These are what we called Vegan Swiss Cakes growing up. They consist of two soft biscuits sandwiched together with jam and topped with icing. Vegan Swiss cakes are very crumbly, soft and if you like almond then you will love them!!
The only recipe I have for these is a small piece of paper with it written on it. The paper does not look like much but is important to me as my mother wrote out the recipe about forty years ago. She died in April 1982 and I do not have very many examples of her handwriting so this little scrap of paper is very precious.
Ironically I do not ever remember her ever baking or even cooking very much as she had Tuberculosis and spent most of our childhood in hospital. When she was home she was frail and unable to do very much. She was a wonderful loving mother who tragically never got to see her children grow up. She was only forty-five when she died and her four children only nine to thirteen.
This is my mother, Veronica, and I in the only picture of us when I was a baby. It’s very different now with constant picture-taking but taking photographs was not an everyday event so there are not that many pictures of my mother. I think there is only two of all four children with both our parents and because my mother was in hospital so much we did not get to see her much never mind take pictures.
I missed her so much growing up and am very envious of people lucky enough to have their mothers when they are adults and especially when having their own children.
Never take your mother for granted as she will not always be here.
The beautiful cup and plate in the picture are from a set my parents got as a wedding present when they got married in 1968. I know these biscuits are probably not called Swiss Cakes but I do not know them by any other name. I have not found the same recipe anywhere else.
Making the recipe Vegan
Obviously the above recipe is not vegan but can easily be made vegan by using Aquafaba (liquid from tinned of chickpeas) instead of eggs. Mix with the almond essence. Cream the sugar and margarine together until pale. Stir in the flour to make a soft dough.
Wrap in clingfilm and chill in fridge for an hour. This is to firm it up because it is a very soft dough. Roll the dough to about 1cm or 1/3 inch thick on a floured surface.
Points to watch
You do not want to over knead the dough because you will toughen it up. This means you will not have a crumbly and soft Swiss Cake at the end. Cut out rounds with a 6cm or 2 1/2 inch cutter. Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. They should be barely starting to brown around the edges.
Cool on baking tray for a few minutes to firm up. Transfer to rack to fully cool. Sandwich together with jam and top with icing.
The icing is just some icing sugar mixed to a thick paste with water. Spread on the biscuits and decorate however you like. I have made these hundreds of times over the years and they are always popular with everyone. This makes about 30 biscuits. Swiss cakes will keep for up to a week in an airtight tin.
Vegan Swiss Cakes
Ingredients
- 225g/ 8oz Margarine or Vegan Butter
- 225g/ 8oz Caster sugar
- 9 Tablespoons Aquafaba
- 9 Tablespoons Water
- 510g/ 18oz Flour
- 2 Tablespoons Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Almond Essence
- 4 Tablespoons Jam
- 225g/ 8oz Icing Sugar
Instructions
- Beat margarine and sugar together until creamy and pale
- Beat in Aquafaba and almond essence.
- Mix in the flour and baking powder
- Wrap in clingfilm and chill for one hour
- Preheat oven to Gas 3/325F/170C
- Roll dough out on lightly floured surface to 1cm or 1/3 inch thick. Do not over handle the dough or it will get tough
- Cut out with 6cm/ 2/12 inch cutter
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until just barely brown at edges
- When cool sandwich together with jam
- Mix icing sugar to a thick paste with water. Spread on top of biscuits and decorate
Did you make this recipe? Take a pic and share it on Instagram with the hashtag #aveggiecooks__ and tag @aveggiecooks__. I would love to see it!
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