How to Make Vegan Pound Cake: Recipe & Origins
Pound cake – one of the oldest recipes in the book: simple, dense & delicious. Let’s take a look at the history of this glorious bake and find out how to make it, as we bring you our vegan pound cake recipe.
Pound cake origins – where does the name come from?
Due to its roots in the UK, it’s a common myth in recent history that pound cake gets its name from the British currency. According to some, the cake was typically sold for only £1 (the cost of living crisis could never).
Instead, pound cake gets its name from its ingredient measurements. Traditionally, the cake would be made up of four equal parts: flour, butter, sugar and eggs – one pound of each. This made the recipe easy to remember and accessible to those who couldn’t read. As a result of this combination, pound cakes were large, heavy and ready to feed many mouths.
Over the years, pound cake has been developed to create a fluffier texture, with liquids & baking powders added over the centuries since its inception, though the 1:1:1:1 ratio typically stays the same to maintain its simplicity. But where did the cake get its rich, international history? And what gave pound cake its high status in African and black culture?
Pound cake’s international origins
While every country and corner of the world seems to have their own take on this particular bake, it first appeared in the history books in 18th century England. It then made its way across Europe, with the likes of Ireland, Spain & Germany still known to serve their own variations to this day.
Through colonisation, trade and migration, the popularity of the pound cake only grew further. Indian Pound Cake emerged in the early 1800s, incorporating spices and dried fruits, while later additions such as Mexican pound cake, known as Panqué, would typically add chopped nuts for their take.
Although it’s not well documented exactly how pound cake made its way into African households, it’s safe to assume this came about through the Atlantic Slave Trade and British Colonisation. Recipes and food in general are known to have often been used as a tool in the process of Colonisation to convey cultural norms – but many countries really made it their own! From adding native fruits, such as lime & mango, to vibrant spices such as ginger, cinnamon & African nutmeg – ask any family and they’ll probably have their own recipe.
The cake is also a well-loved staple in the southern states of the USA. In fact, the first cookbook known to have been created and published by an African-American held two pound cake recipes. “What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking” was written by Abby Fisher in 1881. Fisher was born into slavery in South Carolina, 1832, and following The Emancipation Proclamation, she made her way to California where she would establish a successful business selling pickles and preserves. The book contains many recipes that had been passed down for generations and is still widely celebrated.
How to make vegan pound cake
For me, pound cake brings back happy memories of family parties where Aunties would bake for us as kids. While it’s easy to take these things for granted, in Cameroon, the offer of cakes & baked goods was reserved for those you held in high regard, so it brings me so much joy to share my own vegan pound cake recipe with you all!
We’ll be baking the classic vanilla cake using all vegan ingredients, but you can certainly use this as a base recipe to get creative with your flavours, such as a vegan lemon pound cake.
Vegan pound cake recipe
Makes 1 Loaf
Vegan
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 45 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Prep
- Weigh out ingredients ahead of time before mixing
- Leave all ingredients at room temperature (22-25 degrees) for at least 1 hour, or until soft to touch
Ingredients
Stage 1
280g soy milk
1 tsp cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
Stage 2
Plant based butter – ensure it is at room temperature/ soft to touch
150g caster sugar
Stage 3
240g plain flour
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / gas mark 4 / 356°F and grease a standard loaf tin.
2. Combine stage 1 ingredients and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Combine stage 2 ingredients together using either a stand mixer or large bowl & electric hand mixer. Beat until texture becomes fluffy.
4. Add stage 3 to your mixer or bowl. Mix on low speed or stir with a large spoon until shaggy.
5. Continuing on a slow speed, drip feed stage 1 (wet mixture) to the bowl and mix until combined. Turn up the speed to fast and mix for a further 30 seconds.
6. Pour your batter into the greased loaf tin and place in the centre of the oven. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean with no wet batter.
7. Allow to cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then carefully remove the loaf from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack.
8. Once fully cooled, slice up and enjoy!
Don’t forget to share your creations with us on Instagram & Facebook – we can’t wait to see what you come up with!
More vegan delights
If you’re a fan of vegan pound cake, why not try some of the other vegan delights we have to offer at Gwafuvegan?
With our Puff Puff Boxes, you can get a delicious West African sweet treat delivered to your door (did we mention they’re 100%, accidentally vegan?!).
Or check out our vegan catering services in Manchester – send us a message to see how we can cater for your family or business event.