wheat sponge cake at home
It’s easy to make vegan whole wheat cake. You only need a few ingredients and it doesn’t take long to get a wonderful result. In addition, its nutritional quality is superior to that of cakes made from refined flour.
However, it’s a dessert that has its limitations. Therefore, it’s best consumed occasionally.
It can also work as breakfast or as a snack, accompanied by a coffee. However, keep in mind that the protein content of this recipe is very low, so accompanying it with a food that concentrates these nutrients inside would be beneficial for breakfast.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Vriesman, M. H., Koppen, I., Camilleri, M., Di Lorenzo, C., & Benninga, M. A. (2020). Management of functional constipation in children and adults. Nature reviews. Gastroenterology & hepatology, 17(1), 21–39. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-019-0222-y
- Warrilow, A., Mellor, D., McKune, A., & Pumpa, K. (2019). Dietary fat, fibre, satiation, and satiety-a systematic review of acute studies. European journal of clinical nutrition, 73(3), 333–344. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-018-0295-7
- Reynolds, A. N., Akerman, A. P., & Mann, J. (2020). Dietary fibre and whole grains in diabetes management: Systematic review and meta-analyses. PLoS medicine, 17(3), e1003053. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003053