Summer Party Recipe: Vegan Strawberry Oat Shortcake Trifle

|Updated Sep 3, 2021

A dinner party isn't complete without a memorable dessert and a special presentation, which is why we created an easy-to-make delicious vegan strawberry oat shortcake trifle that looks and tastes like it took hours to make.

This shortcake recipe is healthier than the real thing because we ditched eggs and dairy and used plant-based ingredients and natural baking alternatives like apple cider vinegar, apple sauce, vegan butter, coconut whipped cream, rolled oats, coconut sugar, and more for all the same flavors without any animal product.

The best part is that this recipe is simple to make and children can partake. All you will need is 15 minutes to prep the cake batter, assemble the layers, and 27 minutes to wait for the cake to bake in the oven at 350 F.

When your guests finish the peach salad and zucchini pasta, introduce this delicious cake in the middle of the table, presented in a glass bowl so the colorful layers of cake and cream are seen for a picturesque moment. Be prepared to serve seconds and enjoy!

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 27 minutes

Vegan Strawberry Oat Shortcake Trifle

Serves 6-10

Ingredients

For the Cake:

1/2 cups unsweetened dairy-free milk, room temperature
2/3 tsp apple cider vinegar (to be mixed with dairy-free milk)
3 1/3 cups gluten-free rolled oats* see note for store-bought oat flour measurement
1 1/3 tsp baking powder
2/3 tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch
2/3 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup granulated coconut sugar or regular sugar
1/3 cup salted vegan butter (I recommend Flora Plant butter), room temperature
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
1 1/3 tbsp vanilla extract or 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract + 1/4 tsp vanilla powder

Layers:

3 cups sliced strawberries
3 cups coconut whipped cream, either store-bought or homemade

Instructions:

First, make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease two 8″ cake pans with cooking oil, and line them with parchment paper. Set aside. Measure out all ingredients before beginning.
Prepare the oat flour: pulse the oats in a high-speed blender or food processor until they reach a fine flour. Please see this post on how to make oat flour for all the tips and tricks.
Prepare the vegan buttermilk. Combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar, and set it aside to sit for 5-6 minutes. You can weigh and measure the remaining ingredients during this time.
Make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, baking powder, arrowroot starch, and baking soda. Set aside. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the vegan butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed. Then add in the applesauce and vanilla extract. Mix again on medium speed until combined, scraping down the sides and at the bottom of the bowl as needed. Add in about half of the dry mixture, along with half of the vegan buttermilk, and mix on medium speed until just combined. Add in the remaining dry mixture and vegan buttermilk, and mix on medium speed until there are just no more dry streaks. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl as well as the sides.
Bake the cakes: Divide the batter between the two cake pans evenly, and bake for 27 minutes in 8″ cake pans, or until the toothpick comes out clean.
Cool the cakes: allow the cakes to cool in the cake pans for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely before assembling.
When ready to serve: Prepare the coconut whipped cream if making homemade. Slice the cake into cubes. Assemble the strawberry shortcake trifle by layering half of the cake cubes on the bottom of the trifle dish or large clear bowl, followed by half of the strawberries and half of the coconut whipped cream.
Repeat with the remaining components, topping with coconut whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Serve and enjoy!

Nutritionals

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