Ohhh yes. Vegan cake batter blondies. It can be done. These vegan blondies have crispy, crackly tops, a hint of vanilla flavor, and a chewy but tender interior.
PS: for my whole foods, non-processed, health-oriented readers… you may want to cover your eyes.
In my pregan days I loved a certain cake batter blondies recipe that was making the rounds on the internet. The recipe calls for only a few ingredients (if you turn a blind eye to what’s written on the back of the box…): boxed cake mix, oil, milk, and one egg.
To be fair, I loved any sort of blondie at all and I still do. Vegan blondies abound these days, I’ve had some pretty tasty versions that are made from peanut butter or almond butter, even some crazy gluten-free vegan blondies made with chickpeas. But today we are skipping the fancy vegan ingredients, even coconut oil, and going back to that delicious abomination that is Boxed Cake Mix. The only change is to make it egg free!
Obviously to turn that into vegan cake batter blondies, it’s pretty easy to substitute nondairy milk. While ingredients therein are questionable for other reasons, vegan boxed cake mixes are fairly easy to come by. And oil is already vegan-friendly.
The egg is the tricky part, and while a few times I had tasty results using cornstarch or extra nondairy milk, I finally hit the vegan cake batter blondies jackpot with a little help from aquafaba. If you’re not aware, aquafaba is the cooking liquid from beans and as an egg replacer in this blondie recipe, it yields the perfect chewy texture and crackly exterior. I mean just look at the pictures!
I hope you give these vegan cake batter blondies a try (although, maybe just on special occasions 😀 – I’m not about to recommend eating boxed cake mix regularly). They truly taste like cake batter while having the perfect blondie texture. It will remind you of your lost funfetti days of old, that’s for sure. And don’t even get me started about the uncooked batter. Oh my goodness it’s tasty.
For variations, stir in regular or white chocolate chips, chopped Oreos or similar (…hmm, I’m going to have to make that myself now!), or other candy pieces of your choice! Enjoy!
Vegan Cake Batter Blondies
Ingredients
- 1 box white or yellow cake mix (I used Duncan Hines French vanilla, which is vegan)
- 3 tbsp sprinkles (optional; look for brands that don't use confectioner's glaze, which isn't vegan)
- 1/4 cup neutral oil (I used safflower oil)
- 3 tbsp aquafaba (I used the liquid from a can of chickpeas)
- 5 tbsp plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk plus more as needed (I used soy milk)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease an 8x8 dish, or 8- to 9-inch round pan.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the sprinkles and cake mix. Add the oil and aquafaba and stir to combine it as well as you can (it will be lumpy and dry, and that's fine).
- Add the nondairy milk and stir to mix it in well. Make sure to keep stirring to break up lumps; the batter should come together into a thick, frosting-like texture. Only if absolutely necessary, add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time to bring the batter together.
- Use a spatula (you'll need it - this batter is thick) to transfer the batter into the greased pan and spread it out evenly all the way to the edges.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are just starting to turn brown.
- Let cool for AT LEAST thirty minutes before slicing in order to achieve the best texture.
- Leftovers will store in an airtight container for a few days.
Notes
Nutrition
Adapted from Girl Meets Life.
I'm Shannon, the writer and photographer of Yup, it's Vegan! I'm a morning person based in Baltimore, USA. My mission is to create healthy plant-based recipes that anyone would enjoy, using seasonal produce with inspiration from global flavors.
Tracy says
These look so good. I love that you were able to incorporate a cake mix because sometimes you just need something really fast and easy! Looking forward to giving them a try – and so will my family! Thanks
Deb says
I make these all the time. So good.
Aimee B. says
These were super easy and yummy. I added frosting and sprinkles after they cooled. Definitely a keeper. 🙂
Jenn says
As you might have seen on Instagram, we made these and LOVED them. So easy and satisfying! Thank you!
Jelly2018 says
If I were to use cornstarch instead of aquafaba, how much would I use?
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
I’d suggest using 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 tablespoons nondairy milk or water, mixed together then added to the batter in lieu of the aquafaba. However aquafaba does a much better job giving them that crackly top!
Dee says
Where do you buy vegan cake mixes? I live in a small town. Duncan Hines really isn’t vegan. Sugar is refined with burned animal bones-animal bone char.
Thanks for your good looking recipe!
Shannon @ Yup, it's Vegan says
Hi Dee, I’m aware of bone char being used to process sugar. Unfortunately for people who are strict about this I am not really able to speak to what alternatives there are. I see a few recipes online for DIY cake mix, but because they measure by volume and not weight, they may not provide consistent results. Sometimes specialty brands of cake mix are available but they tend to differ by region and I haven’t tried any of them. Sorry I can’t be of more help. Please do let me know if you find an option that suits you and are able to try the recipe.