Description
Deliciously spiced vegan soul cakes, traditionally enjoyed during All Souls’ Day, made with a blend of fragrant spices, dried currants, and a tender crumbly texture. These dairy-free treats are perfect for sharing and offer a comforting, lightly sweetened snack with a classic cross marked on top.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 300 g (2 ½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons mixed spice (or pumpkin spice)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 75 g (½ cup) dried currants
- 150 g (¾ cup) caster or granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 150 g (⅔ cup) vegan block butter (cold and diced)
- 4 Tablespoons unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy recommended)
- ½ Tablespoon cider or white wine vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan) or 350℉ (gas mark 4) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure the soul cakes bake evenly and don’t stick.
- Mix dry ingredients and rub in butter: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, and nutmeg. Add the cold, diced vegan block butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs and there are no large lumps of butter left.
- Add sugar and currants: Stir in the caster or granulated sugar along with the dried currants, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
- Combine wet ingredients and form dough: Mix the non-dairy milk with the cider or white wine vinegar, then pour it into the dry ingredients. Use your hands to bring everything together into a soft dough, which should be pliable but not sticky.
- Roll out and cut dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 6-8 mm (¼ inch) thickness. Use a round cutter about 6-7 cm (2 ½ inches) in diameter to cut out rounds. Gather the scraps, re-roll, and cut out as many rounds as possible.
- Mark the soul cakes: Place the rounds spaced apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using a toothpick or the back of a knife, press a deep cross into the top of each soul cake. Wiggle the tool slightly side to side to widen the mark but avoid cutting all the way through.
- Bake: Bake for 20-25 minutes until the soul cakes turn golden brown. For a softer texture, reduce the bake time slightly; for crispier cakes, bake a bit longer.
- Cool and store: Transfer the soul cakes to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Make sure the vegan butter is cold to achieve the best crumbly texture.
- The cross mark is traditional and symbolic; be careful not to cut all the way through the dough.
- If you prefer, you can substitute currants with raisins or chopped dried apricots.
- Use soy milk or another unsweetened non-dairy milk for the best flavor and consistency.
- Store soul cakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: Vegan soul cakes, All Souls' Day recipe, vegan biscuits, spiced cookies, dairy-free baked goods
