Vegan Baking Contest – First Place - Maple Bourbon Sweet Potato Cake

This absolutely delicious and moist cake was made and created by Amirh Miles.

Maple Bourbon Sweet Potato Cake (Vegan)

by Amirh Miles • @amirhthebaker

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 3½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 cups cane brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

• 1 pound sweet potato purée (about 2 cups)

• 1 cup neutral oil (like canola, grapeseed, or vegetable oil)

• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon water

• ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup

For the Maple Frosting

• ¼ cup plant-based cream cheese

• ¼ cup plant-based butter

• 2 cups powdered sugar

• ¼ cup maple syrup

Instructions

For the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, sweet potato purée, water, and maple syrup until smooth and fully combined.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared sheet pan and bake for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

6. Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting.

For the Frosting

1. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room-temperature butter and cream cheese on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until creamy.

2. Add the powdered sugar and maple syrup alternately: start with sugar, then maple, and repeat (sugar → maple → sugar → maple → sugar).

3. Mix until smooth and fluffy.

To Finish

• Once the cake is fully cooled, spread the maple frosting evenly on top.

• Optional: garnish with a sprinkle of cinnamon or chopped pecans.

Vegan Baking Contest – Second Place - Strawberry Cream Brownies

These amazing brownies were made by Barb Weber. The recipe is long, but it’s worth it.

Ingredients

For the Brownie Base

• 4 tablespoons ground flaxseed

• ½ cup water

• 10 tablespoons (1 stick + 2 tablespoons) dairy-free butter or margarine

• 1½ cups granulated sugar (or caster sugar, if available)

• 1¼ cups unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1⅔ cups self-rising flour

  • (or substitute with 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour + 2¼ teaspoons baking powder + ¼ teaspoon salt)

• 1 teaspoon strawberry flavoring

For the Strawberry Compote

• ¾ cup frozen strawberries

• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon water

For the Strawberry Fondant Filling

• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted

• 3½ tablespoons dairy-free butter, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract

• 2 tablespoons hot water

For the Chocolate Topping

• 5.3 oz (about ¾ cup) dairy-free chocolate, chopped

• 1 teaspoon sunflower oil (or any neutral oil)

Instructions

Brownie Base

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180ºC fan). Line a 9 x 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.

2. Make flax eggs: Mix the ground flaxseed with ½ cup water in a small bowl. Stir well and let it sit for about 10 minutes to thicken.

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and thickened flax eggs until light in color.

4. Add in the cocoa powder, baking powder, self-rising flour, and strawberry flavoring. Mix until a thick brownie batter forms.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Use the back of a spoon or an offset spatula to smooth the top.

6. Bake in the center of the oven for 20–25 minutes, or until the top is set.

7. Remove and let the brownie base cool completely in the pan.

Strawberry Compote

1. In a medium saucepan, combine frozen strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, and water.

2. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and becomes jammy.

3. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Strawberry Fondant Filling

1. In a bowl, beat together the powdered sugar, softened butter, and vanilla until well mixed.

2. Gradually add hot water, a little at a time, until a thick but spreadable consistency is achieved.

3. Spread the fondant evenly over the cooled brownie base.

4. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or until the fondant firms up slightly.

Chocolate Topping

1. Melt the chocolate with the oil in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water (double boiler) or gently in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring in between.

2. Pour the melted chocolate over the chilled fondant layer and spread evenly.

3. Refrigerate until the chocolate is fully set, about 1 hour.

To Serve

• Once fully chilled and set, use the parchment overhang to lift the brownie slab from the pan.

• Slice into bars with a sharp knife. For clean cuts, warm the knife under hot water and wipe between slices.

Vegan Baking Contest – Third Place - Orange Olive Oil Cake

This delicious Orange Olive Oil Cake was made by Chloe Deluna.

Orange Olive Oil Cake (Vegan)

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• ¾ teaspoon sea salt

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• ½ cup fresh orange juice

• ½ cup olive oil

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• Zest of 2 oranges

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch round cake pan and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt. Stir to combine and set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, orange juice, olive oil, vanilla extract, and orange zest until smooth.

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges of the cake start to pull away from the pan.

6. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before carefully unmolding.

This cake is naturally dairy-free and egg-free, and it pairs beautifully with a dusting of powdered sugar, a citrus glaze, or a dollop of vegan whipped cream.

Vegan Baking Contest 2024 – First Place – Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake

Our First Place award for our 2024 Vegan Baking Contest went to Barb Weber for her Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cake- it was absolutely delicious, and looked amazing too.  It’s a pretty involved recipe, but the taste is definitely worth it for a special occasion.  Everyone loved it!

Ingredients

For the Cake

1 ½ Cups All Purpose Flour

2 teaspoon Baking Powder

¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 Cup Brown Sugar

¾ Cup Non-Dairy Milk

8 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, melted and cooled

2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

⅓ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

For the Cookie Dough

4 tablespoon Vegan Butter

½ Cup Light Brown Sugar

3 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Heat Treated All-Purpose Flour see note

¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt

½ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

For the Frosting

1 Cup Vegan Butter

4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted

2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk

To Decorate

½ Cup Mini Chocolate Chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease 3 6-inch cake pans OR 2 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms of the pans with parchment circles to prevent sticking.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk well.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, non-dairymilk, melted vegan butter and vanilla. Whisk to combine.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk to form a batter.

Divide the batter equally between pans. See note for weights.

Sprinkle the tops of the batter with the chocolate chips and using a knife, swirl the chocolate into the batter while also spreading the batter out evenly across the pan.

Bake the cakes in a 350* oven for 21-23 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool completely before decorating.

Make the Cookie Dough:

In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer or a wooden spoon, cream the butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add the non-dairy milk and vanilla and mix well.

Add the heat-treated flour and salt and mix to form the dough. Then, add chocolate chips and mix to distribute. Set aside at room temperature until the cake is cool. If you put it into the refrigerator it will be too hard to spread!

Make the Frosting:

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter until no lumps remain. Then add the powdered sugar and mix to combine. Then add the vanilla and non dairy milk and mix until light and fluffy.

To Build the Cake:

Place one layer of cake upside down on a cake stand or cake board. Then dollop a scant ½ cup of cookie dough across the cake. Use a knife to spread the cookie dough out, then top with another cake layer.

Repeat. And be sure to reserve about ¼ cup of cookie dough for decorating.

Frost the outside of the cake with vanilla buttercream and decorate with more cookie dough pieces and mini chocolate chips.

Notes:

To heat treat the flour for the cookie dough, preheat the oven to 350, then add the flour to a baking sheet and bake it for 5 minutes. Allow it to cool, then proceed.

If using 3 6-inch pans, 8oz of batter per pan.

If using 2 8-inch pans 12.75 oz of batter per pan.

There are a lot of elements to this cake so feel free to use store-bought vegan cookie dough and or frosting!

Vegan Baking Contest 2024 – Second Place - Madelines

Our Second Place award for our 2024 Vegan Baking Contest went to Mariah Michel with her delicious Madeline recipe! They were wonderful, and our guest judge thought they were identical to those you could find at an upscale bakery or coffee shop!

 Ingredients:

2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 tablespoons water
1/teaspoon almond extract
1 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup vegan butter, melted and cooled

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 tbsp almond milk

1 tsp raspberry extract 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the Madeleine cookie mold pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth.

Stir in the vanilla and almond extract, and the sugar.

Stir in the flour and baking powder until well combined.

Add the vegan butter and mix until smooth.

Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter into each mold. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

When cooled, remove from molds and place on a plate shell side up.

Vegan Baking Contest 2024 - Staff Choice Award - Strawberry Lemon Cake

Our staff choice award for our 2024 Vegan Baking Contest went to Amirh Miles for her wonderful Strawberry Lemon Cake! It’s a soft and moist strawberry lemon cake layered with strawberry lemon buttercream; it was absolutely delicious!

Cake Ingredients

2 2/3 cup flour

1 1/2 cup cane sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

3/4 tsp salt

11/4 cup plant milk

3/4 cup avocado oil

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup lemon juice

I lemon zest

1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 cup strawberries

Buttercream Ingredients:

1 cup plant butter

8 cup powdered sugar

pinch salt

1/4 cup lemon juice

I lemon zest

1/4 cup strawberries

Directions:

Cake Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Oil and flour (dump any

Excess flour) two 9" cake pans.

In a big bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.

3. In another bowl whisk together all the wet"

ingredients, adding vinegar last.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture.

Once combined, mix well, making sure there are

no lumps.

5. Chop strawberries into small chunks and fold into

the batter.

6. Pour the batter evenly between the two 9" cake

pans.

7. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick

inserted into the center comes out clean.

8. Let the cakes cool completely in the pan. Once

cakes are cooled, cover and place in the

refrigerator overnight.

9. Frost and layer the cakes.

Buttercream Instructions:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the

paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy.

2. In a bowl add powdered sugar, lemon zest, and

salt. In another bowl add the lemon juice.

3. Once butter is creamy, alternate adding the

powdered sugar and lemon juice (begin and end

with powdered sugar). Scrape bowl and mix well

after each addition.

4. Beat until smooth. Fold in strawberries.

Amirh’s website and contact info are below:

Website: www.myveganpleasure.com Email: bakeryamirh@gmail.com IG: @amirhthebaker

Download a printable version of the recipe here.