Vegan School Dinners Jam and Coconut Sponge

Published: Feb 7, 2021 · Modified: Apr 23, 2024 by Jacq · This post may contain affiliate links ·28 Comments

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Our School Dinners Jam and Coconut Sponge is a Vegan take on a retro traybake, that is still a very popular family favourite today. This bake dates back to the 60s, 70s, and 80s British school dinners. It is perfect for afternoon tea, tea time, picnics, parties and lunch boxes. It is so easy and quick to prepare with every day store-cupboard ingredients - despite being an egg-free and dairy-free vanilla sponge you won't need any fussy ingredients. Also, if you are a home-baker then you'll likely already have the ingredients for this quick and easy vegan cake.

We have also included our family's easy vegan custard recipe that is perfect with our sponge cake within the recipe notes. We have also include an easy water icing recipe as a topping alternative so that you can prepare an iced school dinners cake with cake sprinkles if preferred.

Vegan school dinners sponge pieces sitting on top of each other.

Our Vegan Jam and Coconut Sponge is light, moist, airy, spongy, despite being egg and dairy-free. The sponge has a lovely buttery vanilla flavour. The classic topping of fruit jam and desiccated coconut is simple yet very delicious.

Jump to:

🥬 Vegan School Dinners Jam and Coconut Sponge
🥣 How To Prepare
📋 Recipe Notes
⏲️ Storing
🧾 FAQ'S
👩🏽‍🍳 More vegan old school dinner bakes
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

🥬 Vegan School Dinners Jam and Coconut Sponge

The term old school dinners refers to the school dinner options of the 60s, 70s, 80s, and possibly some of the 90s and the traditional bakes, desserts and meals that were served up for school dinnertimes.

Our vegan school dinners jam and coconut sponge recipe is a vegan adaption of the jam and coconut traybake that is arguably one of the best old school dinner dessert recipes as many people have fond memories of this bake and it is still a popular option in many local cafes and bakeries.

Our family loves this sponge cake for picnics, afternoon tea, pack lunches, and to it also goes down well when served to guests. It is also ideal for buffets, pot luck spreads, parties, cake sales, and any celebration or special occasion.

The jam and coconut topping can be adjusted such as adding a thick water icing along with a good sprinkle of hundreds and thousands to the sponge traybake - and this is also a classic decoration popular with old-school dinners.

Afternoon tea tray with cookies and slices of concrete cake, flower patterned tea cup and saucers.

Old school dinners sponge cake is perfect for an afternoon tea spread. So fun and tasty.Enjoy old school sponge with an afternoon tea spread. In the image above we also have our old school chocolate concrete cake and empire biscuits - another retro family and school favourite.

🥣 How To Prepare

This is the easiest cake ever because it uses the all-in-one method as all you have to do is add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and mix with a mixing spoon.

The ingredients you will require for this vegan sponge traybake are - self-raising flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and water.

For the topping you will need - fruit jam and desiccated coconut.

Alternative topping: For a water icing topping you will need - icing sugar [powdered sugar, water and cake sprinkles.

Sponge cake batter in the baking pan uncooked.

Step 1: Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, vanilla, vegetable oil, and water together in a mixing bowl.

Step 2: Pour the cake mixture into a prepared baking pan.

Sponge baked and golden in baking pan sitting on wire rack, white wooden background.

Step 3: Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden, risen, and a skewer popped in comes out clean.

Step 4: Leave the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before carefully removing from the pan to a cooling rack.

Decorate cooled cake:

Cake being spread with jam on chopping board.

Step 1: Spread fruit jam over the surface of the cake until well covered.

Sponge traybake on greaseproof paper and spread with jam and sprinkled with desiccated coconut, wooden handled cake knife to side.

Step 2: Sprinkle desiccated coconut over the fruit jam.

Old school sponge cake marked into 12 slices on greaseproof paper background.

Step 3: Slice into 12 square portions.

Alternative topping: Water icing topping with cake sprinkles

If you prefer an icing topping then make a thick water icing by mixing about 250 grams [9oz] of icing sugar with about 9 teaspoons of water, adjusting the quantities if necessary, until you have a thick spreadable water icing. Cover the entire cake with the icing spreading it out.

Next, sprinkle cake sprinkles over the icing and leave the icing to set. You can pop the cake into the refrigerator if you would like the icing to set quicker. Once set you can slice into portions.

Square of sponge cake on saucer sitting on tea tray with empire biscuit to side and tea cup in distance, place mat with white pom-poms.

Serving suggestion: Enjoy with a nice cup of tea or coffee, or nice glass of chilled oat milk. For a hearty dessert serve with hot custard, cream, or a scoop of ice-cream. We have our family vegan custard recipe below in the recipe notes.

📋 Recipe Notes

⏲️ Storing

Store this cake within a cake tin or covered food container for up to 5 days, in a cool, dry area. Or cover with food safe wrap or place into a container and store in the refrigerator.

Undecorated cake can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.

🧾 FAQ'S

What pairs well with this cake?

It is traditional to serve jam and coconut sponge with custard especially pink or green! Usually pink custard would be made with a packet of strawberry or raspberry blancmange mix. But we haven't been able to source one that is dairy free and vegan. But we do have a vegan custard recipe outlined in the next question. You could try adding some pink or green food colouring if you want a more authentic old school dinners experience!

Do you have a vegan custard recipe?

Yes, the following recipe is the one our family uses on a regular basis.

Vegan Custard Recipe:

A tasty, easy plant-based custard that can be ready in under 20 minutes and used to compliment all your favourite vegan puddings.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons of custard powder

- 2-3 tablespoons of granulated sugar or any sugar, syrup or sweetener of choice

- 400-500 ml (2 cups) of plant-based milk. (The amount depends on whether you prefer a thin or thicker custard).

Method:

1. Mix the custard powder and sugar together in a medium saucepan.
2. Add a few tablespoons of milk and mix thoroughly to a smooth paste.
3. Over a medium heat slowly add the rest of the milk to the paste, whisking with a wooden spoon or fork to avoid lumps.
4. Bring to a gently boil, stirring all the time.When simmering turn heat to low.
5. Cook and stir for a minute or two. If the custard is too thick just add a little extra milk and stir.
6. If its too thin then simmer for a bit longer to thicken up.
7. Stir all the time to avoid burning or sticking to the pot. Serve immediately or cover the surface with a piece of parchment paper to try avoid a skin forming.
8. If a skin does form just whisk it into the custard.
9. If you leave your custard and it becomes too thick just use a fork or whisk and mix through some extra milk to thin.
10. Gently reheat if necessary.

What's the best oil to use for this cake?

Any type of neutral flavoured vegetable oil is fine for this cake such as rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, or safflower oil.

Can I use plain flour or all-purpose flour instead of self-raising flour for this recipe?

Yes, but you will also have to add an extra ½ [half] teaspoon of baking powder, and a ¼ [quarter] teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda [baking soda], and a few pinches of salt to the flour.

👩🏽‍🍳 More vegan old school dinner bakes

Old-school dinner bakes make perfect family desserts and sweet treats and have the additional bonus of sparking happy memories of school and childhood - although this does depend on the recipe as many people hated school dinner options!

Even if you were not brought up on these bakes you can still discover a new family favourite to enjoy with your loved ones. All our recipes are egg-free and dairy-free so perfect for those with egg or dairy allergies and for those experimenting with egg-free bakes, as well as vegan diets.

Our family especially loves this Old-School Chocolate Sponge and this fun Chocolate Concrete Cake.

For afternoon tea or an easy evening supper an Empire Biscuits or a few Jam Tarts along with a nice cup of tea, coffee, or chilled oat milk is always a nice treat.

***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***

📖 Recipe

Vegan Old School Dinners Jam and Coconut Sponge

Course: Afternoon tea, Dessert, Party, pudding, Snack

Cuisine: British

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 25

Cooling: 1

Total Time: 1 35

Servings: slices

Calories: 234kcal

Author: Jacq

Our School Dinners Jam and Coconut Sponge is a Vegan take on a retro traybake, that is still a very popular family favourite today. This bake dates back to the 60s, 70s, and 80s British school dinners. It is perfect for afternoon tea, tea time, picnics, parties and lunch boxes.

It is so easy and quick to prepare with every day store-cupboard ingredients - despite being an egg-free and dairy-free vanilla sponge you won't need any fussy ingredients. Also, if you are a home-baker then you'll likely already have the ingredients for this quick and easy vegan cake.

We have included an easy vegan custard recipe that is perfect with our sponge cake down below in the recipe notes.

Print Recipe

Metric - US Customary

Equipment

Rectangular baking tray with deep sides/brownie pan. Size roughly about 10/11 inch by 6/7 inch.
Baking paper.
Mixing bowl
sieve
mixing spoon
cooling rack
tablespoon

Ingredients

225 grams self-raising flour [or plain or all purpose flour with an extra ½ teaspoon of baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda [baking soda] and a few pinches of salt]
2 teaspoons baking powder
175 grams caster sugar [or granulated]
6 tablespoons vegetable oil [such as rapeseed or sunflower oil]
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
225 millilitres water

Jam and coconut topping:

8 tablespoons fruit jam [give the jam a good mix with a spoon so it's easier to spread]
4 tablespoons desiccated coconut [use more if required]

Instructions

Prepare the sponge:

Preheat oven to 160 Fan, 180 Celsius, 350 Fahrenheit, Gas 4.
Grease the pan with a little oil, and line with baking paper.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl, and mix through the sugar.
225 grams self-raising flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 175 grams caster sugar
Pour the oil, vanilla, and water into the mixing bowl, and mix everything to a smooth batter.
6 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 225 millilitres water
Scoop the cake batter into the baking dish.
A spatula is useful as it helps scrape all the batter off the bowl.
Place the baking dish on the middle shelf of the oven.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Check how its going after 25 minutes, its ready when risen, firm, lightly golden, and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Leave the cake for about 15 minutes to cool in the pan and then carefully remove to cool on a cooling rack.
Once cool carefully peel away the baking paper.
Once cool finish the traybake by adding the topping.

Jam and coconut topping:

Stir your jam with a cutlery tablespoon to loosen it up and make it easier to spread.
Spread the jam over the top of the cake.
8 tablespoons fruit jam
Sprinkle the coconut over the jam, using more coconut if necessary to nicely cover.
4 tablespoons desiccated coconut
Slice the cake into 12 pieces.

Notes

Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
Store jam sponge in a covered airtight container for up to 5 days in a cool, dry place. The container can also be placed in the fridge.
Un-decorated sponge can be frozen, well wrapped, for 3-4 months. Defrost at room temperature, with wrappings removed. Once at room temperature toppings can be added.
For a water icing topping with sprinkles: Mix about 250 grams [9oz] of icing sugar with about 9 teaspoons of water, adjusting the quantities if necessary, until you have a thick spreadable water icing. Cover the entire cake with the icing spreading it out. Scatter cake sprinkles over.
For a lemon traybake: add some grated lemon zest to the sponge mix. Use lemon juice to prepare the water icing topping instead of the water. Decorate with sprinkles or more lemon zest.
Vegan custard recipe: this can be ready in under 20 minutes and used to compliment all your favourite vegan puddings. Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of custard powder
- 2-3 tablespoons of granulated sugar or any sugar, syrup or sweetener of choice
- 400-500 ml (2 cups) of plant-based milk. (The amount depends on whether you prefer a thin or thicker custard).
Method:
1. Mix the custard powder and sugar together in a medium saucepan.
2. Add a few tablespoons of milk and mix thoroughly to a smooth paste.
3. Over a medium heat slowly add the rest of the milk to the paste, whisking with a wooden spoon or fork to avoid lumps.
4. Bring to a gently boil, stirring all the time.When simmering turn heat to low.
5. Cook and stir for a minute or two. If the custard is too thick just add a little extra milk and stir.
6. If its too thin then simmer for a bit longer to thicken up.
7. Stir all the time to avoid burning or sticking to the pot. Serve immediately or cover the surface with a piece of parchment paper to try avoid a skin forming.
8. If a skin does form just whisk it into the custard.
9. If you leave your custard and it becomes too thick just use a fork or whisk and mix through some extra milk to thin.
10. Gently reheat if necessary.

Nutrition

💬 Comments

Prepared our Vegan School Dinners Jam and Coconut Sponge? Do pop back and drop us a comment below and click the star ratings as we would love to know how you got on with the recipe. Thanks so much! Love Jacq x