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Easy vegan bakes

by Malou Herkes

published on 3 January 2024

From traybakes to cookies, loaves to layer cakes, and all the brownie variations you could possibly need, these laid-back vegan bakes take the animal products and the stress out of plant-based baking.

Nadiya Hussain Apple and Olive Oil Cake

Nadiya Hussain’s Apple and Olive Oil Cake

This dense, sweet cake from Nadiya Hussain is drizzled with tangy apple syrup and topped with a fragrant olive oil frosting. It also happens to be gluten free.

From the book

vegan air fryer choc chip cookies

Air Fryer Choc Chip and Pistachio Cookies

by Niki Webster

Using just a handful of ingredients and 10 minutes in the air fryer, these cookies are a quick yet delicious sweet treat.

Nigella Lawson’s Vegan Lemon Polenta Cake

Nigella Lawson’s Vegan Lemon Polenta Cake

Made with ground almonds and polenta, this vegan cake from Nigella Lawson is irresistibly moist, with an intensely lemony flavour.

No-Bake Vegan Cherry Cheescake

by Myles Hopper, Giles Humphries

A great way to make the most of cherry season in the summer, this dairy-free vanilla cheesecake pairs beautifully with its topping of sweet, jammy cherries and base of blitzed pecans and dates.

Rainbow Bowls Apple Pot Pies

Vegan Apple and Date Pot Pies

by Niki Webster

Perfect for when you’re craving something warm and comforting, these pot pies feature a sweet, sticky, and slightly spiced filling and take just 35 minutes to make.

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Carrot Cake with Chocolate and Cream Cheese Topping

Carrot Cake with Chocolate and Cream Cheese Topping

by Jérôme Eckmeier, Daniela Lais

This cake combines carrot with sweet, vegan white chocolate, cream cheese and pistachios. From Vegan Cakes and Other Bakes, it’s an indulgent cake with a truly addictive texture.

Nigella Lawson’s Luscious Vegan Gingerbread

Nigella Lawson’s Luscious Vegan Gingerbread

“I am preposterously proud of this squidgy gingerbread, and I don’t mind who knows it”, says Nigella of this bake. Packed with all you could want from a gingerbread but with no butter or eggs in sight, you’ll be baking this spicy, sticky, fragrant treat all winter long.

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

by Roxy Pope & Ben Pook

Just when you thought brownies couldn’t get any more tempting, along comes this super simple recipe from One Pot Vegan, finished with a swirl of peanut butter and dark chocolate. 

Boozy Caribbean Pear Cake

Boozy Caribbean Pear Cake

by Roxy Pope & Ben Pook

Whole, fresh pears combine beautifully with vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and, of course, rum in this treacly Caribbean-inspired cake.

Melissa Hemsley’s Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Melissa Hemsley’s Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies

These gloriously simple cookies can easily be adapted for vegans by swapping the eggs for mashed banana. “The vegan version of these are just as delicious, none of us can decide which we love the most”, says Melissa of these nutty, chocolatey bites. 

Victoria Sponge Cake

Victoria Sponge Cake

This vegan take on an all-time classic is made with a coconut and vanilla filling, layered up with raspberry jam and topped with fresh berries. 

Vegan Chocolate Fudge Cake

Vegan Chocolate Fudge Cake

by Stork

Don’t be put off by the showstopping appearance of this chocolate fudge layer cake, it’s still as easy as can be, and makes for the perfect special occasion bake.

Dark and Sumptuous Chocolate Cake

Nigella Lawson’s Dark and Sumptuous Chocolate Cake

This darkly gleaming vegan chocolate cake from Nigella Lawson is a true showstopper. It’s incredibly easy to make, and Nigella scatters it with dried rose petals and crushed pistachios for a beautifully elegant finish. 

Meera Sodha’s Salted Miso Brownies

Meera Sodha’s Salted Miso Brownies

from EAST

Chia seeds and white miso might not be the most traditional brownie ingredients, but this recipe from Meera Sodha’s EAST is a total game-changer. The miso adds an addictive salted caramel flavour, while the milled chia seeds makes for a perfectly dense and fudgy texture. 

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Super-Chocolatey Snacking Cake

Super-Chocolatey Snacking Cake

by Jérôme Eckmeier, Daniela Lais

This snacking cake from Vegan On The Go is perfect for an afternoon treat. Filled with chocolate chips and covered in a moreish melted chocolate topping, it’s a vegan chocolate lover’s dream.

Raw Vegan Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cups

Raw Vegan Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cups

by Melissa Sharp, Lindsay Stark

These peanut butter and chocolate cups from Modern Baker: A New Way To Bake make a classic combination of flavour combination even more irresistible with the addition of sweet, sticky dates.  

Vegan Banana Bread

Vegan Banana Bread

by Jérôme Eckmeier, Daniela Lais

Looking for the perfect vegan banana bread recipe? Look no further. This easy recipe from Vegan Cakes and Other Bakes is totally free of eggs, dairy and any other animal products, and tastes just as good.

Salted Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Salted Chocolate Fudge Brownies

by Denise Smart

Nothing beats a brownie recipe that manages to create that perfect gooey middle, and this recipe for salted chocolate fudge brownies from Veganeasy does just that. Made using only five ingredients, these fudgy vegan brownies are simple to bake and the end results are nothing short of pure bliss. 

Chewy Molasses Spelt Cookies

Chewy Molasses Spelt Cookies

by Angela Liddon

For the cookie lovers out there, these chewy molasses spelt cookies from the plant-based bible Oh She Glows Every Day will satisfy those sweet cravings without overdoing it on the sugar content. 

Gingerbread Loaf Cake

by Holly Jade

A subtly spiced loaf cake flavoured with ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon to make you feel extra festive and fill the kitchen with delicious festive smells. Topped with a non-dairy frosting for extra decadence.

Winter Wonderland Orange and Cinnamon Cake

by Holly Jade

Here is the ultimate festive treat – a glorious moist orange and cinnamon sponge cake enclosed in a gingerbread house. A recipe for the young and young at heart.

Mince Pies

by Holly Jade

It wouldn’t be Christmas without a few mince pies and what better than a vegan recipe that calls for just five ingredients and much less than an hour of your time.

Gingerbread Cookies

by Holly Jade

A vegan take on a Christmas classic, Holly Jade’s Gingerbread cookies make a perfect present for family and friends. Alternatively, keep them quiet and devour at home with a hot drink.

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