There's no denying the rise of veganism. We are spending more and more money on plant-based products, and it's easy to see why. With reduced greenhouse gasses and less land used for food production, vegan diets are better for the environment. They taste great too!
And while the vegan lifestyle might seem like a load of fruit and veggies to a newcomer, the truth is, there are plenty of plant-based treats that vegans love to enjoy, including lots of at-home bakes! So whether you're new to the game or you're a long-term vegan looking for more recipe ideas, there are plenty of ways to swap out dairy and animal ingredients for plant-based alternatives and luckily for you, the experts at Dr. Oetker are at hand with their suggestions for the best baking substitutes. So read on, and get baking!
More info: oetker.co.uk
Eggs are essential when baking as they bind the dry ingredients together, so when looking for a vegan alternative there are a few to consider. Mashed bananas or applesauce with a pinch of baking power can be used in replacement of an egg when you need to add moisture to cakes. Silken tofu is perfect for when you need to add texture to quiches and pies and a mix of flaxseed and water can be used to bind cookie or granola bar mixtures together.
You might think it impossible to make a meringue without the use of egg whites or set a jelly without the use of gelatin but there are in fact some vegan substitutes out there that do the trick.
Using aquafaba (the name for whipped chickpea brine) is great for adding air and volume to cakes when needed or making meringues and royal icing. Then for a gelatin substitute, you can find products such as Vege-Gel which do the exact same thing.
Milk is often used in bakes to add moisture and bind mixtures together, so with there being plenty of different plant-based milk alternatives out there, you shouldn't struggle to find a substitute. Just remember that some have distinct flavours which can effect the taste of your bake so make sure to choose one which will complement it, for example in a chocolate cake use almond milk for a subtle nutty taste.
More decadent desserts will often call for ingredients such as evaporated milk, butter milk or cream but with the right know how, these can easily be swapped out for a vegan alternative. Just replace evaporated milk for unsweetened coconut milk, butter milk with 1tsp of lemon juice and your plant-based milk of choice, and cream with coconut or oat cream. Easy-peasy!
A lot of recipes will also call for butter to be added to increase the moisture content of the bake. When baking pie crusts, tart crusts and biscuits, it's best to use vegan margarine as it needs to baked into the dough. When making cakes, cookies and brownies, you can use avocado, oil or coconut oil instead.
Some people might not realise that honey isn't vegan, luckily it can easily be swapped for agave syrup or maple syrup when needing that extra sweetness. If your bake calls for butterscotch, swap it with date paste which can be made by soaking dates in water, draining and then blitzing them into a blender until smooth, perfect for toffee flavoured puddings and cakes.
Image credits: www.oetker.co.uk
Finally there's chocolate. Not all types of chocolate are vegan due to their milk content so make sure to always check the label and use one that is. If you don't want to use a bar though, you can always swap it out for some dark cocoa powder with a dollop of vegan margarine to get a rich chocolatey flavour in your bakes.
Feeling ready to try your hand at vegan baking now? Why not head into the kitchen and see what you can do!