Vegan Piernik (Polish Gingerbread)

Name: Vegan Piernik (Polish Gingerbread)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 250 g (10 Tablespoons) golden syrup (or vegan honea); 150 g (¾ cup) light or dark brown sugar; 250 g (1 cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy); 1 ¼ teaspoons cider or white wine vinegar; 100 g (⅓ cup + 2 Tablespoons) vegan block butter (melted); ¾ teaspoon baking powder; ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda); 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder ((optional)); 1 Tablespoon cocoa powder; 2 teaspoons ground ginger; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg; ½ teaspoon ground allspice; ½ teaspoon ground cloves; ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 325 g (2 + ⅔ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour; about 200 g (⅔ cup) jam (I use blackcurrant); 200 g (7 oz) marzipan; 150 g (5 oz) dark chocolate (finely chopped); 10 g (2 teaspoons) coconut oil; a couple of handfuls chopped nuts ((optional))

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Vegan Piernik - this vegan version of Polish gingerbread cake is easy to make, moist, spicy and very festive!

Filled with layers of jam and marzipan and topped with chocolate, it is also a very attractive cake to make for the holidays.

Vegan Piernik on top of a metal tray in front of a Christmas tree.

What Is Piernik?

Piernik refers to a variety of types of gingerbread popular in Poland and neighbouring countries. Like other types of gingerbread it can be a cake or more of a cookie. The word 'piernik' comes from 'pierny', which is old Polish for 'peppery'.

The thing that sets piernik apart from other types of gingerbread is that it is made with honey, and many recipes do not actually contain ginger, the focus is more on the other spices.

It may or may not be sandwiched with jam (commonly plum), and a nut or semolina based cream and may be topped with chocolate or ganache.

The most traditional type of piernik, Piernik Staropolski, is made with a dough that is aged for 2-8 weeks before baking, but many recipes make more of a quick bread version, as is this recipe.

While this vegan piernik may not be entirely traditional as obviously it cannot be made with honey, it is still a really delicious festive treat. It has a moist, fluffy texture and a rich, deeply spiced flavour.

I layered it up with blackcurrant jam as the sharp flavour works really well with the sweet, spicy cake; but you could use any flavour of jam you like, damson or plum would be most traditional. Instead of the nut cream I used marzipan for ease, and topped the cake with melted chocolate and some chopped nuts.

This is a wonderful cake to make for Christmas and it is not only incredibly tasty, but it looks really attractive too.

A labelled photo of the ingredients needed to make vegan piernik.

Ingredient Details:

Golden syrup: Instead of the honey I use golden syrup as it has the same consistency and sweetness level as well as a delicious flavour. You could also use vegan honea instead.

Brown sugar: I recommend using brown sugar for flavour and moisture. Either light or dark is fine.

Milk: You can use any kind you like but it should ideally be unsweetened and soy milk is best as it has the highest protein content.

Vinegar: This reacts with the bicarbonate of soda to help the cake rise and give it a light texture. I use either apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar. You can also use lemon juice instead.

Vegan butter: Ideally you want to use a block variety with a fat content of at least 75% rather than the spreadable kind in a tub which has too high a water content. You could probably use 100ml of oil instead but I haven't tested that.

Baking powder and soda: Using both baking powder and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) will give you the best rise and texture. Don't swap one for the other, you will not get the same result.

Spices: I use ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, cardamom and black pepper. You can vary the spices to suit you, or use a gingerbread spice blend instead of the individual spices.

Cocoa powder: Many piernik recipes include a small amount of cocoa powder to help give depth of flavour. You can omit it if you don't have any.

Espresso powder: This also helps add a deep flavour, you can omit it if you want though.

Plain flour: Plain (all-purpose) flour is best. I haven't tested this gluten-free.

Jam: I like blackcurrant; damson or plum would be most traditional but you can use any kind you like.

Marzipan: If you don't want to use marzipan then you can just use another layer of jam instead.

Dark chocolate: Ideally no more than 70% dark.

Coconut oil: Adding a little coconut oil to the chocolate helps make it runnier and easier to pour over the cake. You can omit it if you don't have any.

Three slices of vegan Piernik on white plates.

How To Make Vegan Piernik:

(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)

Step 1: Whisk together the golden syrup, brown sugar, milk, vinegar and melted butter in a large bowl.

Step 2: Whisk in the baking powder and soda, espresso powder, cocoa powder and spices, followed by the plain flour.

Step 3: Pour the batter into a lined 23 x 33 cm cake tin and spread level. Bake for 25 minutes.

Step 4: Once the cake has cooled completely, trim off the edges and cut it widthways into 3 equal pieces. Trim off the tops of the cakes to level them so they are completely flat.

Step 4, a two image collage of trimming and levelling the cake.

Step 5: Roll the marzipan out into a rectangle and trim the edges so that it is exactly the same size as the cake. Spread a very thin layer of jam over one of the cake layers. Place the marzipan on top of the jam covered cake, spread another thin layer of jam on top of the marzipan and place another cake layer on top.

Step 5, a four image collage of adding the marzipan.

Step 6: Spread a thick layer of jam on top of the cake and place the final cake layer on top.

Step 6, a two image collage of adding the jam layer.

Step 7: Melt the chocolate and coconut oil together and pour it over the top of the cake. Use the back of a spoon to encourage it to drip down the sides.

Vegan Piernik on a metal tray in front of a Christmas tree with one slice cut.

Top Tips:

USE SCALES. As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scales rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!

Make sure that you don't over-beat the batter as that can make the cake tough. Just mix it until no dry lumps remain. I recommend stirring it by hand with a balloon whisk.

Instead of just drizzling melted chocolate over the cake you could make a ganache instead, in which case you could spread it over the whole of the cake (top and sides) with a palette knife.

I topped my vegan piernik with some chopped nuts. If you want to do this, scatter them over before the chocolate sets so that they stick.

FAQ's:

How should I store vegan piernik?

I prefer to store it in a covered container in the fridge because of the jam; where it will keep for around 5 days.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, ideally you would freeze just the cake (so before you add the fillings). Wrap it well to prevent freezer burn and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost at room temperature. In a pinch you can freeze the whole assembled cake however.

More Vegan Gingerbread Recipes:

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5 from 2 votes