Vegan golden syrup cake – a sweet, sticky loaf that’s simple to make in one bowl with just a few everyday ingredients.
Enjoy it on its own for a snack, or serve warm with custard or ice cream as a comforting dessert.
This vegan golden syrup cake is economical, quick to prepare and made in one bowl, so there’s very little washing up. The cake is delicate, soft and deliciously sticky, with the unmistakable, caramel-like flavour of golden syrup.
It’s lovely served as-is with a cup of tea, or warmed and paired with custard or vegan ice cream for a simple dessert.
What You Need
Golden syrup: The star ingredient. Golden syrup is vegan-friendly and gives the cake its distinctive flavour. Store brands work fine.
Oil: Any neutral oil such as sunflower or light olive oil works well. If you prefer, substitute with 100g melted vegan butter.
Sugar: Golden caster sugar is ideal, but regular caster, granulated or a light soft brown sugar will also work. A 50/50 mix of light brown and caster gives a nice depth of flavour.
Plain (all-purpose) flour: Best for the light crumb.
Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda: Using both gives the best texture — a soft, tender crumb. Also add a pinch of salt and some boiling water to loosen the batter.
Method
(Full measurements and instructions are in the recipe card below)
Preheat the oven and prepare a 2 lb loaf tin by greasing it and lining with baking parchment. Sift the plain flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl.
Add the golden syrup, sugar, oil, a pinch of salt and finally the boiling water. Stir with a balloon whisk until you have a smooth, lump-free batter — don’t over-mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for about 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Allow the cake to cool for about 5 minutes in the tin, then drizzle golden syrup over the top while still warm. Leave to cool in the tin for around 30 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store the cooled cake in an airtight container. It keeps well for about a week and becomes stickier and more flavourful with time.
Top Tips
Use metric measurements and a digital scale for consistent results — weighing ingredients is quicker and less messy than using cups. The cake is done when it feels firm to the touch and a skewer comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
A crack on top is normal and won’t affect flavour or texture. If possible, weigh the golden syrup rather than measuring by tablespoon.
Can I Substitute the Golden Syrup?
No — golden syrup has a unique flavour that defines this cake. Substituting it will change the result. If you can’t find it, you can make a homemade version using trusted recipes.
More Vegan Loaf Cakes
- Vegan ginger loaf cake
- Vegan chocolate courgette cake
- Vegan malt loaf
- Vegan orange loaf cake
- Vegan Earl Grey tea loaf
- Vegan marble cake
- Vegan lemon drizzle cake
- Vegan pumpkin bread
- Easy vegan banana bread
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Vegan Golden Syrup cake
Ingredients
- 225 g plain (all-purpose) flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 200 g golden syrup
- 80 g golden caster sugar
- 80 ml neutral oil (such as sunflower)
- pinch salt
- 180 ml boiling water
- 50 g golden syrup for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/340°F/gas mark 3. Grease a 2 lb loaf tin and line it with baking parchment.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl.
- Add the golden syrup, sugar, oil and a pinch of salt, then pour in the boiling water.
- Stir with a balloon whisk until the batter is smooth and lump-free. Stop once there are no lumps — don’t over-mix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for about 1 hour, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for 5 minutes, then drizzle 2 tablespoons of golden syrup evenly over the top.
- Leave to cool in the tin for about 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- See the post above for tips and step-by-step photos.
- Use metric measurements and a digital scale for best results.
- If possible, weigh the golden syrup rather than measuring by tablespoon.
- A top crack is normal and won’t affect the cake’s flavour or texture.
