Freya Cox - Simply Vegan Baking: Taking the Fuss Out of Vegan Cakes, Cookies, Breads, and Desserts

Simply Vegan Baking. Text copyright 2022 by Freya Cox.

Photography copyright 2022 by Clare Winfield. Design copyright Murdoch Books 2022.

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Published in 2022 by
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For Murdoch Books, an imprint of Allen & Unwin:
Publisher: Cline Hughes
Art Direction and Design: Nikki Ellis
Photographer: Clare Winfield
Food Stylists: Freya Cox and Joanna Jackson
Prop Stylist: Hannah Wilkinson
Production Director, UK: Niccol De Bianchi
Production Director, Australia: Lou Playfair

Digital Edition SEPTEMBER 2022 ISBN: 978-0-06-329537-7
Print Edition ISBN: 978-0-06-32761-3

OVEN GUIDE: You may find cooking times vary depending on the oven you are using. The recipes in this book are based on fan-assisted oven temperatures. For non-fan-assisted ovens, as a general rule, set the oven temperature to 20C (35F) higher than indicated in the recipe.

I have always been a very passionate person, so when I first got into vegan baking, I automatically fell in love with it. I am a massive foodie: its something that not only brings me joy personally but allows others to come together and enjoy one anothers company. The way a loved ones face lights up when they are given something homemade is a feeling I will never tire of. I initially learned to bake with my gran when I was young. I would leave her house on a Sunday with boxes full of cakes, devastated the weekend was over. We would bake gifts for birthdays, Christmas and pretty much every occasion. Thats where I fell in love with it.

I went pretty much head first into the vegan diet once I made the connection between animals and food and I struggled to look back. My dad has been vegan for around seven years and has played a huge part in helping me with the transition. He has always been an inspiring person; I owe him a lot for encouraging me in the right direction. Its fair to say I couldnt have written this book without him. My mum has always pushed me to do what I love; I feel incredibly lucky to have had her support from day one. Im a bit of a perfectionist so creating recipes isnt always smooth sailing. I also have Maggie, a fellow GBBO contestant and now close friend, to thank for testing lots of my recipes.

I am very understanding that it isnt possible for everyone to make the change to eating completely vegan straight away. Veganism is a big lifestyle change, and not something I believe should be forced upon each and every one of us. Small changes also have a big impact and help move towards a more sustainable view of veganism as a whole. We need to build a society where making an effort is praised. In turn this makes veganism less daunting to those who may be interested in making the change. Throughout this book I have included key tips and tricks that I have found helpful throughout my transition to vegan baking, with the hope of making it a little easier for others. The recipes throughout vary from simple bakes like fruit crumble slices and chocolate fudge cupcakes for those who are looking for a recipe that is completely faff free, to more elaborate celebration cakes to impress any crowd. A key thing I wanted to be sure of when writing these recipes was that all the ingredients are accessible in large supermarkets. I still feel there is an assumption that vegan baking requires unusual ingredients that are difficult to find, however it doesnt need to be this way. Simple swaps like soya milk instead of whole milk and vegan baking block instead of butter work perfectly. In the little tips section before each chapter, I talk about these swaps in more detail.

I feel there is something special about creating a recipe that has all the flavours and textures of traditional, well-loved bakes while knowing that no animal products are involved. I love every single one of the recipes inside this book, and both my vegan and non-vegan friends agree there is no sacrifice in quality: Id argue they are unbelievably vegan. One of the biggest struggles people face when getting into vegan baking is knowing where to start it can seem daunting at first. Hopefully this book will ease this feeling and inspire others to make whatever change they can. Whether you use the recipes as part of a vegan lifestyle, as a way to eat more plant-based food, or just because the recipes are delicious, I hope you try these recipes and enjoy them as much as I do.

Try your best to follow the recipes as closely as you can but make the most of your time baking and dont take things too seriously! I always tell people who are getting into baking not to stress themselves out; at the end of the day it is just cake. It will near enough always taste amazing even if it doesnt come out perfectly every time though I am certain your bakes will all come out perfectly.

Lots of love,

Freya

A very common question I get asked is: what do you use instead of eggs? I have never been a fan of chia or flax eggs in cakes I dont feel they give the same fluffy moist texture. I use a plant milk and acidic liquid mixture for my cake recipes and this replaces the eggs. It is very important for standard cake recipes that you use soya milk; I use sweetened, but non-sweetened also works great. The protein content in soya milk is much higher than in almond or oat, for example, which produces a much fluffier cake that rises well. For the acidic element I use apple cider vinegar, however if you dont have this, lemon juice also works great. Once added to the soya milk it curdles, creating a cake that is for sure unbelievably vegan. Lastly, I recommend that you warm the soya milk through before adding the vinegar. This just helps it to curdle, creating the perfect cake every time.

The absolute classic of all cake recipes, but it can still be one of the hardest things to get right. This simple-to-follow recipe ensures you make the perfect Victoria sponge every time.

Serves 810

For the sponge:

vegan butter, for greasing

225ml (7fl oz) soya milk

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

235g (8oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

210g (7oz) caster (granulated) sugar, plus 1 tbsp to sprinkle on top