So, Even though my liking for Tofu has moved from dislike to mildly like, I still prefer to use other options if I possibly can in recipes. Pound cake is one of them. Most recipes I have seen on the interwebz use tofu in the batter to get the dense eggy pound cake texture.
During the Valentine’s week, I was trying to develop a recipe for a good vanilla souffle and as luck would have it, the result was never a souffle. But it was delicious (I ate at least 4 mini jars that day) and the texture, smell and taste reminded me of a pound cake :). So I decided to try the same method I was using to make me some pounds cake loafs. After a couple of tries here are some awesome Pound cakes.
The fun ingredient here is a roux. A thick flour roux + extra flax seed meal, makes for a soft spongy and dense cake. You can add lesser roux for a softer lighter cake and more for a denser firm version. And those flecks are brown flax meal. Use golden flax seeds for whiter cakes.
I added some lemon zest to one loaf and loved it! TGIF. Make some this weekend!
More Cakes and quick breads
Spiced Apple Cake with Salted Caramel
Banana Chocolate Cake. Oil-free
Pumpkin Mousse Layer Cake with Spelt Sponge. yum
Marble Cake
Gingerbread Cake in a jar . GF
Tiramisu Cheesecake Brownies. GF
Steps:
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix flaxmeal and milk in another bowl.
Make the roux by cooking the flour with oil and then adding almond milk to make a thick mix.
Mix the roux in the flax mixture and then add to dry and mix into a stiff batter.
Drop and shape the batter into greased mini loaves.
Bake until golden. Cool for 10 mins, slice and serve.
Recipe Card
Mini Vegan Vanilla Pound Cakes - Vegan Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Wet
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp almond milk
- 2 Tbsp flaxmeal flax seed meal, use golden flax
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1.5 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp ground raw sugar or other fine sugar
- 1 Tbsp Oil
Roux
- 3 Tbsp oil
- 6 Tbsp flour 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp
- 1/2 cup almond milk
Dry
- 3/4 cup unbleached white flour
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- Zest of 1 lemon if making a lemon pound loaf
Instructions
- Wet: In a bowl, mix the flaxmeal and almond milk, let sit for a minute. Then add everything else under wet. Mix until well combined.
- In another bowl, add everything under dry, whisk and keep ready. If using zest, add to dry ingredients and mix.
- In a small pan, heat 3 Tbsp oil on medium heat. Add the flour and cook until aromatic. 2 minutes.
- Take the pan off heat and add about a Tbsp of the almond milk. Mix in and add the rest of the almond milk. Mix and put back on low-medium heat. Mix until a thick roux is formed and the it leaves the pan. 1 minute.
- Let the roux cool for a minute then mix into the wet mixture. Mix until well combined.
- Combine the wet and dry. Drop batter onto well greased and floured mini pans. Even it out using a spatula or oiled hands. The batter will be very thick like a spongy soft dough.
- Bake in preheated 350 degrees F / 180ºc oven for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 325f / 160ºc and bake for another 5 minutes for a browner crust.
- Cool completely before slicing. Serve with whipped non dairy cream, strawberries or as is.
Nutrition
Emma
Has anyone tried this with gf flour?
Kat
I have the same question.
Anyone??
(Can no longer eat dairy, gluten, or eggs. 🙁 Miss pound cake so much! :'(
This recipe is the closest thing I’ve found to a hope to see it again…
Just before I couldn’t have dairy anymore (gluten came later), dad started getting a pound cake -for new years, I think- then he’d cut thick slices and fry them in butter for us. Yum!
I think I only got to try it once or twice before I couldn’t have it anymore. Then they made me watch them fry it and eat it without me. I was just a kid, it was very upsetting. It still is! Lol. 😉
Richa
Try this one https://www.veganricha.com/gluten-free-cashew-or-peanut-butter-chocolate-marble-cake-vegan-gluten-free-cake/
Make it with just cashew butter and no chocolate. Add additional vanilla
Alyssa
This is a great recipe I’ve made twice now. I added a little bit of cinnamon into the dry and the taste came out lovely. I’m glad to have found this one as I did not need to purchase or create additional ingredients (vegan cream cheese/tofu). It tastes the same for me with either golden or whole flax – just the difference in appearance. Thank you for posting this, it’s truly a wonderful recipe.
Ania
It’s 2021 and I’ve been baking this recipe for over 6 years. This is the flavor of my vegan kids’ childhood:)
BunnicusRex
Am so looking forward to making these, since your spelt triple-ginger gingerbread was DIVINE!
Q: If we haven’t got mini loaf pans, could this be doubled ( ~ I’ll figure out the maths) for a standard 8×4 to 9×5 type pan? I worry it wouldn’t cook through, but I love the “loaf” factor and would rather not do poundcake-muffins. Any idea how to adjust the cooking time for a not-mini loaf? Thank you for these lovely recipes =)
Richa
You make the written recipe in an 8 by 4 loaf pan. the loaf will be not as tall thats all. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes. I also have a loaf marble pound cake recipe on the blog https://www.veganricha.com/2015/10/vegan-cream-cheese-pound-cake.html
BunnicusRex
Update: was then and still is my favorite pound cake recipe EVER.
Made the vanilla version, then lemon. Both were heavenly, beyond amazing, and nobody believed they were vegan (I eat tons of soy, but enough people avoid it this is a great “happy & safe” option). Thanks so much!
Jenn
Made these. Loved them. So soft and good.
The Water Bearer
Not sure what I did wrong, but my mini loaf did not come out looking anything like the picture. I followed the instructions, and the batter was VERY tasty as I placed it into the oven. I had only 1 mini loaf pan, so I put the rest of the batter in a muffin tin.
It smelled wonderful while it cooked, but the muffins and the loaf fell in the center. The muffins are no big deal since I can fill them with chopped fruit, but I was sad to see the mini load was heavy and uncooked in the center, while the sides burned. I move it around in the over and cook it a little longer, but that didn’t work.
I love the recipe and — regardless of appearances — the bread is still very yummy. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do to make the center lift to look more like a “loaf” when I make my next batch?
Thank you.
Richa
hmm I am not sure why that happened. I have never had that happen with these loafs. The batter is so thick that even if it wanted to it couldnt fall.
how was your batter? was it runny or stiff?
also what kind of loaf pan did you use? the darker metal pans heat up more quickly than the lighter color , and hence make the crust darker.
Naoko
This pound cake looks lovely!
I’ve been wanting to try flour roux in recipes non-yeasted recipes for a while now, and your recipe sounds perfect. I was wondering, how do you mix the roux into the flour? I am afraid of overworking the batter when trying to mix it in.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Richa
the roux get mixed into the wet and it doesnt take too many strokes to do it. it becomes a thin custard mix which is then combined with the dry. As soon as everything looks combined like a muffin batter, you can bake it
Naoko
Thank you so much!
Sorry I hadn’t read the recipe properly, duh!
I can’t wait to try this!
Baby June
I was thinking of making some of these this weekend, but have one question: is it okay if I substitute chia seeds for flaxmeal? I don’t keep flaxmeal on hand, but I would be totally fine with little seeds throughout the cake as long as it works. Do you think it would be fine? thanks 🙂
Richa
chia would work just fine. you can blend the chia seeds to make meal too if you don’t like the large seeds to show
Overdressed
What temperature should the oven be to start with?
Thanks! 🙂
YUM.
Richa
350
Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes
I use to love pound cake- slap come vegan nutella & fresh strawberries between two slices of your pound cake and press between a panini press/machine and you have yourself am amazing dessert!
Veganosaurus
Looks fantastic, Richa!
Annie
The flecks of flaxseed are so pretty in there. I used to ADORE pound cake, but have never made it since going vegan. Thanks for the inspiration.
Matthew @ The Lasik Method
Whoa! Sounds epic!
Caitlin
oh pound cake, how i miss you dearly… this cake looks like it has the perfect crumb and so moist!
Glue and Glitter
Those are gorgeous! Pound cake is super nostalgic for me. My nani Dorothy used to always make pound cake with sliced strawberries and homemade whipped cream for holidays. I remember licking the beaters as a little kid.
archena
Thanks Richa! Will have to try this soon for sure!
Richa
Thanks Archena!