I bet I’m not the only baker to be anxious about making a vegan cake for the first time, especially as I am not vegan myself. When I think of cakes, the two ingredients that immediately spring to mind are eggs and butter - but obviously vegans can’t eat either of these.
So I searched the internet for a recipe and changed one of the ingredients very slightly to make the cakes taste extra yummy - that’s what I hoped at least.
Recipes for a lot of vegan cakes recommend using dairy-free milk, but I didn't just want to use soy as this seemed rather bland to me. I considered almond milk, but was worried as I was making the cakes for a public event at which people with a nut allergy could be attending. So I opted for vanilla dairy-free milk, which sounds absolutely scrummy and I hoped would bring extra flavour to the cakes that may possibly be lacking from the omission of butter and egg.
I made vanilla cupcakes and a vanilla Victoria sponge - each had a slightly different recipe, both of which you will find at the bottom of this blog.
Having not made anything vegan before, I made an extra batch of cupcakes for my teenage daughter, Amber, and I to taste test. I was so apprehensive, and if anyone is going to tell me the truth then Amber will. I took a cupcake to her bedroom after I had quickly iced it and anxiously awaited her opinion. To my relief she said it tasted good and once I had walked out of her bedroom and back to the kitchen, she had obviously taken another bite and shouted down the hall, “Actually these cupcakes are really good.”Phew I had nailed it! I then went and tried a cupcake myself - three cupcakes later and I can tell you they are delicious!
My vegan journey is a success - I just hope my customer likes my makes and bakes as well.
Vegan Vanilla Cupcake Recipe - Makes 12
Ingredients
Cupcakes
225g Self raising flour
200g Caster sugar
250ml Vanilla dairy free milk
2 tsp Vanilla extract
75ml Vegetable oil
1 tbsp White wine vinegar
Buttercream
150g Dairy free spread
350g Icing sugar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cupcakes
Preheat oven to 180c/160c fan and get 12 cupcake cases ready.
In a large bowl, whisk together your flour and sugar.
Pour in your milk, vanilla, oil and vinegar, mix until smooth.
Try not to over mix, but make sure the lumps are gone.
Split between 12 cases (it will be quite runny) but only use 12 cases.
Bake in the oven for about 20-22 mins, or until baked through.
Leave to cool.
For the buttercream
Beat the dairy free butter until smooth (it won't take long due to it being dairy free it is already very soft)
Add in the icing sugar and vanilla and beat again until fluffy and looks like buttercream!
Pipe onto your cakes and decorate how you wish.
Vegan Vanilla Victoria Sponge Recipe
Ingredients
For the cake
450g Self raising flour
150g Light brown soft sugar
150g Caster sugar
1tsp Baking powder
1tsp Bicarbonate of soda
400ml Vanilla dairy free milk
175ml Vegetable oil
2 tsp Vanilla extract
1tbsp White wine vinegar
For the decoration
150g Dairy free spread
350g Icing sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Jam
Strawberries
Instructions
For the cake
Prehead oven to 180c/160 fan and line two 8"/20cm round cake tins with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, add the flour, sugars, bicarb, baking powder and mix till all is mixed evenly.
Add the vanilla dairy free milk, vegetable oil and white wine vinegar.
Mix as little as possible until just combined and no lumps.
Spit evenly between the two tins and bake for 35-45 mins, I would suggest checking from 35 mins.
Once baked leave to cool fully on a wire rack.
For the decoration
Beat the butter til smooth
Add the icing sugar and vanilla and beat again til combined and smooth.
Spread half the buttercream over the first sponge.
Put some jam on the underside of the second sponge and place this on top of the sponge you have just spread with buttercream.
Add the rest of the buttercream to the top of the cake and spread evenly.
Add strawberries if you wish, but feel free to decorate how you please.
Enjoy!
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