Vegan Arretjes Cake

Arretjescake is a traditional Dutch "no-bake" cake that originated in the early 20th century. Traditionally, the cake is a dense, cold suspension of butter, sugar, cocoa, and biscuits, bound together by raw eggs. In this modified recipe, the raw eggs are replaced with a mixture of water and custard powder. This method not only makes the dish suitable for a vegan diet (provided plant-based butter and biscuits are used) but also eliminates food safety concerns regarding the consumption of raw eggs. Check out our other delicious vegan cakes and pie recipes!

Image: Home Made Vegan Arretjes Cake Recipe, ready for testing.

Ingredients for Vegan Arretjes Cake

• 200g (7 oz) Plant-based butter (Use the hard block kind, not the spreadable stuff).

• 200g (1 cup) White Caster sugar (or light brown sugar).

• 50g (½ cup) Unsweetened cocoa powder.

• 300g (10.5 oz) Maria biscuits (dry biscuits).

The Egg Replacer:

• 150ml (⅝ cup) Water

• 2 generous tbsp (18g) Custard powder (Cornstarch-based vanilla pudding powder).

• Optional: A pinch of salt or a drop of vanilla extract.

Instructions

1. First, we need to make the egg replacer. Grab a small saucepan. Mix your custard powder (18g or 2 generoes tbsp) with a tiny splash of the 150ml (⅝ cup) water to make a smooth paste (no lumps allowed). Pour in the rest of the water and heat it up while whisking like your life depends on it. It will transform to a thick yellow gloop in minutes. While it is still warm, melt your (plant-based) butter (200g or 7 oz) into the mixture. Optionally add a pinch of salt and some vanilla extract. Once it's liquid, turn off the heat.

2. In a bowl, mix the sugar (200g or 1 cup) and cocoa powder (50g or ½ cup) together. Dump this mix into your melted butter/custard mix and whisk. Stir until you have a dark, glossy, chocolatey sludge.

3. Take your biscuits (300g or 10.5 oz). You can break them politely by hand into small chunks, or you can put them in a towel and smack them. You want chunks, not dust—aim for "bite-sized debris."

4. Dump the biscuits into the chocolate sludge. Fold them in gently until every single crumb is coated in chocolate darkness. Then squeeze it into a loaf-shaped cake tin.

Image: the making of the vegan version of arretjes cake, without raw egg!

6. Waiting... Line a cake tin with cling film or baking paper. No need to do this when you use silicone baking forms! Scoop the mixture in and press it down firmly. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon so it looks professional and sprinke with chocolate sprinkles. Put it in the fridge. Now comes the hardest part: wait. You need at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. If you cut it too soon, you will have Arretjes-soup.

7. Once it’s rock hard, lift it out using the foil/paper. Or cut the edges free from your silicone shape and place upside-down. Slice it into thin pieces (it’s heavy stuff). Serve cold and accept the compliments. Don't forget to check out our other pastry recipes for inspiration!

Nutritional Information

Nutrient	Full Recipe (approx. 920g)	Per Slice (1/20 - approx. 46g)
Calories	4,280 kcal	214 kcal
Total Fat	224g	11.2g
Saturated Fat	108g	5.4g
Total Carbohydrates	536g	26.8g
Sugars	304g	15.2g
Fiber	22g	1.1g
Protein	32g	1.6g
Salt	3.6g	0.18g
Sodium	1,420mg	71mg