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Vegan School Dinners Sponge (traybake)

Published: Feb 7, 2021 · Modified: Jan 31, 2023 by Jacq · This post may contain affiliate links ·28 Comments

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Vegan school dinners jam and coconut sponge traybake is perfect for afternoon tea, picnics, parties and lunch boxes.

So easy and quick to prepare with every day store-cupboard ingredients.

It's likely that you already have the ingredients for this tasty classic retro traybake.

Vegan School Dinners Jam and Coconut Sponge Traybake

The term old school dinners refers to the school dinners of the 70s, 80s, and 90s and the traditional bakes, desserts and meals that were served up during school dinnertimes.

School Dinners Vegan Jam Sponge is a plant-based remake of the old British school dinners favourite. Best of all this cake tastes just as good as the traditional old school bake.

The sponge recipe for this traybake is adapted from a recipe I discovered years ago eggless sponge cake from the book Rose Elliot's Book Of Cakes (1984).

You can check out Rose Elliot's website and some of her recent books over at roseelliot.com.

I bake this traybake for picnics, afternoon tea, pack lunch, and whenever anyone comes to visit.

Jam and coconut sponge is also ideal as part of buffet or pot luck spreads, parties, cake sales, any celebration or special occasion where food is involved.

The topping can be adjusted to your favourite frosting or decoration. Try a thick water icing and finish with vegan hundreds and thousands sprinkles. So pretty.

vegan school sponge with afternoon tea spread — Enjoy old school sponge with an afternoon tea spread. So fun and tasty. Above is old school chocolate concrete cake (cookie/chocolate crunch) and empire biscuits.

How To Prepare Vegan Old School Dinners Jam and Coconut Sponge:

old school sponge vegan in the baking pan uncooked. — **Mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, oil, water and vanilla together until a smooth batter is achieved.**

**Pour the cake mixture into the prepared baking pan.**

sponge baked and golden in baking pan sitting on wire rack, white wooden background. — **Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden, risen and a skewer popped in comes out clean.**

**Leave to cool in the pan.**

cake being spread with jam on chopping board. — **To decorate: Spread fruit jam over the surface.**

vegan sponge traybake on greaseproof paper and spread with jam and sprinkled with desiccated coconut, wooden handled cake knife to side. — **Sprinkle desiccated coconut over the fruit jam.**

vegan old school sponge cake marked into 12 slices on greaseproof paper background. — **Slice into 12 squares.**

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. — **Absolutely perfect served with a cup of tea.**

Recipe Notes And FAQS

How do I store jam and coconut sponge?

Store this sponge traybake within a cake tin or covered food container for up to 5 days, in a cool, dry area.

Or cover with food safe wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze jam and coconut sponge?

Yes!

Undecorated jam and coconut sponge can be frozen well wrapped with food and freezer safe wrap for up to 3-4 months.

Remove the wrap before defrosting. Decorate soon after defrosting.

What can I serve with old school jam and coconut sponge?

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 I haven't been able to source one that is dairy free and vegan.

However, for a vegan plant-based custard recipe the following is the one I always use:

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 tablespoon 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:

Mix the custard powder and sugar together in a medium saucepan.

Add a few tablespoons of milk and mix thoroughly to a smooth paste.

Over a medium heat slowly add the rest of the milk to the paste, whisking with a wooden spoon or fork to avoid lumps.

Bring to a gently boil, stirring all the time.When simmering turn heat to low.

Cook and stir for a minute or two. If the custard is too thick just add a little extra milk and stir.

If its too thin then simmer for a bit longer to thicken up.

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.

If a skin does form just whisk it into the custard.

If you leave your custard and it becomes too thick just use a fork or whisk and mix through some extra milk to thin.

Gently reheat if necessary.

How do I prepare pink custard?

For a traditional pink custard vegetarian recipe, check this one here at littlestuff.co.uk.

However, the link to the little stuff recipe isn't vegan so only suitable for the vegetarians, etc in your life! Unless of course you can source a vegan blancmange mix and use plant-based milk.

You could always try adding some vegan-friendly pink food colouring to the vegan custard recipe above. I have tried several times to colour the custard pink but the colour was more peachy!

More Vegan Tasty Traditional Bakes To Enjoy:

Old School Dinners Chocolate Sponge (with a chocolate ganache frosting and can be served with hot vegan custard or chilled cream)

Vegan Fruit Loaf Cake (the only fruit loaf cake recipe you'll ever need! So good with a cup of tea or coffee.)

Crunchy Cornflake, Coconut And Chocolate Traybake

Edinburgh Fruit Scones

Scottish Smiddy Dumpling (easier cousin of the famous clootie dumpling!)

British Rock Cakes (similar to scones but much easier!)

Recipe

Vegan Old School Dinners Jam and Coconut Sponge (traybake)

Print Recipe

Enjoy a slice of history with this delicious old British School dinners vegan jam and coconut sponge traybake.

So simple and quick to bake and irresistibly moreish with its light, fluffy, and moist sponge.

Especially good for including within an afternoon tea spread, picnic or for a lunch box treat.

Serve with hot vegan custard for the ultimate comfort food pudding.

Course Afternoon tea, Dessert, Party, pudding, Snack

Cuisine British

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Cooling 1

Total Time 1 35

Servings

Calories 234

Author Jacq

Equipment

Rectangular baking tray with deep sides/brownie pan. Size roughly about 10/11 inch by 6/7 inch. greaseproof paper/parchment if required

Ingredients

225 grams self-raising flour sieved, or plain/all purpose flour with an extra ½ teaspoon of baking powder
2 teaspoons baking powder sieved
175 grams caster sugar or granulated
6 tablespoons vegetable oil such as rapeseed/sunflower (this is not a strong tasting oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
225 ml water

Jam and coconut topping:

8 tablespoons fruit jam (jelly) Give the jam a good mix with a spoon so it's easier to spread.
4 tablespoons desiccated coconut

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Prepare the sponge:

Preheat oven to 160 Fan/ 180 Celsius/ 350 Fahrenheit/ gas 4.
Grease the baking dish and line with greaseproof paper if necessary.
Add dry ingredients to a mixing bowl.
Mix.
Add wet ingredients.
Mix to a smooth batter.
Scoop the cake batter into the baking dish. A spatula is amazing as it helps scrape all the batter off the bowl.
Place baking dish on the middle shelf of the oven.
Bake for 25-30 minutes depending on your oven. Fan ovens are often faster to bake. Check the traybake after 25 minutes.
Cake is ready when risen, lightly golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Leave the cake for about 20 minutes and then carefully remove from the tin to cool on a wire rack.
Or simply leave in the tin to cool. It will be fine.
Carefully peel away the baking paper.
Once cool finish the sponge by adding the decoration.