Lemon and raspberry semolina cake (Vegan)

Makes 8-10 servings

Lemon semolina cake

A simple cake with classic flavours. Great for family gatherings or if you just fancy a sweet treat.
The semolina sponge cake resembles the consistency of a Romanian baked cheesecake (pasca); top it with raspberry jam and whipped cream for an irresistible dessert.  
You could also substitute the raspberry elements with cherry jam and cherries, yum!
Let me know if you try this by tagging @apinchofzing on Instagram.

Ingredients

Sponge cake
100g semolina
100g self raising flour
100g sugar
300ml plain yogurt  (plant based)
75ml oil (rapeseed or sunflower)
1 lemon zested and juiced 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder 

Whipping cream
270ml Elmlea plant double cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fruity element
1/3 jar raspberry/cherry jam
A handful of fresh raspberries/cherries

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. 
2. To make the sponge, use a large bowl to mix the semolina, flour and sugar. Next, mix in the yogurt, oil, lemon zest and lemon juice. Lastly, mix in the vanilla extract and baking powder. 
3. Pour the cake batter in a 10 inch round cake silicon mould . Place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes.
4. Take the cake out of the oven, remove from the silicon mould and leave to cool down on a wire rack. 
5. To make the whipping cream, add to a bowl the double cream, sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until thick.
6. Once the sponge cake is cold, top with a layer of jam and pipe the whipping cream on top. Decorate with fresh fruit. Store in the fridge.

Thanks for the recipe inspiration go to Exceedingly Vegan.

Vegan Pancakes

Vegan pancakes

Absolutely delicious pancakes topped with fresh berries and chocolate spread, no one will ever know that they are vegan. Make pancake day more fun by folding them into little pancake tacos.
Have fun with the topping options. In the past I would have gone for Nutella, but now I replace it with Mindful Bites Chocolate & Hazelnut spread, which is vegan and absolutely delicious. Another delicious topping is vegan ice cream with Golden Syrup or Maple Syrup. I hear lemon juice and sugar is a real classic.
Happy Pancake Day!

Ingredients

• 475ml plant milk (I used soy)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoon oil
• A pinch of salt
• Vanilla extract
• 250g plain flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• Oil for cooking

Method

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the plant milk and lemon juice. Leave to sit for 5-10 minutes. This will be the ‘buttermilk’.
2. Stir in the sugar, oil, salt and vanilla extract. Sift in the flour and baking powder. Mix until incorporated, but avoid over mixing. Allow the batter to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Heat a pan over a medium heat and carefully wipe it with some oiled kitchen paper. When hot, cook your pancakes for 1 min on each side until golden
4. Enjoy the pancakes hot or cold, topped with your favourite toppings.

Banoffee Pie (Vegan)

Banoffee pie (Vegan)

The perfect ‘no bake’ summer dessert. Crunchy biscuit base, sweet caramel, banana and cream. Yum!

Having experimented making different versions of vegan banoffee pie, this is my favourite iteration.
The biscuit base in pretty standard; the McVities digestive biscuits are accidentally vegan.
I was surprised how much I like the date caramel. It’s delicious, easy to make and good for you. If you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend it.
The Elmlea plant double cream makes an excellent whipped cream. Top it all up with dark chocolate shavings and you have a winning dessert.
Tag @apinchofzing on Instagram if you make this dessert or leave a comment below to let me know what you think 😊

Ingredients

Biscuit base
400g Digestive biscuits
50g melted vegan spread

Date caramel
8-10 Medjool dates
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

2-3 ripe bananas (sliced)

Whipped cream
270ml Elmlea plant double cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

50g dark chocolate for decorating

Method
1. Use a food processor to pulse the biscuits to a breadcrumb consistency. Pour in the melted vegan spread and combine well. Press the biscuit mixture into the base of a 9 inch cake tin/dish and refrigerate.
2. To make the date caramel, start by soaking the dates in boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove the dates from the water and save the liquid. Add the dates, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to a blender and whizz until smooth. If the caramel is too thick, you can add some of the liquid the dates were soaked in, to thin it out.  
3. To make the whipped cream, add the double cream, sugar and vanilla extract to a bowl and whisk until thick.
4. Time to assemble the pie. Spread the date caramel over the biscuit base. Place the banana slices on top of the caramel. Pipe the whipped cream on top of the banana layer and grate the dark chocolate over the cream.
5. Place the pie in the fridge and leave to set overnight before serving. Enjoy!

Milk cake with Chantilly cream and raspberries (Vegan)

Makes 8 servings

Milk cake with Chantilly cream and raspberries

Milk cake with Chantilly cream and raspberries

Milk cake with Chantilly cream and raspberries

Super moist & light milk cake, with sweet vanilla and vibrant raspberries.
An old fashioned treat that tastes like childhood; definitely worth holding on to!

I wasn’t born vegan, so to keep this cake in my life I had to veganise it. I am very pleased with the result and glad to be able to keep this sweet treat in my life. This cake is great served cold on a hot summer day and you only need a few ingredients to make it.  It is a bit like a trifle in terms of consistency: moist, sweet, creamy, with the added textures of fruit and sponge.

Chantilly cream sounds fancy, but don’t be intimidated, it is whipped cream with sugar and vanilla. You can’t go wrong topping the cake with grandma’s raspberry jam and some fresh raspberries.

Such a simple cake, with classic flavours, that should not be forgotten.

Ingredients

Sponge cake
1 tablespoon vegan spread and 1 tablespoon flour for coating the oven dish
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon cider vinegar or lemon juice
2 cups made out of 2 tablespoons fine semolina and the rest plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup sugar
a pinch of salt
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil

Milk
1 pint (568ml) hot soy milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chantilly cream
270ml Elmlea plant double cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For serving
1 jar raspberry jam
A handful of fresh raspberries

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190C. Lightly grease and coat in flour a 30cmX23cmX5cm oven proof dish.
2. To make the sponge, mix the soy milk with the the cider vinegar. Leave to curdle and move to the next step.
3. In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients (semolina, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, salt).
4. Add in the wet ingredients (curdled milk, oil and vanilla extract) and gently mix together. Don’t overmix.
5. Pour the cake batter in the ovenproof dish and level. Place on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.
6. While the cake is baking, heat up the soy milk in a pan with 1 tablespoon of sugar and vanilla extract. Don’t allow the milk to boil, once it starts to shimmer just turn off the flame and set the milk aside.
7. Take the cake out of the oven and while the cake is still hot, pour over the hot milk. The milk will absorb into the cake. Leave the cake to cool down. Cover and chill in the fridge once it’s cold enough to go in the fridge.
8. To make the Chantilly cream, add to a bowl the double cream, sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until thick.
9. Now to the fun part! Decorate the cold milk cake with Chantilly cream, raspberry jam and fresh raspberries. Serve with a large serving spoon in individual bowls. Dig in!

Thanks for the inspiration go our family friend Marcela, who used to make this cake for me as a child.

Milk cake with Chantilly cream and raspberries

Overnight oats with Chia seeds- Vegan

Makes 1-2 servings

Overnight oats – vegan

Superfood, super good! Accidentally vegan & gluten free!

Need I say more? Great for a delicious breakfast or a pick me up snack during the day. Easy to make the night before and quick to put together when hunger strikes and you want to reach for a healthy option.

Chia seeds pack a powerful nutritional punch and are known for numerous health benefits. If you think of incorporating them in your diet this recipe is a good start.
The overnight oats are slow release energy and very filling. The combination of banana, blueberries and peanut butter is one of my favourites. You may also like my overnight oats with Chia seed pudding. 
Enjoy the guilt free goodness!

Ingredients

Overnight oats
1 cup rolled oats
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 cup plant milk

For serving
one banana
a handful of blueberries
1 teaspoon melted peanut butter 

Method
1.  Make the overnight oats by mixing all the ingredients in a lidded jar or food container.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
2. Top with banana slices, berries and peanut butter. Enjoy & feel good!

Chocolate orange cheesecake (Vegan)

Makes 10 servings

Chocolate orange cheesecake (Vegan)

Unbelievably rich and creamy chocolate orange ‘cheesecake’.
After my successful classic vanilla baked cheesecake I feel that the sky is the limit (as far as vegan cheesecake goes 😊). I made this new variation for Christmas day lunch and it was very well received!

It is amazing how the texture and taste of this baked no-cheesecake is so much like a traditional cheesecake. Also, unlike traditional cheesecake, this plant based version doesn’t seem to be prone to cracks, so you can have the perfect no-cheesecake every single time.

The flavours I choose this time are crowd pleasers: chocolate and orange.
The crunchy biscuit base is made using Bourbon biscuits (Lidl’s own brand), which are accidentally vegan. Make sure you check the label, as I found that not all brands of Bourbon biscuits are vegan.
I hope you feel inspired to give this amazing cheesecake a try!

Ingredients

Biscuit base

• 220g vegan Bourbon biscuits
• 1 tablespoon Flora buttery (melted)

No-cheese cheesecake filling

• 190g cashew nuts (soaked)
• 350g firm silken tofu (pressed)
• 200ml almond milk
• 100g vegan white chocolate (melted)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 lemon (juice)
• ½ orange (zest & juice)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Prep work: soak the cashew nuts in boiling water for a coupe of hours; wrap the tofu in kitchen paper roll and press for a couple of hours.
2. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4. Use a food processor to pulse the biscuits to a breadcrumb consistency. Pour in the melted Flora and combine. Press the biscuit mixture into the base of a 9 inch/23 cm tart tin.
3. In a blender, whizz together all the cheesecake ingredients until smooth. The resulting texture should be similar to sour cream and should be pourable. Add more almond milk if the resulting texture is too thick.
4. Pour the no-cheesecake filling over the biscuit base and bake for 30 minutes. Leave the cheesecake cool down in the oven, with the oven door half open. Once cool, store in the fridge and serve with more orange and chocolate. Enjoy!

Fluffy Vegan Waffles

Makes 3 waffles

The fluffiest waffles! Absolutely delicious topped with fresh berries and chocolate spread, no one will ever know the difference.

I was saying in a previous blog post that the fluffiness achieved by using buttermilk has no match. I have since moved to vegan alternatives and this was quite a challenge. However, I found that vegan buttermilk works just as well; and while I haven’t come across vegan buttermilk in shops, it is very easy to make at home.

Once you achieve the perfect waffles, have fun with the topping options.
In the past I would have gone for Nutella, but now I replace it with Nature’s Store Hazelnut and Chocolate spread, which is vegan and delicious. Another delicious topping is vegan ice cream with Golden Syrup or Maple Syrup. If you are feeling really grown up, try roasted peaches with Oatly crème fraiche and maple syrup (see my previous blog post for inspiration). What are your favourite waffle toppings?
Hope you enjoy this special treat!

Ingredients

• 475ml plant milk (I used soy)
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoon oil
• A pinch of salt
• Vanilla extract
• 250g plain flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• Oil for cooking

Method

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the plant milk and lemon juice. Leave to sit for 5-10 minutes. This will be the ‘buttermilk’.
2. Stir in the sugar, oil, salt and vanilla extract. Sift in the flour and baking powder. Mix until incorporated, but avoid over mixing. Allow the batter to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Pre-heat your waffle maker and cook the waffles according to the manufacturer’s directions. Mine fits about 4-5 tablespoons of batter and takes about 4-5 minutes per waffle on high.
4. Enjoy the waffles warm or cold, topped with your favourite toppings.

Thanks for the recipe go to  Veggie Desserts.

Baked no-cheese cheesecake (Vegan)

Makes 10 servings

This is magic! Unbelievably rich and creamy baked no-cheese ‘cheesecake’.

I was most sceptical about a no-cheese ‘cheesecake’. I was pretty sure a plant based alternative won’t live up to my expectations and almost made peace with the fact that if I was to follow a plant based diet, this is something I would have to give up.
However, I have never been happier to be proven wrong!

It is amazing how the texture and taste of this baked no-cheesecake is so much like a traditional cheesecake, but unlike traditional cheesecake, this plant based version doesn’t seem to be prone to cracks, so you can have the perfect no-cheesecake every single time.

The flavours I choose are classic: vanilla and lemon. I added some blueberries in the no-cheese layer for a fruity surprise. The crunchy biscuit base is made using Biscoff biscuits, which are accidentally vegan.

Having conquered my first baked no-cheesecake I am already dreaming about other flavour combinations. I hope you feel inspired to give it a try!

Ingredients

Biscuit base

• 220g Biscoff biscuits (about 35 biscuits)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (melted)

No-cheesecake filling

• 190g cashew nuts (soaked)
• 350g firm silken tofu (pressed)
• 200ml almond milk
• 100g vegan white chocolate (melted)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 lemon (zest & juice)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Blueberries (100g) for filling and serving.

Method

1. Prep work: soak the cashew nuts in boiling water for a coupe of hours; wrap the tofu in kitchen roll and press for a couple of hours.
2. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4. Use a food processor to pulse the biscuits to a breadcrumb consistency. Pour in the melted coconut oil and combine. Press the biscuit mixture into the base of a 9 inch/23 cm tart tin/dish.
3. In a blender, whizz together all the no-cheesecake ingredients until smooth. The resulting texture should be similar to sour cream and should be pourable. Add more almond milk if the resulting texture is too thick.
4. Place a handful of fresh blueberries over the biscuit base and pour over the no-cheesecake filling. Bake the no-cheesecake for 30 minutes and leave it to cool down in the oven, with the oven door half open. Once cool, store in the fridge and serve with more fresh berries. Enjoy!

Vegan lemon drizzle cake with raspberries

Makes 8-10 servings

Vegan lemon drizzle cake with raspberries

Not your average lemon drizzle cake! Vegan and delicious, with raspberries for an extra pinch of zing!

Lemon and raspberry is a match made in heaven, while the texture of this cake is just heavenly; so buttery, it melts in your mouth. Vegan without any compromises, this is the best lemon drizzle cake I ever had.

I made this cake for Easter lunch this year, which also coincided with my birthday. It was a real treat and everyone loved it. There are no photos of the cake slices because it was all gone in one sitting (everyone had seconds).

I can’t take credit for the recipe, the Lazy Cat Kitchen absolutely nailed it!
However, to make this cake special, I used freeze dried raspberry powder in the glaze and topped the cake with fresh raspberries . A small twist that makes a big difference in appearance and taste. Hope this cakes brings the sunshine to your kitchen!

Ingredients

Lemon cake

• 100 g coconut oil (measured unmelted)
• 125 g sugar
• 180 ml almond milk (room temperature)
• 2 lemons (zest and 60ml juice)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 180g flour
• ¾ tsp bicarb of soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100 g finely ground almonds

Lemon syrup

• 70 g sugar
• 90 ml lemon juice
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig

Lemon and raspberry glaze

• 50 icing sugar (sifted)
• 4-5 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon freeze dried raspberry powder

Use a handful of fresh raspberries for serving.

Method
1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4. Line a 2 lb loaf tin with a wide strip of baking paper to be able to remove your cake easily once baked.
2. Melt the coconut oil in the microwave in 30 seconds intervals, until liquid.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the coconut oil and sugar. Mix in the almond milk, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Do not panic if the batter looks like it has split, it will turn out perfect once baked.
4. Sift in the flour, bicarb of soda and baking powder and mix until incorporated. Add the ground almonds and mix until incorporated.
5. Pour the batter in the loaf tine and bake for 50 minutes (check with a toothpick).
6. While the cake is baking, make the lemon syrup. Add the syrup ingredients to small pot over a low heat and cook until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove the rosemary sprig and set aside.
7. Once baked, remove the cake from the tin. Pierce the top with a toothpick in several places to allow the syrup to infuse the cake. Brush the syrup on the surface of the hot cake several times, allowing the syrup to soak into the cake. Let the cake cool down completely before making the lemon and raspberry glaze.
8. To make the lemon and raspberry glaze, mix the ingredients in a small bowl. Drizzle over the cool cake and decorate with fresh raspberries. Enjoy!

Thanks for the recipe inspiration go to Lazy Cat Kitchen

Vegan lemon drizzle cake with raspberries

Vegan Oreo tart with berry mousse

Makes 10 servings

Vegan Oreo tart with berry mousse

 

A beautiful vegan tart that tastes divine.
The recipe is also easy, quick and delicious – gets my vote!

I am relatively new to the vegan dessert world, so getting to this recipe took a few attempts, but I am very pleased with the result.
I had to step out of my comfort zone, as cooking with agar-agar was a first for me and I had to order it online. It was well worth it; the berry mousse is a clear winner and I can’t wait to try other flavours next. For this recipe, make sure to use coconut milk from a can (not the drinking kind). Also the higher the percentage of coconut in the milk the better (I try to use 80% and above).
Finding the right tart crust took a few attempts as well. Most vegan crusts I tried are made with dates and nuts, but unfortunately they end up being very soggy after a day.
The baked Oreo crust works wonderfully because it is crunchy and holds its shape better.  That being said, I would still advise that you store the tart in the tin until you are ready to serve it, because the Oreo crust is quite fragile.

Ingredients

Biscuit base

• 28 Oreo biscuits
• 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

Berry mousse

• 330g frozen berries (thawed)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 400ml coconut milk (from a can)
• 120ml maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons corn flour
• 4 teaspoons agar-agar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Decorations: berries, flowers, Oreos and coconut cream.

Method
1. Use a food processor to pulse the biscuits to a breadcrumb consistency. Pour in the melted coconut oil and combine.
3. Press the biscuit mixture into the base of a 9 inch/23 cm tart tin/dish and bake at gas mark 6 for 8 minutes. Once baked remove from the oven and leave to cool down.
4. Use a blender/smoothie maker to turn the berries into a puree.
5. In a pan, add the berry puree, lemon juice, coconut milk and maple syrup. Mix the ingredients and bring the mixture to boil on medium heat, while constantly stirring.
6. Once the mixture is starting to boil, add the corn flour and agar-agar, and constantly stir for two more minutes until the agar-agar has completely dissolved.
7. Remove the mixture from heat and strain through a sieve into a bowl. Mix in the vanilla extract and pour the mixture over the cooled tart. Place the tart in the fridge to set for about an hour.
8. Decorate with more Oreos, fruit and coconut cream. Enjoy!

Vegan Oreo tart with berry mousse