Last Updated on March 28, 2024 by Home in the World
When the pandemic hit in 2020 and we were all forced to channel our inner homebody (admittedly not a big problem for us introverts), people turned to all kinds of domesticated activities – from binge-watching the whole of Netflix to walking the distance of an Everest climb in their own house or backyard. For me, it was an opportunity to finally get into baking. As someone who has followed a dairy-free diet for 20 years, being able to find suitable desserts has been a challenge – though it has become significantly easier in recent years. I always swore that, one day, I would just start making my own.
But of course life gets in the way and you can never be bothered spending unnecessary time in the kitchen when you can be out doing other things. Enter COVID-19. It is fair to say, I spent a good part of 2020 in my kitchen experimenting with new baking creations. And while they were not always perfect, I am pleased to report there were not any complete disasters either. I primarily trawled Instagram for vegan bakers, as I knew all of their recipes would be dairy-free. But after a while I also sought out even non-vegan accounts, and just adapted accordingly with suitable substitutes (dairy-free spreads, plant-based milks etc.).
So I thought I’d give a shout-out to some of the Instagram recipes I tried and enjoyed – with a few pics of my own attempts! N.B. Some of the recipes may have been adapted by their creators since I first found them in 2020.
Table of Contents
One-minute slice by @wholefoodsimply
Super quick, easy & no baking required. The peanut-butter flavour definitely comes through strongly. I topped with extra cocoa. Recipe here.
2-ingredient dark-chocolate truffles by @minimalistbaker
It doesn’t get much easier than a no-bake, 2-ingredient recipe (well 4 if you also include the optional vanilla extract in the mixture and cocoa powder for the coating – both of which I used, and I recommend you do too). I used primarily Lindt 70% as my chocolate. Absolutely delicious! Recipe here.
Vegan scones by @bakedbyclo
These have become a go-to for me; they just never fail to deliver. It looks like the recipe has been adapted a little bit since I first tried it. The version I use has just 4 ingredients: Self-raising flour, dairy-free spread, caster sugar and plant-based milk (I use oat milk). Plus you can add whatever toppings you want.
I have tried with fresh strawberries and jam, but most of the time I just lather on some extra dairy-free spread – mouthwatering! I have of course baked them in the oven, but, as heathen as it may sound, I have also tried baking them in the microwave (when I was running short of time), and they actually taste just as good! Please don’t judge me 😉 Recipe here.
30-minute healthy chocolate cake by @scrummylane
Yes, there is a such thing as a healthy chocolate cake. This one is free from dairy and refined sugar PLUS contains sweet potatoes (yes) and avocado. You cannot taste the sweet potatoes at all, and there is only a hint of avocado flavour (which is used in the ganache topping). Guilt-free indulgence! My mistake here was that the tin I used was a tiny bit too big, so the cake was slightly flatter than I would have liked. I also had some left-over ganache icing, which I just ate on its own as a chocolate mousse. Cake recipe here (the creator is coincidentally also Perth-based!).
Jam drops by @becomingness
Another very quick & easy recipe, completely free from refined sugar. I chose to use strawberry jam in the centres, but any flavour will work. Recipe here.
Cinnamon tea cake by @sweetestmenu
This has been one of my best discoveries, and is an example of a ‘normal; recipe I adapted to make dairy-free. I used a dairy-free spread instead of the butter, and oat milk instead of regular milk. The cake is absolutely delicious – and so light and fluffy. Perfect for a winter’s day, served with tea or coffee. Recipe here.
Vegan chocolate-chip cake by @veganricha
Another delicious discovery that worked perfectly first shot. I had some larger chocolate buttons that I used for the chips but next time I am also going to try it with smaller chocolate drops. Either way, the taste and texture of this loaf-like cake are fabulous! Recipe here.
