Description
This is truly the best classic vanilla vegan pound cake ever made! It’s super fluffy, tender, soft, and moist, and full of vanilla flavor. Absolutely no one will know that this vanilla pound cake is entirely dairy free, eggless, and easily gluten free!
Ingredients
- 250 grams all purpose flour or gluten free 1:1 baking flour (see notes)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 180 grams grams unsalted vegan butter, room temperature (65F)
- 200 grams unrefined granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract and/or 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder
- 150 grams unsweetened applesauce, room temperature
- 75 grams dairy-free milk, room temperature
- Toppings: 1/2 serving vegan vanilla buttercream frosting + fruit
Instructions
- Read through the instructions fully before beginning.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9″ loaf pan with vegan butter or coconut oil and set aside. Measure out all ingredients before beginning.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients: in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and sea salt. Set aside.
- Cream the vegan butter: in a large mixing bowl with hand mixer or a stand mixer with whisk attachment, cream the vegan butter on high speed for 2-3 minutes, or until whipped and creamy. Add in the sugar and vanilla extract, and cream together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Next, add in the applesauce while mixing on medium-high speed in 1/4 cup increments until fully integrated into the vegan butter.
- Finish the batter: add in half of the flour mixture at first, and mix on medium-low speed until JUST integrated. Then add in the remaining flour mixture, along with the dairy free milk, and mix again on medium-low speed until the dry ingredients are JUST integrated. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and ensure that all flour and wet ingredients are combined.
- Bake: pour the cake batter into your prepared loaf pan, and bake the pound cake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the pound cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Then carefully flip the pound cake onto a cooling rack and back over to be right side up to cool completely (about 30 minutes).
- Top: make a half batch of vegan vanilla buttercream frosting per the instructions once the cake is cooled. Top with your desired toppings, including freshly sliced fruit. Slice and serve. Enjoy!
- Storage: store any leftover slices in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge or 1 month in the freezer.
Notes
Gluten free: use gluten free 1:1 baking flour for a completely gluten-free version. I recommend Bob’s Red Mill in the blue bag.
Refined sugar free: swap in coconut sugar or your favorite zero sugar granulated sweetener. Keep in mind that using coconut sugar will alter the color of the pound cake.
Vegan butter: I recommend Flora Plant Butter for a completely soy free and nut free vegan butter.
Applesauce: there are currently no swaps for applesauce at this time that will yield identical results. You can use mashed banana, but that will yield a banana-flavored pound cake.
Keywords: vegan pound cake, classic vanilla pound cake, easy vanilla pound cake, dairy free pound cake