Have your (vegan) cake and eat it too!

Being vegan, on the whole, isn’t too tricky to navigate once you’ve got an arsenal of plant-based recipes under your belt. Substituting regular ingredients into vegan alternatives becomes second nature and before too long you'll be whipping up a warming chickpea curry tossed with spices and oils, or singing the praises of that go-to Quorn curry that you can make blindfolded.

That said, one of the things that can initially pose a challenge is good vegan dessert recipes. Baking is an act of precision, and can be less forgiving than cooking if you stray from the recipe. When I first switched, it appeared that my only option for pudding was yet another fruit salad. And I'm sure many of my fellow vegans have at least one horror story about a vegan dessert alternative served to them, completely divorced of flavour! 

Baking is an act of precision, and can be less forgiving than cooking if you stray from the recipe.

However, anyone who tells you vegans must thus be condemned to a sad, sweet-less existence is having you on! And no, I’m not just talking about the previously mentioned fruit variations – although if you're after a good one try our Mango Mule mocktail recipe – I’m talking about moreish cheesecakes, melting chocolate fudge and the rich indulgence of a creamy frozen yoghurt.

These vegan desserts prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that you can have your cake, and eat it too! Whether you yourself are vegan, are cooking for a loved one who is, or are simply someone looking to add some more vegan options into your life this is the article you need to ensure the end to all your meals remains a happy one!  

1. Strawberry Vegan Cheesecake
Vegan cheesecake may at first seem like a bit contradictory, but this recipe shows that delicious alternatives can be made with a little bit of creative thinking. Here the texture of the ‘cheese’ is replicated by blending cashew nuts with rich coconut oil, with other ingredients to flavour. Try serving this up at your next party, and see if anyone can tell!

2. Avocado Chocolate Pots
Well here is an on trend dessert – avocado chocolate pots. The rich, creamy indulgence of avocado, paired with the dark, sweetly bitter edge of dark chocolate is a sophisticated dessert, surprising in its simplicity. This is topped off with a pinch of sea salt – just a pinch – to really bring out and complement the moreish flavour. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

GALLERY

3. Healthy Peanut Butter and Banana Flapjacks
So I’ll concede to the vegan stereotype and allow for a few specifically ‘health conscious’ desserts – but don’t be dissuaded – these flapjacks are both great for you AND packed with delicious flavour. And they’re ridiculously simple to make too - you may have all the ingredients already at home, which is always a bonus! Top tip: Using overly ripe bananas makes these a whole lot sweeter.

4. Rhubarb & Orange Frozen Yoghurt
Ice cream, the love of my life. Being vegan certainly doesn't mean you need to end this love affair when there's recipies as deliciously rich as this one. As blood oranges come into season around December, sub this into the recipe for a more candied, intense take on this sweet treat. Ice cream sundaes, anyone?  

5. The Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Fudge Cake
Now this one is the classic that everyone is guaranteed to love, irrespective of whether they’re vegan or not – the Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Fudge Cake. And again, there’s no ingredients that are particularly “out there” – sometimes simplicity makes for the most delectable dishes! Get a big slice – nope, bigger – and indulge in a chocolate-y haven. Bliss.

So with so much to try, the only question left is – which first?