• Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit (180° Celsius). Grease and line two 9-inch baking pans with parchment paper and set aside. Place a small to medium-sized bowl in the fridge (for coconut whipped cream).
• Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, then add the sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and combine well.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the non-dairy milk, oil, vanilla extract, and vinegar and add into the flour mixture. Gently combine until just combined—make sure you don’t overmix, this will make the cake tough!
• Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Let cakes cool completely on a rack, then transfer them carefully out of the cake pans and place on a cake circle, sheet pan or plate, and place in the fridge while you make the whipped cream and prepare the berries. The cakes need to be completely chilled before you start decorating.

Start preparing the whipped cream:

• Remove the canned coconut milk from the fridge, carefully open it, the top part will be solid. Carefully remove the solid cream with a spoon, saving the coconut liquid for a later time (it's great in smoothies!).
• Place the solid coconut cream in the chilled bowl of a stand mixer, fit the whisk attachment on and start whipping, then add in the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk for about 2 minutes or so until a cream forms. Place in the pre-chilled cold bowl and return to the fridge while you start on the canned chickpea liquid part of the cream.
• Clean out the bowl you whipped the coconut cream in (make sure it’s not warm, but cool to the touch before adding the liquid). Add the canned chickpea liquid (also known as aquafaba) in a chilled bowl of a stand mixer, fit it with the whisk and start whisking on high speed for about 1-2 minutes, then add the cream of tartar, continue whisking for another 5 minutes.
• Finally, add the confectioner’s sugar gradually and then the vanilla extract and whisk for another 2 minutes. In total, you should whip the liquid for about 9-10 minutes (yes I know it sounds like a lot but this way you get a thick, solid cream).
• Bring out the prepared whipped coconut cream and carefully fold it into about half of the aquafaba (there will be leftover cream), using a spatula. Place some of the cream in a piping bag fitted with a star tip and place in the fridge while you cover the cake with the remaining cream.
• Start by filling the cake and spread some cream on the first layer cake, and add a few strawberries on top, then place the second cake layer carefully on top, then coat the entire cake with whipped cream. Smooth the top, then start decorating the cake in the shape of the Norwegian flag, starting with the blueberries, making a cross, then piping little ‘dots’ along the edges of the blueberries. Then decorate with the sliced strawberries to make four squares.
• And voila—you’ve got a May 17th cake!

Some key points to keep in mind before baking

• Don’t overwork the batter, barely fold it together to mix in the flour. Otherwise, the cake won’t get as light and delicate.
• Resist the temptation to open the oven to check on your cake before the 30 minutes are over. If you don't resist your cake might sink and collapse in the middle. If you have an oven light, turn it on so you can view it from the outside.
• If you have an oven thermometer this is great too, as most ovens vary in temperature. You want to make sure your oven is actually set at 350° Fahrenheit (180° Celcius).
• Make sure to completely cool, then chill the cakes in the fridge before decorating. Adding whipped cream to even slightly warm cakes… well—the cream will melt and you’ll have a mess on your hand.
• Do not use light canned coconut milk - full fat is a must, the higher the fat content the better (14 grams is good).
• Don’t rush the whipping of the aquafaba. For it to stay together and be workable whipping it for 9 to 10 minutes is a must. And yes, up to a cup of confectioners' sugar is right to add, in order to make it taste sweet and to thicken up and hold the shape of whipped cream. Choose low-sodium cans of chickpeas as we don’t want salty whipped cream :)
• Now you're ready—happy baking and please tag me on IG @arcticgrub if you decide to bake the cake!