Tried and Tasted:
A week of cooking from Simply Vegan Baking
What happened when indulgent classics were reimagined as vegan bakes and put to the test in a real home kitchen.
The four recipes tested from Simply Vegan Baking.
Cooking from a cookbook is one thing, cooking through it is another.
Each week in Tried and Tasted, I cook from a single cookbook, not just one recipe, but a handful, tested over a week in real-life conditions. No pressure, no ratings, just honest reflections on what I cooked, how it went, and whether I’d make it again.
This week, I baked from Simply Vegan Baking by Freya Cox, a collection that reimagines classic treats without dairy or eggs. From cookies to doughnuts, pie to pavlova, I wanted to see if these bakes could hold their own against their traditional counterparts, and maybe even win me over.
Here’s what happened.
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New York Style Cookies - Simply Vegan Baking pg. 56
New York-Style Cookies
In the Kitchen
The first step was prepping the gooey centre: spoonfuls of chocolate spread frozen until firm. The recipe suggests a plate, but I’d recommend lining it with baking paper to avoid sticking.
From there, the dough came together quickly in my stand mixer. Wet ingredients creamed, dry added, then stirred through with plenty of chocolate chips. The batter was surprisingly light and airy, not sticky at all, which made it easy to handle.
I divided the dough into eight balls, flattened each one, tucked in a frozen spoonful of chocolate spread, and rolled them back into rounds. After a quick half hour in the freezer (just enough time to do the dishes and preheat the oven), they were ready to bake.
The cookies spread much more than you’d expect, so I would bake no more than four per tray to give them plenty of room. The smell was incredible, and once cooled, breaking them open to reveal the molten centre was pure joy.
The Verdict
Delicious. Warm, gooey, chocolate-chip loaded cookies are already one of life’s great pleasures, but that molten chocolate spread centre takes them over the top. You’d never guess these were vegan. They taste indulgent, classic, and utterly crowd-pleasing.
Would I Make It Again?
Absolutely. They’re simple to pull together, a guaranteed hit with vegans and non-vegans alike, and the kind of bake that disappears fast at a gathering.
Worth Knowing
These cookies store well in an airtight jar for up to four days. For maximum pleasure, microwave one for 20 seconds to revive the gooey centre.
The recipe also works seamlessly with regular butter or chocolate spread if you’re not vegan, making it versatile for any kitchen. The suggested drizzle of extra chocolate spread looks dramatic but is best saved for when you’re serving the full batch straight away.
Jam Doughnuts - Simply Vegan Baking pg. 90
Jam Doughnuts
In the Kitchen
This recipe couldn’t have been simpler to put together. Most of the time was hands-off while the dough proofed.
It began with yeast, warm milk, and sugar left to sit until foamy, then into the stand mixer with the dry ingredients and a dough hook. After ten minutes of mixing (with a short break in between), the dough was soft, smooth, and bounced back when pressed.
The first proof took an hour in an oiled bowl under cling wrap until it doubled in size. After deflating (always satisfying), it was rolled back into a ball and left to rise again for another hour. Then came shaping: eight even dough balls placed on a tray, covered with a damp tea towel, and proofed a final hour until puffed and ready to fry.
I used a deep fryer with a built-in thermometer for accuracy, frying in batches. The recipe suggests four minutes per side, though I found slightly less worked better for golden, fluffy doughnuts.
Once out of the oil, they were rolled in sugar and ready to fill. I started with jam, as instructed, but halfway through I couldn’t resist experimenting and filled the other half with leftover chocolate spread from the cookies. The best bit was biting in and getting that molten centre - jam or chocolate, both were fantastic.
The Verdict
For such an easy recipe, the payoff was huge. These doughnuts were light, fluffy, and the gooey centres took them from great to irresistible. The chocolate-filled ones were my personal favourite, though the best experience was cutting a jam doughnut and a chocolate one in half, then eating half of each side by side. Next time, I might even try filling one with half jam, half chocolate.
Would I Make It Again?
Oh yes. If I weren’t concerned about my health or waistline, I’d happily eat these all the time. They’re the kind of bake that impresses instantly, whether you’re bringing them to a gathering or just indulging at home. Easy to make, incredibly delicious, and you’d never guess they were vegan.
Worth Knowing
Be generous with the filling, the recipe’s suggested amount was too modest. Have extra jam or spread on hand so each doughnut is properly stuffed.
They keep well in the fridge; a quick 40 seconds in the microwave brings them back to life. Like many recipes in this book, they adapt easily with non-vegan substitutes (regular milk, for example) if that’s what you’ve got in the pantry.
Banoffee Pie Slices - Simply Vegan Baking pg. 116
Banoffee Pie Slices
In the Kitchen
Banoffee pies are such a breezy dessert to pull together, although it had been a while since I’d made the caramel myself! I’ll admit, the Nestlé caramel tins do an excellent job when you’re in a hurry.
The base came first: crushing the biscuits (always satisfying), then mixing with melted butter until it resembled wet sand. I pressed the mixture into a lined tin and set it in the freezer while I tackled the caramel.
Confession time: I completely ruined the first batch. I got distracted by a phone call, left it alone for just a minute as it was heating, and it burnt solidly to the bottom of the pot. Lesson (re)learned - never, ever walk away from a caramel. My lovely fiancé ended up helping me scrub at that pot for several weeks before it finally came clean.
Luckily, I had another tin of condensed milk. The second attempt came together quickly, and once it was ready I poured the caramel over the base, spreading it with a spatula. It set fast, so it was important to move quickly. On went the banana slices, then into the fridge to chill.
Once cool, I whipped the cream, spooned it generously over the top, finished with a scattering of freshly grated chocolate, and sliced it up to serve.
The Verdict
This was tasty. I’m a huge banoffee pie fan, so I was excited to try a vegan version. It had a subtle coconut flavour from the vegan condensed milk, but otherwise it tasted just like a classic banoffee pie.
Would I Make It Again?
Yes, though with a tweak. The flavour was spot on, but I wasn’t completely sold on the tray-bake slice format. I think it would shine even more as a traditional pie, it seemed too fragile as a slice. If I needed a vegan option, I’d happily make this recipe again, just in pie form.
Worth Knowing
Caramel can be temperamental. I’d recommend keeping the heat slightly lower. Even stirring continuously, it started to catch a little, so make sure to scrape across the entire bottom of the pan constantly. And don't walk away from it to take a phone call.
Raspberry Pavlova - Simply Vegan Baking pg. 151
Raspberry Pavlova
In the Kitchen
When I spotted a vegan pavlova recipe, I was fascinated. Coming from New Zealand, the true home of the pavlova (despite my Australian fiancé’s protests), I had to know if you could really pull one off without eggs. They are, after all, the main component of the dish.
I was glad I started in the morning, because I hadn’t realised until I read properly that it would take a total of six hours. This is exactly why I appreciate time indicators on recipes.
The meringue itself was surprisingly easy. Aquafaba (the liquid from tinned chickpeas) steps in as the egg-white substitute. I’d heard of this before but never tried it. Using my KitchenAid, I whisked the aquafaba and cream of tartar until stiff peaks formed. Freya’s test was spot on: tip the bowl upside down and nothing moves. A very fun, and luckily successful, experiment. After that, in went the remaining ingredients until the meringue looked glossy and brilliant.
I spooned it onto a lined tray, shaping it into the suggested doughnut-style circle. That took around five minutes. Then into the oven it went, at a very low temperature for 2.5 hours. I used a thermometer to keep the oven honest. With a dessert like this, precision matters.
The raspberry coulis was easy: blitz the ingredients in a food processor and strain through a sieve to remove the seeds.
Once the pavlova had finished baking, I turned off the oven and left the pavlova inside until completely cool, another 3.5 hours. Then out it came, and I topped it with cream, coulis, and fresh raspberries, ready to slice and serve.
And that’s where it fell apart - literally. The pavlova crumbled as soon as I tried to cut it. I double-checked the recipe and I’d followed everything correctly. So I rolled with it and served it Eton Mess style, a decent save, but not what we were aiming for.
The Verdict
I had high hopes, but this one missed the mark. All I could taste was chickpeas, which isn’t exactly the flavour you want leading a dessert that should be light, airy, and neutral. I layered it with cream, coulis, and berries, but still couldn’t bring myself to finish the bowl.
Would I Make It Again?
No. While it’s certainly a vegan alternative, there are far better options in this book. I followed the instructions to the letter, oven thermometer and all, and still ended up with a pavlova that collapsed when cut. Sometimes baking just works that way, but I didn’t like the flavour enough to troubleshoot fixes.
Worth Knowing
While the pavlova was a miss, the raspberry coulis was fantastic. I may have eaten an unhealthy number of spoonfuls straight from the bowl.
Baking from Simply Vegan Baking showed me just how indulgent and approachable vegan desserts can be. The New York–style cookies and jam doughnuts were absolute standouts; easy to make, utterly delicious, and proof that plant-based baking doesn’t have to feel like a compromise. The banoffee pie slices were tasty too, though I’d tweak the format next time, while the pavlova was an ambitious miss (but at least I discovered how good the raspberry coulis was).
What I love about this book is how flexible the recipes are: you can easily swap in regular ingredients if you’re not vegan, and still enjoy fantastic results. For me, this isn’t just a book for vegans, it’s a book for anyone who loves to bake and wants crowd-pleasing sweets with a fun twist.
I’ll definitely be making those cookies and doughnuts again (probably too often for my waistline), and I’m excited to keep exploring the rest of the book.
Want to Try It Yourself?
If Simply Vegan Baking sounds like your kind of book, indulgent cakes, gooey cookies, and classic bakes made completely vegan (without anyone noticing), you can pick up a copy below.
I may earn a small commission if you buy via this link, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting City Slicker.
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