Guide to Vegan Baking - All You Need to Know! 

With the demand for alternatives to traditional baking ingredients steadily rising, it is now easier than ever to find dairy-free, gluten-free and organic ingredients for your tasty desserts. For those of us who are leaning more towards a vegan diet, want to make a treat for friends that satisfy everyone’s dietary requirements or are already vegan and want to try new alternatives, iPantry’s vegan, organic and gluten free page is your one-stop-shop for everything alternative. Making the switch to a plant-based lifestyle and need new baking recipes? Don’t worry; we will cover everything you need to know down below.

Vegan Chocolate Cake Recipe

Who doesn’t love chocolate cake? Here’s a vegan flip on this classic dessert dish. We will be using a delicious vegan buttercream frosting for our twist on the classic chocolate cake.

Here’s what you’ll need:

250g unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

250g all-purpose flour

350g granulated sugar

64.5g Organic Mountain cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

109g melted coconut oil

162g unsweetened applesauce

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

236g boiling water

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

86g Organic Mountain cocoa powder

340.5g earth balance vegan butter, softened, baking sticks preferred

480g powdered sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

62.5g unsweetened almond milk

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C and grease two 9-inch cake pans.
2. Measure 250g unsweetened almond milk and add the tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to it. Stir slightly and set aside to curdle.
3. Add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. 
4. Add oil, applesauce, vanilla and almond milk/vinegar mixture. Mix on medium speed until well combined. 
5. Lower the speed and carefully pour in the boiling water, mixing into the cake batter until combined. 
6. Divide the batter evenly between your cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes. After 10 minutes of cooling in the pan, carefully remove cakes from the pans and let cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Instructions

1. Add the cocoa powder to a large bowl.
2. Add the softened vegan butter and mix with a hand mixer until creamed and well combined.
3. Add half of the powdered sugar and half of the almond milk and mix until combined. Add the rest of the powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Mix until fluffy and combined.
4. Frost the cake and enjoy!

Vegan Slice Recipe 

Try this easy vegan and gluten-free no-bake slice recipe.

Ingredients:

For the base

• 68g rolled oats
• 52g unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 13g cocoa powder
• 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
• 40ml maple syrup
• 20ml melted coconut oil

For the middle layer

• 125g cashew butter
• 20ml maple syrup
• 40ml melted coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp fine sea salt

For the topping

• 100g dark chocolate
• 40ml coconut oil

Instructions

1. Line a 10 x 16 cm container with baking paper.
2. Process the base ingredients in a small food processor until well combined. Set aside in the freezer.
3. Mix the middle layer ingredients together until smooth. Pour over the base and place in the freezer.
4. Melt chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave. Stir until well combined and allow to cool slightly. Pour over the middle layer, then chill in the fridge for an hour to set.
5. Once firm, cut into pieces with a sharp knife. 

Vegan Pastry Recipes

Ingredients

Vegan Butter

60g cocoa butter

70g flavourless coconut oil 

30g extra virgin olive oil

36g aquafaba

6g miso

Vegan Puff Pastry

160g pastry flour 

2.46g fine sea salt

160g vegan butter

95ml cold water 

Butter Instructions

1. Melt the cocoa butter in the microwave. Set aside to cool for an hour.
2. Melt the coconut butter and allow for it to cool completely.
3. Place olive oil in a small jar and refrigerate while cocoa butter is cooling. 
4. Combine cocoa butter, coconut oil and olive oil in a jug. 
5. Grab a jug with a narrow base. Add the aquafaba, place your immersion blender in the jug, and blend the aquafaba until foamy. 
6. Keep the blender running and slowly add in the oils and coconut butter. Once all of the oil has been added, add miso and blend fully until combined. 
7. Pour mixture into a small rectangular baking dish lined with plastic wrap and refrigerate. 

Pastry Instructions

1. Place flour in a medium bowl. Add salt and mix until combined.
2. Break the butter into chunks and rub it into the flour. 
3. Add water slowly and mix until you have a dough. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. Form the dough into a rectangle and roll it out. It should be three times its original length. Fold the top third of the dough onto the middle of the dough and the bottom third on top. 
5. Give the dough a quarter turn and roll it out again until it is three times its original length. Fold the top third to the middle and the bottom third on top of that. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat another two times and the pastry is ready!

Vegan Pudding Recipe

Ingredients

150g granulated sugar

6 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons cornstarch

0.25 teaspoon salt

607.5g unsweetened soy milk

2 tablespoons vegan butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Whisk sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt together in a pot. Turn the heat to medium and slowly stir in the milk.
2. Bring it to a simmer and stir constantly, letting the mixture thicken.
3. Take the pot off the heat and stir in vanilla and vegan butter.
4. Transfer the chocolate pudding to a container and let it chill for a few hours. After it has chilled, serve and enjoy!

Pudding Baking Techniques 

You can make a vegan chocolate pudding pie (or tart) by pouring the pudding over a crust. Or, to save time, why not use Aston Lucas Gourmet - Vegan and Gluten Free Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding 400g? It is a delicious, locally made pudding that is a great option for a quick and easy pie or tart.

Choose iPantry for all your vegan cooking needs and begin baking like a pro today!