The Little Blog Of Vegan

Vegan Almond & Brown Butter Reindeer Cake

2021-11-26T08:59:00.008-08:00

This recipe is a sponsored by Naturli.

3 layers of moist almond cake, with a brown butter Swiss meringue buttercream, topped with festive decorations and sprinkles.

This is the ultimate show stopper cake for your festive gathering.

Watch me make this cake here.

This cake combines two of life's greatest flavours- almond and brown butter!

This was my first time making brown butter and frankly, i'm shocked that I haven't made it before now!!

Making a small tweak to ordinary butter with no other added ingredients can transform it into an alternative flavour which is perfect for baking!

What is brown butter?

Brown butter / burnt butter is regular butter which has been ''browned''. It's basically heating and melting butter until it turns into a golden colour and slightly toasting it. It gives off a toasty, nutty flavour and aroma.

If you’ve never tried brown butter, prepare for your life to change! Brown Butter is basically just lightly burnt / toasted butter!

Christmas isn't the same without Rudolph so let me welcome a brand new reindeer cake to my collection. This one can be named Dasher- haha!

This cake has 3 layers of incredibly easy to make, and moist almond sponge cake.

I've added roughly chopped almonds to the sponge which adds a nice nutty crunch to the cakes, along with almond extract to elevate the almond flavour!

I baked the cakes in three 8'' tins - the perfect size cake for a festive family gathering!

For more information about product placement and partnerships, check out my Disclosure Policy.

What butter to use?

When making any kind of vegan meringue buttercream, a good quality block butter is essential and as butter is the star ingredient of brown butter, you want to use a high quality block butter.

My favourite is the Naturli Block.

This block butter is 100% vegan, it melts the same as 'regular butter', and tastes delicious. When you toast this butter to make brown butter, the flavours really come through.

This is one of the best plant based / vegan block butters I use in my baking!

Naturli is a plant-based food company based in Denmark. They have a selection of tasty plant based products and as I have already said one of my favourites that I love to use in my baking is their Naturli block butter.

It's extremely versatile as you can spread it on toast, add it to sauces, pastry (like my new Giant Vegan Mince Pie Tart recipe) and to create the BEST Swiss meringue buttercream!

Naturli also have a spreadable version which can be used in similar ways to the block butter. But to make the perfect Swiss meringue buttercream which is thick, silky smooth and easy to make, block butter is essential.

Why use block butter in Swiss meringue buttercream rather than margarine?

As Swiss meringue uses liquid from the aquafaba, having a stiffer butter is key.

Block butter allows you to add the chickpea brine, while still keeping a firm buttercream.

I like to use my Naturli Block straight from the fridge so it's cold. This makes the buttercream extra firm.

Check out the Naturli Vegan Block here.

Available from Sainsbury's, Ocado, Waitrose and many more supermarkets!

Available online too - google 'Naturli Vegan Block' to see where it's stocked near you!

Looking for more reindeer desserts? Look no further:

Reindeer Chocolate Tea cakes

Reindeer Hot Chocolate Bombs

White Chocolate Rocky Road bars

Notes*

What is aquafaba?

Aquafaba is the water from a can/tin of chickpeas.The chickpea water or brine as its called, acts as an amazing egg substitute for cakes, meringue buttercream etc.

Preparation: overnight (for the brown butter)

Serves: 8-10

Baking time: 25 - 30 minutes

Level: Easy/Medium

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Ingredients for the cake

480ml of dairy-free milk
2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
420g of self raising flour
80g of whole almonds (finely chopped)
350g of caster sugar
50g of light brown sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
120ml of sunflower oil
2 teaspoons of almond extract / flavouring

Ingredients for the buttercream

380g of Naturli Block Butter
350g of icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
40ml of aquafaba (chickpea brine) see notes*

Decorations

Whole almonds
Flakes almonds (for in-between the layers)
Sugar coated cranberries
Black fondant or chocolate drops (eyes)
Chocolate gingerbread men

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Method (cakes)

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees c fan and line three, 8 inch cake tins with grease-proof paper.
If you only have 1 or 2 tins, you'll have to bake the cakes separately. Cover the batter with a tea towel until ready to use. Give it a gentle stir before pouring into the tins.

2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined. Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan 'buttermilk'.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, finely chopped almonds, sugars, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
Mix well to combine.

4. Add the oil and almond extract into the 'buttermilk' and whisk to combine.

5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.

6. Pour equal amounts of batter into the lined cake tins. Make sure to tap the tins on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.

8. Pop the cakes into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes.
You will know they are done when you put a knife or skewer in the centre and it comes out clean and they are springy to the touch.

9. Place the cakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully.
Once cool, pop them into a sealed container to keep them fresh before frosting.

Method (brown butter)

1. Place the butter into a medium sized saucepan. Place on the hob over low / medium heat.

2. Whisk the mixture frequently. Once the butter has melted, and after around 5 minutes, it will begin to foam up. Keep stirring, it will subside. Watch carefully as browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the saucepan. The butter should have a nutty smell to it too! You don't want it to fully burn, so keep an eye on it and remove from the heat when its just toasted.

3. Once the butter smells nutty and is golden in colour, remove from the heat and pour immediately into a heat proof sealed jar or container.

4. Place into the fridge overnight to set, ready for making the buttercream.

Method (buttercream)

1. In a large mixing bowl, add in the browned butter, whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.

2. Sift in the icing sugar and add in the vanilla extract. Whip on high speed for a couple of minutes to incorporate it.

3. Pour in the aquafaba (chickpea brine) and whip for 5 minutes until it turns thick and creamy. Don't over whip it or it can become too soft. If it goes too soft add more icing sugar, or too thick, add chunks more butter to get it to a smooth and creamy consistency.The buttercream should be sufficient enough for the filling and decoration.

4. Place one of the cakes on a serving plate or cake stand. Dollop some of the buttercream on top and spread out until even using an off-set spatula or pallet knife.

Optional: Sprinkle over some flaked almonds between each layer.

Place the second cake layer on top. Press it down gently so it sticks. Do the same with the 3rd cake layer.

5. Coat the whole cake with a thin layer of buttercream using an off set spatula. This creates a crumb coat. Place the cake into the fridge to set. This will take around 10-15 minutes.

Chilling the cake makes it easier when adding the final coat of buttercream.

6. Transfer the rest of the buttercream into a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip nozzle.

To create the 'knitted' wavy effect, pipe lines of buttercream, starting at the base of the cake all the way up to the top and repeat. When piping the lines, give them a little wiggle to create the wavy effect.

Repeat all the way around the cake.

7. Roll two small balls of black fondant for the eyes and place on the front of the cake (as seen in the photos and video). You could use chocolate drops if you don't have black fondant.

For the 'nose' you can either roll out a larger ball of some red fondant or use a small red bauble (Make sure to remove any non edible decorations before serving the cake!).

8. Press two twigs into the top of the cake, and decorate the top of the cake with any decorations you fancy!

I used a mixture of some twigs, sugar coated cranberries, dairy-free chocolate gingerbread men, whole almonds and some vegan snowflake sprinkles. And voila, a a magical woodland cake!

To store:

Serve fresh or store in a sealed container at room temperature in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature for around 20 minutes before serving.

Best eaten within a few days!

Shop the whole 'Naturli' range here.

A huge thank you to Naturli for collabing on this recipe with me!

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2021 Black Friday Gift Guide (for bakers & food photography)

2021-11-24T09:39:00.004-08:00

Whether you’re shopping for someone who likes to cook or bake, or those who have a keen interest in food photography and food styling, I have compiled a list of my all time favourite items and things I have found which everyone will love (all are in the Black Friday SALE!)

All of these items focus in on 'the kitchen' area, with items which will help you create the most incredible bakes, along side some gorgeous food styling props and cutlery which will be sure to jazz up your kitchen table.
I have made this list with items which are currently in the Black Friday sale, meaning you'll need to shop these ASAP to insure a great deal! We do love a bargain around here- haha!

The majority of these links are affiliate (meaning i will gain a small commission on any purchase made through these links.

Thankyou for supporting The Little Blog of Vegan.

1. Kenwood KMix Stand Mixer: A stand mixer is an essential part in any kitchen, especially for a keen baker. This Kmix has a huge offer on, with savings over 53% off! It would make in credible gift for an avid baker!

2. NutriBullet Starter Kit. I use my Nutribullet every single day for iced coffee. It's high quality and is such an incredible staple in the kitchen. It can be used for blending cheesecake batter, chopping nuts and making incredible smoothies. Currently 33% off!!!

3. The Little Book Of Vegan Bakes. I couldn't make a list without including my brand new baking book! This is the ONLY baking book you'll ever need, with over 80 irresistible vegan recipes and desserts which will make you drool at every turn of the page! Currently only £16! Pre order today to ensure your copy on release day January 20th 2022!

4. Stainless Steel Piping Set. No kitchen is complete without a handy set of piping nozzles. This set contains 5 of my most used (and most loved) piping tips. Great for creating show stopping bakes!

5. Measuring Cups and Spoons. You could never have enough measuring cups and measuring spoons. This matching set are in black and gold, great for using on social media videos (if you like to dabble in food videography), and are easy to store.

6. De'Longhi Coffee Maker. I bought this coffee machine for my sister last year for Christmas and she has used it every day since. With a milk frother, it makes the most incredible creamy coffee, as well as being small and stylish. I wish I bought mine when it was in the sale, haha!

7. White Stone Cake Stand. A plain white cake stand is ideal for showcasing any bake, wether it be a large cake or array of cupcakes. It's always handy to have one in your kitchen cupboard.

8. Kenwood Hand Mixer. For those times when you want to whip up something quickly without having to set up your stand mixer, a hand mixer is perfect. I love hand mixer for making royal icing and cookie dough. This mint green mixer is only £25 in the Black Friday sale! It would be the most incredible Christmas New years gift.

9. Cookie Cutter Set. From Easter, Valentines, Birthdays and Christmas, you'll always need a set of cookie cutters to hand for an emergency sugar cookie .......

This set feature 30 shapes, great for any occasion needing a delicious cookie.

10. Kitchenaid Mini Chopper. The sleek design of this chopper along with the gorgeous creamy almond colour will look gorgeous placed on any worktop. Perfect in size to keep in a cupboard and super simple to set up and use.

11. Tala Mixing Bowl. A ceramic mixing bowl is a staple in any kitchen, not only for baking but cooking also. Ceramic is easy to clean and store.

12. Sprinkle Spatulas. Why have boring plain spatulas when you can have SPRINKLE spatulas. So much more fun! They'd be great for a birthday gift.

13. Bear Glass. How cute are these? I bought one recently and have been using it daily, perfect for strawberry smoothies and coffee!

14. Round Cookie Cutters. A classic staple! No kitchen is ever complete without some sort of round cookie cutter. This set contains different sizes, perfect for cookies, pastry and more!

15. White and Gold Cutlery. You'll see me using this cutlery set over on my Instagram. They are minimalistic and make a great prop for food photography / videography!

16. Set of Off Set Spatulas. No baker is complete without a set of spatulas. I've found this set absolutely brilliant , especially for the price! Super handy to have in your drawer for any cake decorating emergency.

17. Cake Turn Table. My baking defiantly improved when I invested in my first cake turn table. A turn table is great for any cake enthusiasts!

18. Smeg Toaster. This has to be the prettiest toaster i have ever seen! I mean... it's baby blue! Who doesn't want a pastel coloured toaster on their worktop?

19. Digital Sugar Thermometer. The most important tool when making the most delicious doughnuts and caramel sauce. This thermometer can do it all!

20. Princess Electric Juicer. I use a juicer all the time for citrus bakes, lemon loafs and curds. It really helps take the time out of squeezing fruits yourself, and its fun to use! Highly recommend!

21. Monogram Initial Mug. These mugs are just so pretty! I can imagine cosying up next to the fire at Christmas with a hot chocolate with some vegan whipped cream on top!

22. Kitchenaid Kettle. This kettle is far too cute not to add onto my list. It's in a stunning almond cream colour and it's a great price!!

23. Square Waffle Maker. Who doesn't fancy a waffle every now and again?!! I know I do!

This machine is the most perfect gift for literally anyone! Even if you don't make waffles in it, you can create some incredible food (I've seen lots of people use these on TikTok's for making sandwiches and grilling wraps!).

24. Tefel Deep Fryer. Perfect for making the most incredible doughnuts, churros and MORE! This fryer literally does it all, in one compact machine.

25. 2 portable Artificial Food Photography Lights. If you, or anyone you know is getting into food photography and videography, a set of artificial lights is essential. In recent months I have grown to love my lights. They are great for preventing shadows and making a light scene.

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Easy Gingerbread Sheet Cake

2021-11-18T09:00:00.003-08:00

This delicious gingerbread sheet cake is topped with a scrumptious light gingerbread buttercream. It's the perfect Christmas dessert that couldn’t be easier to make! You're going to love this one!

A gingerbread sheet cake with gingerbread men, topped with a swirl of whipped gingerbread buttercream, mini gingerbread men and festive sprinkles.

Watch me make this cake here.

'Sugar and spice, makes all things nice!' is the ideal saying for this delicious cake!

Christmas and gingerbread - a match made in heaven!
Gingerbread is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of the Christmas season and festive flavours! The warming spices are just gorgeous! You can enjoy these amazing festive spices at any time of the year, but theres something about using them in your bakes and desserts at Christmas-time that makes it extra special.

What is Gingerbread?

Gingerbread refers to baked goods typically flavoured with spices such as ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and molasses.

Gingerbread comes in all forms, most commonly recognised as gingerbread cookies, gingerbread men and gingerbread houses.

I fell in love with gingerbread when I was young. I have many fond memories cutting out all sorts of sized gingerbread men and creating the most decorative gingerbread houses as a child. And, one of my all time favourite drinks is ginger beer- haha!

Ginger spice is so cosy and warming. Every year I treat myself to a gingerbread latte from Costa Coffee or Starbucks. I literally wait until as close to Christmas as possible to have one. It makes it taste even more special! I know its almost Christmas when I take a sip of that warm gingerbread coffee - yum!

What kind of pan should I use for this sheet cake?
This recipe has been developed for a 8 x 8 inch square baking tin. I like to use this tin, which I picked up from Amazon. It has a loose bottom / push up base which makes it extremely easy for removing the cake when baked. It also prevents the cake from breaking, which can happen when you lift the cake up out of the pan with greaseproof paper.

This cake gets its flavour from ground ginger, ground nutmeg and black-strap molasses.

Black-strap molasses is the real showstopper here as it really helps the cake have that classic 'gingerbread' flavour and texture.

Black strap molasses is a black treacle which is rich in colour / flavour and gives bakes a chewy and rich flavour!

Looking for more gingerbread recipes? Look no further:

Vegan Gingerbread House Cake
Vegan Gingerbread Doughnuts

Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes

Notes*

What is aquafaba?

Aquafaba is the water from a can/tin of Chickpeas.The Chickpea water or brine as its called, acts as an amazing egg substitute for cakes, meringue buttercreams etc.

What vegan block butter to use?

As Swiss meringue uses liquid from the aquafaba, having a stiffer butter is key. I like the Naturli Vegan Block.

Preparation: 5 minutes

Baking time: 20-25 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the cake

200ml of dairy-free milk
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
230g of self raising flour
80g of caster sugar
20g of dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tablespoon of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
50ml of sunflower oil
1/2 tablespoon of black-strap molasses

Ingredients for the buttercream

130g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)
1/2 tablespoon of black-strap molasses
150g of icing sugar
30ml of chickpea brine (aquafaba) see notes*
1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger

Decorations

____________________________________________________________

Method (cake)
1. Preheat your oven to 180ºC fan and line a 8 x 8 inch square cake tin with grease-proof paper. Allow the paper to hang over the tin, this makes it easier to remove the cake when baked.

2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined.
Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan 'buttermilk'.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugars, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and spices.
Mix well to combine.

4. Add the oil and black-strap molasses into the 'buttermilk' and whisk to combine.

5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.

6. Pour the batter into the lined tin. Use a cranked pallet knife to smooth out the batter, making sure to get it into the corners of the tin. Tap the tin on the worktop one or two times to remove any air bubbles.

Optional step: Press mini gingerbread men into the batter before baking.

7. Pop the cake into the middle of the preheated oven and bake for around 20-25 minutes.
You will know it is done when you put a knife or skewer down the middle of the cake and it comes out clean and it's springy to the touch.

8. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then carefully transfer onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool fully before frosting. You can even place the cake in a sealed container once cool then frost the day after. It's a very light sponge so be careful with it when removing from the tin.

Method (buttercream)

1. In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter and black-strap molasses, whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.

2. Sift in the icing sugar and ground ginger. Whip on high speed for a couple of minutes to incorporate it.

3. Pour in the aquafaba. Whip for 5 minutes until it turns light and creamy. Don't over whip it or it can become too soft. If it does, just add in more icing sugar until it's thick and creamy.
The buttercream should be very light and airy. You can add more chunks of butter to get it to the right consistency.

4. Dollop the buttercream on the sheet cake and use a cranked pallet knife / off set spatula to swirl it around.

Why not decorate the cake with mini gingerbread men and vegan festive sprinkles?!

Slice and enjoy!

To store:
Serve fresh or store in a sealed container at room temperature in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature for around 20 minutes before serving.
Best eaten within a few days!

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Vegan Twix Cookie Cups

2021-11-15T09:00:00.002-08:00

These vegan cookie cups tastes JUST like a 'Twix' bar, but better!

With a light, buttery shortbread cookie cup, a core of luxurious gooey, chewy caramel, topped with a layer of rich dark chocolate, they're absolutely scrumptious!

Watch me make these cookie cups here.

This post may contain affiliate links, which allow me to make a small commission for my referral. For more information, please check out my Disclosure Policy.

What is a Twix bar?

Twix is a caramel shortbread bar, wrapped in chocolate. It's in the 'candy' category as it's a sweet snack.

If you're missing Twix bars, you've come to the right place.

Unfortunately, classic / original Twix bars aren't vegan. This means we have to get creative in the kitchen and create a mind blowing alternative, and this is it!!!

It comes as no surprise, I am a HUGE candy fan. In particular, caramel. I simply can't get enough of the stuff. It's literally liquid gold.

When you pair caramel with chocolate something magical happens. The sweetness and chewiness of the caramel mixed with rich and decadent chocolate are so perfect together! It creates the perfect balance of sweet, rich and salty (if you add a dash of salt for a salted caramel).

Why you NEED to make these cookie cups:

They taste IDENTICAL to Twix bars, but better! You have all the three main elements of a Twix bar (the shortbread, caramel and of course, chocolate), but the flavours are so much better.

They're extremely easy to make. Nothing beats an easy recipe, especially when it contains deliciousness such as shortbread and caramel - YUM!!

The caramel is INCREDIBLE, and it has the perfect ooey, gooey texture. It’s not too hard like toffee, or runny, but instead has that consistency of when you bite into the cup or break it open, it stretches out. OH MY GOODNESS, It's heavenly!

The textures blend perfectly together. The shortbread has enough butter in to make it 'melt in your mouth' while having a slight crunch / crispy outside. The caramel is gooey (as we've already established), and the final layer (or should i say chocolate disk) on top gives a delicious rich aspect.

I won't ever stop thinking about this combination! It's simply dreamy!!!

They're 100% vegan, not that you can even tell! They're incredibly tasty and full of flavour!

They can be made gluten-free. Swap out the plain (wheat) flour with a gluten-free alternative and voila, gluten-free Twix cookie cups ready to devour!

Looking for more caramel recipes? Look no further:

Vegan Caramel Popcorn Cupcakes

Vegan Salted Caramel Popcorn Cake

Vegan Caramel Shortbread Biscuits

The Best Vegan Carrot Cake with Caramel

Easy Salted Caramel Tartlets

Equipment you'll need to make these cookie cups:

A cookie tin. You can use a cookie cup tin, but I found using an actual cupcake tin with liners worked perfectly and gave a really nice shape and homemade feel to the cups.

Cupcake liners. I like to use liners while making cookie cups as opposed to greasing the tin as I find this way much less stressful when it comes to removing the cups from the tin. They have a tendency to stick, even if you use oil to grease the tin. Liners are the way!!!!

A kitchen thermometer. You'll need a thermometer to hand whilst making caramel. The thermometer will help you achieve the PERFECT caramel each time!

A small saucepan. Essentially for making the caramel and melting the chocolate.

A bowl- For making the dough.

Wooden spoon / heat proof spatula- Great for making the caramel and ganache! Both will need to be stirred consistently, so its great to have one at hand when needed!

Notes*

What vegan block butter to use?

My favourite vegan / dairy-free block butters are 'Naturli Vegan Block' or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative (salted or unsalted).

What is golden syrup?

Golden syrup is a thick, amber-coloured treacle. It is sweet in flavour and when used in caramel, helps to prevent crystallising.

Preparation: 2 hours

Baking time: 20-25 minutes

Makes: 6-8

Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the cookie cup

250g of plain flour
40g of caster sugar
200g of dairy-free butter / margarine

Ingredients for the caramel

90ml of dairy-free cream
20g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)
40g of golden syrup (see notes*)
50g of caster sugar

Ingredients for the chocolate topping

80g of dairy-free dark chocolate
80ml of dairy-free cream

____________________________________________________________

Method (cookie cup)

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC fan and like a cupcake tin with cupcake cases. Set aside.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add in the flour and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add in the softened butter / margarine and using your fingertips, rub the softened butter / margarine into the flour and sugar mixture until a crumbly dough forms.

3. Roll the dough into 45g balls and place into each lined cupcake case. Flatten slightly with your finger tips.

Place into the middle of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden in colour.

4. As the cookie will set quite quickly, you want to immediately press the middle of the cookie with the end of a rolling pin, or spoon (something which is a little smaller than the cookie so it creates a dip in the cooke creating a 'cookie cup', ready for filling. Set aside while you make the caramel.

Method (caramel)

1. In a small saucepan, pour in the dairy-free cream and 10g of the butter. Place on the hob, heat on low until the cream is bubbling and the butter has melted. Set aside. Stir to prevent burning with a wooden spoon or heat proof spatula.

2. In a separate saucepan, add in the golden syrup and caster sugar. Heat over low / medium, stirring consistently. Using a kitchen / candy thermometer, you want the mixture to come up to 145ºC.

3. Once it's reached it's temperature, remove the pan from the heat and pour in the cream mixture. Stir vigorously to combine. It will steam and bubble but that's normal.

Return the pan to the heat, and allow it to come up to 116ºC (also known as the soft ball stage, meaning the caramel will be chewy and not too hard / runny). Once at 116ºC, immediately remove from heat and stir in the remaining 10g of butter.

4. This caramel will set quite quickly, so pour immediately into each cookie cup 3/4 full. Set aside.

Alternatively, place the cookie cups in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

Method (chocolate topping)

1. Place the dairy-free cream into a saucepan. Gently heat until it comes to a light simmer, then turn off the heat.

2. Place the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and pour over the hot cream, stir to combine.

3. Carefully pour some of the ganache on-top of each cookie cup. Level with the back of a spoon or knife. Place in the fridge until set.

The cookie cups should feel firm, but the caramel will have a delicious chew to it, while the chocolate should 'melt in the mouth'.

Enjoy!

To store:

Store these cookie cups in a sealed container in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Best eaten within 4 days of making.

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Giant Vegan Mince Pie

2021-11-12T08:58:00.013-08:00

This recipe is sponsored by Naturli.

Get in the festive spirit with this GIANT vegan mince pie.
A delicious light and flakey buttered vegan pastry, filled with spiced mincemeat topped with a decorative pastry lattice decoration.

Watch me make this pie here.

Why have a small mince pie, when you can have a giant one?

This is the perfect dessert to make and share with loved ones!

Mince pies are a staple at Christmas. There's nothing quite like sitting besides the fire with a hot drink, Christmas movie on tv or reading a book and a buttery mince pie in hand!

Speaking of books, have you pre-ordered my first baking book yet?
PRE ORDER HERE!

It would make a great Veganuary present!

What is a mince pie?

Mince pies are a sweet pastry / pie with a filling of spiced mincemeat. Using fruit and spiced mincemeat, brings out the warming and cosy side of Christmas.

Mince pies are my dad's favourite. He loves the plain pies, where as I have a major sweet tooth and can't get enough of the pies topped with a layer of fondant!

They also remind me of my childhood. My sister and I would leave a mince pie, glass of dairy-free milk and carrot out for Santa and Rudolph on Christmas eve!

What is mincemeat?
Mincemeat is a mixture consisting of chopped fruit and spices. Originally made with 'beef suet', mincemeat can also be made with vegetable suet, making it 100% plant based.

You can make you own homemade mincemeat, or alternatively, many shop bought mincemeats are now suitable for vegans.

Mince pies consist of two things:

The most incredible light and butter pastry
Flavour packed mincemeat

Let's start off with the pastry:

Oh boy, do I have a treat for you! This pastry is SO GOOD! It's extremely easy to make and has a gorgeous buttered / flakey texture.

Unlike many pie / pastry recipes, this one is free from eggs / any animal products, making it 100% vegan friendly.

This pastry is super simple to make, and has an amazing texture which is ideal when making the braided lattice for the top of the pie.

This pastry is:

Quick and easy

Vegan

Delicious

Crispy

Flakey

Suitable for sweet / savoury pies

Versatile

Easy to work with

Finding an amazing vegan friendly block butter is key to perfecting pastry.

The butter ensures flavour and that classic 'flakey' texture.

I came across Naturli about a year a go and they have been my go-to vegan butter for making the most incredible buttercream, cakes and cheesecakes!

When it comes to using butter in pastry, you must make sure the butter is COLD!

Having a cold dough doesn't only make it easier to work with, but it's also less likely to shrink in the oven.

For more information about product placement and partnerships, check out my Disclosure Policy.

I am SO happy I discovered Naturli. They have become a go-to in my bakes and I always have a block of their butter in my fridge ready to start recipe creating!

It's extremely versatile as you can spread it onto toast, add it to sauces, create the BEST Swiss meringue buttercream or even use in baking like I have with my lattice mince tart.

Naturli also have a spreadable version which can be used in similar ways to the block butter. But to make the perfect pastry as in this Mince tart recipe chilled block butter is essential.

Why use block butter in pastry rather than margarine?

Using Naturli's block butter in this pastry means you will get an extra tasty pastry. When solid chunks of the butter melt in the heat of the oven, not only does it create that delicious flakiness we all CRAVE in a mince pie, but it helps leaven the pastry.

Check out the Naturli Vegan Block here.

Available from Sainsbury's, Ocado, Waitrose and many more supermarkets!

Available online too - google 'Naturli Vegan Block' to see where it's stocked near you!

Looking for more festive recipes? Look no further:
No-Bake White Chocolate Rocky Road
Vegan Yule Log
Easy Chocolate Reindeer Cookies

Notes*

How to make ice water

Pour 60ml of water in a bowl and add in a couple of ice cubes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before using.

Preparation: 1- 2 hours
Serves: 8 - 10
Baking time: 45 - 50 minutes
Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the pastry

310g of plain flour
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
50g of caster sugar
225g of dairy-free block butter
60ml of ice water (see notes*)
Dairy-free milk ('egg' wash)

Ingredients for the filling

3 jars vegan mincemeat (approx 600g) - depending on how deep your pie dish is.

Icing sugar (to dust)
Ice-cream / custard to serve (optional)

____________________________________________________________

Method (pastry)

1. You will need a large pie dish. (I used a 9 inch deep dish.) In a medium sized bowl, sift in the flour, salt and sugar. Stir to combine, set aside.

2. Cut the Naturli butter into small cubes and place into the freezer for approximately 5-8 minutes. It's important the butter stays as cold as possible when making pastry dough!

3. Add the cubes of cold butter into the flour mixture, one at a time. Use a fork to break up the butter.

Use your fingertips to gently rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles bread crumbs.

Add in the ice cold water a tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together.

It's important you don't over knead the dough as you will loosen the flakiness.

4. Wrap the dough in grease proof paper and place into the fridge for 40 minutes.

This makes it easier to roll out, less sticky to handle and also gives the dough time to chill again.

5. Remove the dough from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Slice the dough in half so you have 2 balls of dough. Wrap one ball of dough up and place back into the fridge for later (this will be for the lattice).

6. Flour a clean work-surface and rolling pin. Roll out one of the dough portions into a 12 inch circle (around 1/8 inch thick), a few inches bigger than your pie dish. Make sure the dough isn't sticking to the work-surface, add more flour if necessary.

7. Check the size by inverting a pie dish over the top of the dough. Look for around a 1-inch edge around the pie dish. To transfer the dough to the dish, starting at one end, roll the dough around a floured rolling pin then carefully unroll over the dish.

Gently press the dough down into dish so that it lines the bottom and sides of the dish. (Being careful not to stretch the dough).

Use a sharp knife to trim off any excess.

Use your fingers to crimp the edges of the pastry. Check this amazing video for a tutorial (it really helped me when making my first pie).

8. Spoon the mincemeat into the pie, enough to fill the pie dish 1/2 - 3/4 full. Set aside.

9. Remove the second pastry ball from the fridge and allow to come down to room temperature for 5 minutes.

10. Preheat oven to 170 degrees c fan.

11. Flour a clean worktop and rolling pin. Roll out the dough until 1/8 inch thick. Use a pizza roller, sharp knife or pastry cutter, slice the dough into even strips (depending on how thick you want the lattice).

12. Carefully pick up the strips and lay 5 vertically over the pie, making sure that they're evenly spaced out.

Carefully fold back the first, third and fifth strips towards you then lay a strip of dough perpendicular to other dough strips. Unfold the first, third and fifth strip over the new strip.

Unfold second and fourth strips over the new strip. Repeat until you have a beautiful lattice detail. See the video of how to do this here.

13. With any excess dough, cut out festive shapes using a cookie cutter or a snowflake press. Using some dairy-free milk, stick them on-top of the pie.

14. Brush the entire pie with dairy-free milk. This will ensure that the pie gets a gorgeous golden colour once baked.

15. Place the pie into the middle of the oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until the mincemeat is bubbling and the pastry is golden.

16. Carefully remove the pie from the oven and allow to cool down. It will be extremely hot.

Slice with a sharp knife and serve.

Serving options:

Drizzle with dairy-free single cream
Enjoy with a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice-cream
Add a spoon of vegan vanilla custard or yoghurt

To store:

Store the mince pie in a sealed container in / out of the fridge.

If in the fridge, allow to come to room temperature before serving.

Best eaten within a few days of making.

Shop the whole 'Naturli' range here.

A huge thank you to Naturli for collabing on this recipe with me!

Discover Naturli on social media

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/naturli/

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Naturli/

Make sure you follow me on my social media

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/thelittleblogofvegan/

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/littleblogofvegan/

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Twitter- https://twitter.com/BlogofVegan

Vegan Nutella Tartlets

2021-11-10T08:55:00.002-08:00

A simple chocolate pastry base, roasted hazelnuts, glossy dark chocolate ganache topped with a swirl of vegan 'Nutella' .

Only 7 ingredients and and 100% vegan!

Watch me make these tartlets here.

LOVE PRALINE? THESE ARE FOR YOU!

What is Nutella?

Nutella is a chocolate & hazelnut spread. The brand 'Nutella' isn't vegan as their products contain milk, but there are plenty of vegan friendly alternatives.

What vegan Nutella did i use?

My all time favourite vegan friendly hazelnuts spread is from Natures Store. It's their hazelnut and cocoa spread.

It tastes identical to how I remember 'Nutella' to taste like! Its silky smooth and extremely flavoursome! The roasted nuts give a lovely flavour!

Chocolate pastry, chocolate ganache AND Vegan Nutella! I mean, what's not to love?!

These scrumptious little desserts are crumbly, rich and creamy. They are also extremely quick & easy to make!

The crust is made with only 4 ingredients and includes flour, cocoa powder, sugar and butter.

The crust is light and crumbly and the filling is ultra rich and decadent, packed full of vegan 'Nutella'. SO GOOD!!!

They are the perfect way to celebrate an occasion, whether that be birthdays, Christmas, New Years etc!

Happy baking!

Looking for more chocolate recipes? Look no further:

Vegan Brownie Cookies

Vegan Brownie Pie

Crinkle Brownies

Homemade Chocolate Oreos

Notes*

What cream can I use?

When it comes to ganache, any cream will work from coconut cream, to dairy-free single + double cream.

Preparation: 20 minutes
Baking time: 20 minutes
Makes: 8 tartlets
Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the base

240g of plain flour (you can use gluten-free)
40g of cocoa powder
50g of caster sugar
200g of dairy-free block butter / margarine

Ingredients for the chocolate ganache

100g of dairy-free dark chocolate
100g of dairy-free cream (see notes*)

1 jar of vegan Nutella
40g of whole hazelnuts

____________________________________________________________

Method (roasted hazelnuts)

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees c fan and line a baking tray with grease proof paper.

2. Lay the hazelnuts on the tray, scatter them around so they are covering the tray and place into the oven to roast for 10 minutes (don't let them burn). After 10 minutes, carefully remove the tray from the oven and place onto a wire rack to cool.

3. Once cool, transfer the nuts into a food processor and blitz until chopped (alternatively, you can chop them by hand with a sharp knife).

Set aside.

Method (crust)

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees c fan and lightly grease a 6 mini tartlet tins with coconut oil or dairy-free butter.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add in the flour, cocoa powder and sugar. Stir to combine. Add in the softened butter / margarine and using your fingertips, rub the softened butter / margarine into the flour mixture until a crumbly dough forms.

3. Firmly press equal amounts of the dough into the tartlet cases / tins and use your fingers to press down the bottom and up the sides.

Tip: As the dough is sticky, coat your fingers in some plain flour / cocoa before pressing it into the tin to prevent sticking.

Prick the bases with a fork.

Place into the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the ganache.

Method (ganache)

1. Place the dairy-free cream into a saucepan. Gently heat until it comes to a light simmer, then turn off the heat.

2. Place the chocolate into a heatproof bowl and pour over the hot cream, stir to combine.

3. Carefully pour some of the ganache into each tartlet case and spread out until even. Place immediately into the fridge/freezer to set the ganache. This will take 15 minutes.

Sprinkle over the roasted hazelnuts while the ganache is still wet so that the nuts stick.

4. Once the ganache has set, spoon a tablespoon of vegan 'Nutella' on top of each tartlet and swirl around using the back of a spoon or off set spatula.

Decorate with more chopped hazelnuts on top.

To store:

Keep stored in a sealed container in the fridge. Best eaten within 3 days of making.

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Vegan White Chocolate Rocky Road

2021-11-08T09:00:00.016-08:00

A dairy-free white chocolate, biscuit and marshmallow rocky road, topped with white chocolate, pretzels and coloured royal icing details. 100% vegan, no-bake, less than 10 minutes to make!

Rocky road is great if you have spare chocolate and marshmallows laying around in your kitchen.

This recipe is super quick & easy, and makes tasty, chewy, chocolatey treats! Perfect for a fun and magical (but very tasty) Christmas.

Watch me make these treats here.

It's November, so you know what that means... TIME TO START CHRISTMAS BAKING!

I am so excited to share all of my festive bakes this season leading up to the big day in December!

I have SO many desserts planned, so I hope you're hungry- haha!

Christmas is fast approaching, so why not get in the festive spirit a little early and make my scrumptious VEGAN WHITE ROCKY ROAD BARS?!!

These bars incorporate the classic elements in a rocky road, but use white chocolate instead of milk or dark for a 'snowy' alternative.

The white chocolate makes these bars creamy, sweet and gorgeous in colour, perfect for adding on bright and colourful decorations.

These tasty 'reindeer' bars feature a delicious creamy white chocolate fudgey base with plain biscuits and vanilla marshmallows, topped with a layer of white chocolate and edible details. I know Santa would love these treats left out for him on Christmas Eve!

What is a Rocky Road?

Rocky road is a no-bake slice made up of chocolate, marshmallows along with other ingredients, which tend to vary by country. They can contain biscuits, nuts, chopped chocolate or a mixture of candy bars. The variations are endless!

How cute are these reindeers? I took inspiration from my Vegan Halloween Rocky Road bars.

The addition of the pretzels for the antlers along with the royal icing red nose and black eyes make these bars look ADORABLE and super festive! They are the perfect treat to make with kids!

Why you need to make these bars?

They're fun to make
100% vegan
Can be made gluten-free if using gluten-free biscuits
They're SUPER delicious
Extremely quick to make
They're extremely versatile
Great fun to make with kids
No baking required
Can be made in advance

What vegan marshmallows to use?

There are countless vegan friendly Marshmallows out there but my personal favourites are 'Dandies Vanilla Marshmallows' or 'Freedom Mallows'.

These taste identical to the non-vegan marshmallows! In fact, you literally can’t tell the difference! They also have the most delicious vanilla flavour which helps flavour these little treats even more!

Looking for more Christmas desserts? Look no further:

Vegan Yule Log

Vegan Chocolate Gingerbread Tart

The Snowman Hot Chocolate Bomb

Notes*

What vegan block butter to use?

My favourite vegan / dairy-free block butters are 'Naturli Vegan Block' or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative (salted or unsalted).

As you're using white chocolate along with a yellow coloured butter, the overall look of these rocky road will have a yellow / cream coloured tint. They wont be pure white. If you do want them pure white, you can add in a drop of white food colouring (i personally haven't done this as i think the creamy colour looks lovely).

What is Aquafaba:

Aquafaba is the water from a can/tin of chickpeas. The chickpea water or brine as it's called, acts as an amazing egg substitute for cakes, cupcakes and delicious meringue buttercream. You can also get aquafaba in a carton for easy use. Check it out here.

What vegan white chocolate to use?

I used Sainsbury's own Deliciously Free From White Chocolate. Vegan / dairy-free white chocolate can sometimes be oily / grainy, its best to search for your best local dairy-free white chocolate. Another i highly recommended is iChoc Vegan White Chocolate.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Chilling time: 2-3 hours

Serves: 12

Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the rocky road

200g of plain biscuits (you can use gluten-free)
100g of mini vegan marshmallows
2 tablespoons of golden syrup
260g of dairy-free white chocolate (see notes*)
140g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)

Ingredients for the white chocolate coating

175g of dairy-free white chocolate

Ingredients for the royal icing

40g of icing sugar
1 teaspoon of chickpea brine (aqauafaba) see notes*
Black food gel
Red food gel

Decorations

Mini pretzels
Edible glitter ( optional)

____________________________________________________________

Method (rocky road)

1. Line a 9 inch square baking tin with grease proof paper. Make sure the paper is overhanging the tin. This will make it easier for removing the bars when ready.

2. Break up the biscuits into small chunks and place into a heat proof bowl, along with the marshmallows. Set aside.

TIP: If you're using large marshmallows, cut them into small pieces.

3. Add the golden syrup, dairy-free white chocolate and butter in a medium sized saucepan. Heat on low until fully melted. Use a heatproof spatula to stir the mixture to prevent sticking and burning onto the sides of the pan. Don't let the mixture burn, the white chocolate has a tendency to go gritty if it's left in the pan for too long.

4. When ready, pour the melted chocolate mixture over the biscuit and marshmallows. Stir to combine, making sure everything is covered in the chocolate mixture.

5. Tip the mixture into the lined tin, compacting it with a spatula. Try to get this as compact as possible, pressing down into the edges.

Place into the fridge for 2-3 hours or until fully set.

Method (white chocolate coating)

1. Add the dairy-free white chocolate into a heat proof bowl. Fill a medium sized saucepan 1/4 full with water. Place the saucepan on the hob over low / medium heat, and add the bowl on top. This creates a bain-marie. Allow the white chocolate to melt.

If you want to temper the chocolate, check out this amazing video tutorial.

2. Remove the rocky road from the fridge and slice into bars using a sharp knife.

Dunk or drizzle the white chocolate over each rocky road bar and place on grease proof paper. As the bars are chilled, the chocolate will set quickly.

You want to be quite quick with adding on the pretzel decorations

3. Break a mini pretzel in half and place them on the front, either side of the rocky road (as seen in the photos). This will create the reindeer antlers.

Allow the white chocolate to set before adding on the royal icing details. If not, the royal icing will bleed into the chocolate. (see storing details for additional information).

Alternatively, you can colour white chocolate using black and red food gels.

Method (royal icing details)

1. In a small bowl, mix the icing sugar with aquafaba (chickpea brine), until a thick paste. You want it to resemble a similar texture to tooth paste - thats the best way of describing it.

2. Divide the mixture into two separate bowls. Colour one bowl with black food gel, and the other with red good gel.

3. Transfer each icing into a separate piping bag, snip off the tip and pipe two dots on the front of each rocky road (for the eyes), and a red dot below the eyes (this makes the nose).

Place back into the fridge for 5 minutes to set.

Serve and enjoy!

To store:

Keep these rocky road bars in a sealed container in the fridge. Best enjoyed within 4 days of making.

The royal icing does have a tendency to bleed into the white chocolate if left too long due to the moisture.

If you want to store the rocky roads for longer, finish decorating at the pretzel step, and add on the royal icing / chocolate details on the day of serving.

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The Best Vegan Cookies and Cream Cake

2021-11-04T10:00:00.008-07:00

This is a sponsored post, in collaboration with Natures Charm.

3 layers of vanilla cake with cookies and cream specks, a vanilla condensed milk buttercream, topped with a chocolate ganache drip and cookies and cream cookies.

Watch me make this cake here.

ALL HAIL COOKIES AND CREAM!

Seriously though, this is THE BEST EVER cookies and cream cake, which you won't even be able to tell is vegan! Make this, and let me know what you think, I know it'll become your go-to celebration cake recipe!!!

Cake layers

The cake has 3 of the most incredible, light, perfectly moist and flavoursome vanilla cakes with chunks of cookies and cream cookies inside.

This cake base recipe is my go-to whenever I want a plain sponge! It literally creates the most incredible cakes each time WITHOUT FAIL! Everyone needs to make my cakes - haha!
I worked so hard, literally over years to develop a cake recipe that works each time!
For the vanilla, you can use vanilla extract, but I tend to use vanilla bean paste, or if i'm feeling really fancy, I'll use vanilla seeds from a vanilla pod.

I am so excited to have partnered with my favourite company for this recipe, Natures Charm.

For more information about product placement and partnerships, check out my Disclosure Policy.

Filling and coating
I am so excited to share a BRAND NEW BUTTERCREAM RECIPE! So, you've seen me make American style buttercream, Swiss meringue frosting and Italian meringue frosting, but i'm so pleased to share CONDENSED MILK BUTTERCREAM to the list! *Que the 'oh wow'*!

Adding sweetened condensed milk into buttercream has become a favourite! It doesn't only create a delicious flavoured buttercream, but oh my goodness, it is SOOO smooth and sweet without being sickly sweet! And perfect for piping and spreading onto bakes.

For this recipe, I decided to go for the condensed-milk buttercream to stick with the 'cookies and cream / milk' theme.

What is condensed milk?

Condensed milk is milk with the water removed leaving a very thick and creamy 'milk'. As I'm vegan and I don't use the 'original' condensed milk, I use Natures Charm condensed milk which is made out of coconut- how cool is that!?

It acts the exact same way as the dairy version (obviously without the cruelty), and tastes absolutely incredible. Its perfectly sweet and gooey, great for buttercream and making caramel sauce!

It's made from coconut milk, sugars, minerals and vitamins. It's also 100% vegan friendly (As are all of Natures Charms products). It's also gluten-free and lactose-free.

Check out my recipes below in which I used Natures Charm products:

Vegan Chocolate Fudge Cupcakes

Vegan Easy Banoffee Cream Bars

Vegan Triple Chocolate Cookie Cake

How to make condensed milk buttercream?

1. Firstly you'll want to cream your dairy-free block butter until smooth.

2. Next add in the icing sugar and some vanilla. At this stage it will be extremely thick as there isn't any liquid, but don't worry, thats where the condensed milk comes in.

Pour in the condensed milk and watch the buttercream transform in to one of the most incredible buttercream EVER!

I couldn't recommend Natures Charm enough! Their products are some of the most delicious I have ever tried. The condensed milk has changed the vegan baking game completely! It's INCREDIBLE!

Speaking of their products, I also used their Coconut Chocolate Fudge Sauce in with the chocolate ganache drip.

This created a really sticky, fudgey ganache, which kind of tasted like a brownie, so yummy!

The fudge sauce is a great addition for any dessert, whether it be adding into fudgey cupcakes or drizzling over ice-cream!

If you're looking to try out more Natures Charm products, they also have a delicious Vegan Oat Milk I used it to create Vegan Lemon Meringue Bars.

Check them out here.

Notes*

What vegan block butter to use?

My favourite block butters to use for buttercreams are Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative.

Preparation: 15 minutes
Baking time: 25 - 30 minutes
Serves: 8-10
Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the cake

480ml dairy-free milk
2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
420g of self raising flour
400g of caster sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
120ml of sunflower oil
100g of 'cookies and cream' cookies

Ingredients for the buttercream

370g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)
150g of Natures Charm Condensed Coconut Milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 'cookies and cream' cookies
350g of icing sugar

Ingredients for the chocolate ganache

100g of dairy-free dark chocolate
100ml of dairy-free cream
2 tablespoons of Natures Charm Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Mini 'cookies and cream' cookies ( for decoration)

____________________________________________________________

Method (cakes)

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees c fan and line tree, 8 inch cake tins with grease-proof paper.

If you only have one tin, you'll have to bake one cake at a time. Cover the batter with a tea towel until ready to use.

2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined.

Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan 'buttermilk'.

3. Blend the cookies and cream biscuits until fine in a high speed blender. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, ground cookies, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Mix well to combine.

4. Add the oil into the 'buttermilk' and whisk to combine.

5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.

6. Pour equal amounts of batter into the lined cake tins. Make sure to tap the tins on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.

7. Pop the cakes into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes.

You will know they are done when you put a knife or skewer in and it comes out clean and they are springy to the touch.

8. Place the cakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully.

Once cool, pop them into a sealed container to keep them fresh before frosting.

Method (buttercream)

1. In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter, whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.

2. Sift in the icing sugar and add in the vanilla extract. Whip on high speed for a couple of minutes to incorporate it.

3. Pour in the Natures Charm Condensed Coconut Milk and whip for 5 minutes until it turns thick and creamy. Don't over whip it or it can become too soft. If it goes too soft add more icing sugar, too thick, add chunks more butter to get it to a smooth and creamy consistency.

4. Sprinkle in the ground cookies and fold to combine. This will create a speckled buttercream.

5. Place one of the cakes on a serving plate or cake stand. Dollop some of the buttercream on top and spread out until even using an off set spatula or pallet knife.

Make a well in the middle of the buttercream and fill with a heaped tablespoon Natures Charm Chocolate Fudge Sauce (optional).

6. Place the second cake layer on top. Press it down gently so it sticks. Repeat until you've used up all 3 cakes.

Coat the whole cake with the buttercream. Use an offset spatula or cake scraper to get the sides of the cake smooth. (Save some buttercream for the swirls) Place the cake into the fridge to set. This will take around 10-15 minutes.

Chilling the cake makes it easier when adding the final coat of buttercream.

7. Add a thick layer of buttercream all around the edges and top of the cake, smooth out with a pallet knife or cake scraper so its smooth/ Place back into the fridge for 10 minutes. In this time, prepare the ganache drip.

Method (ganache)

1. Place the dairy-free cream and chocolate into a medium sized saucepan. Gently heat until melted. Stir with a heat proof spatula / wooden spoon to prevent burning. Stir in the chocolate fudge sauce. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.

2. Add the ganache into a heat proof piping bag and pipe drips down the sides of the cake. As this cake is chilled, the ganache will set quite quickly.

3. Transfer any left over buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip nozzle and pipe some swirls around the top edge of the cake (I use a Wilton 2D tip).

Decorate with some 'cookies and cream' cookie crumbles and mini 'cookies and cream cookies'.

Slice with a sharp knife and enjoy.

To store:

Keep this cake stored in a sealed container in the fridge. Best eaten within 3 days of making.

Un-iced cakes can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days.

Shop the whole 'Natures Charm' range here.

A huge thank you to Natures Charm for collabing on this recipe with me!

Discover Natures Charm on social media

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/naturescharm/

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/naturescharmvegan/

Make sure you follow me on my social media

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/thelittleblogofvegan/

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Twitter- https://twitter.com/BlogofVegan

Vegan Pink Velvet Cake

2021-10-29T08:53:00.007-07:00

3 layers of vanilla 'pink velvet' cake, a cream cheese Italian meringue buttercream, decorated with buttercream & white chocolate ghosts.

Watch me make this cake here.

Spooky season is here, and that only means one thing- CUTE ' SPOOKY' BAKES!
I have to be honest, I am actually terrified of Halloween, hence why I have made this a 'cute' Halloween cake. Come on, I know people want really scary things at Halloween, but it is adorable though isn't it?!

This cake not only looks gorgeous, but it tastes divine.

What is a pink velvet cake?

Similar to a classic red velvet cake, but this has pink sponge cakes (coloured with pink food gel), along with an incredible dairy-free cream cheese Italian meringue buttercream.

It takes its name from red velvet, but adds the pink.... that's literally it- haha!

Super simple yet effective dairy-free white chocolate 'brush stroke' ghosts flying around the sides of cake, along with some white caviar sprinkles and edible silver stars. It's a real eye-catcher and Halloween centrepiece.

Where to buy vegan sprinkles?

I use Fancy Sprinkles. They have some of the best vegan sprinkles I've ever seen & used!

For this cake, I used their Vegan White Caviar, Large Silver Stars, Metallic Silver Stars.

Use code" LITTLEVEGAN15 for 15% off your order on Fancysprinkles.com.

Why you must make this cake:

It's easy to make

It's 100% vegan (obviously)

The ghosts can be made ahead of time

Super simple yet effective decoration

The Italian meringue is super glossy and creamy

It has a strawberry filling which adds a pop of fruity flavour

The subtle hint of cream cheese in the frosting is DIVINE!

I am super excited to share this recipe as its in collaboration with my lovely friend Amy from NourishingAmy.

We have become close friends, who share the same love for cats, coffee and baking.. as you do- haha!

About Amy:

Amy is a fellow vegan, content creator, and photographer. Her photography is honestly some of the prettiest I've ever seen and her recipes are simply dreamy! Her photos give me 'cosy, home vibes' whilst also wanting to immediately devour her baking & savoury creations - haha!

For Amy's part of our fun collaboration, she has made a similar pink ghost cake, but a 2 tier Vegan Pumpkin Spice Cake. Check it out here. Isn't it absolutely gorgeous! I wish I could try a slice!

How the pink buttercream pops and shows off the white ghosts and little pink pumpkins. They're super cute!

We went for a 'cute pink Halloween vibe with matching white ghosts'. I am obsessed with how we both took on the idea and came up with similar yet different bakes which suit both of our styles!

Make sure to follow Amy on her socials:

Instagram (everything is drool worthy)

Facebook

Twitter

Looking for more Halloween recipes? Look no further:

Vegan No-Bake Halloween Rocky Road

Vegan Pink Halloween Strawberry Cake

Vegan No-Bake Rice Krispie Treats

Vegan Oreo Halloween Cake

Notes*

What is Aquafaba:

Aquafaba is the water from a can/tin of Chickpeas. The Chickpea water or brine as it's called, acts as an amazing egg substitute for cakes, cupcakes and this delicious meringue buttercream. You can also get aquafaba in a carton for easy use. Check it out here.

Why do I use aquafaba (chickpea brine) in buttercream?

American buttercream is exceptionally sweet. Using aquafaba creates a vegan version of Italian meringue buttercream.

Italian meringue isn't as sweet and allows the flavour of the cream cheese and vanilla (from the cake) to shine. It takes down the sweetness leaving you with a silky smooth, not too sweet buttercream. I always tell people it's like eating a buttercream cloud- haha!

What vegan block butter to use?

As Italian meringue uses liquid from the aquafaba, having a stiffer butter is key. I like the Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative.

Preparation: Overnight

Baking time: 28-30 minutes

Serves: 8-10

Level: Medium

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the cake

480ml of dairy-free milk
2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
420g of self-raising flour
470g of caster sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
120g of sunflower oil
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Pink food gel

Ingredients for the buttercream

370g aquafaba (chickpea brine) see notes*
1 + 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar
380g of caster sugar
140ml water
400g of dairy-free butter (see notes*)
2 heaped tablespoons of dairy-free cream cheese
Pink food gel

Ingredients for the white chocolate ghosts

150g of dairy-free white chocolate
Black food gel

Vegan star sprinkles

____________________________________________________________

Method (cakes)

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees c fan, and line three, 6 inch cake tins with grease-proof paper.

2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined.

Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan 'buttermilk'.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Mix well to combine.

4. Add the oil and vanilla into the 'buttermilk' and whisk to combine. Add in a drop of pink food gel. Stir to fully combine.

5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.

6. Pour equal amounts of batter into the lined cake tins.

Make sure to tap the tins on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.

7. Pop the cakes into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for around 28-30 minutes.

You will know they are done when you put a knife or skewer in and it comes out clean and they are springy to the touch. If the knife / skewer is still wet, quickly place it back into the oven for 5 minutes at a time until it comes out clean.

8. Place the cakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully.

Once cool, pop them into a sealed container to keep them fresh before frosting.

Method (buttercream)

1. Place the chickpea brine (aquafaba) into a small saucepan and place onto the hob, over medium heat. Allow to reduce to 185g of the original mixture (half). You will need to weigh the aquafaba to check you have the correct weight. You want 185g of reduced aquafaba. Once ready, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

2. Add the sugar and all the water into a small saucepan, place onto the hob over medium heat and allow it to simmer/boil. You want the mixture to ready 116°C (240°F). This will take around 10 minutes. If you don't have a thermometer, you want to make sure the mixture is see-through and is bubbling. It can begin to burn, so keep an eye on it.

3. In the meantime, pour the cool reduced aquafaba into a large bowl and add in the cream of tartar. Whisk on high speed for 5-8 minutes until soft peaks form. I use a Kitchenaid Artisan stand mixer with the balloon whisk attachment. An electric hand whisk will work great too!

4. When the sugar syrup has reached it's temperature, reduce the speed of the mixer and slowly drizzle it into the bowl and whip until is incorporated. You'll want to whisk the aquafaba mixture until the sugar syrup has cooled down. The sides of the bowl shouldn't be hot!

If you add the butter when the mixture is still hot / warm, it will melt the butter, causing a runny mixture.

5. Once fully cool, add in the dairy-free butter, little chunks at a time until it's all in the bowl. Add in the cream cheese and whisk to combine.
Once all the butter has been added the mixture be thick like buttercream, continue to whisk on medium speed for few minutes.

6. Transfer half of the buttercream into a separate bowl and add in a few drops of pink food gel, whisk to combine, leaving the other plain white.

7. Place one of the cakes on a turntable, and using the white buttercream, spread a little bit of it over the top then place the second cake on top. Continue for all three layers.

Crumb coat the whole cake with any of the buttercream colours and place into the fridge for 30 minutes. Chilling the crumb coat makes it easier for adding the final layer of buttercream on the cake.

8. Transfer the white buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle (this will be for the swirls on top).

9. Spread the pink buttercream evenly around the sides and top of the cake (using an off set spatula). Use a cake scraper or pallet knife to smooth out the buttercream. Add as thick or thin layer as you want.

10. Pipe swirls of the white buttercream around the top edge of the cake (as seen in photos).

Method (white chocolate ghosts)

1. Clean and dry a food grade brush. Line a baking tray with grease proof paper.

You'll first want to temper your dairy-free white chocolate. Click here to find out how to temper chocolate.

2. Dip the brush in the melted tempered chocolate. Brush a stripe of the chocolate 'about 2 to 3 inches long on the baking sheet'. As you get towards the end, slowly taper it off, leaving a little ghost like shape If the chocolate layer looks thin or too translucent, dip the brush back in the chocolate and go over the original brush stroke a second time to make it thicker. Repeat until you have as many ghosts as you'd like.

3. With any left over white chocolate, add some black food gel and colour it black. Transfer into a piping bag, snip off the tip and pipe on eyes and mouths.

Allow the ghosts to set fully before adding onto the cake.

4. Press the ghosts onto the sides of the cake. Don't apply too much pressure as they are easily breakable. Use some buttercream on the backs of the ghosts to help them stick better.

5. Press sprinkles all over the sides and top of the cake (the more the merrier).

Slice and enjoy!!

To store:

Store the cake in a sealed container in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before serving. Best enjoyed 4 days of making.

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Vegan Halloween Rocky Road

2021-10-26T08:58:00.009-07:00

A chocolate biscuit and marshmallow rocky road, topped with a chocolate ganache and white chocolate ghost decoration. 100% vegan!

Rocky road is great if you have spare chocolate and marshmallows laying around in your kitchen.

This recipe is super quick & easy, and makes tasty, rich, chewy, chocolaty treats! Perfect for a fun & spooky (but very tasty) Halloween.

Watch me make these treats here.

Halloween is fast approaching so make these devilishly moreish vegan rocky road bars.

These spooooky bars feature a delicious biscuit and marshmallow chocolate base topped with a layer of dark chocolate and a decorated white chocolate ghost pattern.
How to make the ghosts?
It couldn’t be simpler! This simple yet extremely effective method uses only white chocolate ( on the dark chocolate background of course) .

What is a Rocky Road?

Why you need to make these bars?

They're fun to make
100% vegan
Can be made gluten-free if using gluten-free biscuits
They're SUPER delicious
Extremely quick to make
They're extremely versatile
Great to make with kids
No baking required
Can be made in advance

What vegan marshmallows to use?

There are countless vegan friendly Marshmallows out there but my personal favourites are 'Dandies Vanilla Marshmallows' or 'Freedom Mallows'.
These taste identical to the non-vegan marshmallows! In fact, you literally can’t tell the difference! They also have the most delicious vanilla & strawberry flavours which helps flavour these little treats!

Looking for more spooky recipes, look no further:

Vegan Oreo Halloween Cake

No-Bake Halloween Rice crispy Treats

Vegan Strawberry Ghost Cake

Notes*

What vegan block butter to use?

My favourite vegan / dairy-free block butters are 'Naturli Vegan Block' or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative (salted or unsalted).

What cream to use?

When it comes to vegan ganache, any dairy-free cream will work, including dairy-free single, double and coconut cream (just use the thick part of the can of coconut cream).

Preparation: 5 minutes

Chilling time: 2-3 hours

Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the rocky road

200g of plain biscuits (you can use gluten-free)
100g of mini vegan marshmallows
2 tablespoons of golden syrup
200g of dairy-free dark chocolate
140g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)

Ingredients for the chocolate topping

100g of dairy-free white chocolate
200g of dairy-free dark chocolate
150g of dairy-free cream (see notes*)

____________________________________________________________

Method (rocky road)

1. Line a 9 inch square baking tin with grease proof paper. Make sure the paper is overhanging the tin. This will make it easier for removing the bars when ready.

2. Break up the biscuits into small chunks and place into a heat proof bowl, along with the marshmallows. Set aside.

TIP: If you're using large marshmallows, cut them into small pieces.

3. Add the golden syrup, dairy-free chocolate and butter in a medium sized saucepan. Heat on low until fully melted. Use a heatproof spatula to stir the mixture to prevent sticking and burning onto the sides of the pan.

4. When ready, pour the melted chocolate into the biscuit and marshmallows. Stir to combine, making sure everything is covered in the chocolate mixture.

5. Tip the mixture into the lined tin, compacting it with a spatula.

Place into the fridge for 2-3 hours or until fully set.

Method (chocolate topping)

1. Heat the dairy-free cream in a saucepan until it's hot.

2. Chop the dark chocolate into small chunks, place into a heat proof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the top. Allow it to sit for 3 minutes before stirring to a smooth ganache.

3. Keeping the slab still in the tin, remove from the fridge and pour over the ganache. Spread it even with an off set spatula.

4. Add the dairy-free white chocolate into a heat proof bowl. Fill a medium sized saucepan 1/4 full with water. Place the saucepan on the hob over low / medium heat, and add the bowl on top. This creates a bain-marie. Allow the white chocolate to melt. Add the white chocolate into a piping bag, snip off the tip and pipe blobs over the rocky road. Use a tooth pick to drag the chocolate creating a ghost shape. Dot some dark chocolate on the white chocolate for the eyes and mouth.

5. Place the tin back into the fridge, and allow it to set. This will take around 30 minutes.

6. When it's fully set, lift the rocky road out of the tin. Slice the rocky road into square bars.

To store:

Store the rocky road in a sealed container in the fridge. Best enjoyed 4 days of making.

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The Best Vegan Rice Krispie Treats

2021-10-22T09:00:00.007-07:00

Vegan, gluten-free, no-bake, super quick and easy to make.

I’m sure everyone has enjoyed the chewy delight that is a rice krispie treat, and if you haven’t, you’ve been missing out!

These rice krispie treats are essentially puffed rice, mixed with butter and marshmallows to form a sticky, crispy mixture.

They are extremely versatile, make them any flavour you want, including different shapes with endless variety of decoration!

Watch me make these treats here.

What is a rice krispie treat?

Rice Krispie Treats are a commonly made through combining Rice Krispies or a puffed rice cereal together with butter and marshmallows.

As it's spooky season, I wanted to create something that is super easy to make, no bake and would be great for kids to get involved with making too.
These spook-tastic ‘mummy’ treats take less than 10 minutes to make with absolutely no baking required.

How to make rice krispy treats vegan?
You’ll want to hunt down a vegan block butter.

My two favourite vegan friendly butters are 'Flora Plant Based Block' and 'Naturli Block'. Both are vegan, delicious and great to bake with!

Next, vegan marshmallows. There are countless vegan friendly Marshmallows out there but my personal favourites are 'Dandies Vanilla Marshmallows'.
These taste identical to the non-vegan marshmallows, and melt perfectly! In fact, you literally can’t tell the difference! They also have the most delicious vanilla flavour which helps flavour these little treats!

Check out my Halloween cakes:

Vegan Strawberry Ghost Cake

Vegan Oreo Halloween Cake

Notes*

What is Aquafaba:

Aquafaba is the water from a can/tin of Chickpeas. The Chickpea water or brine as it's called, acts as an amazing egg substitute for cakes, cupcakes and royal icing. You can get aquafaba in a carton for easy use. Check it out here.

Vegan Marshmallows

I used Dandies Vanilla Marshmallows for this recipe.

What white chocolate do i use?

My favourite vegan white chocolates are Sainbury's Own Dairy-free White Chocolate , iChoc and Moo Free.

Preparation: 5 minutes

Chilling time: 10 minutes

Serves: 8-10 (depending on your size)

Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the rice krispies

40g of dairy-free butter
200g of vegan vanilla marshmallows
130g of rice krispies (puffed rice cereal)
200g of dairy-free white chocolate

Ingredients for the eyes

4 tablespoons of icing sugar
1 tablespoon aquafaba (chickpea brine ) see notes*
Black food gel

____________________________________________________________

Method (eyes)

1. Line a baking tray with grease proof paper. set aside.

2. In a small bowl, sift in the icing sugar and pour in the aquafaba. Stir until it's a thick white paste. If it's too runny, add more icing sugar. If it's too thick, add a splash more aquafaba. You want it to resemble tooth paste.

3. Transfer 3/4 of the royal icing into a piping bag with the tip snipped off.

4. Dye the remaining 1/4 with black food gel.

5. Pipe a small round dot on the lined tray (making the sclera). Pipe out all of the white dots. Allow to dry for 20 minutes, until you can touch the top of them and it not be sticky.

If you apply the black when the white is still wet, the black will bleed into the white making a grey eye.

6. Pipe a small black dot in the middle of the white dots. Leave to dry fully. I leave mine at room temperature to dry overnight.

Method (rice krispy treats)

1. Line an 8 x 8 inch square pan with grease proof paper. Make sure the paper is hanging either side of the tin. This makes it easier to remove the slab when ready.

2. In large saucepan / pan, melt the dairy-free butter and marshmallows over low heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until completely melted. Remove from heat. This mixture can burn easy, so keep an eye out.

3. When the mixture is sticky, quickly add in the rice krispies. Stir until well coated.

4. Press the mixture into the lined tin with a lightly oiled spatula. Make sure it's compact. You want to be quick with this step as the marshmallow sets quite quickly which will make it hard to spread out in the pan.

Set aside to cool for 5 minutes then transfer into the fridge for 10 minutes to set.

Once set, using a sharp knife, cut into medium sized rectangles.

Set aside.

5. Add the dairy-free white chocolate into a heat proof bowl. Fill a medium sized saucepan 1/4 full with water. Place the saucepan on the hob over low / medium heat, and add the bowl on top. This creates a bain-marie. Allow the white chocolate to melt.

6. Dunk the rice krispie treats into the white chocolate and place on grease proof paper. As the rice crispy treats are chilled, the chocolate will set quickly.

7. Transfer left over white chocolate into a piping bag and pipe lines all over the rice crispy treats in a zig zag motion (as seen in the photos).

8. While the chocolate is still wet, press two royal icing eyes into the middle of the rice krispies.

Serve and enjoy!

To store:

These treats need to be stored in a sealed container in the fridge. Make sure it's air tight.

Enjoy within a few days of making.

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The Best Vegan Caramel Sauce

2021-10-19T09:04:00.006-07:00

Follow my easy instructions and minimal ingredients to make THE BEST Vegan Caramel Sauce you've ever tried. Perfect for cupcakes, cakes, cookies, tarts, ice-cream and more!

Watch me make this caramel sauce here.

Homemade caramel isn't difficult, it just requires a few ingredients, a few utensils and a few tips.

This caramel sauce is:

Thick
Chewy
Gooey
Easy to make
Perfect addition for any dessert
100% vegan and gluten-free

No thermometer needed!

Unlike many caramel recipes, this recipe doesn't require a candy thermometer! You'll just need your eyes-haha!

You will need to follow the instructions 'step by step' in order to create this irresistible caramel perfectly.

How to make a vegan caramel sauce?
Vegan caramel is SUPER quick and easy to make. It thickens as it cools and is just soo tasty!
You'll need 3 ingredients- caster sugar, dairy-free block butter and coconut cream.

Use the written out recipe below for the full recipe + method, but here is an overview.

Firstly, you'll want to melt the sugar in a small saucepan, stirring with a wooden spoon until it turns liquid and golden in colour.
Next step is to add in the dairy-free butter. Stir this in until its combined. The mixture will turn thicker.
Finally, add in the coconut cream.
That’s it, the caramel is done

How to store caramel sauce?
As this caramel contains coconut cream, you'll want to store it in the fridge.
Best way to store caramel in a a sealed container or jar. I allow my caramel to cool down at room temperature for around 30 minutes (so the heat from the caramel doesn't effect my fridge), pour the caramel in the jar / container, add on the lid and place in the fridge. That's it! The longer its in the fridge, the thicker the caramel will be!

Looking for more caramel recipes? Look no further:

Vegan Caramel Popcorn Cupcakes

Vegan Salted Caramel Popcorn Cake

Vegan Caramel Shortbread Biscuits
The Best Vegan Carrot Cake with Caramel
Easy Salted Caramel Tartlets

Notes*

Coconut cream: Chill a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, turn it upside down and open. Pour out the liquid and use the thick, white cream.

What vegan block butter to use?
My favourite vegan / dairy-free block butters are 'Naturli Vegan Block' or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative (salted or unsalted).

Preparation: 5 minutes
Makes: Approximately 1 medium jar
Chilling time: Overnight
Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the caramel

200g of of caster sugar
100g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)
200g of coconut cream (see notes*)

____________________________________________________________

Method (caramel)

1. Place the sugar into a medium / large saucepan. Place the pan on the hob over a low heat. Allow the sugar to melt, this will take around 5-8 minutes. Don't burn the sugar!

Make sure to stir the sugar constantly to prevent burning. You can use a wooden spoon or heat proof spatula.

2. When all of the sugar has melted and is a golden / amber colour, add in the butter. Be careful, as the sugar is very hot. Remove the pan from the heat and stir to combine. Allow the butter to melt into the sugar. It might bubble but thats fine.

Once it's combined, it might go a thick consistency, now add in the coconut cream. It will steam and bubble again so be very careful!

3. Add the pan on the heat and allow to simmer for 3-5 minutes to help thicken it up.

4. Remove the pan from the heat. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes, then transfer / pour the caramel into a heat proof jar. Place the jar into the fridge. Allow to chill and and overnight. The caramel will will turn into a toffee consistency.

To store:

Keep this caramel sauce in a sealed jar / container in the fridge.

Best enjoyed a week of making.

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No Bake Chocolate Fridge Cake

2021-10-15T09:00:00.013-07:00

This quick and easy No Bake, Vegan Chocolate Fridge Cake is indulgent, decadent and takes less than 10 minutes to make!

Watch me make this cake here.

Chocolate and biscuits mixed together is ultimately going to be the best tasting thing ever, right?

I mean, it's rich and luxurious chocolate mixed with a crisp digestive biscuits- it's heaven in my eyes!

Why you need to make this recipe:

Super easy to make
Absolutely no baking required
Vegan friendly
Can be made gluten-free if you use gluten-free biscuits
It takes less than 10 minutes to make
It can be made ahead of time / stored in the fridge until ready to enjoy
Great for kids to make and get involved with
Extremely delicious
Hardly any mess

What's stopping you? Get in your kitchen and make this super easy, heavenly dessert NOW -haha!

This recipe was inspired by two of my lovely foodie friends, Lucy from Lucy Lentils and Tom, Project Vegan Baking. Definitely check them both out in the links above. They both have some of the most INSANE vegan recipes, i love them!

So, what is a fridge cake?

It's basically a cake with the base of the recipe being chocolate.

You will make a chocolate / fudgey mixture, stir broken up chunks of biscuit into it, pop it in a tin and chill. When you come to serve it, just slice and dig in! It's as simple as that!

This recipe contains only 7 'easy to find ingredients'. It has a layer of silky smooth (honestly irresistible) chocolate ganache.

This ganache is too easy and only uses dairy-free dark chocolate and cream. You can use ant vegan cream for this - dairy-free double, single, or coconut cream will work perfectly.

What you'll need to make this recipe

Grease proof paper

A wooden spoon / spatula

8'' loose base / push up round cake tin

Digestive biscuits

Dairy-free butter

Golden syrup

Dairy-free dark chocolate

Vanilla extract

Dairy-free cream

Knife for slicing

Looking for more chocolatey recipes? Look no further:

Vegan Chocolate Espresso Cake

Vegan Brownie Cookies

4 Ingredient No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Tart

Vegan Chocolate Oreos

Notes:

What cream to use? When it comes to vegan ganache, any dairy-free cream will work, including dairy-free single, double and coconut cream (just use the thick part of the can of coconut cream).

What vegan block butter to use?

My favourite vegan / dairy-free block butters are 'Naturli Vegan Block' or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative (salted or unsalted).

What chocolate to use?

I like to use a 70% or higher dark chocolate for this recipe. I use Callebaut [70. 30.38] 70.5% dark chocolate callets (which are vegan friendly). I also recipe tested this recipe with 'Nomo Dairy-Free Dark Chocolate', and it was scrumptious.

How to make this recipe gluten-free?

It's super simple to make this recipe suitable for those who are gluten intolerant. Use gluten-free biscuits, thats it! My favourite gluten-free biscuits are 'ASDA's own Free From Digestive Biscuits' which are not only vegan, but 100% gluten-free!

Preparation: 5 minutes

Chilling time: Overnight

Serves: 8-10

Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the base

600g of digestive biscuits (plain biscuits)
280g of dairy-free butter (see notes*)
250g of golden syrup
180g of dairy-free dark chocolate
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional)

Ingredients for the chocolate ganache

100g of dairy-free dark chocolate
80g of dairy-free cream (see notes*)

____________________________________________________________

Method (base)
1. Line a 8’’ loose base / push up cake tin with grease proof paper. You only need to line the base as it slides out easier (if you’re using a loose base tin). Set aside.

2. Roughly break up the digestive biscuits into a bowl. You want them to be 1 / 2 cm. Set aside.

3. Add the dairy-free butter, golden syrup, dark chocolate and vanilla in a heat proof bowl.

Fill a medium sized saucepan 1/4 full with water. Place the saucepan on the hob over low / medium heat, and add the bowl on top. This creates a bain-marie. Allow everything to melt together, stirring with a wooden spoon.

4. Once melted, pour the chocolatey mixture over the broken up biscuits. Stir everything together with a wooden spoon until fully combined and coated.

5. Tip the mixture into the lined tin, pressing it down with a spatula or spoon to compact it. You want it as compact as possible.

6. Place into the fridge for an hour to partly set.

Method (chocolate ganache)

1. Heat the dairy-free cream in a saucepan until its hot.

2. Chop the chocolate into small chunks, place into a heat proof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the top. Allow it to sit for 3 minutes before stirring to a smooth ganache.

3. Remove the cake from the fridge, pour the ganache over the cake. Place back into the fridge, and allow it to set overnight.

4. When it's fully set, lift / push the cake out of the tin, place on a serving plate, slice and enjoy.

Tip: A useful tip to slicing this fridge cake perfectly, heat a knife in some hot water or a kitchen blow torch before each cut, and wiping after each slice to keep the slices neat.

To store:

Store in the fridge, in a sealed container. Best eaten within 4 days of making.

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Vegan Salted Caramel Pretzel Cake

2021-10-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

I give you my absolute dream cake. A Salted Caramel Pretzel Cake, with vanilla pretzel sponge cakes, layers of salted caramel buttercream, caramel sauce, decorated with giant salted pretzels and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Watch me make this cake here.

100% vegan, eggless, easy to make and perfect for all cake lovers, not just vegan ones!

Yup, this is my dream cake..right here, in all it's glory. It's sooooo tasty and pretty on the outside too, with the most scrumptious lightly salted pretzel sponge cakes, a caramel buttercream, caramel sauce decorated with GIANT pretzels.
Speaking of these pretzels, how awesome are they. I went shopping with my sister recently and we spotted these in 'Marks & Spenser' down the crisp isle and had to pick up a bag. Who knew i would use them to create this show stopping cake! It's a fun, decorative idea and tastes scrumptious too!

THE BEST SALTED CARAMEL PRETZEL CAKE
Salted pretzels and caramel are the most perfect pairing. I adore combining sweet with salty, it simply works as a delicious flavour combo!
The slightly salted sponge cakes mixed with the sweet and gooey caramel, along side salty and crunchy pretzels is unlike anything you've ever tasted before!

This salted pretzel cake is truly 'THE CAKE' to make this season. Cut yourself a thick slice, cosy up by the fire and just enjoy the satisfying flavours and textures! You would honestly never be able to tell it's vegan!

As if this cake couldn't get any better, i decorated it with a salted caramel buttercream *gasps*.
I think i am salted caramel obsessed. I can't seem to stop making salted caramel dessert's as you can see by my previous recipes, all 100% vegan:

Easy millionaires cookie bars

6 ingredient Salted Caramel Tartlets

Caramel Shortbread Biscuits

Easy Banoffee Cream Bars

This cake is filled and coated in a salted caramel buttercream. In order to make salted caramel buttercream, you'll need a batch of salted caramel on stand by.
I always like to make my caramel a day in advance, so it has time to thicken and chill before adding it into the buttercream.

What you'll need to make salted caramel buttercream

Sugar (caster sugar) - Sugar is the main ingredient when it comes to making any caramel, so make sure you have a bag ready to go.

Dairy-free block butter - Make sure the block butter is chilled. This will help achieve a thick, gooey caramel sauce.

Coconut cream - Chill a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, turn it upside down and open. Pour out the liquid and use the thick, white cream.

It's a simple and quick method, all you need to do is melt the sugar over the hob in a saucepan, mix in the butter and pour in the cream. It takes a little while for the sugar to melt, but after that it's a super quick method to follow.

I like to place my caramel in a heat proof container or jar, pop it in the fridge overnight to chill & set and in the morning, it's like an ultra thick toffee. It's one of the best caramels i've ever made / tasted! Highly recommend! Method + ingredients list below!

Notes*

Why do I use aquafaba (chickpea brine) in buttercream?

American buttercream is exceptionally sweet. Using aquafaba creates a vegan version of Swiss meringue buttercream.

Swiss meringue isn't as sweet and allows the flavour of the caramel to shine. It takes down the sweetness leaving you with a silky smooth, not too sweet buttercream. I always tell people it's like eating a buttercream cloud- haha!

What is aquafaba?

Aquafaba is the water from a can/tin of Chickpeas.The Chickpea water or brine as its called, acts as an amazing egg substitute for cakes, meringue buttercreams etc. You can also buy it in a carton. Check it out here.

What vegan block butter to use?

As Swiss meringue uses liquid from the aquafaba, having a stiffer butter is key. I like the Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative.

Preparation: Overnight (for the caramel)

Serves: 10-12

Baking time: 25 - 30 minutes

Level: Easy / medium

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the caramel sauce

200g of of caster sugar
100g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)
180g of coconut cream (see notes*)
1 teaspoon of sea salt (optional)

Ingredients for the cake

480ml of dairy-free milk
2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
420g of self-raising flour
50g of salted / unsalted pretzels (blender until fine)
400g of caster sugar
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon of sea salt
120g of sunflower oil / coconut oil (melted)

Ingredients for the buttercream

200g of dairy-free butter
300g of icing sugar
40ml of aquafaba (chickpea brine) see notes*

____________________________________________________________

Method (caramel)
1. Place the sugar into a medium / large saucepan. Place the pan on the hob over a low heat. Allow the sugar to melt, this will take around 5-8 minutes.
Make sure to stir the sugar constantly to prevent burning.

2. When all of the sugar has melted and is a golden / amber colour, add in the butter. Stir to combine. Allow the butter to melt into the sugar.
Once it's combined, it might go a thick consistency, now add in the coconut cream. It will steam and bubble so be-careful!

3. Pour the thick caramel quickly into each case. Use an off-set spatula to quickly spread out the caramel, making sure it's even.
Set aside to cool for 30 minutes, then transfer into the fridge for 3 hours, or until fully set.
Tip: You can leave it in the fridge overnight. The caramel will will turn into a toffee consistency.

Method (cakes)

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees c fan and line two, 6 inch cake tins with grease-proof paper.

If you only have one tin, you'll have to bake one cake at a time. Cover the batter with a tea towel until ready to use.

2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined.

Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan 'buttermilk'.

3. Blend the pretzels until fine in a high speed blender. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, fine pretzels, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Mix well to combine.

4. Add the oil into the 'buttermilk' and whisk to combine.

5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.

6. Pour equal amounts of batter into the lined cake tins.

Make sure to tap the tins on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.

7. Pop the cakes into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes.

You will know they are done when you put a knife or skewer in and it comes out clean and they are springy to the touch.

8. Place the cakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully.

Once cool, pop them into a sealed container to keep them fresh before frosting.

Method (buttercream)

1. In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter and whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.

3. Sift in the icing sugar. Whip on high speed for a couple of minutes to incorporate it.

4. Pour in the aquafaba and whip for 5 minutes until it turns light and creamy. Don't over whip it or it can become too soft.

5. Drizzle in the 4 tablespoons of caramel sauce, whip on high speed until fully combined. The buttercream should be thick and creamy. If its too runny, add chunks of butter in at a time whilst it's still whipping on high to get it to the perfect thick and creamy consistency.

6. Place one of the cakes on a serving plate or cake stand. Dollop some of the buttercream on top and spread out until even using an off set spatula or pallet knife.

Make a well in the middle of the buttercream and fill with a heaped tablespoon of caramel sauce, and crumbled up pretzels. Repeat for the second layer.

Place the third cake layer on top. Press it down gently so it sticks.

Coat the whole cake with the buttercream. Place into the fridge for 30 minutes to set. This makes it easier for adding the final coat.

7. While the buttercream is still soft, get some caramel sauce on the end of a knife or spatula and spread it all around the cake in a 'swooping' motion (watch me decorate this cake here).

Add as much or as little caramel as you fancy.

Top with a light sprinkling of sea salt over the top of the cake (optional).

To store:

Keep this cake stored in a sealed container in the fridge. Best eaten within 3 days of making.

Un-iced cakes can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days.

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Caramel Shortbread Biscuits

2021-10-06T09:01:00.002-07:00

2 vanilla shortbread biscuits with a filling of caramel sauce dusted with some icing sugar. Easy to make, fun to eat, these biscuits are a light, buttery, 'melt in the mouth' delicious treat.

Watch me make these biscuits here.

Autumn is here which means snuggling up under a blanket with a warm drink and tasty snacks. I love summer, but compared to a cosy autumnal day, dunking a crumbly biscuit into a warm cup of coffee, I know which one i'll choose!

I have made a lot of sandwich cookies in my day, but nothing beats shortbread in biscuit form, especially when it contains a scrumptious filling. They are as pretty as they are tasty, and don't worry, they are extremely easy to make!

Let's start with the shortbread.

Vegan shortbread is one of the most simplest bakes to make. You only need 4 ingredients: flour, butter, maple syrup and coconut oil.

This shortbread is a-little different to a 'classic' shortbread just consisting of flour, butter and sugar.

The reason I add in the coconut oil is to help the shortbread keep it's shape when using a decorative cookie cutter. I used the 'classic' method when recipe testing and the biscuits spread out WAY too much. They loose all of their beautiful shapes and don't look necessarily attractive as 'pretty' biscuits.

When it comes to shortbread, you want your butter cold. The colder the butter, the lighter the shortbread (that's what I've found when i've been recipe testing these biscuits).

A cold butter means for a 'less greasy' and easier to form cookie dough.

Shortbread isn't like a cake, so it doesn't need any raising agent. Plain flour is all thats needed, along with some maple syrup for sweetness. The finer the flour, the smoother the dough, and lighter the overall shortbread. I'd recommend sifting the flour a few times prior to adding it into the butter and coconut oil.

Looking for more caramel recipes? Look no further:

Vegan Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Vegan Salted Caramel Chocolate Loaf

Vegan Salted Caramel Brownie Cups

Vegan Twix Bars

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake

Ahh caramel, one of my favourite flavours to add into any dessert. This caramel sauce is chewy, gooey and super yummy. It is slightly salted which helps cut through the sweet biscuit.

This recipe might give you more caramel than needed (which is never a bad thing). Store any left over caramel in a sealed container in the fridge, perfect for drizzling over cupcakes or cookies.

If you like the combination of sweet and salty, these biscuits are for you!

Notes*

Coconut cream: Chill a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, turn it upside down and open. Pour out the liquid and use the thick, white cream. The thicker the cream, the thicker the caramel.

What vegan block butter to use?

My favourite vegan block butters are Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative.

Preparation: 5 minutes

Baking time: 10 minutes

Makes: Approximately 8-10 sandwich biscuits

Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the shortbread crust

200g of plain flour
80g of coconut oil
30g of dairy-free block butter
50ml of maple syrup

Ingredients for the caramel

200g of of caster sugar
100g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)
180g of coconut cream (see notes*)

Icing sugar (for dusting)

____________________________________________________________

Method (caramel)

1. Place the sugar into a medium / large saucepan. Place the pan on the hob over a low heat. Allow the sugar to melt, this will take around 5-8 minutes.

Make sure to stir the sugar constantly to prevent burning.

2. When all of the sugar has melted and is a golden / amber colour, add in the butter. Stir to combine. Allow the butter to melt into the sugar.

Once it's combined, it might go a thick consistency, now add in the coconut cream. It will steam and bubble so be-careful!

3. Pour the thick caramel quickly into each case. Use an off-set spatula to quickly spread out the caramel, making sure it's even.

Set aside to cool for 30 minutes, then transfer into the fridge for 3 hours, or until fully set.

Tip: You can leave it in the fridge overnight. The caramel will will turn into a toffee consistency.

Method (biscuits)

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees c fan and line 2 baking trays with grease proof paper.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift in the flour. Add in the cold butter, thick coconut oil and maple syrup. Using your fingertips, rub the ingredients together until a crumbly dough forms. You want to keep the dough cold, so pop it into the fridge for 10 minutes while you prepare the cookie cutters and your work-surface.

3. Roll the firm dough in-between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper. You want the dough to be 1/4 inch thick.

4. Using a 2 inch round or frilled cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and place onto the lined baking tray. Repeat for all of the cookies.

You can re-roll the dough multiple times. As this dough is butter-based, it might become sticky. If so, place back into the fridge to set then re-roll. Use a smaller / mini cookie cutter to cut out a shape in the middle of half of the biscuits (these will be the top half of the sandwich). Only do this to half of the biscuits!

5. Place the baking trays into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the cookies are crisp on the edges and are lightly golden in colour.

6. Remove the trays from the oven and allow the cookies to cool slightly on the trays, then once cool transfer them to a cooking rack to cool fully before filling.

7. Transfer the caramel into a piping bag, snip off the tip and pipe a swirl of caramel on half of the biscuits, placing a biscuit with the small cut out on top, creating a sandwich. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

To store:

As the caramel is butter and cream based, it will go even more gooey at room temperature, so store these biscuits in a sealed container in the fridge. Best enjoyed 3 days of making.

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Mini Coffee Sheet Cake

2021-10-03T08:49:00.014-07:00

A intensely rich chocolate coffee sheet cake with the most incredible coffee Swiss meringue buttercream.

Watch me make this cake here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS!

It’s my sisters birthday today, so that only means one thing when it comes to cake- COFFEE!
We are the BIGGEST coffee lovers! This cake is both of our favourite flavours.
Chocolate and coffee pair beautifully together, making for a really decadent dessert.

This cake has a chocolate sponge, with addition of a coffee concentrate (a very strong blend of coffee granules mixed with water) which gives a delicious flavour the cakes and bakes. The buttercream is a coffee Swiss meringue. It's like eating coffee cream or as my sister said, 'a creamy coffee cloud'.

Why you MUST make this cake:

The sponge is light and fluffy
It's small enough for a couple of servings
It's loaded with chocolate (what could be better?)
The Swiss meringue is rich and silky
Ideal for an intimate birthday cake
It's easy to make
Bursting with coffee flavour
You can make it decaf if you prefer
It's creamy and decadent

Looking for more funfetti recipes? Look no further:

Vegan Funfetti Cookies

Mini Vegan Funfetti Cake

Vegan Funfetti Cookie Cups

Vegan Funfetti Sheet Cake

Notes*

What is aquafaba?

Aquafaba is the water from a can/tin of Chickpeas.The Chickpea water or brine as its called, acts as an amazing egg substitute for cakes, meringue buttercreams etc.

What vegan block butter to use?

As Swiss meringue uses liquid from the aquafaba, having a stiffer butter is key. I like the Naturli Vegan Block.

Where can I buy vegan sprinkles?

My favourite sprinkles are from Fancy Sprinkles. They have one of the best ranges of vegan friendly sprinkles. I used their 'White Caviar' which are small white round sprinkles.

Get the sprinkles I use- Use code LITTLEVEGAN15 for 15% off your whole order on Fancy Sprinkles.

Check out their vegan sprinkle range here.

Preparation: 5 minutes

Baking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2-4

Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the cake

200ml of dairy-free milk
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons of coffee granules + 2 tablespoons of hot water
200g of self raising flour
40g of cocoa powder
100g of caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
50ml of sunflower oil

Ingredients for the buttercream

2 tablespoons of coffee granules + 1 tablespoon of hot water
120g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)
150g of icing sugar
20ml of aquafaba (chickpea brine) see notes*

White caviar sprinkles (see notes*)
Coffee beans (optional)

____________________________________________________________

Method (cake)

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees c fan and line a 8x8 inch square cake tin with grease-proof paper. Allow the paper to hang over the tin, this makes it easier to remove the cake when baked.

2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined.

Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan 'buttermilk'.

Mix the coffee granules and hot water in a bowl. This makes a coffee concentrate.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Mix well to combine.

4. Add the oil and coffee concentrate into the 'buttermilk' and whisk to combine.

5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.

6. Pour the batter into the lined tin. Use a cranked pallet knife to smooth out the batter, making sure to get it into the corners of the tin.

Make sure to tap the tin on the worktop one or two times to remove any air bubbles.

7. Pop the cake into the middle of the preheated oven and bake for around 20 minutes.

You will know it is done when you put a knife or skewer down the middle of the cake and it comes out clean and it's springy to the touch.

Method (buttercream)

1. Mix the coffee granules and hot water in a small bowl and mix until combined. This creates a coffee concentrate, which will flavour the buttercream.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter and whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.

3. Sift in the icing sugar and whip on high speed for a couple of minutes to incorporate it.

4. Pour in the aquafaba and coffee concentrate. Whip for 5 minutes until it turns light and creamy. Don't over whip it or it can become too soft. If it does, just add in more icing sugar until it's thick and creamy.

The buttercream should be very light and airy. Add more chunks more butter to get it to the right consistency.

5. Dollop the buttercream on the sheet cake and use a cranked pallet knife / off set spatula to swirl it around.

Why not decorate the cake with some whole coffee beans and vegan sprinkles?!

Go all out and serve it with some vegan caramel sauce.

To store:

Serve fresh or store in a sealed container at room temperature. Allow to come to room temperature for around 20 minutes before serving.

Best eaten within a few days!

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6 Ingredient Salted Caramel Tartlets

2021-10-01T08:50:00.003-07:00

Vegan caramel tartlets, super simple! Only 6 ingredients, minimal baking required and a super easy method!

Watch me make these tartlets here.

These mini salted caramel tartlets will get you weak at the knees with their buttery shortbread

crust, and thick and chewy salted caramel filling.

These 6 ingredient tartlets are perfect for special occasions, parties and festive occasions!
They are perfectly sweet, buttery and smooth. The crust melts in your mouth, leaving you with one of the best salted caramels I've ever tried!

Why you NEED to make this caramel sauce!
I know you've probably struggled with caramel sauce in the past, just like me. Some recipes create a caramel which is thin, watery and too sweet. This recipe will become your go-to! Trust me!
I think i have made the BEST vegan caramel sauce on earth! Its thick, glossy, chewy absolutely delicious and only contains 3 ingredients (4 if you count the salt).

It contains sugar, coconut cream and butter. The combination of all of these ingredients, along with the method makes a ultra thick and chewy caramel, which is perfectly golden in colour, great for filling these tartlets or storing in a jar for drizzling over ice-cream or cupcakes etc.

Looking for more caramel recipes? Look no further:

Vegan Baked Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Vegan Salted Caramel Chocolate Loaf

Vegan Salted Caramel Brownie Cups

Vegan Twix Bars

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake

Notes*

What vegan block butter to use?

My favourite vegan / dairy-free block butters are 'Naturli Vegan Block' or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative (salted or unsalted).

Preparation: 15 minutes

Serves: Approx 8

Baking time: 20-25 minutes

Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the shortbread crust

260g of plain flour
40g of caster sugar
200g of dairy-free butter / margarine

Ingredients for the caramel

200g of of caster sugar
100g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)
200g of coconut cream (see notes*)

Pinch of sea salt

____________________________________________________________

Method (crust)

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees c fan and lightly grease a 6 mini tartlet tins with coconut oil or butter.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add in the flour and sugar. Stir to combine. Add in the softened butter / margarine and using your fingertips, rub the softened butter / margarine into the flour and sugar mixture until a crumbly dough forms.

3. Firmly press equal amounts of the dough into the tartlet cases / tins and use your fingers to press down the bottom and up the sides.

Tip: As the dough is sticky, coat your fingers in some plain flour before pressing it into the tin to prevent sticking.

Prick the bases with a fork.

Place into the middle of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the caramel.

Method (caramel)

Tip:To get the best caramel for this recipe, it's best to make the caramel in 2 separate batches. Divide the ingredients quantities in half to do this step.

1. Place the sugar into a medium / large saucepan. Place the pan on the hob over a low heat. Allow the sugar to melt, this will take around 5-8 minutes.

Make sure to stir the sugar constantly to prevent burning.

2. When all of the sugar has melted and is a golden / amber colour, add in the butter. Stir to combine. Allow the butter to melt into the sugar.

Once it's combined, it might go a thick consistency, now add in the coconut cream. It will steam and bubble so be-careful!

3. Pour the thick caramel quickly into each case. Use an off-set spatula to quickly spread out the caramel, making sure it's even.

Set aside to cool for 30 minutes, then transfer into the fridge for 3 hours, or until fully set.

Tip: You can leave it in the fridge overnight. The caramel will will turn into a toffee consistency.

To store:

As the caramel is cream based, it will turn runny if left at room temperature too long. Keep stored in a sealed container in

the fridge. Best enjoyed 2-4 days of making.

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Vegan Brownie Cheesecake (on sticks)

2021-09-26T09:00:00.012-07:00

Whats better than a slice of cheesecake? Cheesecake on a stick!

A baked brownie base, no-bake chocolate cheesecake filling with hidden chunks of brownie, dunked in dairy-free milk and white chocolate.

Watch me make and decorate these cheesecakes here.

Say hello to another absolutely delicious cheesecake to add to my ever growing collection.

I can't help myself when it comes to cheesecake. The more the merrier I say!

They're easy and fun to make.
Are ultra creamy.
And includes a small amount of ingredients.

Cheesecake is such a versatile dessert and one of my most popular, but when dunked in chocolate and made into 'lollypop' form, is a whole new story (insert drool face emoji - haha).

I am SUPER excited to share this unique, and fun recipe with you. I have never made cheesecakes on sticks before and I am hyped to share this recipe with you. It's actually incredible and looks amazing!

This is a paid post with iChoc. For more information about product placement and partnerships, check out my Disclosure Policy.

This cheesecake has a brownie base which is easy to make, chewy and extremely yummy, but on top of that is a rich no-bake chocolate cheesecake filling.

iChoc has become one of my all time favourite chocolate companies as their chocolate is:

Vegan
Sustainable
Organic
Palm oil free
All their packaging is plastic-free
They also have an amazing range of flavours, from milk, dark and white chocolates

I used one of my favourite vegan / dairy-free milk chocolates from iChoc - Classic. This chocolate melts in your mouth and is extremely light. It contains 37% cocoa which makes it sweeter and less bitter than a regular dark chocolate. It's the perfect chocolate for this dessert!

Why I love this iChoc chocolate:

Ultra creamy.
Add's an extra dimension to your bakes.
Great for dunking the cheesecakes into as it melts and sets easily.
Melts in your mouth.
It's suitable for vegans and is organic.
IChoc's packaging is plastic free which is amazing!

Another one of my favourite chocolates is the iChoc White Vanilla. It's hard to find a tasty vegan white chocolate that is actually white in colour and melts. This chocolate melts perfectly! The taste reminds me of a 'Milky Bar' I used to have as a child, before I started on my vegan journey.

It has little specs of vanilla inside which really makes the vanilla flavour POP and it compliments the cheesecakes perfectly!

Discover iChoc 'Classic' & 'White Vanilla' bars here.

Looking for more no-bake cheesecake recipes? Look no further:

No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake

No-Bake Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake Bars

No-Bake Biscoff Cheesecake

No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

No-Bake White Chocolate and Cherry Cheesecake

Notes*

Cashew nuts: The cashew nuts need to be soaked overnight in water. Just make sure the water is covering the nuts! This makes them softer, which creates a grain-free and smooth cheesecake filling.

Cream cheese: To be honest, any dairy-free cream cheese will work perfectly in this recipe. My favourites to use are: 'Violife Cream Original', Sainsbury's own Free From Cream Cheese'. Any soft, and creamy cream cheese is great!

Coconut cream: Chill a can of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight, turn it upside down and open. Pour out the liquid and use the thick, white cream that's left.

Preparation: Overnight

Chilling time: 6 hours / overnight

Serves: 10-12

Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the brownie base

4 tablespoons of ground flaxseed + 8 tablespoons of water
140g of dairy-free butter / margarine
300g of caster sugar
120g of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking powder
200g of self-raising flour

Ingredients for the filling

250g of cashew nuts (see notes*)
200g of iChoc Classic Milk Chocolate
500g of dairy-free cream cheese (see notes*)
100g of coconut cream (see notes*)

Ingredients for the coatings & decoration

500g of iChoc Classic chocolate
400g of iChoc White Vanilla chocolate
5 tablespoons of cookie butter
5 caramel biscuits
1 teaspoon coconut oil (optional)

____________________________________________________________

Method (brownie base)

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees c fan, and line an 8 inch loose base / push up cake tin with grease-proof paper.

Also line a small tin with grease proof paper. Any size tin will do. This is just to make a small brownie slab, which you'll be breaking up and pressing into the cheesecake filling.

2. Make the flax eggs - Add 4 tablespoons of ground flaxseed into a small bowl and add in 8 tablespoons of water. Stir to combine then set aside to thicken. This will take around 10 minutes.

3. In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter/margarine, sugar and flax eggs. Whisk to combine until light in colour.

4. Add in the cocoa powder, baking powder and flour. Mix until a thick brownie batter.

5. Press 3/4 of the the batter into the loose base / lined cake tin, making sure to get it as flat as possible.

Smooth out using the back of a spoon or off-set spatula. Alternatively, use your hands.

Tip: As the brownie batter is sticky, dip your finger tips in cocoa powder before pressing it down. This prevents any sticking.

6. Press the other 1/4 into the smaller tin. Place both tins into the middle of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. You will know the brownies have baked when you put a knife or skewer down the centre and it comes out clean. Allow the brownies to cool fully in the tin.

Method (cheesecake filling)

1. Place the chocolate into a heat proof bowl. Fill a small saucepan 1/4 with water and place over the hob on a low / medium heat. Place the bowl on-top to create a bain-marie. Melt the chocolate.

2. Drain and wash the cashew nuts and place them into a food processor/blender along with the dairy-free cream cheese, coconut cream and melted chocolate. Whizz up on high speed for around 5 minutes until smooth. Add some more coconut cream if needed.

I use a 'Kitchenaid Powerplus blender'. It's best to use a high-speed blender if possible as the mixture is quite thick, and you want it to be as smooth as possible.

You might need to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides a few times to make sure everything is incorporated.

3. Pour the cheesecake filling over the base and level out with an off-set spatula or spoon.

4. Break up and press chunks of the brownie into the cheesecake filling.

Place the cheesecake in the fridge to set. Allow the cheesecake to set fully before removing from the cake tin. This will take around 4-6 hours (I leave mine to set overnight).

5. Once the cheesecake has set, lift it out of the tin. Cut the cheesecake into 8-12 even slices, wiping down your knife after each slice. Insert a skewer / wooden stick about half way into the cheesecake. Repeat for all of the cheesecake slices. Place the slices onto a lined baking tray, making sure they aren't touching each other and freeze for 1 hour.

Method (decoration)

1. Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper. Set aside.

2. Place the white chocolate into a heat proof bowl. Fill a small saucepan 1/4 with water and place over the hob on a low / medium heat. Place the bowl on-top to create a bain-marie. Melt the chocolate. Repeat in a separate bowl for the milk chocolate.

TIP: You might want to add a teaspoon of coconut oil to help loosen the chocolate for dunking.

3. Pour each melted chocolate into separate heat proof glasses. Take one of the chilled cheesecake slices, hold the stick and carefully dunk it in the chocolate. Allow any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl.

Place on the lined baking tray. Repeat for all of the slices.

4. Add the cookie butter spread into a saucepan and heat on low until melted. This will take around 30 seconds. Use a spoon to drizzle over the cheesecakes.

Immediately sprinkle over the toppings, crumbled up biscuits, iChoc chocolate squares, brownie chunks etc. This part is super fun as you can decorate them however you fancy!

To store:

As this cheesecake contains cream cheese, it's best stored in a sealed container in the fridge. Best enjoyed within 4 days of making.

Shop the whole iChoc range here.

This is a paid collaboration with iChoc.

A huge thank you to iChoc for collaborating on this recipe with me!

Discover iChoc on social media

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/ichoc.vegan.chocolate

Twitter- https://twitter.com/iChoc_official

Instagram- http://instagram.com/ichoc_vegan_chocolate/

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The BEST Vegan Carrot Cake

2021-09-23T08:59:00.015-07:00

How to make the most delicious carrot cake EVER! This recipe is 100% vegan, with 2 tiers of moist carrot and orange sponge cakes, topped with an orange Swiss meringue buttercream, a 3 ingredient caramel drip and fresh orange slices.

Watch me make this cake here.

The perfect cake to serve with a cup of afternoon tea (or in my case, an iced latte)!

A question I have been asked in the past is what is carrot cake?

Firstly, if you've never tried a carrot cake, you have been living under a rock- haha! Carrot cake is usually a vanilla cake with freshly grated carrot mixed throughout the batter. Sometimes nuts and spices are added into the sponge to bring out more flavours.

Carrot cake is a huge hit in my house. My mum and dad love it as it's not too sweet, I love the texture of the carrots inside the sponge and my sister loves the lightly spiced sponge with the creamy buttercream!

I don't think you can ever go wrong with serving a carrot cake!

This is my favourite recipe for carrot cake. It's extremely light, moist, has the perfect amount of spice inside, with a hint of fresh orange.

This carrot cake is:

Easy to make
Moist
Flavourful
Screams autumn / cosy desserts
The perfect addition to any dinner table / special event
Cake can be made in one bowl
Nice and crunchy due to the walnuts on top
Heaven with the caramel drip addition
Scrumptious

Recently, I've realised I have a real love for carrot cake, in particular this recipe. To me, it's like a comfort food. It gives you that autumnal spice, along side a burst of fresh orange (reminding me of summer), along with the silky smooth buttercream and chewiness of the carrots. It's utterly delicious! There is also a hidden caramel core which when cut into, oozes out of the cake.

I also added a caramel drip to the outer edge of the cake which looks magnificent.

Considering this is only a 2 tier cake, the drip somehow makes it look taller and grander than it actually is!

A slice of carrot cake along with a warm drink, cuddled up on the couch with Netflix on TV is my dream night in!

If you're not a fan of carrot cake, i'm sure the one you have tried has been too oily, heavy with far too much carrot in, the cake goes soggy. My cake has been tried, tested and tasted many times and it is the definition of perfect!

The cakes are perfectly spongy, the buttercream is tangy and not too sweet, the walnuts give a lovely crunch and it's fun to make!

Looking for more autumnal recipes? Look no further:

Vegan Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake

Vegan Cinnamon Swiss Roll

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls

Notes*

What is Aquafaba:

What is the best dairy-free butter to use for this style of buttercream?

I highly recommend a vegan block butter when making any kind of buttercream containing aquafaba. As you're adding in a liquid (aquafaba) you want a firmer butter which will set. If you use margarine, the buttercream will be far too soft. My two favourite block butter's are 'Naturli' and Flora Plant-Based Vegan Block Alternative.

What coconut cream do I use? Chill a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, turn it upside down and open. Pour out the liquid and use the thick, white cream.

Where can I buy vegan glitter stars?

My favourite edible glitter stars are from Fancy Sprinkles. They have one of the best ranges of vegan friendly sprinkles and cake decorations.

Get the sprinkles I use- Use code LITTLEVEGAN15 for 15% off your whole order on FancySprinkles.com

Preparation: 1 hour

Baking time: 25 - 30 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Level: Easy / medium

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the cake

240ml of dairy-free milk
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
210g of self raising flour
200g of caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
1 large orange (zest only)
100g of grated carrot
60ml of sunflower oil

Ingredients for the buttercream

150g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)
200g of icing sugar
1 large orange (zest only)
40ml of aquafaba (chickpea brine) see notes*

Ingredients for the caramel sauce

80g of caster sugar
60g of coconut cream (see notes*)
50g of dairy-free butter

Decorations (optional)

Vegan glitter stars (see notes*)
Walnuts (roughly chopped)
Fresh orange (sliced into small segments)

____________________________________________________________

Method (cakes)

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees c fan and line two, 6 inch cake tins with grease-proof paper.

If you only have one tin, you'll have to bake one cake at a time. Cover the batter with a tea towel until ready to use.

2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined.

Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan 'buttermilk'.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, spices and zest of one large orange.

Mix well to combine.

4. Add the oil into the 'buttermilk' and whisk to combine.

5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.

6. Add in the grated carrot and fold into the batter until just combined. Don't over mix the batter.

7. Pour equal amounts of batter into the lined cake tins.

Make sure to tap the tins on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.

8. Pop the cakes into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes.

You will know they are done when you put a knife or skewer in and it comes out clean and they are springy to the touch.

9. Place the cakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully.

Once cool, pop them into a sealed container to keep them fresh before frosting.

Method (caramel sauce)

1. Place the sugar into a large saucepan over low/medium heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until it begins to dissolve and turn an amber colour, then turn off the heat.

This will take around 10-15 minutes.

2. When it's golden and liquid, add in the coconut cream and dairy-free butter, stir vigorously.

It will steam and bubble but keep stirring.

3. Once fully combined, pour the caramel into a heatproof bowl, allow to come to room temperature before placing into the fridge to cool down fully.

It turns into a thick and glossy, sweet toffee-like sauce.

Method (buttercream)

1. In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter and orange zest, whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.

2. Sift in the icing sugar. Whip on high speed for a couple of minutes to incorporate it.

3. Pour in the aquafaba and whip for 5 minutes until it turns light and creamy. Don't over whip it or it can become too soft.

4. Place one of the cakes on a serving plate or cake stand. Dollop some of the buttercream on top and spread out until even using an off set spatula or pallet knife.

Make a well in the middle of the buttercream and fill with a heaped tablespoon of the caramel sauce.

5. Place the second cake layer on top. Press it down gently so it sticks.

Coat the whole cake with the buttercream. Use an off set spatula or cake scraper to get the sides of the cake smooth.

6. Add caramel sauce into a piping bag, snip off the tip and drip it down the top edge of the cake.

7. Add any left over buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip nozzle and pipe some stars on the top edge of the cake. Decorate with fresh orange segments, glitter stars and roughly chopped walnuts (optional).

To store:

Keep this cake stored in a sealed container in the fridge. Best eaten within 3 days of making.

Un-iced cakes can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days.

Follow me on my social media

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PRE-ORDER MY NEW BOOK!

2021-09-17T08:59:00.041-07:00

AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER AS A HARDBACK OR EBOOK -

CLICK HERE.

Release date January 2022.

Stay tuned for further details on Worldwide pre- orders!

Secrets out... I've written a cook book! My very first baking book is finally here. Over a year of hard work and lots of love, I can't believe the time has come to show you the cover, and also announce its available to pre-order!

The Little Book of Vegan Bakes is the only vegan baking book you will EVER need.

Recipes range from the simple 'Chocolate Orange Fridge fudge, Cupcakes, Rocky Road, Golden Syrup Flapjacks and Scones' to the more ambitious 'Honeycomb Doughnuts, Cookies & Cream Macarons, Cherry Bakewell Tartlets, Neapolitan Cake and No-bake Biscoff Cheesecake' making this a book for anyone and any ability.

Including essential step by step guides to icing and decorating, Holly gives you all the ingredients to take your vegan baking to the next level.

The book includes:

Over 80 irresistible plant-based cakes and treats
Mouth-watering photos with every recipe
'Hollys Tips' (my personal helpful tips) to help make the most amazing bakes ever.
Basic recipes including buttercream's, honeycomb, jam and caramel sauce.

Imprint: Ebury Press

Published: 20/01/2022

Length: 224 Pages

_____________________________________________________________

AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER AS A HARDBACK AND EBOOK from:

Amazon

Apple Books

WHSmith

Waterstones

Hive

Kobo

Blackwells

Bookshop.org

Foyles

_____________________________________________________________

'Holly has a special ability to create mouth-watering vegan bakes that capture your imagination and attention - and being self-taught she is able to explain everything in a clear and easy-to-understand way.' - Kim-Joy, Great British Bake Off finalist

'A must-have in your collection! Packed full of delicious classic and unique bakes and desserts for everyone and every occasion.' - Lotus Biscoff UK

Holly’s book is the perfect introduction to vegan baking, no matter your
eating style. With easy-to-find ingredients and helpful tips, this little
book is big on flavour! - Clare Langan, Editorial Director, Feedfeed

This book is a must-have for anyone who loves dessert and wants to learn from one of the very best. Holly has a gift for creating the most exquisite and delicious baked goods and her creations are sure to impress.
The Little Book of Vegan Bakes proves that going vegan doesn’t mean sacrificing anything. If you’re looking for an amazing vegan baking book with the most decadent recipes, this is it. It’ll make you want to run to the kitchen to try every single recipe. - Best Of Vegan

'This book did not disappoint! It boasts amazing vegan desserts throughout and each page is just as scrumptious and delicious as the next. This is a must for any sweet tooth dessert lover!' - Naturally Stefanie

‘The recipes in this book are everything you could want and so much more. Lava cake, yum! Pecan cookies, yum! In fact all of it, all yum. Really easy to follow recipes with something for every moment, be it a celebration or just a wet Thursday in April where a macaron would really do the trick. Bliss’. - Tim Downie - Actor.

No one bakes it better than Holly Jade. Seriously, she knows how to bake anything and everything you can think of and some tasty treats you’d never imagine too!
Holly's creations are stunning and absolutely delicious. It’s even better than they’re vegan.

She is my go-to when it comes to sweet treats and I can’t wait to make every single thing in The Little Book of Vegan Bakes. - Lauren Toyota, creator of Hot For Food and bestselling author of Hot for Food all day: easy recipes to level up your vegan meals and Vegan Comfort Classics: 101 Recipes To Feed Your Face.

"The Little Book of Vegan Bakes is packed full of helpful approachable recipes and helpful tips. Holly makes some of the most mouthwatering desserts that’ll make you want to drop everything and head to the kitchen.
You’ll find all the best vegan dessert recipes you can think of, from a choco lava cake all the way to vegan honeycomb and cheesecakes. So whether you’re a seasoned baker or one that’s looking to get started in your vegan baking journey, this book is filled to the brim with recipes you’ll want to try and love.” - Jeeca Uy, author of Vegan Asian and founder of The Foodie Takes Flight.

'Baking delicious, homemade vegan cakes never looked easier. I’ve been the biggest fan of Holly’s recipes for years and this book just summarises her exquisite baking talent in one place. - Victoria Magrath, In The Frow.

‘Pure magic! Within this little cookbook lie some of the most delicious, heart-warming, easy to follow instructions to make these beautifully baked goodies that we should be so lucky to be able to recreate.

Holly’s, sweet creations are nothing short of heavenly. I eat with my eyes first and I’m always in awe of what new recipe Little has come up with!

The fact that these are all plant-based, dairy-free, free-from-animals, vegan is the cherry on top next level, amazing! You’re in for a treat.’ ~ Derek Sarno, Chef-Director of Plant-Based Innovation at Tesco, Developer & Co-Founder of Wicked Kitchen, Co-author of the Wicked Healthy Cookbook and the Whole Foods Cookbook.

Chocolate Espresso Cake

2021-09-14T09:00:00.020-07:00

2 simple chocolate espresso sponge cakes, layered with the most decadent melted chocolate and espresso buttercream, coated with coffee granules and coffee beans.

This cake is a caffeine overload, and i'm living for it!

Watch me make this cake here.

I am the biggest coffee fan. The amount of iced coffee I drink in a single day is worrying. I never should of bought a Nespresso Machine- haha!

Coffee and chocolate is a match made in heaven. The richness of espresso paired with decadent chocolate is unlike no other. It has a very luxurious and grown up feel to it.

Although there is a serious kick of coffee from the espresso in the cake, to make it the ULTIMATE espresso cake,I added espresso into the hidden puddle of chocolate ganache and also in the buttercream. I have made one of the best tasting buttercreams I have ever tried. It contains melted dairy-free dark chocolate along with espresso powder! You can also use a coffee concentrate.

What is concentrate?

You are more than welcome to use a shot of espresso, the only issue is, it contains too much water. A coffee concentrate uses more coffee granules than water leaving you with a extremely strong coffee like paste, great for adding into buttercream as it wont effect the overall texture.

Looking for more vegan coffee recipes? Look no further:

No-Bake Coffee Cheesecake

Coffee and Caramel Cookies

Vegan Tiramisu Cake

There are a few tools I would recommend when making layer cakes:

A turn table: This is like a cake stand but swivels around, making it easy to decorate and frost your cakes.

Spatulas / off set spatula: A set of spatulas should be in everyones kitchen drawers. They are the most handy tool. They are fab for frosting cakes, spreading out batters and lifting up cake slices. A great multi-purpose tool.

Piping bags: Piping bags and a rang of nozzles on hand when making a cake is always essential.

A set of measuring spoons: Great for adding in fillings and cores to cake layers.

Notes*

What is aquafaba?

What vegan block butter to use?

As Swiss meringue uses liquid from the aquafaba, having a stiffer butter is key. I like the Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Baking time: 25-30 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the cakes

240ml of dairy-free milk
1 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
210g of self-raising flour
50g of cocoa powder
200g of caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
60g of sunflower oil / melted coconut oil
2 shots of espresso

Ingredients for the chocolate coffee ganache

100g of dairy-free dark chocolate
80ml of dairy-free cream (coconut cream, single or double cream)
2 teaspoons of espresso granules / powder

Ingredients for the coffee buttercream

150g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)
200g of icing sugar
40ml of aquafaba (chickpea brine) see notes*
150g of dairy-free dark chocolate
2 teaspoons of espresso granules / powder

____________________________________________________________

Method (cakes)

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees c fan and line two, 6 inch cake tins with grease-proof paper.

If you only have one tin, you'll have to bake one cake at a time. Cover the batter with a tea towel until ready to use.

2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined.

Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan 'buttermilk'.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Mix well to combine.

4. Add the oil and espresso into the 'buttermilk' and whisk to combine.

5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.

6. Pour equal amounts of batter into the lined cake tins.

Make sure to tap the tins on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.

7. Pop the cakes into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes.

You will know they are done when you put a knife or skewer in and it comes out clean and they are springy to the touch.

8. Place the cakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully.

Once cool, pop them into a sealed container to keep them fresh before frosting.

Method (chocolate coffee ganache)

1. Create a bain-marie by filling a saucepan 1/4 full with water and place a heatproof bowl on top. Add in the chocolate, dairy-free cream and coffee, stir and melt together until smooth and combined.

Set aside while you make the buttercream.

Method (buttercream)

1. Create a bain-marie by filling a saucepan 1/4 full with water and place a heatproof bowl on top. Add in the chocolate and espresso powder and allow to melt. One melted, remove the bowl from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter and whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.

3. Sift in the icing sugar. Whip on high speed for a couple of minutes to incorporate it.

4. Pour in the aquafaba and whip for 5 minutes until it turns light and creamy. Don't over whip it or it can become too soft.

5. Drizzle in the melted coffee and chocolate, whip on high speed until fully combined. The buttercream should be rich, chocolatey and airy. If its too runny, add chunks of butter in at a time whilst it's still whipping on high to get it to the perfect thick and creamy consistency.

6. Place one of the cakes on a serving plate or cake stand. Dollop some of the buttercream on top and spread out until even using an off set spatula or pallet knife.

Make a well in the middle of the buttercream and fill with a heaped tablespoon of the coffee chocolate ganache.

7. Place the second cake layer on top. Press it down gently so it sticks.

Coat the whole cake with the buttercream, swirling it around to create texture with the spatula.

8. Add any left over buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip nozzle and pipe some stars on the top edge of the cake. Decorate with coffee granules and whole coffee beans (optional).

To store:

Keep this cake stored in a sealed container in the fridge. Best eaten within 3 days of making.

Un-iced cakes can be stored in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days.

Make sure you follow me on my social media

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/thelittleblogofvegan/

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/littleblogofvegan/

Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.co.uk/blogofvegan/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/BlogofVegan

Cinnamon Swiss Roll

2021-09-12T08:53:00.006-07:00

An amazing Cinnamon Roll cake, packed with warming, autumnal spices with a cream cheese frosting. 100% Vegan!

Watch me decorate this cake here.

It feels very strange to begin Autumnal baking, I still feel like it should be summer- haha!

Autumn = cosy, warming spices, and the first one that comes to mind is CINNAMON!

How could we make a cinnamon cake even better?... MAKE IT IN A ROLL! This cake features a spiced sponge, easy cream cheese frosting with decoratively piped frosting and walnuts. Similar to a Swiss roll with its swirled sponge.

What is a Swiss roll?

A Swiss roll is a swirled cake consisting of a rolled sponge cake layer with a cream filling or icing.They can come in any flavour such as chocolate, vanilla, Biscoff etc.

Check out my Biscoff Swiss Roll Here.

When I think of Autumn (or as some readers call it, Fall), cinnamon dessert's play around in my head, I get so many ideas, just like this cinnamon roll cake. It's such a delicious flavour to bake with.

Speaking of cinnamon rolls, this roll cake has a cinnamon roll feel about it with its rich flavour and cream cheese frosting.

Get my Vegan Cinnamon Rolls recipe here.

I won't lie, roll cakes aren't exactly easy to make. Well, i mean the actual making of the cake is easy, but the rolling can entail some issues, such as cracking. This will happen to every single cake, vegan or not, but vegan roll cakes have a tendency to crack. I have a few tricks which will help you create a beautiful swirl, even if there are cracking so keep reading!

Why you need to make this cake:

Scrumptious
Looks impressive
Fun to make
Full of cosy flavours
The perfect addition to any dinner table / celebration
Extremely flavourful and perfectly textured

I am super excited to share this recipe as its in collaboration with my gorgeous friend Liv from It'sLivB.

I have been the biggest fan of Liv for years now, so this collab has been super exciting!

About Liv:

Liv is a recipe developer, video content creator, and photographer. She is the author of the best selling cookbook Liv B’s Vegan on a Budget and Liv B's Easy Everyday. Her photography is flawless and recipes are just dreamy!

I found Liv through youtube (she's a vegan youtube QUEEN, make sure to check out her channel for incredible recipes, and vegan content), and became friends over on Instagram. Her food and recipe videos helped me when I first started my vegan journey.

For Liv's part of our collab, she has made the most incredible Cinnamon Roll Latte..yes, you heard me correctly, doesn't it look dreamy?!!!

We went for a cinnamon 'roll / swirl' theme and it's just gorgeous. I love how we both incorporated the cinnamon flavour in our own, unique way.

Make sure to check out Liv's Cinnamon Roll Latte, click here.

Follow her on social media:

Instagram

Youtube

Facebook

It's been a pleasure making this recipe with Liv, she is such a lovely friend. Also, make sure to check out her Fianće, Greg. He is the owner behind 'Gregs Vegan Gourmet'. Some incredible dishes on here also! What a lovely and talented couple!

Looking for more Vegan Autumnal inspired recipes? Look no further:

Cinnamon Swirl Loaf

Caramel Apple Cupcakes

Vegan S'mores Cookies

Baked Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake

Notes*

What is aquafaba?

What vegan block butter to use?

As Swiss meringue uses liquid from the aquafaba, having a stiffer butter is key. I like the Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative.

Preparation: 20 minutes

Baking time:18-20 minutes

Serves: 8-10

Level: Medium

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the sponge

1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons of water
170g of self raising flour
2 tablespoons of cornflour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
80g of icing sugar
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ground mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
180ml of dairy-free milk
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons of dairy-free plain yogurt or vegan condensed milk
55ml of vegetable oil

Ingredients for the cream cheese frosting

150g of dairy-free block butter (see notes*)
50g of dairy-free cream cheese
200g of icing sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract / vanilla bean paste
20ml of aquafaba (chickpea brine) see notes*

Walnuts for decoration
Icing sugar, for dusting

____________________________________________________________

Method (sponge)

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees c (fan oven) and line a 25 x 38 x 2.5 cm baking tray with greaseproof paper.

2. Add the flaxseed and water into a small bowl, stir to combine and set aside for 10 minutes to thicken.

3. Sift the flour, cornflour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, icing sugar and spices into a medium / large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.

4. Add in the dairy-free milk, vinegar, yogurt or condensed milk, oil and flax mixture. Mix well to combine.

5. Pour the cake batter into the lined baking tray. Level out with an off-set spatula or spoon, you want it to be as level as possible.

6. Place into the oven and allow to bake for 18-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes.

7. Lay a large piece of baking paper on your work surface, sprinkle over some icing sugar and invert the sponge onto the paper, peel way the original baking paper.

8. Trim the edges off the sponge with a sharp knife. Trimming off the crispy edges helps when rolling.

9. Roll up (from the longer edge) using the paper, rolling it up with the paper inside. Set aside to cool. Alternatively, you can roll the cake up in a clean tea towel, make sure it has some icing sugar sprinkled on it or the cake could stick to it and it will be difficult to release.

Rolling it up with the paper inside helps the cake not to stick to itself.

Set aside to cool fully.

Method (frosting)

1. In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter and cream cheese and whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.

2. Sift in the icing sugar and vanilla. Whip on high speed for a couple of minutes to incorporate it.

3. Pour in the aquafaba and whip for 5 minutes until it turns light in colour and creamy. Don't over whip it or it can become too soft. If it does, just add in more icing sugar until it's thick and creamy. The buttercream should be airy and light. You might need to add in some more butter to get it to the right consistency.

4. Once the sponge has fully cooled, carefully unroll the sponge from the grease proof paper. It might crack or break but that's okay. This sponge is moist enough you can easily press it back together with your hands. If it feels too dry, mix a tablespoon of maple syrup and a few teaspoons of water together to create a sugar syrup and brush it over the sponge then press down. It doesn't matter about how it looks at this stage as we'll be covering it with frosting at the end. You just want a rectangle of sponge.

Spread a layer of the cream cheese frosting all over the sponge then carefully re-roll the sponge tightly without the paper. Try to get it as tightly rolled as possible. Use the grease proof paper to lift the sponge over the frosting and into a roll shape. Check out this amazing video showing you how its done.

Optional: Sprinkle over some chopped walnuts.

Pop into the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

5. Once the filing has set, coat the outside of the cake with the other half of the frosting. This doesn't just taste delicious but helps hide any breaks or cracks making the final cake very neat.

6. Transfer any left over buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip nozzle ( I use a Wilton 2D tip). Pipe a decorative design on-top of the cake.

Decorate with some whole / chopped walnuts.

Serve with a dusting of icing sugar (optional).

To store:

Keep this cake in a sealed container in the fridge. Leave at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Best served within 3 days of making.

Make sure you follow me on my social media

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/thelittleblogofvegan/

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/littleblogofvegan/

Pinterest- https://www.pinterest.co.uk/blogofvegan/

Twitter- https://twitter.com/BlogofVegan

Easy Cookie Dough Cupcakes

2021-09-07T09:00:00.004-07:00

When you can't decide between cookies or cake, these cupcakes are the answer.

Vegan chocolate chip cupcakes with a chewy cookie dough buttercream, topped with a mini chocolate chip cookie.

Watch me make these cupcakes here.

Hello COOKIE DOUGH.

Cookie dough has fast become my go-to sweet snack. It's extremely easy to make and tastes so good! I love the smooth dough mixed with the crunchy chunks of chocolate.

These cookie dough cupcakes are completely safe to eat because we are using heat-treated flour. The best part of enjoying these cupcakes is that it tastes just like cookie dough, because IT IS cookie dough, with some added ingredients to make it into delicious cookie dough buttercream.

What is cookie dough?

Cookie dough is a mix of ingredients that would usually make a batch of cookies but instead, you don't cook it but eat it raw.

Can you eat raw cookie dough and is it safe?

The truth is, raw flour can carry bacteria such as E.Coli which can make you very sick! Don't ever take the chance!

In order to eat cookie dough without baking it, the flour has to be heat treated (check method 1. in the cookie dough buttercream methods for more details)

* How to heat treat flour? *

Preheat oven to 180 degrees fan and line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.

Spread flour evenly on a baking tray and bake for around 5-10 minutes or until the flour reaches 160f. You can test the temperature with a thermometer.

Allow the flour to cool fully before using it.

Don't overcook the flour or it may turn brown or burn. You want it just baked to kill off any bacteria.

Make sure to check out my most recent cookie dough recipes, including:

Baked Cookie Dough Cheesecake (Vegan)

Millionaires Cookie bars (Vegan)

There are 3 parts to these cupcakes:

Cupcakes: My cupcake recipe make the most PERFECT vegan cupcakes each time. It uses self raising flour with baking powder and bicarbonate of soda to make them rise extra light and fluffy.

To carry on with the cookie dough theme, the cupcakes contain lots of chocolate chips, which tastes amazing!

Cookie dough buttercream: One of my recent favourite buttercream flavours, COOKIE DOUGH. This buttercream contains actual cookie dough! You'll be making this buttercream every weekend for sure- haha!

It has the same base as a classic 'American style buttercream' including heat treated flour, black treacle and chocolate chips. The addition of the black treacle gives the buttercream that creamy, off white look and also added flavour which adds to the overall cookie dough flavour. It's extremely irresistible.

Cookies: To top these cakes, you can either make homemade Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, or get store bought ones. For these, I used Marylands brand new Vegan Chocolate chip cookies. They're sooo tasty, definitely try them out!

Love cookie dough? Check out my Vegan Cookie Dough recipes:

Vegan Small Batch Cookie Dough Cake

The BEST Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

Easy Cookie Dough Brownie Bars

Vegan Cookie Dough Cake

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

Preparation: 10 minutes

Makes: Approx 10

Baking time: 18-20 minutes

Level: Easy / Medium

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the cupcakes

240ml of dairy-free milk
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
210g of self raising flour
100g of caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
60ml of sunflower oil
50g of chocolate chips (roughly chopped)

Ingredients for the cookie dough frosting

120g of dairy-free block butter
200g of icing sugar
50g of plain flour (heat treated, details on method 1 of buttercream)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of black treacle
100g of dairy-free chocolate chips (roughly chopped)
A splash of dairy-free milk (if needed)

Mini chocolate chip cookies Get my chocolate chip cookie recipe here.

____________________________________________________________

Method (cupcakes)

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees c fan and line 2 cupcake tins with cupcake cases.

2. In a small bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Mix well to combine.

4. Add the oil to the 'buttermilk' and whisk to combine.

5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until a smooth batter.

6. Fold in the roughly chopped chocolate chips.

7. Fill the cases 3/4 full with the batter.

Make sure to tap the tins on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.

8. Pop the cakes into the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes.

You will know they are done when you put a knife or skewer in and it comes out clean and they are springy to the touch.

9. Place the cupcakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully before frosting.

Tip: As they contain chocolate chips, they'll need to cool fully.

Method (buttercream)

You MUST heat treat the flour before use.

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees c fan and line a baking tray/sheet with greaseproof paper.

2. Spread flour evenly on the baking tray and bake for around 5-10 minutes or until the flour reaches 160f (you can test the temperature with a thermometer).

The flour should be slightly golden in colour. Allow the flour to cool fully before using it.

3. In a large mixing bowl, add in the dairy-free butter and whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.

4. Add in the icing sugar, vanilla extract and treacle. Mix on low / medium to combine. Add in the flour and mix together, add a splash of dairy-free milk if it's too thick.

5. Fold in the chocolate chips.

6. Transfer the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle.

Tip: As the buttercream contains chocolate chips, make sure you use a wide / quite a large round tip nozzle as the chips could get stuck when you go to pipe it.

7. Core the cupcakes with an apple corer and fill with some of the cookie dough buttercream.

8. Pipe a swirl of buttercream on top of each cupcake.

Decorate each cupcake with extra chocolate chips and a chocolate chip cookie.

To store:

Serve these cupcakes fresh or store in a sealed container in or out of the fridge, the buttercream will firm up at room temperature.

Best eaten within a few days.

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No-Bake White Chocolate Cheesecake

2021-09-02T09:00:00.012-07:00

The BEST No-Bake White Chocolate Cheesecake, with a buttery biscuit base, with a thick and creamy white chocolate cheesecake filling, topped with a white chocolate drizzle and white chocolate curls. This cheesecake is 100% vegan and delicious!

Watch me make this cheesecake here.

Say hello to another scrumptious no-bake cheesecake to add to my ever growing collection.

You really can't beat a no-bake cheesecake can you?!!

They're easy to make
Obviously no baking involved, which is always a winner
They turn out soooo creamy
Little ingredients involved
No time waiting for the oven to heat up, just bung it in the fridge until set

The only thing you need is patience for it to set, but that's about it - haha!

I was inspired by Nigella Lawson with this cheesecake. I saw her bake pop up on my Pinterest home feed and was like... yup, I neeeed to veganize one of those- haha!

I have had a few vegan / dairy-free white chocolate cheesecakes out and about at places like events, but never made one. I did recently make a Baked White Salted Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake which is actually insane, so make sure to go and check that one out.

White chocolate takes me back to my childhood. Me and my sister used to have 'sweetie day' on a Friday when we would come back from school and it was just the best!! Mum and dad would go out and get us both little bags of sweets to enjoy for the weekend. I would always ask for white chocolate buttons, or a Milky Bar Kid chocolate bar.

I love the creaminess of white chocolate, and this cheesecake is FILLED with it!

I decided to create this delicious no-bake cheesecake and add a load of melted dairy-free white chocolate into it. It worked out better than imagined. It's thick, creamy and melts in your mouth!

Plus its super easy to make, i just don't know why I haven't shared this earlier with you.

Looking for more no-bake cheesecake recipes? Look no further:

No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake

No-Bake Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake Bars

No-Bake Biscoff Cheesecake

No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

No-Bake White Chocolate and Cherry Cheesecake

Notes*

Cashew nuts: The cashew nuts need to be soaked overnight in water. Just make sure the water is covering the nuts! This makes them softer, which creates a grain-free and smooth cheesecake filling.

White chocolate: You want to get a good quality dairy-free which chocolate which has lots of flavour, and melts well. I use Sainsbury's own 'Free From White Chocolate'. Other brands such as ICHOC have amazing dairy-free white chocolate which would work a treat!

Coconut cream: Coconut cream- Chill a can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, turn it upside down and open. Pour out the liquid and use the thick, white cream.

Preparation: Overnight

Chilling time: 6 hours / overnight

Serves: 10-12

Level: Easy

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the base

200g of digestive biscuits (use gluten-free biscuits to make the cheesecake gluten-free)
100g of dairy-free butter / margarine

Ingredients for the filling

250g of cashew nuts (see notes*)
200g of dairy-free white chocolate (see notes*)
500g of dairy-free cream cheese (see notes*)
150g of icing sugar
100g of coconut cream (see notes*)

Ingredients for the drip

100g of dairy-free white chocolate

Dairy-free white chocolate (curls / shavings for decoration)
Raspberries to serve

____________________________________________________________

Method (base)

1. Line the base of a 8'' loose base/push up round cake tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Place the biscuits into a food processor/blender and whizz up until crumbly, but not too fine.

3. Melt the dairy-free butter/margarine in a small saucepan over the hob.

4. In a bowl, add in the crushed cookies and pour over the melted butter and mix until like wet sand. You want it to hold its shape.

Press the mixture into the lined cake tin, making sure to compact it in using a spoon or clean hands. The more compact it is, the less likely it will crumble.

Place into the freezer whilst you make the filling.

Method (cheesecake filling)

1. Place the white chocolate into a heat proof bowl. Fill a small saucepan 1/4 with water and place over the hob on a low / medium heat. Place the bowl on-top to create a bain-marie. Melt the chocolate.

2. Drain the cashew nuts from the water and place them into a food processor/blender along with the dairy-free cream cheese, icing sugar, coconut cream and melted white chocolate. Whizz up on high speed for around 5 minutes until smooth. Add some more coconut cream if needed.

I use a 'Kitchenaid Powerplus blender'. It's best to use a high-speed blender if possible as the mixture is quite thick, and you want it as smooth as possible.

You might need to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides a few times to make sure everything is incorporated.

3. Pour the cheesecake filling over the base and level out with an off-set spatula or spoon.

4. Place the cheesecake in the fridge to set. Allow the cheesecake to set fully before removing from the cake tin. This will take around 4-6 hours (I leave mine to set overnight).

You can enjoy the cheesecake as it is, and end here..or decorate with more chocolate. See below.

Method (white chocolate drizzle)

2. Pour the melted white chocolate over the top of the cheesecake, being quick to spread it out as the heat from the melted chocolate could melt the top of the cheesecake.

Optional: While the chocolate is still melty, sprinkle over some white chocolate curls. Click here for an amazing demonstration on how to create chocolate curls.

Once it's all on, place the cheesecake into the fridge for 10-15 minutes to set the chocolate.

TIP: To create smooth, clean cuts / slices of cheesecake, heat a large, sharp knife in a bowl of hot water or with a kitchen blow torch. Carefully slice the cheesecake with the hot knife and and serve.

To store:

As this cheesecake contains cream cheese, it's best stored in a sealed container in the fridge. Best enjoyed within 4 days of making.

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Easy Banoffee Cream Bars

2021-08-31T08:59:00.031-07:00

This recipe is a paid partnership with Natures Charm.

A buttery shortbread base, layer of chewy caramel, bananas and a banana cream. On a scale of 1 to 10, these banoffee bars are OFF THE SCALE! They're scrumptious!

Watch me make these bars here.

Banana, caramel and cream... what a combination!
It's coming to the end of summer [cue the tears], that means let's keep making summer recipes till the summers over.

What makes these banoffee bars so good?
These bars are crumbly, buttery, chewy and sweet. They're super refreshing and very moreish with lot's of banana flavour. They're are 4 separate layers which make up these delicious banoffee bars.

Base: SHORTBREAD. I am a sucker for shortbread. This recipe uses only 3 simple ingredients and is light, buttery and crumbly. The perfect base for these bars.

Caramel Layer: This is the best caramel as it's thick, ultra chewy and gooey. Caramel, paired with the banana is absolute heaven!

In order to create THE BEST vegan caramel for these bars, you'll need a vegan condensed milk.

This post is a paid partnership with Natures Charm. For more information about product placement and partnerships, check out my Disclosure Policy.

Natures Charm have one of the best vegan condensed milks i've ever tried. Their milk uses coconut which tastes absolutely delicious! The condensed milk itself thickens up perfectly, great for including into bakes such as a chocolate fudge cake, lemon curd, fridge fudge and caramel. It'll blow your mind at how tasty it is! It's one of those products everyone needs in their pantry for a baking emergency, especially when you're craving these banoffee bars.

My caramel is super easy to make, contains minimal ingredients and creates a thick and ultra chewy caramel which doesn't ooze out the sides of the bars.

How to make caramel with condensed milk?

1. First you'll start off by putting the condensed milk into a saucepan, along with dairy-free butter, sugar and golden syrup.

2. You'll want to cook this over the hob until thick. This caramel recipe takes about 20 minutes. It's well worth the wait as this is probably the best caramel ever! It's super thick and chewy!

Where to buy Natures Charm Condensed Coconut Milk?

Ethical Superstore

Natural Collection

The Vegan Kind Supermarket

Banana layer: A single layer of freshly chopped bananas makes these bars irresistible! The texture of soft banana along with the buttery base and sweet caramel is divine!

Banana cream: Why have a classic cream, when you can jazz it up and have a banana cream?! This cream uses dairy-free cream cheese, dairy-free whipping cream and a little mashed banana. It's absolutely delicious and makes the fruity banana flavour BURST!

Looking for more snack bars? Look no further:

Vegan Twix Bars
Easy Millionaires Cookie Bars
Salted Caramel Brownie Bites

Easy Vegan Biscoff Flapjacks

Ingredients you'll need to make these bars

These banoffee bars are ultra easy to make, fun to make and are perfect for sharing!
Here's what you need in order to make these dreamy bars:

Plain flour
Dairy-free butter
Caster sugar
Vegan condensed milk (2 cans of Natures Charm Coconut Condensed Milk)
Golden Syrup
Dairy-free cream cheese
Dairy-free whipping cream
A bunch of ripe bananas

You'll also want a 8 x 8 inch square baking tin (preferably with a loose base / push up base.

Notes*

What vegan cream to use?

My favourite dairy-free double cream / whipping cream is Elmlea Plant Based Double Cream Alternative. It makes the cheesecake filling thick and ultra creamy. Something like Coconut Cream or a Vegan Single Cream will be too runny and won't set, even if its in the fridge overnight.

What vegan block butter to use?

My favourite vegan / dairy-free block butters are 'Naturli Vegan Block' or Flora Plant Based Block Butter Alternative (salted or unsalted).

Alternatively, you can use dairy-free / vegan margarine for the caramel, it just won't hold it's shape as well as block butter.

Preparation: 10 minutes
Baking time: 20-25 minutes
Serves: 12 (depending on the size)
Level: Easy / medium

____________________________________________________________

Ingredients for the base

275g of plain flour
100g of caster sugar
200g of dairy-free softened block butter / margarine

Ingredients for the caramel

400g of Natures Charm Condensed Coconut Milk
120g of dairy-free block butter (See notes*)
80g of golden syrup
25g of caster sugar

Ingredients for the banana layer

1 large ripe banana

Ingredients for the banana cream

100g of dairy-free cream cheese
80ml of dairy-free cream (see notes*)
80g of mashed bananas (approximately 2 small bananas)

____________________________________________________________

Method (base)

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees c fan and line a 8x8 inch square / loose base tin with grease proof paper. Allow the paper to hang over the edges of the tin, this makes it easier for removing the bars when ready.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add in the flour and sugar. Stir to combine. Add in the softened butter / margarine and using your fingertips, rub the butter / margarine into the flour and sugar mixture until a crumbly dough forms.

3. Firmly press the mixture into the base of the lined tin, trying to get it as even as possible.

Tip: As the dough is sticky, coat your fingers in some plain flour before pressing it into the tin to prevent sticking.

Place into the middle of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden on top.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the caramel.

Method (caramel)

1. Place all of the caramel ingredients into a medium / large saucepan. Place the pan on the hob over a low heat.

2. Firstly, you'll see the butter melt into everything. Give it a little stir. Keep it on a low, steady boil. This will take approximately 20 minutes. You'll want to stir this constantly with a whisk to prevent the caramel sticking and burning on the pan. After 20 minutes, the caramel will turn very thick. Be patient, this does take a while, but it's worth the wait!

3. Pour the thick caramel quickly on top of the base. Use an off-set spatula to quickly spread out the caramel, making sure it's even. This caramel will set quickly so you want to be fast when pouring and spreading.

Set aside to cool for 30 minutes, then transfer into the fridge for an hour until fully set.

Tip: You can leave it in the fridge overnight, then allow it to come to room temperature.

Holly's tip for this recipe: Add the banana layer and cream just before serving as the moisture from the banana can make the caramel go soft. Bananas left at room temperature also have a tendency to go brown in colour. Allow the caramel to come to room temperature before adding on the bananas so the bananas can stick to the caramel.

Method (banana layer)

1. Thinly slice the banana and lay them in rows on-top of the caramel. Place aside while you make the banana cream.

Method (banana cream)

1. In a medium sized bowl, add in the dairy-free cream and cream cheese. Whip on low speed at first to prevent it splashing out the bowl, then turn to high speed. Whip until thick. This will take around 5 minutes. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, but a hand whisk will work great too! The mixture should be thick and creamy. See notes for details on which products work best!

2. Mash 80g of banana and add it into the cream. Whip to combine.

Transfer into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip nozzle. Pipe rosette style swirls over the top of the bananas.

Transfer into the fridge to set for 30 minutes, before removing from the fridge and slicing into bars.

TIP: Before slicing, heat a large, sharp knife in a bowl of hot water or with a kitchen blow torch. Make sure to wipe off any moisture before cutting the bars.

To store:

Store these bars in a sealed container in the fridge. Due to the moisture level in the bananas, its best to enjoy these day of making.

Shop the whole 'Natures Charm' range here.

A huge thank you to Natures Charm for collabing on this recipe with me!

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Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/naturescharmvegan/

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Over 80 irresistible plant-based cakes and treats
Mouth-watering photos with every recipe
'Hollys Tips' (my personal helpful tips) to help make the most amazing bakes ever.
Basic recipes including buttercream's, honeycomb, jam and caramel sauce.