It began with a jar of raisins that my mum had been soaking in brandy for a whole year. Entrusted with this jar of gold (if you know, you know) I set to making this recipe. I don't even have the words to explain just how incredible it is. You'll have to make it yourself to understand.
If you love sticky toffee pudding and fruity christmas cake, this hybrid dessert is dedicated to you and your superior taste buds. The sponge is best eaten the day after when it has had time to soften further. By some miracle or magic it becomes even more toffee-like and delectable. Store the cake in an airtight tin/container and consume within one week.
I've included a few notes below in case you need any substitution recommendations or clarity on any aspect of this recipe.
If you do make this, be sure to share your pictures and feedback with me on Instagram :)
Dried Fruit
I used dried raisins in this recipe. Nice and simple. Sultanas would also do the trick if that is all you have. You may want to switch things up by adding some dried cranberries for an extra festive feel. You may also want to throw in some candied peel. For a more basic sticky toffee pudding, using just dates takes the toffee factor to another incredible level. In this case, you will need to blend all the dates together with the black tea.
As I mentioned, my dried fruit was soaked in brandy for a whole year! This is a good tradition to get into if you know you plan to make Christmas cake every year. Of course, I don't expect you to have a jar of year old soaked fruits just lying around, so I recommend soaking your fruit for 24 hours to allow them to plump up. If you're really impatient and want to make this recipe ASAP, then soak your fruits for at least two hours before you start baking.
I used brandy to soak my raisins, but you can also use rum or whisky (or even a blend of all three). For an alcohol-free version, you may choose to soak your dried fruit in a fruit juice such as orange or apple juice. Unless you avoid alcohol for a special/specific reason, I highly encourage you to use it for this recipe. The warmth and flavour is unparalleled.
Flour
Self-raising flour is more common here in the UK. If you cannot find it easily, you can make your own at home by combining plain (or all-purpose) flour with baking powder. The ratio is 2 teaspoons of baking powder for every 150g / 1 cup.
Toffee Sauce
The blended fruit in this cake gives it the sticky, toffee-like taste and texture. In my opinion, there is no need to make an accompanying toffee sauce. Instead, serve the cake warm with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or sweet, silky custard.
Ingredients
Serves 8
If you're in need of some last minute ideas for side dishes this Christmas, then look no further. These three recipes are simple to make, packed full of nutritious, colourful fresh produce, and will be sure to brighten up your dinner table. The great thing about these recipes is that they can be made a few days in advance, frozen and reheated on the day. This is particularly appealing if you don't want to waste half of Christmas day cooking!
There is a lot of flexibility with the three dishes. For the mulled red cabbage, you can use green cabbage instead, or you can replace the pears with apples. For the roasted root vegetables, you can add or subtract vegetables based on what you have available at home. For the Brussels sprouts in peanut sauce, you can use sunflower or pumpkin seeds if you have a peanut allergy, or leave it out altogether.
I hope you enjoy these recipes and give them a try, even beyond the holiday season. Have a wonderful Christmas and I'll catch you in the new year!
Keep up with more bonus recipe ideas over on Instagram or Facebook.
Serves 8
Ingredients
Serves 4
Ingredients
Serves 4
Ingredients
Fill your home with the wonderful smells of Christmas. This mulled wine recipe is easy to make and absolutely delicious.
For a non-alcoholic version, use cranberry juice or apple juice or blackcurrant juice instead. You can also play around with the spices. I've gone for the classics such as cinnamon and cloves, but have added a little extra touch with hibiscus and ginger.
Wishing you a wonderful and safe holiday!
Ingredients
It’s that time of the year again and I’ve curated a downright awesome Christmas gift guide to inspire you this festive season. If you’re looking to support vegan-friendly independent businesses and ethical companies, then this guide has your name written all over it. From tree planting, to online cooking course vouchers, to superfood skincare, there’s a lot that your foodie / vegan friends and loved ones will appreciate. Happy shopping!
A tree is the greatest gift you could give, with far-reaching benefits for our planet and the lives of smallholder farmers. Treedom is a tree-planting company that allows you to plant a tree and gift it to your loved ones. No shipping costs or wrapping paper needed (making it a fab last minute gift idea!) With this gift, you get to support agroforestry projects around the world, restore local ecosystems and provide additional income opportunities for smallholder farmers. It’s easy to gift a tree via email, text or direct message. As far as sustainable presents go, this ticks all the boxes! Gift a tree and use promo code TOMI20 to get 20% off!
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@treedom_trees |
Handmade real fruit jewellery founded by Abi. Made in London and available internationally. These fruit earrings are fun, unique, beautiful and great conversation starters. The fruit is dehydrated for a few days then coated in resin to preserve its natural state. Gift the Real Orange Earrings.
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| @zestttforlife |
I’m very excited to include my newest online course in this guide because I truly believe that it makes for a unique virtual gift. Your vegan or foodie loved ones will love learning how to recreate a delicious selection of popular Nigerian snacks from scratch. A great way to learn a bit more about our rich food culture. They’ll have lifetime access to the recipes and can work through it at their own pace. Gift the online snack course.
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| @vegannigerian |
This vibrant cookbook combines nutrition-packed vegan recipes with advice and insights on improving your mental and emotional wellbeing. A beautiful and uplifting vegan cookbook that leaves you feeling empowered. Gift Haile’s cookbook.
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| @hailethomas |
Luxury, hand-crafted dairy-free chocolate made with coconut milk and cocoa from Ghana. Dapaah Chocolate was founded by Raphael Dapaah in 2016 after returning from a tour of his maternal grandmother’s cocoa plantation in the western region of Ghana. Their long term goal is to build a sustainable chocolate factory in Ghana, in order to create new jobs, opportunities, and better wages for local cocoa farming communities. Gift the Mmiensa Collection featuring the dark, mylk and white chocolate bars.
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| @dapaahchocolates |
100% natural, vegan and cruelty-free skincare made from fresh, nutrient-dense superfood ingredients. Founded by Roshanne in March 2020, the brand aims to create products that protect, nourish and soothe your skin. What’s more, the entire packaging is eco-friendly and recyclable. Gift the Mini Skinfood Basket which contains x1 Clean Greens Superfood Serum, x1 Coconut Crumble Superfood Lip Scrub and x1 Sweet Orange Superfood Lip Balm.
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| @theglowceryshop |
Oré mi means ‘My friend’ in Yoruba. The independent candle company was founded in 2019 by Karen Olla and Stephen Turner, with the aim of spreading awareness around mental health and how candles can promote wellbeing and calmness. All the candles are made from soya wax, making them vegan-friendly, and they come in a range of signature scents inspired by Karen’s Nigerian heritage. Gift the Coconut & Lime 150g Candle.
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| @orimicandles |
Lovingly hand-made treats that are vegan and gluten-free. Made by Sonya who promotes healthy eating habits through her platform Sonya’s Healthy Kitchen. Choose between a taste bag with 10 items (perfect stocking filler), a small box or a medium box. The recipient will get a selection of mini Christmas-themed goodies such as marzipan sweets, truffles, fudge, waffles, doughnuts, cookies and cakes. Gift these sweet treats.
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| @sonyashealthykitchen |
African print homeware founded by Natalie who has combined her love of sewing with vibrant African prints inspired by her West African heritage. The colourful aprons, oven mitts and oven gloves will put a smile on any passionate home cook’s face. On her platform, you’ll also find a range of tableware, pillows, cushions, lampshades, notebooks and more! Gift an apron or oven glove.
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| @bespokebinny |
Sara is an activist and illustrator. In her gorgeously illustrated and comprehensive vegan guide, she details the many reasons to make the switch to veganism, offering tons of practical advice on nutrition, clothing, travelling and other lifestyle choices. The perfect gift for anyone who’s considering going vegan and in need of some inspiration and guidance. Gift Sara’s book.
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| @qitiji |
First with the exciting news that I created my very first online course! When I tell you that I've been toying with the idea of creating a course for eons, it's no joke. A mixture of procrastination and not fully knowing where to start (kinda...not really...I mean, everything is a Google search away, right?), I finally put my head down and set myself this exciting project, especially with the latest lockdown and having more time on my hands.
The course features 5 Nigerian snack recipes that are all mouthwateringly delicious. Every single Nigerian (and those from neighbouring West African countries) will be totally familiar with them. In which case, the course is a great refresher and a chance for you to learn how to make these popular snacks at home from scratch, if you don't already know how. For non-Nigerians, the course is perfect for getting acquainted with our snack culture and dipping your toes into the wonderful world of Nigerian cuisine.
The great thing about the course, which I've chosen to host on Udemy, is that you can buy it for yourself OR as a gift for your loved ones. With the holidays just around the corner, it makes for a unique virtual Christmas gift for the foodies in your life. Beyond that, it's an excellent birthday gift for any season!
I hope you enjoyed finding out a bit more about these snacks and that they make their way onto your dinner table soon! When you've completed the course, I'd love to hear your feedback so be sure to leave a review!
To celebrate my sister's birthday over the weekend, I baked the ultimate ginger nut biscuit cake, incorporating her favourite biscuit - ginger nuts - with two layers of scrumptious fluffy ginger sponge cake. I meaaannn... If you're a ginger nut biscuit fan then this recipe is made just for you.
Ginger Nuts is a brand of biscuits by McVitie's which happen to be accidentally vegan. The biscuits are essentially what most people know as ginger snaps, with a fiery ginger flavour and a hard, crunchy texture. You can get it here for 90p.
The recipe below makes a two-layer cake that's big enough to serve about 8-10 people. It is baked in such a way that you get the illusion of multiple layers (8 in total!) and I will show you exactly how to achieve this.
As always, if you make this recipe, please share it with me on Instagram for a repost! :)
A Few Notes
- If you do not have access to this particular brand of ginger biscuits, by all means use an alternative brand.
- Unlike my basic vanilla sponge cake recipe, I have used the creaming method (vegan margarine whipped with sugar, as opposed to using vegetable oil) for this cake as I find that it provides a much sturdier cake that's easier to ice and decorate.
- I recommend using an electric hand whisk for several of the steps in this recipe. Click here to see the brand I use. If you don't have access to an electric whisk, use a manual whisk or wooden spoon and be prepared for a good arm workout :)
- If you struggle to find self-raising flour, you can use a blend of all-purpose flour and baking powder. For 4 cups of all-purpose flour, you will need to add about 4 teaspoons of baking powder.
- Non-dairy milk such as almond, soya and cashew add moisture to the cake that you would normally get from eggs.
- Resist the urge to open the oven midway through baking the cake. Doing so will affect the temperature of the oven and may cause your cakes to sink in the middle. Only check after the 20-25 minute mark.
If you like this recipe, you'll also enjoy these other cake recipes:
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 packet Ginger Nut biscuits (250g)
- 8 tablespoons vegan margarine
- 1.5 cups caster sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups self-raising flour
- 1 tablespoon ginger powder
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (e.g. almond, soya - I used cashew milk)
For the buttercream icing
- 3 heap tablespoons vegan margarine
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1 cup non-dairy milk
Method
Cakes
1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Line the base of two 20cm (8") sandwich cake tins with parchment paper and grease the sides with a small dab of vegan margarine.
2. Place the ginger nut biscuits in a food processor and blend until you have fine crumbs. Alternatively, you can place the biscuits in a freezer bag, seal, lay flat on a kitchen counter and gently hit with a rolling pin to crush the biscuits. Place the crumbs in a bowl and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the vegan margarine, caster sugar and vanilla extract together until soft and fluffy. I used an electric hand whisk but you can use a wooden spoon to mix thoroughly.
4. Add the self-raising flour, ginger powder and non-dairy milk to the bowl of margarine and sugar. Work quickly to mix the ingredients together until well combined and it forms a thick cake batter.
5. Take the first cake tin and add 1/4 of the cake batter, use a spatula or spoon to spread it out evenly. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of the ginger nut crumbs over the top then add another 1/4 of the cake batter. Gently use a spatula or spoon to spread the batter evenly until it reaches the edges of the tin. Adding this layer of ginger nut crumbs in between is what gives the cake the illusion of having multiple layers.
6. Repeat step 5 for the second cake tin.
7. Bake the cakes for 25 minutes until a skewer or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in their tins for 20 minutes then transfer the cakes out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Icing
1. Place the vegan margarine and icing sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon to gently beat the mixture until well combined. Then use an electric hand whisk to continue beating until light and fluffy. (If you start off using the electric whisk, you'll likely get a shower of icing all over your face and kitchen counter! So best to start with a wooden spoon)
2. Stir in the remaining ginger nut biscuit crumbs, reserving about 1/4 cup for decoration later. You will see that the icing will thicken drastically. Start to add the non-dairy milk, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, continuing to mix as you do so, in order to loosen the icing and make it creamier. You likely won't need the full 1 cup of milk to achieve this, so you do need to judge by sight. (See my carousel post on Instagram to get an idea of what the buttercream consistency should look like)
Assembly
1. Place the first layer of cake on a cake stand. Spread half the buttercream icing over the top, using an offset spatula to spread it out evenly.
2. Place the second layer on top and spread the rest of the icing over the top, using an offset spatula to spread it out evenly.
3. Decorate the top as you please. I used the remaining ginger nut crumbs to form a ring around the edge on top of the cake, then I broke up some ginger nut biscuits and arranged them in the centre, with some decorative flowers studded in as well. Feel free to be as creative as you want!
Hey folks, hope you're having a wonderful weekend. I'm very excited to share this guest post with you, written by the lovely Ngwafu of Gwafu Vegan. Cameroon and Nigeria are neighbouring countries and so it's no surprise that there are a lot of similarities between our cuisines. I was intrigued to note the slight differences in the preparation of this okra soup, as compared to the Nigerian version. Enjoy this post and be sure to show Ngwafu some love over on her Instagram page.
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Hello! My name is Ngwafu, I’m a vegan Chef based in Manchester. I’ve been vegan now for over 5 years and haven’t looked back. I was born in Cameroon but immigrated to the UK at the age of 5 and have lived over here ever since. My passion for food started with my mother. I didn’t grow up vegan but the bases of Cameroonian food are around fruit and vegetables, and meat is something we ate once or twice a week. I would always want to go food shopping with her and help in the kitchen to learn from her.
I started to take my eating habits seriously at University, where I learnt that the vegan diet was the most sustainable in the world. I wanted to do what I could to help save the planet and make it a better place for future generations. Shortly after this monumental change, I started an Instagram account to document my vegan journey. I wanted to show other people - especially those in black community - that going vegan and cooking vegan meals isn’t as hard as it looks and doesn’t compromise on taste.
A few years later, with my drive and enthusiasm to spread the joy for vegan food still alive, I started my very own business and launched a website where I share my favourite vegan recipes. I also deliver tasty West African vegan food in and around Manchester, via Get Vegan Grub.
Vegan
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Stage 1
One medium onion – finely chopped
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
Stage 2
1 tbsp smoked paprika
3 garlic cloves – finely chopped
1 tbsp chilli flakes
Stage 3
500ml lukewarm water
1 tablespoon/1 cube vegetable stock
Stage 4
2 tbsp vegan fish sauce
2 tbsp dried seaweed – finely chopped
1 Maggie cube (optional)
80g Egusi
250g Okra - fresh or frozen (ensure to defrost fully if frozen)
Stage 5
100g fresh spinach
Stage 6 – to serve with -optional
122g garri - dry
240ml warm water
120ml warm water – to add at the end
Prep work:
1. Mix stage 3 together, ensure the vegetable stock is thoroughly mixed in.
2. Cut off the tops & tails of the okra and finely chop. Chop into bigger pieces if you
don’t want your okra soup to be too thick.
3. In a blender, grind the Egusi into a powder.
Method:
1. Add stage 1 (One medium onion – finely chopped, 2 tbsp rapeseed oil) to a pan on medium heat, fry for 2-3 minutes or until translucent.
2. Reduce the heat and add stage 2 (1 tbsp smoked paprika, 3 garlic cloves– finely chopped, 1 tbsp chili flakes) to the pan and cook for a further 2 minutes.
3. Add stage 3 (pre-mixed veg stock in water) and increase the heat to a gentle simmer.
4. Add stage 4 (2 tbsp vegan fish sauce, 2 tbsp dried seaweed – finely chopped, 80g Egusi, 250g Okra, optional: 1 Maggie cube) and cook for 10-15 minutes, still gently simmering. Ensure to stir the soup every 5 minutes.
5. Next add stage 5 (100g spinach) to the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then turn off the heat, cover the pan and leave to finish cooking for 2-3 minutes before serving.
6. This dish is best served with garri. In a small bowl, mix together 122g of garri with 240g warm water (step 6). Place in the microwave for 1 minute 30 secs, remove and add the remaining 120ml warm water and mix well. Place back in the microwave for 1 minute. Mix well and serve hot with the Okra soup.
Go and check out the rest of my recipes! I post new recipes every month, giving a brief history of the dish, as well as adding my own personality to it. Click here.
CALLING ALL MANCUNIANS! Order today: vegan West African meals, cooked by me and delivered straight to your door. Click here to pre-order now.
