Vegan Bakewell tart - this vegan version of the classic almond and raspberry tart is easy to make and absoutely delicious! A crisp pastry shell is filled with raspberry jam, vegan frangipane, fresh raspberries and flaked almonds. The perfect dessert for any celebration! Eggless and dairy free.
This vegan Bakewell tart is a lovely summertime treat, it is perfect as part of an afternoon tea in the sunshine, for a garden party, or served for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Raspberry and almond is such a good flavour combination and you can't go wrong with crisp pastry, sweet jam, soft almond frangipane and tangy raspberries!
What Is Bakewell Tart?:
Bakewell tart is a classic British bake consisting of crisp shortcrust pastry filled with a layer of jam topped with almond frangipane and a scattering of flaked almonds. (Those Mr Kipling fondant topped cherry Bakewells are NOT proper Bakewell tarts btw!).
It's origins are somewhat contested but it is thought to be a variant of Bakewell pudding; the two are quite different however and should not be confused!
Bakewell pudding is made using puff or flaky pastry filled with jam and almond egg custard and is best served warm. It was invented in the Peak District town of Bakewell, hence the name.
Given that Bakewell tart generally contains several eggs and lots of butter it is not the simplest thing to veganize but I think that I've done a decent job!
The wonderful frangipane recipe is adapted from one by the very talented Lazy Cat Kitchen; I've made some changes to suit me but the inspiration is all Anna!
Traditionally it wouldn't be topped with fruit but I think that a scattering of fresh raspberries cuts through the sweetness nicely and adds lots of flavour.
How To Make Vegan Bakewell Tart:
(For ingredients and full instructions see the recipe card below)
Start by making the pastry. Place the flour, icing sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine (or whisk together in a mixing bowl).
Add the cold, diced vegan butter and blend until it resembles fine breadcrumbs (or rub in to the flour using your fingertips).
Add the cold vodka (if using) and mix to combine. Gradually add enough cold water to bring the pastry together into a ball. Shape the pastry into a disc (don't knead it), wrap and refrigerate for half an hour.
Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a circle big enough to line a 25cm round tart tin. Press the pastry right into the corners then roll over the top with a rolling pin to trim off the excess.
Prick the base of the pastry shell all over with a fork then place it in the freezer for 20 minutes until solid. Meanwhile preheat the oven.
Line the pastry case with tin foil, pressing it right into the corners, then fill with baking beans or dried rice, making sure that the sides are propped up.
Bake for 20 minutes then remove the tin foil and baking beans and return the tart shell to the oven for a further 10 minutes until pale golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.
To make the frangipane, whisk together the melted butter or oil and the sugar then whisk in the flour and cornflour.
Gradually whisk in the aquafaba or milk then finally whisk in the ground almonds, baking powder and almond extract.
Spread a layer of raspberry jam over the base of the pastry shell then spoon the frangipane on top and spread it level. Scatter over the fresh raspberries and flaked almonds.
Bake the tart for 30-45 minutes until golden and the filling is set. You can loosely cover the tart with tin foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking if it starts to get too dark before the filling is cooked.
Top Tips:
For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
Using a block butter/margarine rather than the spreadable kind in a tub will give you a much better texture as it has a higher fat content. I use Naturli Vegan Block, but Stork or Vitalite block, Tormor or Earth Balance Buttery Sticks will all work. It is also important that the butter is fridge cold, not room temperature.
For the best, crispy pastry, make sure that you don’t overwork it or let it get too warm. Freezing the tart shell prior to blind baking it helps to make the pastry crisp and stops it from shrinking too much.
Using a bit of vodka instead of water to bind the pastry also helps to keep it crisp, as vodka has a lower water percentage. You can use water if you don’t want to use vodka though (you can’t taste it and the alcohol burns off during baking).
To get aquafaba, just use the liquid drained from a tin of chickpeas or white beans.
The tart shell can be prepared and blind baked a day or two in advance of adding the filling. Once it has cooled store it in an airtight container.
Substitutions:
Instead of the aquafaba you can use unsweetened non-dairy milk in the frangipane. Soy would be best but any will work.
You can use frozen raspberries instead of fresh if you want but you will need to toss them with 1 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) first then shake off the excess. Do not defrost them before baking the tart, use them straight from the freezer.
The raspberries can be swapped for another type of berry if you want - blackberries, cherries and blueberries would all work well.
Raspberry jam is traditional, but you can use any kind of jam you like.
For the pastry you can use solid coconut oil instead of vegan butter but you will probably not need to chill it for as long before rolling it out. Coconut oil pastry becomes very hard to work with if it gets too cold.
For the frangipane I think that the best flavour comes from using vegan butter but you can use coconut oil instead. You can also use 80ml (⅓ cup) of mild olive oil or another neutral oil (such as sunflower).
How To Store Vegan Bakewell Tart:
This vegan Bakewell tart is best eaten on the day it is baked but it will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. If it is very warm out it should be stored in the fridge instead.
More Vegan Tart And Pie Recipes:
Vegan strawberry tart with coconut pastry cream
No-bake chocolate stem ginger tart
Blueberry pie with coconut oil pastry
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Vegan Bakewell Tart
Ingredients
Pastry:
- 250 g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 40 g (⅓ cup) icing (powdered) sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 150 g (5 ⅓ oz / ½ cup + 3Tbsp) vegan block butter (NOT the spreadable kind. I use Naturli Vegan Block) cold and diced
- 1 Tbsp cold vodka (optional)
- ice water as needed
Frangipane:
- 80 g (2 ¾ oz / ⅓ cup + 2 tsp) vegan butter, melted or 80ml (⅓ cup) melted coconut oil (or olive/sunflower oil)
- 130 g (⅔ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
- 60 g (½ cup) plain flour
- 10 g (1 Tbsp) cornflour (cornstarch)
- 90 ml (6 Tbsp) aquafaba* (or non-dairy milk)
- 200 g (2 cups) ground almonds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp almond extract
To Assemble:
- about 6 Tbsp good quality raspberry jam
- 150 g (5 ⅓ oz / 1 heaped cup) fresh raspberries**
- a couple of handfuls of flaked almonds
Instructions
- Start by making the pastry. Place the flour, icing sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine (or whisk together in a mixing bowl).
- Add the cold, diced vegan butter and blend until it resembles fine breadcrumbs (or rub in to the flour using your fingertips).
- Add the cold vodka (if using) and mix to combine. Gradually add enough cold water to bring the pastry together into a ball. Shape the pastry into a disc (don't knead it), wrap and refrigerate for half an hour.
- Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface into a circle big enough to line a 25cm round tart tin. Press the pastry right into the corners then roll over the top with a rolling pin to trim off the excess.
- Prick the base of the pastry shell all over with a fork then place in the freezer for 20 minutes until solid. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
- Line the pastry case with tin foil, pressing it right into the corners then fill with baking beans or dried rice, making sure that the sides are propped up.
- Bake for 20 minutes then remove the tin foil and baking beans and return the tart shell to the oven for a further 10 minutes until pale golden. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- To make the frangipane, whisk together the melted butter or coconut oil and the sugar then whisk in the flour and cornflour.
- Gradually whisk in the aquafaba or milk then finally whisk in the ground almonds, baking powder and almond extract.
- Spread a layer of raspberry jam over the base of the pastry shell then spoon the frangipane on top and spread it level. Scatter over the fresh raspberries and flaked almonds.
- Bake the tart for 30-45 minutes until golden and the filling is set. You can loosely cover the tart with tin foil for the last 10-15 minutes of baking if it starts to get too dark before the filling is cooked.
- Allow to cool before serving. The tart is best eaten on the day it is baked but will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. If it is very warm out it should be stored in the fridge.
Notes
- For the best results make sure that you follow the recipe closely. As always, I highly recommend using the gram measurements (with a digital scale), rather than the cup conversions. Cup measurements are simply not accurate enough for baking and I cannot guarantee the best results if you use them.
- *To get aquafaba, just use the liquid drained from a tin of chickpeas or white beans.
- **If you want to use frozen raspberries instead of fresh you will need to toss them with 1 Tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) first then shake off the excess. Do not defrost them before baking, use them straight from the freezer.
- The frangipane recipe is adapted from one by the very talented Lazy Cat Kitchen
Mel
Amazing! Made it today, Need an excuse to make it again 😀
Jane Nunn
Absolutely gorgeous and so easy to make. Thank you
Vicky S Graboske
Question - When you use aquafaba in your recipe, are you whipping it first or just using the liquid?
hannahhossack
Hi Vicky, no need to whip, I just use it straight from the tin.
Vicky S Graboske
Thankyou!!
Jeanie
1st time ever making a pie, and it turned out great and tasted Amazing! Thank you for the recipe and tips!!!
Amy
Hi, I am new to vegan baking, this maybe a silly question but is jam vegan? I wasn't sure what the setting agent used in jam was.
Thank you
hannahhossack
Hi Amy, yes, jam is vegan. The setting agent is pectin which is derived from fruit. It is worth checking the specific brand to just be sure as some artisan jams may contain a bit of butter but the vast majority are safe.
Tara
Hi, I followed the recipe to the T but my frangipane was thick and not liquid like it shows in your picture. Do.you know why this might be? Thanks
Hannah
Hi Tara, do you mean before or after baking?
Christine
Hello Hannah,
I'm a fellow West-Midlander writing from Worcestershire. My husband's favourite cake is Bakewell Tart. It was his birthday yesterday and I followed your recipe and it came out perfectly! Looked impressive, tasted great. We both really enjoyed it.
Just wanted to say thanks so much. I'll be perfusing your other recipes now I've found you!
946797576
excited to try this, but i have a few questions to ask you! how much would the results differ between using soy milk and aquafaba for the frangipane? also, can i use a 20cm round tin instead? thank you beforehand 🙂
hannahhossack
I can't say that I really notice a difference between the two so just use whichever you prefer. 20cm is a fair bit smaller so your frangipane layer would probably be too thick if you used it all. The bake time is also likely to be different but I can't say how long without testing it.
Tara
Hi I mean the frangipane was thick before I baked it. Thanks
Vicki
Hi, I noticed only at the end of making this recipe that the conversions from grams to cups is completely inaccurate.
Very dissapointed as ny crust was too dry, and frangipane too thick due to this mistake.
Please correct this for future people baking this.
Otherwise seems to be tasty! Just wish I hadn't wasted a lot of expensive ingredients due to incorrect measurements.
hannahhossack
Hi Vicki, could you tell me which conversions you think are inaccurate as as far as I can tell they are all correct according to conversion charts. That is, they are as accurate as possible given that cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system that quite frankly should never be used for baking. As stated in the recipe notes, I always recommend using the gram measurements with a digital scale for the best results.
Jennifer
Hello! You are my fave vegan pastry chef.... and hello from Worcestershire!
Quick Q: Would COOKEEN work for the pastry? xx
Hannah
Hi Jennifer, Thank you so much! I've never used Cookeen before but I don't see why it wouldn't work.
Jennifer
Hello again,
Just so you know it worked perfectly! The pastry is super short & crumbly. But it was tricky to roll out once refrigerated so I had to let it warm up a little and add an extra splash of water.
Another incredible recipe!!! Thank you ♥️♥️♥️
Mita
Thanks for the recip
Ali
This is absolutely delicious! I hadn't made pastry before and didn't realise how little water it needs - I added about 5-6 tablespoons before I realised the dough was a bit wetter than it needed to be! As a result it was a little hard when baked and had shrunk a bit, but still tastes great and I know where I went wrong so can fix it next time! The filling is so tasty and turned out perfectly, I am so happy to have found such a delicious bakewell tart recipe! I will definitely make this again!
Ali
Just wanted to add that I made it again using only about 3 tablespoons of iced water until the dough only just comes together, and the pastry was perfect! I will be making this recipe again and again!
Tracy Thompson
Fab recipe. Easy to follow. Vodka in the pastry worked a treat!
First time made a Bakewell tart & a vegan one at that. Amazing. Love all your recipes!
Renee
Do you think this would freeze well??
Thank you
Hannah
Hi Renee, yes it should freeze fine.
Caroline Cruickshank
This was so good! Better than my attempt at a non-vegan Bakewell Tart. Your recipes are fantastic and I so appreciate them! My tart looked just like yours, which makes me ecstatic when a recipe is able to be perfectly replicated. Much love from Texas!!
Maya
This came out amazing! Another great recipe.
Jane B
Bakewell Tart is one of my favourite treats, and your recipe is fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing! Will definitely be making this again. It is now in my top five along with your ginger cake recipe.
Louise
Hi. I really want to make this but don’t have a tart tin but a porcelain dish. Will the tart cook ok in this type of dish. Thank you.
Hannah
Hi Louise, yes that should be fine, you just may not be able to remove the tart from the dish (no loose base).
Catherine
Yet another fantastic recipe! You clearly put so much effort into getting the recipes just right. Followed this one to the letter and it came out perfectly. I recommend your site to anyone who asks for reliable vegan baking recipes. Thank you!