Veganuary baking recipes every vegan must try!

Happy January! We’re super excited to start the New Year as well as celebrate Veganuary! We’ve researched and come up with five fabulous vegan baking recipes you can try for your next vegan baking session. Check out the recipes!

1. Vegan chocolate cake

Ingredients

For the cake

• Dairy-free sunflower spread, for greasing
• 1 large ripe avocado (about 150g)
• 300g light muscovado sugar
• 350g plain flour
• 50g good-quality cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• 400ml unsweetened soya milk
• 150ml vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the frosting

• 85g ripe avocado flesh, mashed
• 85g dairy-free sunflower spread
• 200g dairy-free chocolate, 70% cocoa, broken into chunks
• 25g cocoa powder
• 125ml unsweetened soya milk
• 200g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Vegan sprinkles, to decorate

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 160C. Grease two 20cm sandwich tins with a little dairy-free sunflower spread, then line the bases with baking parchment.
2. Put 1 large avocado and 300g light muscovado sugar in a food processor and whizz until smooth.
3. Add 350g plain flour, 50g cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 400ml unsweetened soya milk, 150ml vegetable oil and 2 teaspoon vanilla extract to the bowl with ½ teaspoon fine salt and process again to a velvety, liquid batter.
4. Divide between the tins and bake for 25 mins or until fully risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
5. Cool in the tins for 5 mins, then turn the cakes onto a rack to cool completely.
6. While you wait, start preparing the frosting. Beat together 85g ripe avocado flesh and 85g dairy-free sunflower spread with electric beaters until creamy and smooth. Pass through a sieve and set aside.
7. Melt 200g dairy-free chocolate, either over a bowl of water or in the microwave, then let it cool for a few mins.
8. Sift 25g cocoa powder into a large bowl. Bring 125ml unsweetened soya milk to a simmer, then gradually beat into the cocoa until smooth. Cool for a few mins.
9. Tip in the avocado mix, 200g sifted icing sugar, melted chocolate and 1 teaspoon vanilla, and keep mixing to make a shiny, thick frosting. Use this to sandwich and top the cake.
10. Cover with sprinkles or your own decoration, then leave to set for 10 mins before slicing. Can be made 2 days ahead.

2. Vegan cupcakes

Ingredients

For the dough

• 150ml almond or soy milk
• ½ teaspoon cider vinegar
• 110g vegan butter or sunflower spread
• 110g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 110g self-raising flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder

For the buttercream

• 125g vegan butter
• 250g icing sugar
• 1¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• a few drops of vegan food colourings (check the label)

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line the holes of a 12-hole cupcake tin with paper cases. Stir the milk and vinegar in a jug and leave to thicken slightly for a few mins. 
2. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until well combined. Whisk in the vanilla, then add the milk a splash at a time, alternating with spoonfuls of the flour. Fold in any remaining flour, the baking powder and a pinch of salt until you get a creamy batter. Don’t worry if it looks a little curdled at this stage. 
3. Divide between the cupcake cases, filling them two-thirds full, and bake for 20 – 25 mins until golden and risen. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
4. To make the buttercream, beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla with an electric whisk until pale and creamy. Divide between bowls and colour with different food colourings until you get desired strength. Spoon or pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.

3. Vegan banana cupcakes

Ingredients

• 2 large bananas (about 225g), blackened and peeled
• 50ml vegetable or sunflower oil
• 65g light brown sugar
• 150g plain flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 50g dried fruit and seed mix
• 2 tablespoon oats
• 2 tablespoon mixed seeds

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 180C. Mash the bananas in a medium bowl with a fork, then mix in the oil and sugar until combined.
2. Add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and dried fruit and seed mix. Mix until well combined.
3. Line a cupcake tray with 10-12 cupcake cases (the amount you need will depend on how big the bananas are) and fill them ¾ full of the mixture. Sprinkle with the oats and mixed seeds.
4. Bake for 25 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean. Leave it to cool on a wire rack.

4. Vegan carrot cake

Ingredients

For the icing

• 4 sachets (200g) creamed coconut
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoon cashew nut butter
• 50g icing sugar
• 60ml oat milk

For the cake

• 250ml jar coconut oil, melted
• 300g light brown sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
• 210ml dairy free milk or oat milk
• 420g plain flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, plus extra cinnamon to decorate
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 orange, zest only
• 4 medium carrots , grated (you want 270g grated weight)
• 75g chopped walnuts, plus extra to decorate

Instructions

1. Start by making the icing first. Mash the coconut cream with 2 tablespoon of hot water and the lemon juice until smooth. Add the cashew butter then whisk in the icing sugar followed by the oat milk. Continue to whisk until fully combined, set aside in the fridge until needed.
2. Heat the oven to 180C. Grease 2 x 20cm cake tins with a little of the melted coconut oil and line the bases with baking parchment. Whisk together the oil and sugar, then add the vanilla and milk. Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices and orange zest in a separate bowl. Add these to the wet mixture and stir well. Finally stir in the carrot and the nuts. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out cleanly. Cool in the tin for 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Sandwich the cakes together with half the icing then cover the top with the remaining icing (add a splash of oat milk if the icing feels too firm). Scatter over the nuts and dust the cake with a little cinnamon and decorate with edible flowers.

5. Vegan chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients

• 125g cold coconut oil
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 150g light muscavdo sugar
• 125ml coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 275g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon bicarb
• 200g vegan chocolate chips or vegan chocolate, chopped into small chunks

Instructions

1. Tip the coconut oil and sugars into a bowl and whisk until completely combined, then whisk in the coconut milk and vanilla. Tip the flour, baking powder, bicarb and a good pinch of flaky sea salt into the mix to make a thick batter, then fold through the chocolate chips. Chill the batter for at least 1hr. Can be made 2 days ahead.
2. Heat the oven to 180C. Line a couple of baking sheets with baking parchment, then scoop or roll plum-sized balls of the dough and place them on the baking sheets about 2cm apart. Flatten ever so slightly and sprinkle with a bit more flaky salt if you want. Cook on the middle shelf for 12-15 mins, turning the tray once, until the cookies have spread and are golden but still soft in the middle. Leave to cool slightly, then lift the cookies onto a cooling rack while you bake another batch. Will keep in a biscuit jar for up to 3 days.