Cake Recipes Archives - Sanjana.Feasts

Eggless Gulab Jamun-Stuffed Red Velvet Cupcakes

Sanjana — Sat, 14 Nov 2020 10:55:04 +0000

If you think Eggless Gulab Jamun-Stuffed Red Velvet Cupcakes is a bit of a mouthful to say, just wait until you eat one. They’re perfect for celebrations!

There’s a soft and juicy gulab jamun surprise hidden inside this fluffy eggless red velvet cupcake.

Use either shop-bought Gulab Jamuns or make your own. I have a video tutorial and recipe for Perfect Gulab Jamun here. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as making gulab jamun at home.

Can I bake these eggless red velvet cupcakes without the gulab jamuns?

I know you’re thinking it. Of course you can bake these cupcakes without the Gulab Jamuns.

Be sure to fill the cases 3/4 way up and bake at 170°C/340°F for 22 minutes. This recipe calls for standard-sized cupcake cases (not fairy cakes and not muffins, somewhere in between).

Note: Smaller cupcakes will take less time at the same temperature. Larger muffin-sized cakes will take longer at a slightly reduced temperature.

How to make Gulab Jamun-Stuffed Cupcakes

1. Make the eggless red velvet cupcake batter

2. Fill the cupcake cases and add your surprise inside

3. Frost and serve!

Eggless cupcake FAQs

Q. Is there a single egg replacer that works for all baking recipes?

A. There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer as the techniques and make-up of different bakes all require different approaches and ingredients.

E.g. Mashed banana, flax eggs and applesauce are fine for eggless bakes like banana cake, dense muffins and crumb cake but they don’t work so well in red velvet cakes.

The eggless cake would end up tasting of those ingredients rather than having the light, white, fluffy texture we all want in a good red velvet cake.

Q. Can I swap the sugar in the recipe for a sugar alternative?

A. No. Sugar helps proteins bind and form a good structure in cakes. In the absence of eggs, sugar plays a vital role in binding proteins, forming a good crumb and holding the cake together.

Using liquid-based ingredients like honey will change the texture of final cake.

Coconut sugar and sweetener have a different make-up to regular sugar too and swapping them in place of sugar will also change the final result of the eggless cake.

Q. My eggless cupcakes are tough. Where did I go wrong?

A. Overworked batter can produce a dense, tough cake. This is the case with all cakes, not just the eggless kind. If you overbeat cake batter, the in the flour gluten develops and this results in tough, stodgy eggless cupcakes.

Q. Can I veganise these eggless cakes?

A. Yes, you can but again, the texture and flavour of the finished cake may vary slightly.

Increase the amount flour by 1 tbsp (8g) and switch the milk for unsweetened almond milk (at room temperature).

Do not add the gulab jamuns unless you happen to have vegan gulab jamuns to hand.

The butter in the frosting can be swapped with your favourite vegan spread. Use your favourite plant-based cream cheese.

Q. What type of food colour should I use?

I recommend using a gel-based red food colour, such as Wilton or Americolor for the best results. Liquid food colours can affect batter consistency when we add larger amounts.

Q. Can I use normal self-raising flour?

You can use either regular self-raising flour or cake/sponge flour. Note that sponge flour has a lower gluten content which will result in a lighter cake. Normal self-raising flour is fine to use, but your cake won’t be as light.

Handy equipment & tools for this recipe

If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a review and comment below.

Eggless Gulab Jamun-Stuffed Red Velvet Cupcakes recipe

Eggless Gulab Jamun-Stuffed Red Velvet Cupcakes

There's a soft and juicy Gulab Jamun surprise hidden inside this fluffy red velvet cupcake. Perfect for celebrations!

Ingredients

For the gulab jamun-stuffed red velvet cupcakes:

180 g extra-fine self-raising cake flour
20 g cocoa powder
150 g caster sugar
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp skimmed milk powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp fine salt
240 ml milk room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
100 ml oil any flavourless oil of your choice
1 tsp red gel food colour
12 gulab jamuns

For the cream cheese frosting:

180 g unsalted butter
180 g cream cheese
125 g icing sugar
2 tbsp skimmed milk powder
1 tbsp reserved gulab jamun syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
12 gold dragees to decorate (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with cupcake cases.
Gently press each gulab jamun between your fingers to remove excess syrup. Don't squeeze them too hard or they will break. Reserve 1 tbsp gulab jamun syrup for the frosting.
In a jug or glass, mix together the milk and apple cider vinegar. Set aside for 5 minutes, undisturbed. After 5 minutes, add the oil and vanilla extract and give it a brief whisk.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, milk powder, cornflour, baking powder, sugar and salt.
Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and gently whisk for 40-60 seconds until smooth. Add the red food colour and mix well until incorporated. Don’t overbeat the cake batter or you could end up with tough cupcakes.
Pour the batter into the paper cases, about halfway full. Place a gulab jamun in the centre of each case. Top with more cake batter, about 3/4 way up the case and so that the gulab jamuns are covered. Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes. It’s okay if some of the tops crack a bit where they gulab jamuns are.
Remove from the oven and allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin. Ensure they’re completely cool before adding the frosting.

For the frosting:

To make the frosting, mix together the milk powder and 1 tbsp reserved gulab jamun syrup. Mix well until smooth.
Beat the butter until pale. Add the milk powder mixture and vanilla extract. Beat briefly. Next, the icing sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Add the cream cheese and continue to beat until smooth. Refrigerate until cold, about 2-3 hours and whip once more. The cream cheese frosting ready to use when it's thick and can hold a stiff peak.
Frost the cooled cupcakes however you like. I often use the Wilton 1M tip fitted in a piping bag for cute ruffles and rosettes. You can also just use an ice cream scoop to heap the frosting on. This time I liked the idea of a chubby blob piped with a simple large, round piping tip to reflect the roundness of the gulab jamuns. Add a gold dragee for sparkle.

Video

Notes

The unfrosted cupcakes can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Cover well and store at room temperature. Frost immediately before serving.

Make frosting ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Frosted cupcakes are best eaten on the day. Refrigerated cupcakes may dry out.

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If you like this, you’ll love my recipe for Vegan Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

The lightest vegan cupcakes filled with tangy saffron and lemon curd, all crowned with a cloud of toasted vegan meringue.

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Love Sanjana

The post Eggless Gulab Jamun-Stuffed Red Velvet Cupcakes appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake

Sanjana — Sun, 22 Sep 2019 21:29:52 +0000

It’s my birthday! This Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake is the cake I crave every September. Topped with billowing clouds of whipped cream, raspberry jam and a mountain of fruit, it ticks all the boxes when it comes to making a cake fit for a party.

The highlight of every gathering

I have fabulous memories of digging in to fresh cream cakes at almost every family birthday party I went to. We never had novelty fondant-covered cakes at our gatherings.

My mum would spend all day baking, listening to her favourite songs on the cassette player and letting me lick the spoon. In our family, it’s tradition that when you make something sweet at home, the youngest child must have the first taste. It’s something we do to honour the memory of my great uncle, Velji bapu who died very young. We remember him always.

Can a vegan cake still taste good?

The sponge for this Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake is entirely vegan and the cake itself can be topped with your favourite vegan whipped cream, too. Nature’s Charm do a fantastic one. It’s light, fluffy, not too sweet and tastes like it came from a bakery. I add a combination of vanilla and almond extracts to give the cake that “just baked” flavour. It’s absolutely delicious and I defy you to notice the lack of eggs or dairy in this cake.

Can I make this Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake ahead of time?

I’d recommend baking the cake a few days before you want to eat it. Decorate it with jam, whipped cream, fresh fruit and chocolate curls the night before. Keep it covered and refrigerated and remove it from the fridge an hour before serving to let it come to room temperature. Ultimately, this makes ALL the difference. If eaten cold, the sponge may feel too heavy.

FAQ: How to bake a vegan cake

Is there a single egg replacer that works for all vegan baking recipes?

There’s not a one-size-fits-all answer as the techniques and make-up of different bakes all require different approaches and ingredients. E.g. Mashed banana, flax eggs, chia eggs, psyllium husk and applesauce are fine for vegan bakes like banana cake, dense muffins and crumb cake but they don’t work so well in light vanilla cakes. The vegan cake would end up tasting of those ingredients rather than having the light, white, fluffy texture we all want in a good vanilla cake. I also tend to stay away from using these in vanilla cake baking because the results can be a bit too unpredictable.

Can I swap the sugar in the recipe for honey/coconut sugar/agave/sweetener? Can I reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe?

No. Sugar helps proteins bind and form a good structure in cakes. In the absence of eggs, sugar plays a vital role in binding proteins, forming a good crumb and holding the cake together. Using liquid-based ingredients like honey will change the texture of final cake. Coconut sugar and sweetener have a different make-up to regular sugar too and swapping them in place of sugar will also change the final result of the vegan cake.

My eggless cake is tough. Where did I go wrong?

Overworked batter can produce a dense, tough cake. This is the case with all cakes, not just the vegan kind. If you overbeat cake batter, the in the flour gluten develops to unwanted levels and this will result in tough, stodgy vegan cakes.

Can I swap the white cake flour for wholemeal flour?

Technically yes, you could. Having said this, your vegan cake will be darker in colour and heavier than if you were to use a refined white flour. I’ve found that extra-fine self-raising sponge flour produces the best results by a country mile if you’re looking for a fluffy, white vegan cake.

My cakes are dry. Where did I go wrong?

They are overbaked. Ensure you’re baking it for the stated time at the correct temperature. Most domestic ovens tend to be a few degrees out but an internal oven thermometer can help ensure your oven is set at the right temperature. If you don’t have an internal oven thermometer you could also increase or reduce the cooking time depending on whether your cake is over baking or under baking

Can I add cocoa powder to make this a chocolate cake?

In vegan cakes, an oil-based batter will result in a moist, fluffy cake. I’ve found that using butter results in a much firmer cake with a larger crumb.

Why does the plant milk need to be at room temperature?

Room temperature milk will ensure the milk and vinegar mixture curdles quickly and adequately. If you’re short of time, microwave cold milk from the fridge on high power in 15 second intervals for a total of 30 seconds, stirring in between.

Why add the additional baking powder if you’re using self-raising flour?

After a lot of testing, I’ve found the extra leavening from the baking powder gives the vegan cupcakes an extra lift for a super fluffy result.

Ingredients you’ll need for this Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake

Extra-fine self raising cake flour or sponge flour
Caster sugar
Almond milk (or your favourite plant-based milk)
Cornflour (cornstarch)
Lemon juice
Baking powder
Soy milk powder (NOW is a great option)
Oil (any unflavoured – I use sunflower)
Pure vanilla extract
Almond extract
Salt
Vegan whipping cream (I use Nature’s Charm Coconut Whipping Cream)
Mixed fresh fruit of your choice (I use strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwis, mandarins, peaches and pineapples)
Chocolate curls (optional)

How to make Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake

Time needed: 3 hours

How to make a Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake

Prep the tin and preheat the oven
Pre-heat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Grease and line a 20cm x 25cm x 10cm-deep (8″ x 10″ x 4″-deep) non-stick baking tin (or 9″ x 4″-deep square) with oil and baking parchment. Leave an overhang at either side to lift the cake out easily later.
Whisk together the wet ingredients
In a jug, whisk together the plant milk, lemon juice, vanilla extract and almond extract. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Whisk in the oil.
Whisk together the dry ingredients
Combine all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add the wet mixture to the dry
Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth, about a minute.
Pour and bake
Pour the batter into the lined tin and rasp the base of the tin on the worktop a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. This cake will not brown too much.
Whip the cream and prep the fruit
Whip the coconut cream with some sugar. Refrigerate. Prep the fruit. Wash and dry all the berries, slice the pineapples, kiwis and peaches and drain the mandarins (I used tinned so drained the extra water, but you can also use fresh). Keep the fruit in a large plate in the fridge.
Cool the cake
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then carefully run a knife around the edges. Lift the cake out using the overhanging baking parchment. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Decorate
Once cool, brush the cake with the warm jam and top with whipped cream. Decorate with fresh fruit and chocolate curls.
To store the cake
Keep the cake covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Remove the cake from the fridge 1 hour before serving to allow it to come to room temperature. Slice and serve.

Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword almond, baking, birthday, cake, fruit, party, vanilla, vegan

Prep Time 1 10

Cook Time 45

Total Time 5 55

Servings

Author Sanjana

Equipment

20cm x 25cm x 10cm-deep (8" x 10" x 4"-deep) non-stick baking tin or 9" x 4"-deep square
Wire cooling rack
Baking parchment
Whisk
Large bowl
Large jug

Ingredients

For the vegan vanilla sponge cake:

480 ml almond milk, room-temperature (or any plant-based milk)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract (optional, or enhanced flavour)
180 ml oil (any unflavoured)
340 g extra-fine self-raising cake flour (sponge flour)
300 g caster sugar
2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
1/2 tsp baking powder
25 g soy milk powder
1/4 tsp fine salt

To decorate the cake:

300 ml vegan whipping cream, cold (I used Nature's Charm)
2 tbsp caster sugar
200 g mixed fresh fruit of your choice (I used strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, mandarins, peaches and pineapples)
Chocolate curls (optional)

Instructions

For the vegan vanilla sponge cake:

Pre-heat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Grease and line a 20cm x 25cm x 10cm-deep (8" x 10" x 4"-deep) non-stick baking tin (or 9" x 4"-deep square) with oil and baking parchment. Leave an overhang at either side to lift the cake out easily later.
In a jug, whisk together the plant milk, lemon juice, vanilla extract and almond extract. Allow to stand for 10 minutes and then whisk in the oil.
Combine the remaining dry ingredients for the sponge in a large bowl.
Add the milk and oil mixture to the dry ingredients. Whisk until smooth, about a minute. Do not overwork the batter.
Pour the batter into the lined tin and rasp the base of the tin on the worktop a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. This cake will not brown too much.

To decorate the cake:

Whip the coconut cream with some sugar. Refrigerate. Prep the fruit. Wash and dry all the berries, slice the pineapples, kiwis and peaches and drain the mandarins (I used tinned so drained the extra water, but you can also use fresh). Keep the fruit covered in a large plate in the fridge.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then carefully run a knife around the edges. Lift the cake out using the overhanging baking parchment. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Once cool, brush the cake with the warm jam and top with whipped cream. Decorate with fresh fruit and chocolate curls.

Notes

HOW TO STORE THIS CAKE:

Keep the cake covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. Remove the cake from the fridge 1 hour before serving to allow it to come to room temperature. Slice and serve.

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Like this? You’ll love these Vegan Midnight Brownies

Vegan Crackled Midnight Brownies

Love Sanjana

The post Vegan Fresh Cream & Fruit Cake appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins

Sanjana — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 21:27:03 +0000

Tall, dark & handsome vegan Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins… you’re looking hella fine! Studded with dark chocolate chips and topped with a crunchy almond hot chocolate crown, this is a muffin for serious chocolate lovers.

Question: When a muffin is packing this much chocolate, can it still legitimately be considered breakfast?

The secret to big, fluffy vegan muffins

The secret is that there is no secret! This recipe is so basic. Using only a handful of ingredients for the muffin base batter, you’ll wonder why muffins ever need eggs or dairy at all. These muffins puff up like magic and dome beautifully on top. The chocolate chips remain suspended so you get a welcome chocolatey hit with every mouthful.

My love affair with salted hot chocolate

I had my first taste of salted hot chocolate roaming the restaurants of Vienna in search of apple strudel. When I found churros with salted hot chocolate instead, I forgot all about the strudel.

Ultimately, if you love sea salt-sprinkled chocolate chip cookies, you will go nuts for these jetpuffed muffins.

The magical almond-hot chocolate topping

They have a crunchy topping of flaked almonds, hot chocolate powder and sea salt. I stir these ingredients with melted vegan butter to create a paste that is spooned onto the muffin batter once the cases are filled.

The salty-nutty-chocolate mixture bubbles and toasts in the oven to create a nobbly, domed top that tastes intensely like almond praline.

Ingredients you’ll need for Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins

Plain flour
Caster sugar
Light brown sugar
Unsweetened almond milk
Oil (any unflavoured)
Aquafaba (water from a can of unsalted chickpeas)
Salt
Baking powder
Baking soda
Vanilla extract
Dark chocolate chips (any vegan)
Your favourite vegan hot chocolate mix (I use this one)
Flaked almonds
Vegan butter
Sea salt flakes

Step-by-step: How to make Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins

Time needed: 45 minutes

How to make Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins

Prep your oven and tin
Pre-heat the oven to 175C. Line a 6-cup muffin tin with large tulip cases.
Make the topping
In a small bowl, mix together the hot chocolate powder, flaked almonds and vegan butter. Set aside.
Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, fine salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Add the wet ingredients
Add the almond milk, aquafaba, oil and vanilla extract. Whisk until just combined. It doesn’t matter if it’s not perfectly smooth. Fold in the flour-dusted chocolate chips.
Fill the cases
Fill the muffin cases, a little over 3/4 of the way up. Top with some of the hot chocolate and almond mixture. Sprinkle with sea salt and extra chocolate chips if desired.
Bake the muffins
Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden and risen. If a metal skewer inserted into the centre of the muffins comes out clean, they’re done.
Cool and serve
Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin and then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins

Tall, dark & handsome vegan SALTED HOT CHOCOLATE & ALMOND MUFFINS; you’re looking hella fine, babes! Studded with dark chocolate chips and topped with a crunchy almond hot chocolate crown, this is a muffin for serious chocolate lovers only.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword almond, cake, chocolate, dark chocolate, hot chocolate, muffins, vegan

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

Total Time 45

Ingredients

For the muffins:

350 g flour
100 g caster sugar
100 g light brown sugar
200 ml unsweetened almond milk room temperature
100 ml unflavoured oil of your choice
100 ml aquafaba
1/4 tsp fine salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla extract
75 g vegan dark chocolate chips tossed in 1 tbsp plain flour

Topping:

4 tbsp your favourite vegan hot chocolate mix
2 tbsp flaked almonds
1 tbsp melted vegan butter
1 tsp sea salt flakes
Extra chocolate chips if desired

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Line a 6-cup muffin tin with large tulip cases.
In a small bowl, mix together the hot chocolate powder, flaked almonds and vegan butter. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, fine salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add the almond milk, aquafaba, oil and vanilla extract. Whisk until just combined. It doesn’t matter if it’s not perfectly smooth. Fold in the flour-dusted chocolate chips.
Fill the muffin cases, a little over 3/4 of the way up. Top with some of the hot chocolate and almond mixture. Sprinkle with sea salt and extra chocolate chips if desired.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden and risen. If a metal skewer inserted into the centre of the muffins comes out clean, they’re done. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin and then remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

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Like this? You’ll love these Vegan Lemon Meringue Cupcakes!

Get my delicious Vegan Lemon Meringue Cupcake recipe here.

Love Sanjana

The post Salted Hot Chocolate & Almond Muffins appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Vegan Crackled Midnight Brownies

Sanjana — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 13:20:13 +0000

These fudgy, chocolate-rich brownie bars are named Vegan Crackled Midnight Brownies because of all the nights I’ve stayed up until midnight trying to perfect the recipe!

In an attempt to create all that I seek in a good brownie, I’ve tried no fewer than 25 variations of this recipe before . My aim? To strike the perfect balance between fudgy and cakey, chocolate-rich but not overwhelmingly so, and of course, to produce the highly-coveted glossy, crackly top.

The entire process has been as intense as the cocoa solids in the chocolate I was baking with.

A great vegan brownie recipe

My final bar is everything I look for in a truly wicked brownie. Squares of dense chocolate fudge, 2.5cm deep, encased in light chocolate cake, and crowned with a glossy, paper-thin “meringue-ish” patina. They’re moist, but not so much that they don’t benefit from being washed down with a glass of cold milk. And most importantly, they’re not so intensely flavoured that they feel too grown up to be a nostalgic treat.

Brownies will only be as good as the chocolate you use

Brownies made with dark chocolate will produce a brownie with more more bitter notes than brownies made with milk chocolate. I follow the school of thought that advocates the use of the best quality chocolate you can afford. After all, brownies are all about showing off great chocolate.

I’m yet to find a vegan milk chocolate I love, so I stuck to my two favourite dark chocolate brands in this recipe. If you do makes these brownies with milk chocolate, note that the recipe will result in brownies that are lighter in colour and much sweeter than the original.

My best advice is to choose the chocolate brands you actually like the taste of. It sounds silly but this is an easy thing to overlook. Having said this, feel free to mix things up with a couple of different brands. Baker extraordinaire, Stella Parks suggests blending multiple chocolate brands in her fabulous cookbook, Bravetart. Using multiple varieties allows you to build depth of flavour in your brownies. It works.

These vegan brownies are the ultimate balance between fudgy and chewy, chocolatey and sweet.

Finding your flavour inspiration

Whilst the most important flavour of any brownie comes from the chocolate, there is a simple beauty in being able to customise them to your taste.

Some great brownie mix-in ideas

Chopped nuts
More chocolate (your favourite candy bar, for example)
Crushed cookies or cookie dough
Fruits like cherries or raspberries
Spices. If you know me, I’m all about masala magic

My midnight brownies are flavoured with star anise and orange zest. It’s a truly breathtaking combination that was meant to be paired with chocolate.

The eight-pointed star releases a delicious liquorice aroma when ground into a fine powder. Muddling it with the zest of an orange mellows it down for Asian vibes your brownies will welcome.

Baking for relaxation

Do you ever get an itch to wander into the kitchen and bake? I do. It’s an inexplicable longing to make magic for the people you love (including yourself because self-love is important too).

It’s not often I go in to the kitchen completely sure of what I’m going to make. I’ll have something in the fridge or cupboard I know I want, then I forage about until I find the perfect partners for what I fancy and they could be totally bizarre combinations I’ve never tried before.

If I’ve learned anything from all my years of experimental cooking is that you have to be fearless. FEARLESS. Yeah sure, sometimes things don’t turn out the way you plan but that’s what takeaway pizza and shop-bought ice cream is there for.

Ingredients you’ll need to make my Vegan Crackled Midnight Brownies

Plain flour (all-purpose flour)
Icing sugar
Cornflour
Cocoa powder (not hot chocolate mix)
Baking powder
Ground flax seeds
Aquafaba (water from a can of unsalted chickpeas or beans)
Water
Refined coconut oil
Dark chocolate (1-2 of your favourite brands)
Light brown sugar
Vanilla extract
Ground star anise
Orange zest
Fine salt

Time needed: 1 hour

How to make Vegan Crackled Midnight Brownies

Make up a flax “egg”
In a small bowl, mix together the ground flax seeds and aquafaba. Allow to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Combine some of the dry ingredients
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cornflour, baking powder and salt.
Melt the chocolate
Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together over a bain marie or in the microwave. Stir gently and infrequently. Allow to cool slightly.
Gently whisk the following ingredients into the melted chocolate mixture
Icing sugar, brown sugar, flax “egg”, hot water, orange zest, ground star anise and vanilla extract.
Combine the dry and wet ingredients
Whisk everything together until the mixture is smooth and shiny.
Pour and bake
Pour the thick batter into a greased and lined baking tin and bake at 175°C/350°F for 25 minutes. The middle should still be slightly wobbly.

Vegan Crackled Midnight Brownies

Named so because of all the nights I stayed up until midnight trying to perfect the recipe! These vegan brownies are the ultimate balance between fudgy and chewy, chocolatey and sweet.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword baking

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 20

Total Time 45

Servings

Author Sanjana

Equipment

20cm x 25cm x 10cm-deep (8" x 10" x 4"-deep) non-stick baking tin or 9" x 4"-deep square

Ingredients

1 tbsp ground flax seeds
120 ml aquafaba hot
100 g plain flour
50 g cocoa powder
1 tbsp cornflour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
125 g dark chocolate chopped (I used a blend of two of my favourite brands)
60 g coconut oil
200 g icing sugar
50 g light brown sugar
60 ml hot water
1/4 tsp ground star anise
Zest of 1 medium orange

Instructions

Grease and line a 20cm x 25cm x 10cm-deep (8" x 10" x 4"-deep) traybake tin with coconut oil and baking parchment. Leave an overhang at either side to lift the brownie out easily later.
Pre-heat the oven to 175°C/350°F.
In a small bowl, mix together the ground flax seeds and hot aquafaba. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cornflour, baking powder and salt.
Place the chocolate and coconut oil over a bain-marie and allow it to melt, stirring gently. Once melted, remove from the heat and set aside. You can also microwave them in a glass bowl on high power in 30 second intervals until melted. Stir gently between each blast. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Add the icing sugar, brown sugar, flax-aquafaba mixture, hot water, orange zest and ground star anise. Whip for 2-3 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth and shiny.
Add the sifted dry ingredients and whisk again until smooth and glossy, about 90 seconds.
Pour into a lined pan and bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool completely in the tin before slicing for perfect squares.

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If you like this recipe, you’ll love these Vegan Rice Krispie Treats made with REAL vanilla!

Love Sanjana

The post Vegan Crackled Midnight Brownies appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Vegan Custard Powder Fairy Cakes

Sanjana — Mon, 01 Jul 2019 14:49:15 +0000

These spongy, golden yellow Vegan Custard Powder Fairy Cakes are everything I want in a cake. They’re absolutely the happiest cakes I know how to make! The version I remember growing up always had the most basic sprinkles on top.

5 reasons why you need to make these Vegan Custard Powder Fairy Cakes ASAP

They’re crazy easy to bake.
The recipe is dairy free so these fairy cakes are 100% vegan.
Lots of vanilla makes them taste like birthday cake.
Custard powder gives these cakes a super light texture.
No icing/frosting make them perfect for snacking all week long. Keep them in an airtight container and pack into lunchboxes or enjoy with your afternoon tea or coffee. I promise you won’t miss the icing.

A truly nostalgic snack cake

These little cakes take me back to my childhood. I remember raiding biscuit tins for these ALL the time. They look just like the Indian bakery-style cakes sold in the shops, too.

I have very fond memories of munching on them with a cup of masala chai. Peeling back the paper case still fills me with all the good vibes! Clearly I’m still a kidult at heart.

I could go on raving about the nostalgic factor of these Vegan Custard Powder Fairy Cakes but we’re cutting into precious cake time here.

What makes these Custard Powder Fairy Cakes vegan?

The clue is in the title… Custard Powder! The cornflour, thickeners, colour and flavour gives these fairy cakes their melt-in-the-mouth texture. Cornflour helps with binding as well as producing a cake that locks in all the little air bubbles and moisture.

The classic creamy vanilla flavour and colour gives the flavour and colour of traditional sponge cake without the butter or eggs!

If you want a deeper yellow fairy cake, add a tiny amount of yellow food colour to the batter. For example, Wilton Golden Yellow the the perfect custardy shade. This is of course, an entirely optional step.

Is custard powder vegan?

Most of the custard powders I’ve come across are indeed vegan. However, do check the label beforehand as the variety of options available can be confusing. For example, I’ve noticed products labelled “Instant Custard” contain dairy, whereas most “Custard Powder” is vegan friendly. For this recipe you will need “Custard Powder”.

I use the OG, Bird’s Custard Powder because it’s delicious and such a classic brand.

What’s a fairy cake?!

Okay, so I’m aware that lots of people will call these cupcakes. That’s totally fine. Although, where I come from, these smaller, daintier versions are referred to as fairy cakes. The snack cake (I love this term) of choice at any kid’s party and what you make in primary school cooking lessons. Seriously, what’s not to love?

Kids will love baking these vegan Custard Powder Fairy Cakes

I honestly cannot wait for the day my son is old enough to make his first batch of fairy cakes. As well as teaching him how to make scones and shortbread biscuits, I’ll be passing on my recipe for these Custard Powder Fairy Cakes.

The batter can be whipped up in less than 15 minutes and they take just 12 minutes to bake. As a result, the hardest part is the long wait for them to cool before you’re allowed to dig in!

The sprinkles in this recipe are optional. Nevertheless, I do think that they’re what give the cakes an old world touch.

Ingredients and equipment you’ll need for this recipe

Plain flour
Custard powder
Caster sugar
Baking powder
Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
Almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
Apple cider vinegar
Vanilla extract
Almond extract (optional)
Sunflower oil (or any flavourless oil)
Your favourite vegan sprinkles
12-hole cupcake or bun tin
Approx 20 paper fairy cake cases (or small cupcake cases)

Time needed: 35 minutes

How to make Vegan Custard Powder Fairy Cakes

Pre-heat the oven & line a cupcake tin
Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Line a 12-hole cupcake or bun tin with small paper cases.
Combine the wet ingredients
In a jug, stir together the milk and apple cider vinegar. Allow to stand for 10 minutes, and then stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract and oil.
Combine the dry ingredients
Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, excluding the sugar. Whisk the sugar in to the sifted ingredients.
Whisk the two together
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk gently until no lumps remain. Don’t overbeat the mixture. About a minute of gentle whisking should do.
Divide the batter between the paper cases
Pour or scoop the batter into the paper cases, filling them about 3/4 way up. They will rise in the oven.
Add sprinkles!
Scatter a few sprinkles onto the tops of the cakes. This step is optional but I think they add a fun touch.
Bake the fairy cakes
Place the filled tray into the oven and back for 12-14 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Okay, are you ready for this absolute treasure of a recipe? Grab your favourite sprinkles, because they make these fairy cakes look hopelessly cute.

Vegan Custard Powder Fairy Cakes

These spongy, golden yellow Vegan Custard Powder Fairy Cakes are the happiest cakes I know how to make! Flavoured with vanilla, they're the perfect birthday-style cake for snacking.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Indian

Keyword almond, baking, cake, cupcakes, custard, eggless, fairy cakes, vanilla, vegan

Prep Time 40

Servings

Author Sanjana

Equipment

12-hole cupcake or small bun tin
18-20 small paper cases

Ingredients

130 g plain flour
30 g custard powder
140 g caster sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp fine salt
240 ml almond milk (or any plant-based milk)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp almond extract (optional – for enhanced flavour)
90 ml sunflower oil (or any flavourless oil)
2 tbsp your favourite sprinkles (check the label to ensure they've vegan as many contain shellac or beeswax)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Line a 12-hole cupcake or bun tin with small paper cases in a design of your choice (or keep it simple with plain white cases).
In a large jug, stir together the room temperature almond milk and apple cider vinegar. Allow the mixture to stand for 10 minutes, and then stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract and oil. If it looks a little lumpy and thick this is good. Give it a brief whisk to make it smooth. This is your vegan buttermilk.
Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl, excluding the sugar. Whisk the sugar in to the sifted ingredients. This process removes any lumps so you don't run the risk of overbeating the batter trying to remove lumps of flour.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk gently until no lumps remain. Don't overbeat the mixture. About a minute of gentle whisking should do the trick.
Pour or scoop the batter into the paper cases, filling them about 3/4 way up. I like to use a small ice cream scoop for this. They will rise in the oven.
Scatter a few sprinkles onto the tops of the cakes. This step is optional but I think they add a fun touch.
Place the filled tray into the oven and back for 12-14 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Repeat the filling and baking process for the remaining fairy cake batter.

Notes

Keep the fairy cakes in an airtight container and eat within 48 hours.

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Vegan cake FAQ

Is there a single egg replacer that works for all vegan baking recipes?

Can I swap the sugar in the recipe for honey/coconut sugar/agave/sweetener? Can I reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe?

My eggless cake is tough. Where did I go wrong?

Can I swap the white cake flour for wholemeal flour?

My cakes are dry. Where did I go wrong?

Can I add cocoa powder to make this a chocolate cake?

In vegan cakes, an oil-based batter will result in a moist, fluffy cake. I’ve found that using butter results in a much firmer cake with a larger crumb.

Why does the plant milk need to be at room temperature?

Why add the additional baking powder if you’re using self-raising flour?

After a lot of testing, I’ve found the extra leavening from the baking powder gives the vegan cupcakes an extra lift for a super fluffy result.

Did you make this recipe?

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Psst… If you like these fairy cakes, you’ll LOVE these Fluffy Eggless Vanilla Birthday Cupcakes.

Love Sanjana

The post Vegan Custard Powder Fairy Cakes appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

1-Bowl Lime & Cherry Jam Traybake (Vegan)

Sanjana — Wed, 22 May 2019 21:04:42 +0000

Holy sheet cake! In a sea of multi-layered skyscraper cakes on the ‘gram how beautifully understated are single layer cakes? Easy to make, easy to slice, easy to share (if you want to share, that is). Best of all, 1-Bowl Lime & Cherry Jam Traybake (Vegan) is so easy to make.

This lime and black cherry jam cake is perfect as a pudding with custard, or as a sweet cake to enjoy with tea. You don’t have to make a special icing and the batter can be made in one bowl for easy cleaning up.

Fluffy sponge together with jam is high on my list of the best nostalgic foods. One of the lovely things about this cake is that the ultra-moist sponge calls for the zest of four limes. This not only gives it a zap of citrusy flavour, it also makes the kitchen smell heavenly.

How to make 1-Bowl Lime & Cherry Jam Traybake

This is a bit of a riff on my Vegan Cherry Bakewell Cake. I spread the warm cake with black cherry jam and sprinkle with toasted coconut. It’s like school dinner pudding all over again!

More flavour ideas for this 1-Bowl Lime & Cherry Jam Traybake

For a decadent, boozy cake, stir a few tablespoons of kirsch through the warm jam before spreading onto the sponge.
You could also swap cherry jam for a bitter marmalade, strawberry or raspberry jam.
Lemon or orange zest and juice can also be used in place of lime.

1-Bowl Lime & Cherry Jam Traybake

The perfect single layer cake for sharing, this vegan traybake is full of citrusy flavours and the sweet tang of cherry jam. The ultimate nostalgic treat for grown-ups and kids alike.

Course Dessert, Snack

Keyword baking, cake, cherry, dairy free, jam, lime, vegan

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

For the sponge:

300 g extra-fine self-raising cake flour
250 g caster sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
1/4 tsp fine salt
380 ml almond milk room temperature
Zest of 4 limes
Juice of 2 limes 30ml
180 ml rapeseed oil or any flavourless oil of your choice
A drop of green gel food colouring optional

To decorate:

120 g black cherry jam
30 g desiccated coconut toasted in a dry pan
Sliced limes to decorate

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Grease and line a 30cm x 23cm (12" x 9") traybake tin with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang over the short sides for easy lifting out later.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornflour, salt, lime zest and oil. The mixture should resemble fine breadcrumbs. In a steady stream, add the almond milk and lime juice, plus any food colouring if using and beat until smooth.
Pour into the tin and bake for 50 minutes, until risen and springy to the touch. Insert a skewer into the centre of the cake and if it comes out clean, it’s ready. Allow to cool slightly.
Warm the cherry jam slightly and loosen with a splash of water to help with spreading if necessary. Spread the jam all over the surface of the cake. Sprinkle with toasted coconut and serve.

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Did You Make This?

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Love Sanjana x

The post 1-Bowl Lime & Cherry Jam Traybake (Vegan) appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Vegan Masala Coffee Crumb Cake

Sanjana — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 15:09:46 +0000

There are some dishes in life that have parts are worth fighting over; the crunchy edges of a lasagne, the crispy rice on the bottom of a pot of biryani, the middle pieces of a tray of brownies (better than the corner pieces, IMO) and the crumbly, icing sugar-topped streusel crown of this Vegan Masala Coffee Crumb Cake.

It all starts with a freshly-made batch of masala coffee — let’s be honest, every great moment starts (and ends) with a hot drink, right? The warmth of the cup around clasped hands, inhaling steamy aromas and waiting for it to cool just enough so we can take a sip gives us time to chat with a friend or quietly contemplate alone. It soothes the soul and allows us to stop and do nothing for a moment during our busy days. Having a hot drink is like having a spa treatment for the soul.

Whenever I feel burned out, I rely on a cup of masala coffee with my mum to lift my mood. She makes it milky and sweet, with just the right amount of spice to compliment the aroma of good coffee. It’s made in a pan on the stove, like all good masala coffee and chai should be made. We boil it low and slow for at least 15 minutes for a truly authentic Indian taste. We’ll sit, chat, snack and laugh, melting away my stresses and brightening up my day.

This cake is inspired by those moments.

Be still my beating heart

My version of New Jersey crumb cake has extra-thick cinnamon sugar crumb topping, so the ratio of crumb to cake is almost 1:1. It gives you the best of both worlds when you can’t decide whether to have cake or biscuits with your cup of coffee. The sponge cake is rises perfectly and is full of rich coffee and spices. You won’t miss the dairy or eggs in this recipe, I promise you.

The spice blend: Vegan Masala Coffee Crumb Cake

My spice blend is very typical of what is traditionally added to boiling milk to make masala chai or coffee. Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, black peppercorns, cloves and nutmeg all combine with espresso powder. This makes each slice truly taste like a cup of masala coffee. It’s not too sweet and the flurry of icing sugar on top is absolutely necessary. This balances out the flavours and create the perfect look of a milky cup of coffee. As a result the cake is as delicious as it is messy to eat.

Make this if you’re in need of a grown-up tasting cake to share with friends. Or enjoy in the comfort of your own company, you know, whatever. It freezes beautifully so you can also stow away portions to eat later.

Customise this Vegan Masala Coffee Crumb Cake

Transform this cake into a chocolate dream! Simply replace 50g of the flour in the sponge recipe with 50g good-quality cocoa powder.
Add 50g mini vegan chocolate chips to the crumb topping for a cookie dough-inspired finish. Or turn this into a masala chai cake. Swap the espresso powder for 25g black tea leaves — be sure to strain the soy milk before using.
If you have pre-made chai masala, swap the individual spices in the sponge recipe for 1 tablespoon of pre-made masala.
Alternatively, you could also use 1 tablespoon of your favourite gingerbread or pumpkin spice mix.

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Vegan Masala Coffee Crumb Cake

Piled high with cinnamon crumble, this masala coffee-spiced cake truly tastes like a cup of Indian masala coffee.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Indian

Keyword cake, coffee, vegan

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 2 5

Servings

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

For the crumb topping:

225 g plain flour
125 g soft light brown sugar
85 g caster sugar
100 g vegan butter melted and warm
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp fine salt

For the sponge:

225 g sponge flour/cake flour
160 g caster sugar
1 tbsp cornflour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp instant espresso powder (if using granules, crush to a powder before using)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp fine salt
100 g vegan butter melted and warm
300 ml soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

You will also need:

60 g icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Grease and line a 20-cm/8-inch round, 7-cm/3-inch deep springform or loose-bottomed tin with baking parchment.

For the crumb topping:

Place both sugars and the melted vegan butter in a bowl. Stir well until smooth, about a minute. Add the flour and ground cinnamon. Use your fingers to rub the vegan butter and flour together until you have a coarse and pebbly mixture like if you were making a fruit crumble topping. Set aside at room temperature.

For the sponge:

To make the cake, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornflour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, espresso powder and ground spices in a large bowl. Add the melted vegan butter and again, rub the dry ingredients with the butter to form a coarse, breadcrumb-like texture.
Add in the soy milk and whisk well until smooth. Finally, add the apple cider vinegar and whisk well one last time.
Pour the cake mix into the tin and top with the prepared crumb topping, starting at the edges and working your way to the centre to prevent it sinking in too much.
Bake in the middle shelf of a preheated oven for 75 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the tin. Run a knife around the outside of the tin before releasing. Sift lots of icing sugar over the top and serve with your favourite hot drink.

Did you make this recipe?

Psst… if you like this Vegan Masala Coffee Crumb Cake, you’ll LOVE these Baked Vegan Vanilla Doughnuts.

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Vegan Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

Sanjana — Tue, 16 Apr 2019 21:23:45 +0000

These Vegan Lemon Meringue Cupcakes are fluffy, tender, moist and SO delicious! I’m sorry for using the “M” word. I’m told it’s okay when you’re talking about cake.

When it comes to baking, the more lemon that’s involved, the better as far as I’m concerned. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t go weak at the knees for a slice of lemon drizzle cake or three. Have you?

Why is Lemon & Saffron such a great flavour combo?

One of my favourite flavour combinations has to be lemon and saffron. The humble, sharp lemon against the heady fragrance of saffron is such a winner. Whether you’re cooking something sweet or savoury, the two ingredients together are the perfect marriage of colour, taste and aroma.

Sweet is most certainly my preference because once baked, they mingle with the smell of toasty flour and fill the house with the most gorgeous baking scent. It’s pure and strong, unlike if you were making a savoury dish with 10 other spices.

In the past, I’ve successfully combined the two to make cheesecakes and seeroh (sweet semolina) which were both delicious. This time, I wanted to give a simple cupcake recipe a special makeover. They’re light, fluffy and so moreish.

How to make vegan lemon curd

Each fluffy sponge is filled with a golden-hued saffron lemon curd which I veganised with cornflour, coconut oil and coconut milk in place of eggs and butter. Use unrefined coconut oil to ensure the flavour of coconut doesn’t overpower the rest of the ingredients. It’s the saffron that gives it a pretty daffodil colour. If you have any leftover lemon curd, pop it in a jar and spread it on toast or scones for a special tea-time treat. It really is spectacular.

The best Vegan Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

These Vegan Lemon Meringue Cupcakes are a little riff on the Vanilla Birthday Cupcakes I posted a while back. It’s a straightforward one using almond buttermilk to give the cupcakes lift. If you have any questions about the cupcake baking process, check here for lots of detail (can you tell I could talk about baking forever?).

The meringue might seem daunting at first. However, once you have all your ingredients laid out in front of you, it’s very simple. You’ll need a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or robust electric hand beaters to get that meringue whipped up perfectly. Reducing the aquafaba and adding agar-agar will give it more stability and the cream of tartar and sugar will help it whip into a sweet cloud of fluffiness. I used a kitchen blowtorch to toast the tops but if you don’t have one, you can pop them under the grill for a 15-20 seconds — just be sure to remove the cupcakes from their paper cases first!

These are perfect for parties, bake sales and for when you just want to eat a cupcake or three, alone, on your kitchen floor.

Vegan Saffron & Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

The lightest vegan cupcakes filled with tangy saffron and lemon curd, all crowned with a cloud of toasted vegan meringue.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Indian

Keyword cupcakes, dessert, lemon, meringue, saffron, vegan

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 25

Total Time 1

Servings

Author Sanjana

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

225 g extra-fine self-raising cake flour
160 g caster sugar
1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornflour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp fine salt
250 ml almond milk room temperature
Zest of 1 lemon
30 ml lemon juice
110 ml rapeseed oil or any flavourless oil of your choice

For the saffron lemon curd:

50 ml lemon juice
Zest of 3 lemons
75 g icing sugar
20 g cornflour
30 g refined coconut oil
50 ml coconut milk
Pinch of saffron

For the meringue:

100 ml aquafaba reduced from 200ml chilled
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
100 g caster sugar
25 ml water
25 ml agave
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp agar-agar

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 175°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with paper cupcake cases.

For the vegan saffron lemon curd:

To make the saffron lemon curd, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and give everything a good whisk. Cook over a medium heat, whisking all the time until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of custard. The saffron will start to turn the lemon curd a beautiful shade of daffodil yellow. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
Once the lemon curd has cooled for 10 minutes, directly cover the surface with cling film to stop a hard skin forming. Refrigerate until needed.

For the vegan cupcakes:

Mix together the almond milk and lemon juice in a jug. Allow to stand for ten minutes, until slightly thickened. Stir in the oil.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cake flour, caster sugar, cornflour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest.
Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and beat with a whisk for 1-2 minutes, until you have a smooth batter.
Pour or scoop the batter into the paper cupcake cases, filling to about ¾ of the way up. Give the base of the tin a quick succession of taps on the work surface to remove any large air bubbles.
Place the tin into the pre-heated oven and bake for 18 minutes, or until golden on top and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

For the vegan meringue:

To make the meringue, place the reduced and chilled aquafaba in a clean stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add the cream of tartar and whisk on high speed for 3-4 minutes until frothy.
Combine the water, sugar, agave, vanilla and agar-agar in a saucepan and mix until dissolved. Cook over a medium heat, stirring often to stop the syrup catching and burning at the base of the pan. Use a sugar thermometer to check the temperature of the syrup. Once the syrup reaches 120°C/250°F, remove it from the heat and quickly pour it into the still running bowl of the stand mixer. Whisk the mixture for 15 minutes until white and meringue-like in texture.
Use a spoon to remove the centres from the cooled cupcakes and pipe or spoon 2 teaspoons of the chilled lemon curd into the centre. Fill top of the plug with a few cake crumbs.
Fill a piping bag fitted with a large, round tip with the meringue mixture. Pipe the meringue on to the cupcakes. I chose to do a simple pillowy blob but you can also use a star piping tip if you like. If you don’t have a piping bag, you can also spoon the meringue on top.
For a toasted finish, use a kitchen blowtorch to toast the tops of the meringues before serving. I do not recommend placing the cupcakes under a grill when using paper cases. If you don’t have a kitchen blowtorch and would like to toast the meringue, consider using grill-safe silicone cupcake cases.
Storage: Keep these cupcakes covered and at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Storing them in the refrigerator may cause the meringue to weep liquid and deflate.

Vegan Cake FAQ

Is there a single egg replacer that works for all vegan baking recipes?

Can I swap the sugar in the recipe for honey/coconut sugar/agave/sweetener? Can I reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe?

My eggless cake is tough. Where did I go wrong?

Can I swap the white cake flour for wholemeal flour?

My cakes are dry. Where did I go wrong?

Can I add cocoa powder to make this a chocolate cake?

In vegan cakes, an oil-based batter will result in a moist, fluffy cake. I’ve found that using butter results in a much firmer cake with a larger crumb.

Why does the plant milk need to be at room temperature?

Why add the additional baking powder if you’re using self-raising flour?

After a lot of testing, I’ve found the extra leavening from the baking powder gives the vegan cupcakes an extra lift for a super fluffy result.

Pin this Vegan Lemon Meringue Cupcakes recipe for later!

Did you make this recipe?

Love Sanjana

The post Vegan Lemon Meringue Cupcakes appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Vegan Cherry Bakewell Cake

Sanjana — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 10:10:03 +0000

Is there anything more Christmassy than the sweet smell of toasted almonds and cherries wafting through the house? It’s an aroma that transports me to my happy place. Were it a fragrance I could wear as perfume, I’d purchase bottles by the dozen. However, standing in front of the oven will have to do for now.

If you love all things cherry bakewell, marzipan or frangipane, this is the cake for you. It’s a light and airy vegan sponge with nothing more than a dusting of icing sugar and a crown of fresh cherries. No buttercream, no fuss.

Serve it with masala chai for a hint of spice and all the cosy vibes.

My sponge is made with super fine self-raising cake flour, ground almonds and a little bit of cornflour to hold everything together without eggs. Almond milk, apple cider vinegar and almond oil give it lift and moisture.

I’m a sucker for a glacé cherry and I think they work wonderfully in this recipe. Fresh cherries will also work but bear in mind they will seep juice as they bake and this could make the sponge a bit soggy. I recommend baking this cake a day in advance. The flavours and textures get better after 24 hours. You might find it a little claggy if you eat it straight away and the almond flavour won’t be as prominent.

I wrap the cake in cling film or non-stick foil as soon as it comes out of the oven (let it sit in the tin for 5 minutes and then turn it out and wrap). This keeps the outside of the cake nice and soft.

Vegan Cherry Bakewell Cake

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Indian

Keyword almond, baking, cake, cherry, vegan

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 1

Ingredients

340 g extra-fine self-raising cake flour
300 g caster sugar
40 g ground almonds
30 g cornflour
1/4 tsp fine salt
480 ml almond milk room temperature
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp almond extract
180 ml almond oil or any flavourless oil of your choice
60 g glacé cherries chopped and tossed in 1 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp flaked almonds to decorate
80 g fresh cherries to decorate
2 tsp icing sugar to decorate
Gold leaf to decorate (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 160°C/320°F. Grease and line a 20cm round x 7cm deep/8-inch round x 3-inch deep cake tin with oil and baking parchment.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ground almonds, cornflour, sugar and salt.
In a separate jug or glass, mix together the milk, almond extract and apple cider vinegar. Set aside for 5 minutes, undisturbed. After 5 minutes, add the oil and give it a brief whisk.
Add the oil and milk mixture to the dry ingredients and gently whisk for 40-60 seconds until smooth. Don’t over beat the cake batter. Fold in the glace cherries.
Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 55-60 minutes until risen, golden and springy to the touch. You can insert a skewer into the centre to check if it comes out clean - if it does, the cake is done. If the skewer still has wet batter on it, it need a little longer in the oven.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen and invert the cake onto a wire rack. Allow to cool. Top with cherries and dust with icing sugar before slicing and serving.

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The post Vegan Cherry Bakewell Cake appeared first on Sanjana.Feasts.

Double Coconut, Lime & Cardamom Cheesecake

Sanjana — Mon, 26 Nov 2018 14:08:40 +0000

So I ate a lot over the festive Diwali period. The kitchen was practically overflowing with mithai boxes and tubs of chakri, chevdo and gathiya. It was bloody brilliant but I’m glad to be back to my everyday Gujarati daal, bhaat, shaak and rotli (daal, curry, rice and chapattis). I definitely need a bit of normality in my life before Christmas feasting commences.

A new dessert I made this year was this coconut, lime and cardamom cheesecake with exotic flavours galore. It’s a bit of a play on the traditional Diwali favourite, Coconut Barfi or Kopra Pak. Coconut is one of my favourite flavours in a dessert and there’s nothing quite like freshly-grated coconut in cakes, cookies and cheesecakes. I’ve used it as a topping and in the biscuit base for a double coconut hit.

This is an eggless baked cheesecake and the filling is made with a combination of ricotta, cream cheese and lime. It’s gloriously decadent with a hint of sharpness to cut through the richness of the coconutty cream. The edges of the cheesecake caramelise beautifully and the centre rises and falls just a little for a melt-in-the-mouth dessert that’s best served cold.

Start making this cheesecake at least a day ahead to give it time to cool and set properly. You can make it up to three days in advance and keep refrigerated (the base may lose some crunch though) or make and freeze in an airtight container for up to three months.

Double Coconut, Lime & Cardamom Cheesecake

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword baking, cardamom, cheesecake, coconut, eggless, lime

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 30

Chilling time 1

Total Time 1 2

Servings

Ingredients

For the base:

200 g coconut biscuits I use NICE biscuits
60 g sweetened desiccated coconut
85 g unsalted butter

For the filling:

500 g full-fat cream cheese
500 g ricotta
300 g caster sugar
80 ml lime juice
300 ml double cream
2 tbsp cornflour
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 green cardamom pods seeds removed and crushed
150 g fresh coconut to decorate

Instructions

Combine the crushed biscuits, toasted coconut and melted butter and firmly pat it into the bottom of a 24cm springform tin. Make sure it’s even and tightly compacted. Cover and refrigerate.
For the filling: in a large bowl, beat together all of the ingredients until it becomes thick like softly-whipped cream. Don’t overmix.
Spoon the mixture on top of the chilled biscuit base. Smooth the top down.
Place this in a preheated oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 90 minutes, until golden. Don’t open the oven door at any point during cooking. It will drop the oven temperature and the cause the cheesecake to sink or crack. Once the cooking time is up, switch the oven off and leave the oven door closed until it is cold. The cheesecake will still be very wobbly at this stage. Just leave it in the oven.
Once the cheesecake has cooled down completely (8+ hours), top with the fresh coconut and cover with cling film. Next, cover and refrigerate the whole cheesecake for 8-10 hours before cutting and serving.

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