Snow angel cake

Name: Snow angel cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8 servings

A lovely treat for Christmas: this three-layer sponge cake has standard and vegan versions and four festive fillings.

3 layered cake on a festive table with a snow angel outlined in icing sugar on the top

By Saga Magazine | Published - 11 Dec 2025

A lovely cake for Christmas, with both a standard and vegan version. All the fillings are vegan-friendly too.

If you want to include the sugar storm, its worth practising beforehand.

Prep time

30 mins

Cooking time

50 mins

Serves

Ingredients

250g unsalted butter at room temperature
250g caster sugar
250g self-raising flour
4 medium free range eggs, beaten
A few drops of vanilla extract
A good pinch of baking powder
Icing sugar to dust your cake

Ingredients for the fillings

Filling one:

2 lemons
2 tsp icing sugar

Filling two:

200g frozen or tinned cherries or blueberries

Filling three:

200g ready-to-eat prunes, chopped
20ml Marsala wine

Filling four:

500ml whipping cream or vegan whipping cream

For sugar storm

150g sugar

For vegan sponge

600g self-raising flour
3 tsp bicarbonate of soda
150g ground almonds
480g granulated sugar
520ml soya milk
300ml soya yogurt
100ml vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4.
Using a large spoon, cream together the butter and caster sugar until it makes a smooth paste.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix together thoroughly.
With a little extra butter, grease and line 3 x 20cm cake tins and divide the sponge mixture between each tin. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cakes have risen and have a golden brown top. You can test if the sponges are ready by putting a metal skewer into them – if it comes out clean, they’re done.
Leave the sponges to cool in their tins for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

For vegan sponge cake

Mix all the ingredients together in a food processor and divide between three cake tins. Bake for 30 minutes at 190C/gas mark 5.

Methods for the fillings

Filling one method

Using a sharp knife, cut away the outer peel and pith of the lemons. Then make cuts each side of the skin membrane to create segments. Place the lemon segments and the sugar into a non-stick frying pan and gently cook for five minutes. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. Remove any pips.

Filling two method

Allow the cherries to thaw or drain the tinned cherries. Set aside.

Filling three method

Place the ingredients into a pan and gently cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Filling four method

Whip the cream until gentle peaks are formed. Be careful not to over-whip.

To assemble the cake

Place the first layer of sponge cake onto a serving plate and spread with a layer of cream. Put half the lemon mixture in the centre and the cherry mixture around the edge.
Place the second cake on the top of the first, and cover with cream. Put the remaining lemon mixture in the centre and the prune mixture around the edge.
Put the final cake layer on the top.

To make the snow angel decoration

Make a template of a snow angel. Put a small blob of sticky tape/tack on your paper angel and place on your cake (Tack facing up – this will make it easier to lift the angel off.) Dust the icing sugar over the template, then remove the card to leave the shape of a snow angel.

Final sugar storm topping

This may take a dry run to get right!
This part of the cake will look fantastic – however, you will need to practise. Boiling sugar gets extremely hot, so this method should not be attempted by a child.

Sugar storm method

Place half the sugar into a non-stick frying pan. Gently heat, stirring from time to time. As the sugar starts to melt, add the remaining sugar.
Allow the sugar mixture to gently boil, and reduce the heat until a sticky syrup similar to honey has formed. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. The syrup will become thicker as it cools.
Place lots of greaseproof paper onto your work surface. Hold your arm as high as you can above the work surface, and, using two forks, drizzle small amounts of the sugar syrup with a gentle circular motion onto the paper. As it falls, it will form thin strands. Continue doing this, carefully building up layers. Once a sugar storm has built up, transfer it to crown your cake. As a final touch, dust a little more icing sugar over the sugar storm.

Our thanks to The Vegetarian Society for providing this recipe.

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