Why I Love Making Vegan Cakes (Even If I Didn’t at First)

I love making vegan cakes — but it wasn’t always that way.

I love making vegan cakes! My vegan cake-making journey began about ten years ago, and at first, I found it finicky and frustrating. Swapping out eggs, milk, and butter for alternatives that actually worked felt like a constant uphill battle. I was determined, though. I try to avoid animal products in my own diet, and I knew there had to be a way to make ethical, delicious cakes that didn’t compromise on taste or texture. Plus, I was getting more and more requests from the Brighton vegan community, so I knuckled down and got to work.

Practice makes perfect

Eventually, after much trial and error, I found reliable core recipes and mastered the techniques needed for vegan baking. That’s when things changed — I fell in love with it. I started baking vegan cakes not just for my plant-based clients, but for my non-vegan friends as well — many of whom preferred the vegan versions and were shocked to learn they were 100% plant-based!

The Vegan Buttercream Challenge

Once the cakes were sorted, the next big task was creating a vegan buttercream that could stand up to traditional dairy-based ones. If you’ve ever tried to make vegan Swiss meringue buttercream, you’ll know it’s no small feat. I missed the creamy richness of a proper butter Swiss meringue — overly sweet or grainy vegan versions just weren’t cutting it.

So I got experimenting.

Chickpea Juice? Yes, Really!

Have you heard about aquafaba?

Have you heard of aquafaba? If you’re vegan, you probably have — but if not, let me introduce you to the magical liquid drained from a tin of chickpeas. Aquafaba (from Latin: aqua = water, faba = bean) behaves like egg whites and is an essential secret weapon in vegan baking.

I started by whipping aquafaba into stiff peaks for a vegan meringue, then cooked it with hot sugar to form the base of a Swiss meringue buttercream. Just like the traditional method — but vegan!

Plant-based Fats – Finding the Right Butter

The next challenge? Finding a plant-based fat that mimicked real butter.

After trying many sub-par options, I discovered the Organic Vegan Block by Naturli’. It’s creamy, slightly salty, and — most importantly — behaves just like dairy butter: solid when chilled, soft at room temp. It was a game-changer.

So my plant-based, vegan, Swiss meringue buttercream was born

With aquafaba and Naturli’, I finally had a vegan buttercream I was proud of. It’s rich, smooth, and (some say) even better than the dairy version.

Allergen-Friendly Options

The work didn’t stop there. Naturli’ contains 1% almond and may contain traces of other nuts, so I developed two more vegan buttercream recipes — nut-free, soy-free, and just as delicious. I now offer buttercreams that can cater to almost any dietary requirement, including gluten-free and allergen-free combinations.

I have now developed three different tried and tested, and just as delicious, buttercream recipes for all my clients and can use them in combination with my different cake recipes to create vegan cakes, vegan cakes that are gluten free, soy free, nut free and upon request we can go further and adapt out cakes to pretty much any allergen consideration.

Things to Know About Vegan Wedding Cakes

Here are a few things I always discuss with my clients when planning a vegan celebration cake:

1. Heat Sensitivity

Vegan buttercream is less stable in heat, so cakes need refrigeration and should only come out around an hour before serving in hot weather.

2. Transport Matters

For summer weddings or long distances, I may use a cool cake box or a refrigerated delivery vehicle. Most vegan cakes require my professional delivery service for this reason.

3. Dessert Table Option

If you’d prefer a more relaxed display, I also offer vegan dessert tables featuring single-tier Boucakes, brownies, and other bakes — perfect for that luxe, banquet-style setup.

Final Thoughts

Creating delicious, ethical, and beautiful vegan cakes is a craft I’ve grown to love, even if it was a steep learning curve at first. Every time I serve a fully plant-based cake that gets a “wait, this is vegan?!” reaction, it makes the journey worth it.

If you’re planning a vegan wedding or celebration and want a cake that looks as good as it tastes — with buttercream that’s ethical and incredible — I’d be delighted to help bring it to life.

Explore more:
Vegan Wedding Cakes – See my bespoke designs and learn how we can tailor a plant-based cake for your big day.
Dietary Requirements – Find out how I accommodate allergies and special diets, from nut-free to gluten-free vegan options.