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    Home » Cake Recipes

    Vegan Baklava Cake

    Published: Sep 7, 2022 by Richa 29 Comments

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe

    This easy baklava cake is a moist delicious cake with a nutty baklava-style filling used as a topping and a swirl! It’s decadent and delicious without being overly sweet! GF Oil-free options included.

    two stacked squares of vegan baklava cake

    I LOVE Baklava! The decadent Middle Eastern dessert made up of layers of golden buttery flaky filo pastry sandwiched together with chopped nuts and a sticky sweet syrup. I took all those delicious flavors and the filling and put it in a cake!

    This baklava cake is the shortcut to baklava bliss and the perfect centerpiece for all your coffee dates and upcoming holidays! Not only does it look beautiful but it also tastes amazing!

    a slice of vegan baklava cake on a white cake plate

    This cake really has the best of both worlds! Moist delicious cake and the nutty baklava style filling used as a topping or a swirl! It’s decadent and delicious! This is the perfect cake for tea time. Sweet but not too heavy.

    After baking, we brush the still warm cake with zesty syrup to make it extra moist! So delicious!

    overhead shot of vegan baklava cake baked in a brownie pan

    You can make this cake using a loaf pan or in a brownie pan and slice the cake in squares like in the pics above. I have included instructions for both. I prefer the square pan as it baked faster. Longer bake time with loaf pans means that nuts could start to burn.

    a slice of vegan baklava cake on a white cake plate

    More cake recipes:

    German Chocolate Loaf Cake

    Vegan Mango Cake

    Vegan Date Nut Cake (Eggless)

    Vegan Chocolate Gingerbread Cake

    Vegan Gluten free Chocolate Cake

    Print Recipe
    5 from 16 votes

    Baklava Cake

    This easy vegan baklava cake is a moist delicious cake with a nutty baklava-style filling used as a topping and a swirl! It’s decadent and delicious without being overly sweet! Glutenfree Oil-free options included.
    Prep Time25 mins
    Cook Time35 mins
    Total Time1 hr
    Course: Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine: American, Middle Eastern
    Keyword: baklava cake
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 251kcal
    Author: Vegan Richa

    Ingredients

    For the cake:

      Wet Ingredients:

      • 1 cup (236.59 ml) non-dairy milk such as almond, soy or oat milk
      • 2 tablespoons applesauce or non-dairy yogurt
      • 1 teaspoon vinegar use apple cider or white vinegar
      • 1/3 cup (65 g) sugar
      • 1/4 cup (60 ml) oil or use 2 tablespoons more applesauce to make it oil-free
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • a few drops of almond extract

      Dry Ingredients:

      • 1.5 cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
      • 2 teaspoon baking powder
      • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
      • 1/2 teaspoon salt

      For the nut layer:

      • 1/2 cup (70 g) raw almonds
      • 1/3 cup (40 g) raw walnuts
      • 1/3 cup (40 g) raw pistachios
      • 1 cup soft dates pitted
      • zest of a lemon
      • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
      • 1/4 teaspoon salt
      • 2 tablespoons maple syrup

      For the syrup dressing:

      • 1.5 tablespoons maple syrup
      • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
      • a drop of vanilla extract
      • 2 teaspoons water

      Instructions

      • Make the cake batter: add all the wet ingredients to a bowl and mix well.
      • Add the dry ingredients to the bowl, mix flour with the baking powder and soda right above the wet ingredients first and then mix the dry into the wet. Alternatively mix the dry ingredients in another bowl and then add to the wet
      • Mix until just about combined. If the mixture is too runny, add in 1-2 tablespoons of more flour.
      • Prep the nut layer: Add the almonds, walnuts, pistachios to a food processor and process until nuts break down into a coarse mixture.
      • Then add in the dates, lemon zest, and salt, and process again until the dates break down. Then add in the maple syrup and process for 15 seconds so that the maple combines and the mixture becomes a sticky mixture. Set aside.
      • Make the dressing syrup: mix all the syrup ingredients and bring to a boil then take off heat and set aside.
      • Line an 8 by 8 or 9 by 9 inch brownie pan or use a 9x5 inch loaf pan , line with parchment paper. Add the batter and even it out.(add half of the batter to the loaf pan)
      • Distribute the nut mixture on top of the batter for a brownie pan.
        Add half of the nut mixture over the batter if using a loaf pan.  spread it out evenly. Then add the rest of the batter and top it with the rest of the nut mixture for the loaf pan.
      • Put the pan into the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 c) and bake.
      • After 15 minutes, cover the pan with a parchment so that the nut layer on top doesn't burn, and continue to bake for another 10-15 mins for brownie pan and 25-35 minutes for loaf pan.
      • Check the cake by inserting a toothpick in the middle and continue to bake if toothpick doesn’t come out almost clean from the center.
      • Once the cake is baked, remove from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then brush the syrup mixture all over. Let the cake cool for another 15 minutes and remove from the pan. Cover with the parchment and let it cool for another 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

      Notes

      • Use orange zest instead of lemon zest in the nut layer 
      • I like to add cinnamon, but you could also add some cardamom or nutmeg to the nut layer
      • Gluten-free: Mix 3/4 cup almond flour, 3/4 cup oat flour and 1/2 cup potato starch. Mix well and start with 1.5 cups of this mix and add more as needed for the batter. For the wet, use 1/2 cup non dairy milk and 1/2 cup unsweetened club soda. 
      • Nuts are an important part of the overall flavor and texture. You can possibly use a mix of seeds such as pumpkin, sunflower, hemp and 1/4 cup breadcrumbs to balance out the seed texture and fattyness 

      Nutrition

      Nutrition Facts
      Baklava Cake
      Amount Per Serving
      Calories 251 Calories from Fat 108
      % Daily Value*
      Fat 12g18%
      Saturated Fat 1g6%
      Sodium 197mg9%
      Potassium 274mg8%
      Carbohydrates 34g11%
      Fiber 3g13%
      Sugar 18g20%
      Protein 4g8%
      Vitamin A 17IU0%
      Vitamin C 1mg1%
      Calcium 91mg9%
      Iron 1mg6%
      * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

       

      ingredients for making baklava cake on a marble counter

      INGREDIENTS:

      • wet ingredients are a mix of non dairy milk, applesauce
      • vanilla extract and almond extract lend a delicious flavor to the cake batter
      • vinegar in combination with baking powder and baking soda helps to give the cake the perfect rise
      • for making this cake moist, we add a small amount of oil but you can use applesauce for oil-free
      • the dry ingredients are sugar and all-purpose flour
      • for the baklava nut layer I went with a blend of almonds, walnuts, pistachios
      • dates and maple syrup are added for sweetness
      • I like to add the zest of a lemon to the filling, you can also use orange zest
      • the finished bake is drizzled with a simple syrup made from maple syrup, lemon juice and vanilla extract

      TIPS:

      • instead of applesauce, you can use non-dairy yogurt
      • if you want, use orange zest instead of lemon zest
      • I like to add just cinnamon, but you could also add some cardamom or nutmeg to the nut layer
      • for an oil-free cake, use 2 tablespoons applesauce instead of oil

      How to make Baklava Cake:

      wet ingredients for baklava cake in a glass bowl

      Make the cake batter: add all the wet ingredients to a bowl and mix well.

      Add the dry ingredients and mix flour with the baking powder and soda right above the wet ingredients first and then mix the dry into the wet. Alternatively mix the dry ingredients in another bowl and then add to the wet

      dry cake mix in a big glass mixing bowl

      Mix until just about combined. If the mixture is too runny, add in 1-2 tablespoons of more flour.

      vegan cake batter in a glass bowl
      Prep the nut layer:

      mixed nuts in a food processor container

      Add the almonds, walnuts, pistachios to a food processor and process until nuts break down into a coarse mixture.


      chopped nuts in a food processor

      Then add in the dates, lemon zest, and salt, and process again until the dates break down. Then add in the maple syrup and process for 15 seconds so that the maple combines and the mixture becomes a sticky dough. Set aside.

      dates and nuts being chopped with lemon zest for making baklava cake filling

      chopped nuts and dates in a small food processor

      Make the dressing syrup: mix all the syrup ingredients and bring to a boil then take off the heat and set aside.

      Bake: Line an 8 by 8 or 9 by 9 inch brownie pan or use a 9×5 inch loaf pan , and line with parchment paper. Add the batter and even it out. (add half of the batter to the loaf pan)

      vegan cake batter being spread in a loaf pan

      Distribute the nut mixture on top of the batter for a brownie pan and add half of the nut mixture over the batter if using a loaf pan.  Spread it out evenly.

      nut and date mixture spread on cake batter

      Then add the rest of the batter and top it with the rest of the nut mixture for the loaf pan.

      a loaf pan with cake batter on a marble counter.

      cake batter being topped with baklava topping

      Put the pan into the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 c) and bake.

       baklava cake batter in square baking dish

      After 15-20 minutes, cover the pan with parchment so that the nut layer on top doesn’t burn, and continue to bake for another 10-15 mins for the brownie pan, and 25-35 minutes for a loaf pan.

      vegan baklava cake baked in a brownie pan

      Check the cake by inserting a toothpick in the middle and continue to bake if the toothpick doesn’t come out almost clean from the center.

      Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes. Then brush the syrup mixture all over. Let the cake cool for another 15 minutes and remove it from the pan.

      Cover with the parchment and let it cool for another 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

      a slice of vegan baklava cake on a white cake plate

      This cake is best served still warm, if you want with more syrup on the side. You could also serve this cake with whipped coconut cream, or pistachio ice cream, vanilla ice cream.

      Storage: store in an airtight container in the fridge for upto a week. If you plan to eat it the next day, you can store it at room temperature.

      a slice of buttered baklava cake on a wooden board

       

       

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      ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you Love the Recipe, Please consider rating it using stars in comments! It helps readers and helps more people find the recipe online! I love hearing from you all! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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      1. D

        March 26, 2023 at 2:13 pm

        5 stars
        Just wanted to ask you, if we can substitute the mapple syrup with honey?

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          March 27, 2023 at 6:37 pm

          yes!

          Reply
      2. Sheldon

        March 26, 2023 at 6:47 am

        5 stars
        I made this delicious cake last Sunday for the second time. I love the added lemon and zest. It also stores well covered in the fridge. Me and my housemate ate it for five wonderful days!

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          March 27, 2023 at 6:39 pm

          yum! glad you enjoyed.

          Reply
      3. Vesna

        January 06, 2023 at 1:59 pm

        5 stars
        Amazing recipe! I was looking to make something a bit different and this was the right choice. Was moist inside and packed with flavor from the nut and syrup topping. Everyone who tried it loved it. Quick to put together – blending the nuts took the most time. I used a brownie pan, however I had to bake it for an additional ten minutes or so (unfortunately I forgot to keep track, I just kept extending the time until it looked baked enough). Luckily it was perfectly baked when I took it out of the oven.

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          January 09, 2023 at 12:31 pm

          Wonderful!

          Reply
      4. Maria

        December 18, 2022 at 5:30 am

        5 stars
        One of the best cakes around. will be making on repeat for sure

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          December 19, 2022 at 12:21 pm

          Thank you!

          Reply
      5. Jane

        November 01, 2022 at 9:10 pm

        5 stars
        Really delicious! Like another comment, I had to squash the topping into flat pieces and then assemble them like tectonic plates over the much runnier cake batter beneath. This would have been less alarming if I had scrolled far enough to see all your photos, which I can see, show there are gaps in the topping!! [I thought the page ended under the recipe card, lol.] I also added about 4 tablespoons more flour as initially my batter was VERY runny. and cooked it about 4 mins longer than the max in the recipe. but these are all things you get a feel for…It is absolutely delicious!! Thankyou!

        Reply
        • Richa

          November 01, 2022 at 9:44 pm

          I’m so glad you enjoyed!

          Reply
      6. Wendy

        September 12, 2022 at 7:27 am

        5 stars
        You make all your beautiful recipes easy to make, just by following your instructions. Thank you so much.

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          September 18, 2022 at 9:08 am

          Great to hear.

          Reply
      7. Lea

        September 09, 2022 at 12:53 pm

        Oh my!!! This is a must make…..have to……no question…

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          September 11, 2022 at 2:13 pm

          Enjoy! Let us know how it turned out Lea.

          Reply
        • Lea

          September 13, 2022 at 5:59 pm

          5 stars
          Made it today! Delicious!… Didn’t have a brownie pan so I used the loaf pan. Had one problem though…..I followed the recipe but found .the nut mixture was too dense and sticky. It was energy bar consistency and impossible to spread over the cake batter. I had to flatten pieces in my hand and place it on the batter. I’d love to make it again….any suggestions to get around this?

          Reply
          • Richa

            September 13, 2022 at 7:08 pm

            I just distribute it like a crumble. Your method is good too! You can add less maple so it’s more crumbly and easier to crumble over

            Reply
            • Susana

              March 25, 2023 at 3:11 pm

              Has anyone made this with the GF instructions? How is it?

              Reply
      8. Sylvia W

        September 08, 2022 at 2:13 pm

        5 stars
        I haven’t made this yet, but I think this is going to be my new go-to cake! My milk allergy has made the taste of baklava a fading dream, but this sounds absolutely wonderful!

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          September 11, 2022 at 1:39 pm

          Great to hear.

          Reply
      9. Purnima Godkhindi

        September 07, 2022 at 10:48 am

        5 stars
        This sounds amazing!!! Definitely making this for Thanksgiving… thank you for another mouthwatering recipe

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          September 09, 2022 at 6:36 pm

          Planning ahead!

          Reply
      10. Huong

        September 07, 2022 at 5:53 am

        5 stars
        Thank you Rícha

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          September 08, 2022 at 12:51 pm

          Thanks again Huong.

          Reply
        • KA

          October 19, 2022 at 3:46 am

          Can I use arrowroot starch instead of potato starch? Thanks and this recipe sounds exciting!

          Reply
          • Richa

            October 19, 2022 at 8:23 am

            Yes

            Reply
      11. Pennie

        September 07, 2022 at 5:40 am

        Is there a gluten free option you would recommend?

        Reply
        • Vegan Richa Support

          September 08, 2022 at 1:10 pm

          Yes~please see it in the notes section.

          Reply
          • Megan

            September 19, 2022 at 11:23 am

            5 stars
            Can I just use a 1:1 GF flour or do I need to follow the suggestion on the Notes section? Thank you for all of your AMAZING recipes!!!!

            (I’m rating is a 5 because I already know it will be 🙂

            Reply
            • Vegan Richa Support

              September 21, 2022 at 3:25 pm

              You could try but some blends can be a too dry. So, there’s a chance it may not turn out 100%.

              Reply

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