You could be a seasoned plant-based baker or just been introduced to vegan living; either way, baking without milk, butter, or eggs doesn't mean sacrificing texture or taste. Vegan baking opens the door to a whole new world of wholesome treats that are not only kinder to your body but also to animals and our planet.
After all, gone are the days when vegan baking was simply crumbly cakes and dry cookies. Today, rich decadent vegan cakes, zesty lemon drizzle cakes, and fluffy pancakes can all be made with plant-based essentials without the guilt of using any animal-based ingredients.
What's more, you can impress guests at your summer BBQ by cooking dessert free from animal products at the barbecue itself! Scroll to the end for said recipe and more information on the method (just make sure no meat has been cooked on the same grill beforehand!).
Want to learn more about vegans? Read the comprehensive guide on what veganism is and the key components of a vegan diet.
In this guide, we will explore 10 easy vegan baking recipes that prove you don’t need dairy or eggs to create vegan cakes that are just wow.
The recipes all still look and taste as delicious as the full fat versions.
What Are the Benefits of Veganism?
Adopting a vegan diet offers a range of health benefits, and one of the most noticeable is that it helps them to get into shape and lose weight.
By replacing meat and animal-derived products with alternatives like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, peas, beans, seeds and nuts, vegans consume foods rich in essential nutrients that support overall health and well-being.
A vegan diet is known to improve kidney function and lower blood sugar levels, which can help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. Veganism is also believed to give you protection against certain cancers.
Up to one-third of cancers could be prevented through diet and lifestyle changes. For example, eating legumes regularly can lower the risk of colorectal cancer.
World Health Organisation
Nutritionists advise eating seven portions of fresh fruits, vegetables and fish per day to lower your risk of contracting and dying from any cancer. Since vegans likely consume a higher proportion of plant-based food, it could be argued that veganism could help you live longer.
Diets rich in fresh fruits, legumes, vegetables and fibre are known to lower your risk of getting heart disease.
And let’s not forget that plant-based diets can help to shed a few extra pounds! Studies show that many vegans have a lower body mass index than meat-eaters.
To summarise, here are the benefits of adopting a vegan lifestyle:
Here are some of our favourite nutritious, plant-based desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth!
10 Vegan Baking Recipes For Parties (Or Just For You!)
Here are ten recipes that use straightforward ingredients, suitable for any vegetarian or vegan diet. In case you don't have these ingredients at home, you can head over to your neighbourhood supermarket in Singapore to get these ingredients and begin on your baking journey.
1. Vegan Tiffin
This recipe by Sophie Godwin, cookery writer, is a simple yet delicious recipe.
Ingredients
• 75g coconut oil, plus extra for the tin
• 200g vegan dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp golden syrup
• 200g vegan ginger nuts
• 100g dried cranberries
• 50g pistachios, toasted and chopped
Method
- Melt the chocolate with the coconut oil and golden syrup in the microwave until smooth and glossy.
- Break the ginger nuts into small pieces and add the dried cranberries and pistachios.
- Lightly oil a 20cm square brownie tin with coconut oil and line it with baking parchment.
- Mix the chocolate mixture with the other ingredients and give everything a good mix.
- Then spoon the tiffin into the tin.
- Use the back of a spoon to smooth out the top and press it down, then chill in the fridge for 2 hrs or until set hard.
- Once set, cut into 25 mini squares.
Recipe courtesy of BBC Good Food.
2. Vegan Ondeh Ondeh Cupcake
Ondeh Ondeh cupcakes are an adaptation of the traditional Ondeh Ondeh—glutinous rice balls that are extremely popular in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. This vibrant dessert gets its colour from the pandan leaves and has a coconut filling sweetened with palm sugar.
Wet Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup fresh milk
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil
- ½ tsp pandan extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp caster sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
Method
- Preheat oven to 180ºC.
- Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in sugar and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk egg, coconut milk, fresh milk, oil, and pandan extract until smooth.
- Combine the wet ingredients with the dry mixture using a spatula until just mixed.
- Line a muffin tray with cups and fill each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely before icing.
Recipe courtesy Commune Kitchen
3. Vegan Banana Bread
Wet ingredients
• 8 very ripe bananas
• 3/4 cup (252g) maple syrup
• 1/3 cup (76g) coconut oil (melt if it’s cold and hard)
• 1 cup (250ml) unsweetened plain almond milk
• 1/4 cup (43g) chia seeds
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
• 1 cup (126g) millet flour
• 1 cup (169g) rice flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 cups (186g) unsweetened shredded coconut flakes
Method
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mash 6 bananas until smooth. Stir in the remaining wet ingredients and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients except coconut. Then add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until fully combined. Add coconut.
4. Pour the batter into loaf tins, smoothing out the tops. Top each loaf with slices of the remaining 2 bananas.
5. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and you get a banana bread perfect vegan cake.
6. Let the loaves cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe by Donna Wild for Vegan Society
4. Dairy-Free Vegan Brownies
Ingredients
• 110g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• 10g desiccated coconut (0.3oz - 2 tbsp)
• 80g brown sugar (6.3oz - 1 cup)
• 50g golden syrup (1.7oz - 2 tbsp)
• 120g soy milk (4.2oz - 1?2 cup)
• 15 drops vanilla extract
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
2. Sift the flour, the cocoa powder, and the baking powder into a bowl.
3. Add the coconut, the sugar, the syrup, the milk and the vanilla into the bowl.
4. Whisk the ingredients to combine them.
5. Pour the batter into a greased 20-centimetre pan, and bake the brownies for 20 minutes in the preheated oven.
5. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick to ensure they are cooked properly.
Recipe courtesy of Vegan Society.
5. 3-ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
Peanut Butter
Almond Flour
Maple Syrup
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Combine the peanut butter, almond flour, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla extract to form a smooth dough.
- Scoop 1–2 tablespoon portions, roll into balls, and place on the baking sheet.
- With the help of a fork, gently press each ball down and create a hatch pattern.
- Bake for 9–10 minutes until the edges are golden.
Recipe courtesy is by Megan of Boo Boo’s Bakery.
6. Vegan Vanilla Mug Cake
Ingredients
- ½ medium overripe banana, mashed
- 1 tablespoon canned coconut milk/cream or softened vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–3 tablespoons organic cane sugar (or preferred sugar)
- • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- • ½ teaspoon baking powder
- • Pinch of sea salt
Method
- Mash the banana in a bowl.
- Mix wet ingredients: Add coconut cream (or vegan butter), non-dairy milk, and vanilla; stir well.
- Add dry ingredients: Mix in sugar, baking powder, salt, and flour, scraping the sides and bottom. Stir in sprinkles if using.
- Top with sprinkles (optional).
- Microwave 1½–2¾ minutes, checking every 15 seconds after 1½ minutes. It’s done when the top looks smooth or a toothpick comes out clean.
Recipe courtesy Liz Madsen of zardyplants.com.
Now that you have seen how easy it is to bake delicious goodies with vegan ingredients, why not read more blogs about vegan food and vegan health benefits?
7. Dairy Egg-Free Vegan Pandan Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups soy-based milk alternative
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- A pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup sugar or a substitute
- 2/3 cup oil
- 2 tablespoons pandan juice extracted from 10 pandan leaves with 4 tablespoons water, strain out juice)
- 1 tablespoon pandan extract
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix soy milk and vinegar in a large bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- In another bowl, whisk together cornstarch, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Add sugar, oil, pandan juice, and pandan extract to the soy milk mixture; whisk until smooth.
- Gradually mix in the dry ingredients until the batter is lump-free.
- Divide batter between two greased 8.5-inch round pans.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
Recipe courtesy Christina Ng from East Meets Kitchen.
BrainFacts.org explains how taste and smell are intertwined:
"Taste and smell are separate senses with their own receptor organs, yet they are intimately entwined. Tastants, chemicals in foods, are detected by taste buds, which consist of special sensory cells. When stimulated, these cells send signals to specific areas of the brain, which make us conscious of the perception of taste."
8. Homemade Vegan Bagels
Ingredients
1 ½ cups warm water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 ¾ teaspoons instant yeast
4 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons salt
For boiling the bagels:
8 cups or 2 litres of water
¼ cup brown sugar or barley malt syrup
For topping the bagels:
2 - 3 tablespoons sesame or poppy seeds
2 - 3 tablespoons aquafaba
Method
To Make the Dough:
- Mix warm water, brown sugar, and yeast and let sit 10 minutes until foamy.
- Add flour and salt. Mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead for 5 minutes until smooth and tight.
- Lightly oil a bowl, add the dough, and turn to coat. Let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
To Shape & Cook the Bagels:
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Punch down the risen dough and divide into 10 equal pieces.
- Shape into balls, poke holes in the centre, and stretch into a bagel shape. Place on prepared sheets.
- Boil 8 cups of water with ¼ cup brown sugar. Boil bagels for 1 minute per side, and place on baking sheets.
- Brush with aquafaba and add your desired toppings.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
This recipe is courtesy of Sam TurnBull of It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken.
9. Healthy Blueberry Mini Muffins
Muffins are a great pick-me-up when you're feeling slobbish, but they don't have to be a naughty treat. You can indulge in some fruity blueberry muffins when you're in need of an energy boost, without the guilt!
Ingredients
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup plain soy milk yoghurt
- 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 cups blueberries
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar
- Cooking spray
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk almond milk, oil, brown sugar, yoghurt, applesauce, and vanilla.
- Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture and then gently fold in the blueberries (a few lumps are fine).
- Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
- Sprinkle tops with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 20–24 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Recipe courtesy of the Food Network.
10. Avocado Strawberry Ices
Avocado and strawberry ice is a super yummy frozen dish that is easy to make and completely free of dairy or eggs. Avocado, which is a superfood, replaces the dairy element usually found in ice creams and frozen yoghurts. Meanwhile, the natural sweetness of the strawberries is brought out by pairing them with balsamic vinegar.
Ingredients
- 1 avocado
- 200g ripe strawberries
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1-2 tsp maple syrup
This recipe is as simple as it gets.
- Blitz together strawberries, avocados, balsamic vinegar, and vanilla in a food processor.
- You can add some maple syrup if you want that extra sweetness.
- Transfer into small cups.
- Put cut strawberries on top, wrap with cling film and freeze.
This recipe is courtesy of the BBC Good Food team.
Would you like to try these mouth-wateringly delicious recipes at home? Read our blog on the best supermarkets in Singapore where you can buy vegan foods.
More Vegan Food Ideas To Whet Your Appetite
If the above recipes have inspired you and you are up for some challenging baking ideas to recreate, then why not explore some more show-stopping homemade vegan dessert recipes? These awesome dishes are going to wow your loved ones for sure:
For easy vegan recipes to suit any type of dinner or party, take a look at these 10 Vegan Recipes That Will Turn Heads. You see, there are so many options out there. Following a plant-based diet doesn't mean you miss out on sweet treats!
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