Step 1

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).

Step 2

Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil).

Step 3

Once melted, add the milk to the same bowl along with the vinegar, maple syrup and ground almonds.

Step 4

Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Step 5

Mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry.

Step 6

Transfer mixture into a square baking tin lined with baking paper (I used a 23cm/9inch square baking tin).

Step 7

Bake in oven for around 15 minutes until risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Step 8

Leave the sponge in the tin to cool completely before cutting.

Step 9

Measure out the coffee in a jug and mix in the liqueur.

Step 10

You’ll need to keep your tins of coconut milk in the fridge overnight for the rich creamy bit to separate from the watery bit at the bottom. Make sure it is full fat coconut milk, otherwise this separation won’t happen and you won’t be able to make this cream!

Step 11

Open the tins upside down – the coconut cream will be at the bottom and you can just pour off the watery liquid (save this for adding to soups or smoothies).

Step 12

Place the thick, creamy part into a bowl.

Step 13

Add the lemon juice, maple syrup and vanilla extract.

Step 14

Use an electric whisk (or a manual one and a lot of elbow grease) to whip up the coconut cream until light and fluffy.

Step 15

Cut the sponge in half both ways, then cut each square into three, so that you end up with 12 rectangular-shaped sponges.

Step 16

Use a chopping board to carefully slice each rectangular sponge in half horizontally.

Step 17

Lay half of the sponge rectangles along the bottom of a large baking dish (I used a 25cm/10inch by 22cm/8.5inch dish).

Step 18

Carefully spoon half of the coffee mixture over the sponges until absorbed completely - you will get more precision using a spoon to do this.

Step 19

Spread half of the mascarpone over the sponges.

Step 20

Lay the rest of the sponges on top of the mascarpone and carefully spoon over the remaining coffee mixture.

Step 21

Top with the remaining mascarpone and finish with a fine dusting of cocoa powder.

Step 22

Keeps well covered in the fridge for up to a day.