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.

Three mini Christmas cake muffins topped with glace cherries and pecan nuts in a square basket lined with gold star paper

Mini Christmas cake muffins with rum

Honey-roast parsnips

Mary Berry’s simmered red cabbage

Christmas pudding with Guinness and brandy butter

A delicious Christmas pudding recipe combining Guinness, rum and brandy to bring extra festive cheer to the table.

Marcus Wareing's turkey gravy recipe

TV chef Marcus Wareing shares his favourite recipe for Christmas gravy.

Savoury choux bun canapés with watercress and cream cheese filling

Cheesy watercress puff pastry stars

Savoury pastries with a peppery cream cheese and watercress topping make a perfect party canapé.

Roast hasselback potatoes

The ridges cut into these roast hasselback potatoes create a particularly crunchy, roasted outer layer, perfect for a showstopping Christmas dinner.

Fig on a plate garnished with rocket, walnuts and orange pieces

Festive figs with feta

This simple Christmas starter is easy to prepare and looks very impressive.

Brussels sprouts with nutmeg

Try these delicious Brussels sprouts stir fried with nutmeg - ideal for Christmas dinner.

Mary Berry’s orange-glazed ham with mango and orange salsa

Mary Berry shares her beautifully simple recipe for a Christmas centrepiece.

A gingerbread house decorated with piped icing

Paul Hollywood’s gingerbread house

Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood shares his recipe for a stunning Christmas gingerbread house, ideal for baking with grandchildren.

Best-ever Yorkshire puddings | Shutterstock

Best-ever Yorkshire pudding recipe

Crisp and golden, a Yorkshire pudding is essential for a great Sunday roast. Try our super-easy recipe.

Two glasses of Negroni with fresh orange slices on the side

Shake it up: Stanley Tucci’s Christmas cocktails

Actor Stanley Tucci shares his take on 3 classic cocktails to celebrate the Christmas festivities.

Top-down view of salmon blinis with garnish

Hot smoked salmon blinis

Hot and spicy little blinis with horseradish cream and flaked smoked salmon.

A close-up of a glass of eggnog with a stick of cinnamon and a dusting of nutmeg

Make your own eggnog

Jonathan Goodall shares his recipe for eggnog, the traditional Christmas drink that’s a velvety mixture of egg, milk, cream and brandy.

Three baked Camembert cheeses next to three vegetable skewers on a plate

Baked Camemberts with roasted vegetable skewers

A festive vegetarian starter of baked Camembert with seasonal vegetables skewered on rosemary stalks.

A plaited pastry with roasted pork inside and a dish of white sauce next to it

Mary Berry's pork en croute with stilton and apple

This pork en croute recipe from Mary Berry is a ﬁrst-rate dish for a Christmas dinner or special Sunday lunch.

Sausages wrapped in bacon with a sprig of rosemary garnishing each

Pigs in blankets

An easy recipe for Pigs in Blankets the traditional party snack or Christmas dinner side dish, of sausage wrapped in ham.

Roast potatoes, parsnips and shallots

This recipe is quick to prepare but is delicious - a perfect way to liven up the roast potatoes in your Christmas dinner.

Close-up of a left-over frittata with a slice missing and another one cut out from the main

Christmas leftovers frittata

This frittata recipe is an excellent way of using up vegetable leftovers from your Christmas dinner or Sunday lunch.

Figgy pudding

Try this recipe from Mary Norwak for a traditional figgy pudding that dates back to 16th-century England.

Honey-roast parsnips

A delicious and easy recipe that’s perfect for a fantastic Christmas dinner or Sunday lunch.

Honey-glazed Brussels sprouts with beetroot, blue cheese and walnuts

Jazz up your Christmas Brussels sprouts with this festive recipe.

Hot buttered rum

Try this classic cocktail that dates back to the 17th century – it’s perfect for cold winter nights.

Marmalade-glazed roast quail

For a more intimate Christmas, this quick and easy roast quail recipe from Diana Henry is ideal for two.

Five small bundt chestnut nut roasts garnished with rosemary and berries

Mini chestnut nut roasts with sage gravy

A delicious and decorative chestnut nut roast that makes a wonderful vegetarian or vegan Christmas lunch.

Pepparkakor – Scandinavian spiced Christmas biscuits

Traditional Swedish festive biscuits flavoured with cinnamon and ginger, these make ideal edible gifts.

White dish filled with pork chestnut stuffing topped with a sprig of rosemary

Pork and chestnut stuffing

A delicious Christmas stuffing recipe with chestnuts, pork, lemon and spinach that is ideal for Christmas dinner.

A plate of smoked salmon, dressed with watercress and radishes, on a black worktop

Smoked salmon sharing platter

This smoked salmon sharing platter with watercress and avocado takes minutes to prepare and is a great buffet dish.

Spiced Christmas tea buns

Hide the Christmas ‘to do’ list and take a moment to enjoy these spiced buns topped with butter.