During Christmas, Cakes become a special treat for all of us. Cakes have a special place in every Indian household keeping the festivities alive with its sweetness, rich texture and taste. We have all grown up celebrating new beginnings with a variety of Cakes, which is why we associate them with happy memories with friends and family. However, Cake is also associated with being high in calories and something that has to be consumed in limited portions, especially for the health-conscious.
A vegan diet is commonly assumed to offer limited options and the festive season can turn out a real bummer for vegans. And whoever is under the impression that Santa’s favourite Christmas delicacies aren’t necessarily vegan was just so very wrong.
Prashanth Vishwanath, Country Director of Veganuary India, says, “It is a common assumption that a vegan diet has limited options and the festive season can turn out a real bummer for vegans. But the good news is – it’s fairly easy to switch to veganism and with a huge demand for vegan cakes and chocolates, dynamic chefs are delicious treats that are entirely plant-based.“
When you think of a chewy chocolate cookie or a rich cheesecake, you are likely thinking of all the cream, delicious butter and eggs that go into them. This is why these super delicious vegan desserts perfect for Christmas might be pure magic. One bite of our vegan carrot cake, chocolate chip cookie or banana and walnut bread will have you completely shaken when you realize that they are not relying on animal products and yet taste so good if not better than their non-vegan versions. Many of these sweets are super healthy filled with lots of nuts, seeds, plant-based milks, jaggery, raw sugar, vegan ghee and oodles of love for all.
Scroll down for some mouth-watering vegan sweet delights you can try out this festive season.
1- Vegan Christmas Chocolates
Super easy and healthy chocolate peanut butter Christmas treats are a great any-time snack to satiate your taste buds and stay guilt-free at the same time. Completely whole food plant-based, free of oil, refined sugar, gluten and no highly processed ingredients…kids and grown-ups alike will relish them.
Cookie Ingredient:
· 10 Medjool dates,soaked,
· ¾ cup peanut butter
· 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon coconut flour
· ¼ teaspoon vanilla
· 2 Tablespoons water
· Pinch of sea salt (optional)
Instructions
· Place 10 Medjool dates in boiling water for 20 minutes. discard the water, and add to a food processor to ensure all the dates are finely chopped.
· Add all the remaining Cookie Ingredients into the food processor to form a large ball
· Scoop up a tablespoon of the mixture, press hard to compact the cookie mixture into the scooper, then release the cookie and hand roll into tightly formed balls and place the balls onto the cookie sheet to set and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
· For the chocolate coating – Melt 1 heaping cup of chocolate and place each cookie into the melted chocolate, roll and allow it to cool. Lightly sprinkle each cookie with finely chopped peanuts.
2- Vegan Carrot Cake
Ingredients
· Melted coconut oil – 250 ml
· Light brown sugar 300g
· Vanilla essence 1½ tsp
· Dairy free milk 210 ml
· Plain flour 420g
· Baking powder1½ tsp
· Soda bicarbonate 1½ tsp
· Cinnamon 1tsp
· Ginger 1tsp
· Ground nutmeg 1 tsp
· Orange zest 1
· Grated carrots 270g
· Chopped nuts
Method
For the icing – mash 200g coconut cream with 1 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp hot water until smooth. Add 2 tbsp cashew butter in 50g icing sugar followed by 60ml oat milk. Continue whisking until fully combined, and refrigerate until needed.
For the cake
· Heat the oven to 180C/160C
· Grease cake tins with oil
· In a bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar followed by vanilla and milk
Combine spices, baking powder, flour, soda bicarbonate and orange zest in a separate bowl. Then add these to the wet mixture. Finally, add the carrots and nuts and stir well.
· Divide the mixture and place it into the greased tins and bake for 25-30 mins.
· Sandwich the cakes together with half the icing then top up with the remaining icing.
· Scatter over the nuts and cinnamon
3- Vegan Banana & Walnut bread
A slice of warm banana bread with crunchy walnuts and sweet dates straight from the oven is pure bliss. This vegan version is great for breakfast or a perfect blend with an afternoon cuppa.
Ingredients
· Coconut or sunflower oil 50 g
· Self-rising flour 200g
· Ground almonds 25g
· Baking powder 1tsp
· 4 finely chopped dates
· 3-4 ripe bananas
· Light muscovado sugar 75g
· Soya milk 3 tbsp
· 75g roasted walnuts
Method
· Heat oven to 200C/180C and grease a loaf tin
· Mix the flour, sugar, dates and baking powder. Beat mashed banana and oil and add to flour mixture. Add soya milk, and walnuts and pour the mixture into the tin.
· Bake for 1 hour, insert a skewer in the centre, it should come out clean. If not, return to the oven and bake for a further 10 mins.
· Allow it to cool before taking it out of the tin.
4- Vegan Sponge Cake
Enjoy an evening get-together or morning coffee with friends and family with this vegan sponge cake. This easy recipe is perfect for every occasion.
Ingredients
· 150g dairy-free spread,
· 300ml dairy-free milk,
· 1 tbsp cider vinegar
· 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
· 300g self-raising flour
· 200g golden caster sugar
· 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the filling
· 100g dairy-free spread
· 200g icing sugar
· 4 tbsp jam, we used strawberry
Method
· Heat the oven to 180C/160C. grease and line the bases of tins with baking parchment.
· Take a jar and put the dairy-free milk and add the vinegar, leave for a few minutes. put all other cake ingredients, half the vanilla seeds in another bowl and then pour over the milk mixture. Beat everything together until smooth.
· Divide the mixture into two tins and bake for 30+35 mins or until the skewer comes out clean. Allow the tins to cool.
· For the filling – whisk dairy-free spread, remaining vanilla seeds and icing sugar together until pale and fluffy.
· Spread onto one of the cooled sponges, top with buttercream and then place the other sponge on top. Dress up the assembled cake with a little icing sugar before slicing.
5- Vegan Coconut & Rum Snowballs
This clean-eating, guilt-free vegan delights are the easiest, no-bake Christmas treats! What’s more, the coconut and oat flour make them gluten-free, too.
When I say these sweet, coconut-y snowballs are fluffy-heaven, I MEAN IT, and using rum extract (optional) adds to the festive spirit.
It’s completely gluten-, dairy-, refined sugar-, and egg-free.
Ingredients
· Dry, grated coconut
· Canned, full-fat coconut milk
· Chopped almonds – 50
Method
· Use canned, full-fat coconut milk and the top creamy part to make the dough.
· Refrigerate the dough for an hour or two to allow it to harden
· After an hour or so of refrigeration, you can start making the balls
· Roll the balls into grated coconut and place them in the fridge for another hour or so before you are ready to indulge in your sweet delights.
· The snowballs can last up to 3 days in the fridge or an afternoon if there are coconut fans around.
This festive season, craft a sweet story for all your new beginnings by choosing the kindest form of indulgence with vegan festive sweets – that not only taste good but do good for your health, the animals and our planet.
Recipes By - Prashanth Vishwanath, Country Director, Veganuary India
