Now that Vegan cake is a thing, we can say that veganism is spreading faster than expected. After all, a cake includes all dairy products like milk, eggs, and butter. For the unawares, a vegan diet excludes all animal-based products, be it meat or milk. Instead of relying on meat, eggs, or milk, they prefer plant-based alternatives to meet their nutritional needs.
There were times when even confessing that you’re a vegetarian would invite awkward reactions from people. However, with time many celebrities, including Billie Eilish, Pamela Anderson, Sia Furler, Bryan Adams, Natalie Portman, Kevin Smith, and more have switched to a vegan diet. Also, animal welfare organizations like PETA have spread enough awareness to guide people towards the vegan way. According to 2021 stats, 71 million people around the globe have turned vegan. BUT WHY?
Why People Go Vegan?
People adopt veganism for various reasons, including ethical concerns, environmental sustainability, and health benefits associated with plant-based diets. Here’s more to the question
- Heath Benefits: Vegan foods are rich in essential vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. In addition, it helps in weight loss, lowering the risk of diabetes, improving kidney function, lowering blood sugar levels, lowering cancer risk, fighting aging, and multiple other health issues.
- Ethical Concerns: Stopping animal cruelty is the major reason for most people to go vegan. In fact, a vegan lifestyle and philosophy seek to avoid the cruelty of animals as much as possible. A vegan person will avoid animal-based clothing, cosmetics, and other products.
- Environmental Sustainability: As a matter of fact, animal agriculture is responsible for 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions, leading to global warming. Moreover, the amount of manure thousands of animals release in small spaces releases harmful gases, causing air pollution.
Now we know the concept of vegan and veganism. However, a common misconception exists that vegan cakes are synonymous with eggless cakes. But that’s not true. Vegan cakes go beyond a normal vegetarian or eggless cake. Besides, do you ever wonder how can a cake become vegan as the fundamental ingredients of a cake are all milk-based products?
Comparing Vegan Cake and Vegetarian Cake
Well, it is quite simple. Vegan cakes, in essence, are cakes that exclude all animal-derived ingredients, not just eggs. This means they are free from not only eggs but also dairy products such as milk, butter, and cream, as well as any other animal by-products like honey or gelatin. Instead, vegan cakes rely on plant-based alternatives for their ingredients, such as nut milk, vegetable oils, fruit purees, and flax or chia seeds as egg substitutes.
While vegan cakes are indeed eggless, not all eggless cakes are vegan. As it may still contain dairy products like milk or butter, making them suitable for vegetarians but not vegans. So, here are the fundamental differences between vegan cakes and eggless cakes.
Ingredients
- Vegan cakes: Exclusively use plant-based ingredients, avoiding all animal-derived products.
- Eggless cakes: May contain dairy or other animal-derived ingredients but omit eggs.
Texture and Taste
- Vegan cakes: The use of plant-based ingredients and natural sweeteners can contribute to unique textures and tastes. However, depending on the recipe and ingredients used, vegan cakes can also be as moist, fluffy, and flavorful as regular cakes.
- Eggless cakes: If baked using the right ingredients, one can hardly tell the difference between an eggless cake and a cake with eggs.
Nutritional Benefits
- Vegan cakes: As vegan cakes avoid animal fats, they are low in cholesterol. They also contain higher amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals from plant-based ingredients.
- Eggless cakes: Eggless cakes contain significant amounts of saturated fats and cholesterol from dairy products like butter or milk.
In a nutshell, both vegan and eggless cakes omit eggs from their recipes. However, they differ in their broader ingredient choices and implications. Vegan cakes encompass a philosophy of excluding all animal-derived ingredients. On the other hand, eggless cakes may still contain dairy or other animal-derived products. By understanding these distinctions, you can make informed choices according to your dietary preferences, ethical beliefs, and health goals
