Easy Vegan Loaf Cake Recipes

 Easy vegan loaf cake recipes along with tips and tricks. Try one of them this week, they are super simple to make and taste great.

All the recipes on this website have been created by me and tested by my family and friends since 2007. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure & privacy policy.

Easy Vegan Loaf Cake Recipes

I wanted somewhere to keep all my loaf cakes in one place.

In this article, you will find lots of easy vegan loaf cakes as well as hints and tips.

There's something for everyone.

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What is a loaf cake?

Loaf cake is a cake that is baked in a loaf tin, instead of a circular cake tin or a square brownie pan.

An endless variety of loaf cakes means that you'll never get bored and there's something for every occasion and something to suit everyone.

Is loaf cake a type of bread?

You may think that's an unusual question, but I have seen it asked.

No, loaf cakes are not a type of bread, they are very much cakes.

They can be sliced like a loaf of bread and are baked in a loaf tin, but there the similarity ends.

Do you need any special ingredients to make a loaf cake?

The great thing about loaf cakes is you don't need any fancy ingredients.

They are made with really basic baking ingredients such as plain flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk (I use oat milk, but any will work) and something acidic like lemon juice or vingear.

Anyone can made these easy cakes.

How do you substitute eggs in vegan cakes?

Richer cakes like fruit cakes or chocolate cakes can use flax or chia eggs instead of eggs.

Some people also use yoghurt or apple sauce instead of eggs when baking plant-based cakes.

Instead of replacing the eggs, I like to create a chemical reaction in my cake batter.

I add something acidic to the milk, which then reacts with the baking powder to create a chemical reaction.

It then bubbles up creating a soft cake with a fluffy texture.

Do you need to use a certain type of milk when baking dairy-free cakes?

You can use any type of milk when making dairy-free cakes.

I have tried soya milk, almond milk and oat milk and they all work perfectly in these cakes.

The moral of the story is, just use whatever milk you usually have sitting in your fridge.

Can you use self-raising flour when baking vegan cakes at home?

Yes, you can definitely use self-raising flour instead of plain flour, but I find you get a better rise using plain flour and baking powder.

Self-raising flour will help with the rise, but doesn't give as much lift as plain flour mixed with baking powder.

Can I still use my self-raising flour?

Of course you can.

To give the cake an extra boost add a pinch of baking powder to your self-raising flour to give it a helping hand.

What type of tin do I need to bake a loaf cake?

To make a loaf cake, you need the sort of tin you use to bake a loaf of bread.

These tins come in steel or silicone.

What size loaf tin do I need?

The best size of tin for a loaf cake is a 2 lb (900g)loaf tin.

Sizes vary a little from brand to brand,m but don't worry about that too much.

A 2 lb (900g) loaf tin is usually about 21 cm long x 11 cm wide x 7 cm high (8 x 4 x 3 inches approximately).

1 lb loaf tins are only about 16 cm (6 inches) long, so too small for these lof cakes.

Pros & cons of a silicone loaf tin

Steel loaf tins are my go-to loaf pans, but some people do like silicone loaf pans, so let us discuss them.

Good points of a silicone loaf pan

1. They are colourful
2. Easy to clean
3. Pop them in the dishwasher
4. No need to add a liner or line with non-stick baking paper
5. Cake is easy to remove from silicone loaf tins
6. They cool quickly after they are removed from the oven

Bad points of a silicone loaf pan

1. They aren't as stable as a steel pan and can bulge and the cake can lose its shape.
2. You need to put them on a baking sheet so they have a steady base.
3. Sometimes they are a little smaller than a traditional loaf tin, so you need to be careful how full you fill them.

How to line a loaf tin when baking a cake

Traditionally a loaf tin was buttered and lined with non-stick baking paper to prevent the cake from sticking to the pan and for easy removal.

These days you can cheaply buy ready-cut loaf tin liners.

They are super easy to use and saves all the faffing about measuring and cutting baking paper, then lining the tin.

Loaf tin liner tips

Here are a few tips for using loaf tin liners.

1. Make sure they are the right size for the loaf tin.
2. Rub a little butter (vegan of course) or marg around the inside lip of the loaf tin before adding the liner. This will hold the liner in place while you pour in the batter, so it doesn't flap about while you pour, which is hellish and messy.
3. You can leave the cake in the liner when you take it out of the tin, and leave it lined while it cools.
4. Leaving the liner on is a good idea when you are gifting a cake. It gives a covering to the cake for handling.
5. Once the cake is cool, you can peel the liner off easily.
6. If you are icing the cake, ease the liner away from the cake but leave it sitting in the liner for mess-free decorating. It will catch any drips.
7. Make sure you don't run out!

Should you decorate a loaf cake or leave it plain?

That's a personal choice, some people prefer loaf cakes plain and unadorned.

Some people like a simple drizzle of icing.

Then there are those who like to go crazy when decorating a loaf cake.

It really is up to you.

Ideas for decorating loaf cakes

Here are some ideas of how you can decorate a loaf cake. 

Just try to compliment the flavours of the cake. So if it is a citrussy cake, go for a plain or citrus flavoured icing or frosting (buttercream).

If you are using glace icing you can cover the whole of the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the side or you can just drizzle strands in a criss-cross fashion across the top of the cake.

1. Plain glace icing - made with icing sugar (also known as confectioner's sugar) and water.
2. Vanilla glace icing - add vanilla extract.
3. Citrus glace icing - add lemon juice; lime juice; orange juice or grapefruit juice to the icing, you could also add some finely grated peel to boost the flavour further.
4. Chocolate glace icing - add cocoa powder.
5. Buttercream - whip up soft butter (vegan) with icing sugar and flavour with vanilla, fruit juice & or fruit peel or cocoa powder.
6. Jam - spread a layer of jam over the top of the cake.
7. Shredded (or desiccated) coconut - on top of a layer or jam - good on a coconut cake.
8. Melted chocolate - drizzled or poured and spread over the top of the cake and allowed to drip down the sides.
9. Icing sugar (confectioner's sugar) - just dust over the cake.
10. Cocoa powder - also dust over the cake

Extra topping to decorate a loaf cake

Extra toppings can make a loaf cake look really special.

Here are a few ideas of toppings you can add once you have added glace icing or buttercream:

1. Berries - raspberries, sliced strawberries, blueberries or blackberries are all good choices.
2. Sprinkles - chocolate or multicoloured.
3. Nuts - flaked, sliced or chopped nuts of your choice.
4. Chocolate buttons - vegan of course.
5. Mini Eggs - vegan mini eggs.
6. Jelly Tots - or other vegan jelly sweets.
7. Melted chocolate - drizzled over your icing or buttercream.
8. Desiccated coconut - or shredded coconut.
9. Mini cookies - think mini Oreos.
10. Chocolate curls - use a sharp potato peeler to shave chocolate curls from a bar of dark chocolate.

Why I love vegan loaf cakes

Loaf cakes are my favourite type of cake. I just love them.

Here's why:

• Easy to make.
• You don't need a stand mixer, electric hand mixer or a whisk, nope no whisking or blending.
• The batter is super quick to make.
• You use the same loaf tin every time, so no need for lots of different cake tins and searching for the right one.
• Loaf tin liners make lining the loaf tin quick.
• They're light and fluffy.
• They taste great.
• So many different flavours.
• Look fabulous.
• They slice well.
• Less messy to eat than a traditional tiered cake.
• Keep well in an airtight container for a few days.
• You can freeze slices and take out a slice when you need it.

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THE BEST VEGAN LOAF CAKES

These easy cakes are all well-tested, easy to make and delicious.

Each time I create a new cake, I'll add it to this page so do bookmark or favourite this page so you can return to it.

You can also sign up for my new recipe email for this blog and my new recipe email for The Vegan Lunchbox, my lunchtime blog. You can find the sign up form at the bottom of my about me page.

1. Apple Loaf Cake

A soft and moist vegan apple cake baked in a loaf tin. It's easy to make, tastes delicious, and can be frozen in slices.

2. Banoffee Pie Loaf Cake

An easy recipe for the most luxurious vegan banoffee pie cake made in a loaf tin.

3. Blackberry Lime Drizzle Cake

The ultimate fruity, vegan loaf cake with blackberries and lime, topped with a lime drizzle. A super easy and fluffy cake to share.

4.  Blueberry Lemon Loaf Cake

 This easy vegan blueberry loaf cake is soft, moist and very fruity. Best of all it's very simple to make. You don't even need a whisk.

5. Carrot Loaf Cake

An easy recipe for vegan carrot cake with orange icing. It slices well, can be frozen, and is perfect for afternoon tea or dessert.

6. Cherry Bakewell Loaf Cake

 This vegan cherry bakewell cake tastes just like a cherry bakewell tart. It's easy to make, super soft and fluffy with the flavours of almond and cherry.

7. Chocolate Loaf Cake

A soft and fluffy vegan chocolate cake with chocolate chips, baked in a loaf tin.

8. Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

An easy recipe for a soft vegan chocolate chip loaf cake that slices well and can be frozen in slices, so you can have a slice when you want.

9. Coconut Loaf Cake

A soft and fluffy vegan coconut cake baked in a loaf tin, topped with buttercream and coconut. A real family favourite for afternoon tea, and other family get-togethers like Sunday Dinner or Easter.

10. Golden Syrup Loaf Cake

An easy vegan sticky golden syrup cake baked in a loaf tin and topped with a drizzle of golden syrup.

11. Jaffa Orange Loaf Cake

A soft and fluffy orange cake baked in a loaf tin and topped with dark chocolate for that jaffa cake finish.

12. Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake

An easy vegan lemon drizzle cake baked in a loaf tin. It's light and fluffy with a wonderful lemon flavour. 

For an extra lemon boost you could prick it while warm and pour over a mixture of lemon juice and sugar.

13. Treacle Gingerbread Loaf Cake

A rich sticky gingerbread cake baked in a loaf tin. An easy bake with no dairy or eggs. Makes two rich flavoured cakes that are surprisingly good.

14. Pineapple Coconut Cake

Vegan pineapple coconut cake is an easy loaf cake made with simple ingredients including tinned pineapple. Soft, moist & fruity with a tropical flavour.

15. Vegan Fruit Cake

 A wonderfully moist vegan fruit cake that's super easy to make and full of plump fruit and warming Christmas spices, perfect for afternoon tea.

16. Coconut Lime Cake with Lime Drizzle

 An easy recipe for moist vegan lime cake topped with lime drizzle then finished with a layer of icing and coconut. The perfect after-dinner treat.

New vegan cakes

I hope you've found lots of inspiration for your next bake and will grow to love loaf cakes as much as I do.

If you have an idea for a loaf cake I haven't created a recipe for, then email me at jac@tinnedtomatoes.com and I will add it to my list of ideas.

Remember to bookmark or favourite this page and check back for new recipes.

Also, check out my recipe index for bakes and cakes and my lunch blog The Vegan Lunchbox for more vegan bake ideas.