My Journey into Vegan Baking: From Failures to Success
Vegan baking was never in my plans. I stumbled upon it accidentally, in a bid to accommodate a vegan friend who was coming over. Little did I know, this would be a journey of trial, error, and eventual success, one that would change my outlook on baking and living a healthier lifestyle.
Like many, I thought vegan baking would be a simple switch from animal products to plant-based ones. How hard could it be, right? Oh, how wrong I was. My first attempt at vegan baking was, to put it mildly, a disaster. I tried making brownies, which turned out more like a burnt, unidentifiable brick than a delicious treat. My mistake? Underestimating the complexity of vegan substitutions.
Fueled by my failure, I hit the internet, downloading every vegan recipe I could find and watching countless instructional videos. I learned that vegan baking is an art form in itself, requiring precision, patience, and a good understanding of how different ingredients interact with each other.
One of the first lessons I learned was the importance of finding the right replacements for eggs and dairy. Bananas, applesauce, and flaxseeds mixed with water could act as binders, much like eggs do in traditional baking. Milk was an easier swap, with a variety of plant-based options available like almond, soy, and oat milk.
Encouraged, I embarked on my second attempt: vegan cookies. They were far from perfect, lacking the right texture and tasting too much of banana (my egg replacement of choice). But they were edible, and more importantly, recognizable as cookies. It was a small win but a win nonetheless.
What followed was months of hit and miss, with more misses than I care to admit. I learned baking soda and baking powder could lift my cakes without eggs, but too much could leave a bitter taste. I discovered the magic of aquafaba, the liquid from canned chickpeas, which could be whipped like egg whites and used in recipes requiring meringue.
With each failure, my determination grew. Rather than getting discouraged, I saw each flop as a lesson. Slowly but surely, I started tweaking recipes with my newfound knowledge, adjusting measurements, and sometimes, creating my own from scratch.
Then came the day of my big success. I decided to revisit the brownies, the first disaster that had nearly discouraged me from vegan baking. Using black beans as the base, I carefully measured out each ingredient, mindful of everything I had learned. The result? Moist, rich, and chocolatey brownies that no one could believe were vegan. That moment of triumph was sweeter than any cake I could’ve baked.
Sharing these brownies with friends and family, and watching their surprised reactions when I revealed the ingredients, was incredibly rewarding. It wasn’t just about proving I could do it; it was about opening others’ eyes to the delicious possibilities of vegan baking.
From there, my journey only got better. I experimented with more recipes—cakes, muffins, bread, you name it. Each successful bake added to my confidence and my passion for vegan baking.
This journey taught me several invaluable lessons. Firstly, patience is key. Not every recipe is going to turn out perfect on the first try, and that’s okay. Each failure is a stepping stone to success. Secondly, don’t be afraid to experiment. Some of my best creations came from daring to try unconventional ingredients. And lastly, share your successes (and your failures) with others. Inspiration can come from the most unexpected places, and you never know who you might inspire to start their own vegan baking adventure.
Today, I no longer see vegan baking as a challenge but as a delightful exploration of flavors and textures. It has opened my eyes to a new way of eating and living, one that is kinder to our planet and to our bodies.
To anyone curious about vegan baking but unsure where to start, my advice is simple: just start. It doesn’t matter if you fail the first few times. What’s important is the journey and everything you learn along the way. Trust me; it’s worth every crumbly cookie and every sunken cake. Because when you finally nail that recipe, the taste of success is unlike any other. Happy baking!
