For those with a mighty sweet tooth, eating an entirely plant-based diet can seem like a daunting task, even for the sake of the animals, the environment, and personal health. After all, animal products like eggs, milk, and butter are so commonly found in baked goods that it seems hard to believe that the cakes and cookies we crave could ever be made without them. Is the vegan, then, condemned to a life without these treats?
As someone who counts brownies and donuts among the world’s greatest culinary achievements, I am pleased (and relieved) to report that no, a vegan life need not be one without dessert. There are, in fact, a variety of substitutes for the most common animal ingredients found in baking.
Take milk, for example. There are a number of non-dairy milks on the market that can be substituted one-for-one for dairy milk. The most common options include soymilk, almond milk, and coconut milk, but it is also possible to find a host of other choices, including rice milk, cashew milk, oat milk, and even hemp milk. For the more ambitious, non-dairy milk can even be made at home. The basic recipe is simple: soak the nuts, seeds, or grains that you wish to use for several hours, blend them in a high-speed blender with water, and strain and sweeten the milk if desired.
Butter is another surprisingly easy ingredient to substitute in baking. In fact, the vegetable shortening already in your kitchen is probably animal-free, and it can be substituted for butter at a one-to-one ratio with the addition of a little extra water (1 tablespoon per 1/2 cup shortening). An even better substitute for butter is vegan margarine like Earth Balance, which can be found in most grocery stores. And if these two options don’t appeal to you, there’s always coconut oil, which, like vegan margarine, can generally be substituted one-to-one for butter.
A “flax egg”: ground flaxseed mixed with water
Of all the common animal ingredients in baked goods, eggs may be the most difficult to substitute, due to their important role in binding and leavening. However, the good news is that egg substitutes abound; one need only determine (by trial and error or a little internet research) which option will work best for the recipe in question. A common substitute for eggs in the vegan baking world is to combine 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water. Stir the mixture and let it sit for a few minutes until it becomes gelatinous before adding it to the recipe. Another popular option is a vegan egg replacer powder, such as Ener-G Egg Replacer. While both ground flaxseed and vegan egg replacer powder can be found in many mainstream grocery stores, if you’re looking to replace an egg with something that’s already in your kitchen, you could try substituting one half to one whole ripe mashed banana or 1/4 to 1/3 cup applesauce. These substitutions may give your baked good the flavor of bananas or apples, however.
I hope these substitution suggestions will allow you to veganize Grandma’s old recipe. Be advised, however, that you may get even better results if you look for recipes for your favorite treats that are already designed to incorporate these plant-based alternatives to animal ingredients. Online and in cookbooks, many talented bakers continue to make delicious and decadent plant-based recipes available for the world to try. These days, it is easier than ever to eat a plant-based diet without giving up dessert.
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