VANILLA sponge, raspberry buttercream and meringue could be the winning recipe for one Oxford duo named as finalists in The Great Vegan Bake-Off.

The mouth-watering Eton Mess-style cake has been whipped up by students Robyn Trafford and Essie Barton, from Oxford, for the annual competition.

The dish, created by the pair who are starting up a vegan business called The Naked Lady Cookies, is one of seven to wow judges from competition organiser and animal rights charity PETA.

The charity is looking to crown the ‘Best Cruelty-Free Baker’ in the UK and now the public are being urged to vote before the end of the day today for their favourite of the dairy-free desserts.

Ms Barton, 22, said: “We chose Eton Mess for three reasons; first, the traditional version of the cake is full of dairy ingredients so it would be a challenge to create an equally-tasty vegan version.

“Secondly, doing so would show what vegan baking is capable of: one doesn’t need dairy for taste.

“Thirdly, Eton Mess is – as its name suggests – an English classic and we wanted to bake a cake that everyone knew and loved.”

The pair’s recipe includes a vanilla sponge made with golden syrup and oat milk over three layers, coated in a strawberry and raspberry buttercream, topped with meringue.

The meringue is made by mixing aquafaba (chickpea brine) and caster sugar.

Other finalists recipes include a raw coconut and cherry chocolate gateau, a vegan cactus cake using vegan ‘Nutella’, a chocolate and mango cream cake, a gluten-free pumpkin cake, a chocolate and pecan meringue cake and an apple and cider cake.

Voting closes today before judges will reveal who is the winner of the Great Vegan Bake-Off taking into consideration of voting numbers and a final assessment of how tasty it looks.

The competition results will be announced on Saturday and the winners will take the title of Great Vegan Bake-Off winner.

Oxford Mail:

Last year’s winner, Lorna Songhurst, wowed the judges with her indulgent raw chocolate-orange layer cake topped with chocolate mousse.

The founder of Totally Nuts by Blue-Milk catering company in Sevenoaks, Kent, wowed judges with the various elements including chocolate orange truffles and vegan honeycomb.

To cast your vote go online to peta.org.uk