In the pastry world, the art of creating delicious desserts without using ingredients of animal origin is gaining more and more fans.
At first glance, making the perfect vegan cake may seem like a complex task, but with the right advice and a little imagination, you can achieve surprising results.
Learn how to turn your kitchen into a real
vegan bakery, where every cake is a masterpiece of love and flavor.
Choosing the right ingredients
The importance of quality vegan ingredients
The basis of any delicious cake starts with a selection of high-quality ingredients. Choosing to use organic and fresh ingredients can take the taste of your cake to new heights.
Wholemeal flours, unrefined sugars and cold-pressed oils are just the start.
When choosing your ingredients, make sure they respect vegan ethics, thus eliminating
everything a vegan doesn't eat.
Substitutes for milk, butter and eggs
The magic of vegan pastry lies in knowing the perfect substitutes for traditional ingredients.
For eggs, try using the increasingly popular
aquafaba, which is nothing more than the liquid that comes from cooking legumes such as chickpeas.
You can also use apple puree or banana puree, which not only bind the ingredients together, but also add moisture and flavor.
Cow's milk can easily be replaced by a variety of vegetable milks, such as almond, soy or oat milk.
Butter gives way to vegetable oils or vegan margarine, guaranteeing the smooth texture and rich flavor we all love in a cake.
The secret to the ideal texture
The secret to the perfect texture lies in the way the mixture is mixed. When combining the dry and liquid ingredients, do so gently and without over-beating.
A light, airy mixture is essential to ensure that the cake rises evenly and acquires a soft, spongy texture.
Times and temperatures
Baking a vegan cake requires the utmost attention to temperatures and cooking times. Each oven is different, so knowing your equipment is essential.
One trick is to preheat the oven to a slightly higher temperature than recommended and, as soon as the cake is inserted, reduce it to the correct temperature. This helps the cake to rise quickly, sealing the surface and keeping the moisture inside.
Decorating and presentation tips
To create eye-catching designs, use edible flowers, nuts and seeds, along with fresh fruit.
You can use vegetable milk and
vegan powdered sugar to make toppings and coatings, and creams made with coconut or vegan cheese have a delicate flavor and rich texture. Don't forget that you can always stop by our
vegan restaurant in Lisbon for inspiration.
Making the perfect vegan cake means exploring a universe of flavors and textures that don't follow the rules of conventional pastry. If you follow these guidelines, you're sure to surprise yourself and everyone around you. Let every cake be a celebration of this sustainable lifestyle.
