Ask a Vegan Baker

Hi Cinnamongem,

Apple sauce is pretty easy to make. Here's my version. If you're using it for baking, you can just core and peel apples and place them in a food processor to make it. Apple sauce works in recipes such as some muffins, cakes and cookies because it allows the moisture to be retained during baking. During baking the sugars and starches also bind together slightly, making for a more robust structure. Apple sauce can also be substituted for fat in many recipes. Many depression-era recipes use apple sauce and other fruit purees for this reason.

Add applesauce to your cake recipe. It's a great way to make vegan cakes moist and delicious.

I've never tried homemade applesauce. Is it easy to make? I've heard a lot of times that applesauce is a very important ingredient in the vegan bakery but I don't find it very often at the stores in my town.
Thanks!

I use apple juice now in vegan pastry and crumble in a handful of ground up oats, which breaks up that rather solid pastry you can get when it's just wheat flour and water. i don't know why the apple juice make such a difference,I used it because I'm organic nearly vegan and I didn't have all the ingredients I wanted... but I think that it makes a much better flavored pastry..especially with some cinnamon added. thank you for all the very helpful tips.

Add applesauce to your cake recipe. It's a great way to make vegan cakes moist and delicious.

I've never tried homemade applesauce. Is it easy to make? I've heard a lot of times that applesauce is a very important ingredient in the vegan bakery but I don't find it very often at the stores in my town.
Thanks!

That's a terrific idea!! Why didn't I think of that?! I can't wait to try that the next time I make brownies.

My tip: use binder clips to secure the parchment paper to the edge of your brownie pan. I've noticed that a lot of vegan brownie recipes involve a very thick batter, almost like a dough! Well, when spreading it out in the pan the parchment paper will move around. I solved that problem by securing the parchment paper to the edge of the pan using binder clips (black, triangular-shaped clips for holding paper). After I've spread the batter to all corners of the pan, I remove the clips before putting the pan in the oven.

My tip: use binder clips to secure the parchment paper to the edge of your brownie pan. I've noticed that a lot of vegan brownie recipes involve a very thick batter, almost like a dough! Well, when spreading it out in the pan the parchment paper will move around. I solved that problem by securing the parchment paper to the edge of the pan using binder clips (black, triangular-shaped clips for holding paper). After I've spread the batter to all corners of the pan, I remove the clips before putting the pan in the oven.

Add applesauce to your cake recipe. It's a great way to make vegan cakes moist and delicious.

I have a bread one too. Letting the dough rise in your oven (that is turned off) with the oven light on works great if you have a drafty kitchen.