Chocolate, cardamom and creative little twists make vegan baking a delicious adventure.

INSTAGRAM: @decadence_bysaikrupa

A warm bowl of carrot halwa, glossy chocolate ganache and a ragi cake layered with strawberries. In Sai Krupa’s kitchen, familiar desserts take on fresh, plant-based forms.

Her love of baking began in school and grew into Decadence by Sai Krupa, the homegrown artisanal dessert brand she founded in 2021. Leaving a career in banking for patisserie, she built a venture around handcrafted treats, creative flavours and the joy of gifting. Vegan baking became another way to explore flavour and texture, guided by a simple idea: everyone deserves a slice at the table.

“Experimenting with vegan baking started as curiosity, but it became about making sure everyone could have a slice at the table.”

With growing awareness around health, environmental concerns, animal welfare and the demand for clean-label and allergen-free products, Sai Krupa found herself exploring a different approach to desserts. It meant relearning structure, emulsification and flavours from scratch to accommodate this growing niche.

[INSERT IMAGE HERE]

THE FIRST BITE TEST

For Sai Krupa, vegan and conventional baking offer distinct possibilities. Her ultimate test is a rich, fudgy chocolate cake finished with silky ganache, enjoyed for its flavour before anyone discovers its plant-based origins.

“The biggest misconception I’d love to break is that vegan desserts are a compromise on taste, texture, or indulgence. I strongly believe that a dessert should be celebrated for how delicious it is, not defined by what’s missing from it.”

She also believes that vegan and conventional baking should not necessarily be equated. Each involves different ingredients and techniques that influence taste, texture and presentation. Rather than treating those differences as compromises, she sees them as opportunities for experimentation.

“To me, great desserts don’t need labels; they just need to taste incredible!”

Indian sweets are equally exciting territory. From gulab jamun and coconut barfi to payasam, she finds plenty of room for reinvention. Her carrot halwa celebrates the familiar comforts of the classic: tender carrots, fragrant cardamom and the crunch of roasted nuts. The idea is to preserve the flavours and feelings associated with traditional sweets while giving them a fresh expression.

Coconut milk, cashew cream and almond milk can bring richness to familiar preparations, while plant-based ghee and cashew-based khoya alternatives offer possibilities for recreating traditional indulgence.

WHEN EXPERIMENTS TURN DELICIOUS

Her adventurous side comes through in a ragi tres leches-style cake layered with strawberry compote, fresh strawberries and ganache. What she initially feared might overpower the flavours brought unexpected richness and creaminess.

The experiment combined dark chocolate, ragi, a soy milk soak, chocolate ganache, strawberry compote and strawberry chunks.

“What I love about vegan baking is discovering how simple plant-based ingredients can create flavours you wouldn’t normally expect. Sometimes, the most unusual combinations turn out to be the most delicious surprises!”

For beginners, her advice is simple: start with a tested recipe, understand your ingredients and leave room for experimentation.

One common mistake is assuming ingredients can be substituted in equal quantities. Understanding how ingredients interact is essential, particularly when it comes to moisture, texture and structure.

She recommends beginning with brownies or chocolate cake, following a tried-and-tested vegan recipe and experimenting gradually.

“For me, baking is all about patience, creativity, and a little trial and error!”

A SPOONFUL OF COMFORT

Vegan Carrot Halwa

A nostalgic Indian favourite with all the richness and warmth of traditional halwa.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup coconut or soy milk
• ¼ cup sugar
• 4-5 cardamom pods
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vegan butter
• 2 tbsp chopped cashews and almonds

Method

1. Sauté carrots in vegan butter for 4-5 minutes.
2. Add milk and simmer until carrots soften and liquid reduces.
3. Stir in sugar, cardamom and salt. Cook until glossy. Garnish with roasted nuts.

THE FUDGE FACTOR

Vegan Fudgy Chocolate Cake

“My kind of comfort dessert — rich, chocolatey, and indulgent enough to surprise anyone who thinks vegan desserts lack flavour.”

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• ½ cup melted vegan butter
• ½ cup plant milk
• 100 g melted dairy-free dark chocolate
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175°C.
2. Combine melted butter, sugar, milk, vanilla and chocolate.
3. Fold in dry ingredients. Transfer to a lined 8-inch tin.
4. Bake for approximately 30-45 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.

THE PLANT-BASED PANTRY

Five useful swaps for your next baking experiment.

• For milk: Almond, oat or soy milk.
• For creaminess: Coconut or cashew cream.
• For butter: Plant-based butter.
• For eggs: Flaxseed or chia mixtures in suitable recipes.
• For khoya: Cashew-based alternatives.

BAKER’S NOTE: Each ingredient plays a different role in texture, moisture and structure. Choose substitutions according to the recipe.

For Sai Krupa, vegan baking is not about producing an exact replica of a conventional dessert. It is about understanding ingredients, discovering new combinations and creating something worth enjoying in its own right. “Vegan baking isn’t about replacing ingredients; it’s about reimagining them sustainably.”