A cake-like vegan dandelion bread infused with the deliciousness of dandelion flowers!
Make this delicious vegan dandelion bread and you will never look at a dandelion with a jaundiced eye again. The bread is tender, with a soft cake-like crumb, it slices beautifully, and it tastes so good that you'll want to make it again and again.
If you're a gardener, you probably react to dandelions much as I once did--yank out the suckers before they ruin my yard! But if you're also a cook and a baker, there are lots of reasons you should grow to love them, like this delicious vegan dandelion bread.
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The bread is infused with the translucent yellow petals of the dandelion flower and with the sweetness of coconut milk. The dandelion flowers add a honey-like sweetness and beautiful color to the bread, but that's not all: they also add superfood nutritional value.
Once I had set aside my prejudice against dandelions I grew to love them. Now a carpet of dandelions makes me smile. Everything about a dandelion is wonderful: the root, the leaves and the flowers are all edible and among the healthiest things you can consume, and spring, when dandelions are plentiful, is a great time to do so. I hope you'll try this dandelion bread and tell me all about it!
Spotlight on dandelions
If you think about it, nature gives us all the encouragement we need to eat healthy. Why else are dandelions so abundant? I am not yet an avid forager for wild edible plants (except dandelions), mainly because I don't know enough about them to feel comfortable that I won't poison my family, but it's something I hope to learn someday because just think about it: dandelions, sunchokes, purslane, wild onions, even mushrooms--these are some of the best foods we can put into our bodies and they grow wild all around us. What's more, they are all delicious and they can be cooked in so many ways.
Dandelions are perhaps the most ubiquitous of this lot and amazingly, nearly the entire plant can be consumed (other than the stems of the flowers which tend to be bitter with a milky substance). Nutritionists say dandelions are even more nourishing than spinach and kale. They are packed with antioxidants, vitamins A, C and K, calcium, potassium and folate, and can help control blood sugar and cholesterol, as well as reduce inflammation in the body. Dandelions are also among the most prebiotic foods, with fiber that helps populate your gut with good bacteria.
When you pick dandelions, make sure you do so in an area you know is not sprayed for pesticides or weed killers. As spring bloomers dandelions are also important for early pollinators, so make sure you don't strip an area clean of dandelions when you pick them--leave plenty behind for the bees.
I usually add tender dandelion leaves foraged from my backyard (and bought at the market in winter) to curries, scrambles, pastas and salads. Dandelions are great in Indian foods as well, and their slight bitterness makes them especially suited to foods where you'd add fenugreek leaves, or methi.
I've not actually used dandelion root in my cooking but I believe that when dried and roasted it makes a great tea. You can also cook with the roots and that's next on my list.
As for the flowers: I started collecting dandelion flowers in my backyard and drying them this spring mainly to make oil infusions for salves. But then I read more and more about how the flowers are sweet and amazing in desserts (you can even use them to make a vegan "honey").
The more I researched dandelion flowers and their nutritive value (according to some accounts they are even more nutritious than the leaves), the more I was in love. And that's where the idea for this dandelion bread was born.
Why you'll love this vegan dandelion bread
- It's delicious. I'll be honest. Having never cooked with the flowers before I was a bit wary when I took my first bite. But once I had taken a bite I couldn't stop, it was so good. The dandelion flowers add a rich, honey-like sweetness and they are barely discernible in the bread. The optional lemony glaze is a perfect complement to that sweetness. Even Jay, who looks at me cynically each time I sing the praises of dandelions, gobbled down slice after slice and told me, his mouth full: "It's really good, mom."
- It's so pretty. It's hard to make loaf cakes look good, with a few exceptions like this stunning vegan cardamom turmeric cake or this vegan chocolate bread. But the pretty yellow of the dandelion flowers makes this bread a showstopper. I will add that one reason my bread has a lovely yellow tint is because I used some of my infused dandelion flower oil in the recipe. You don't need it, and you can use any vegetable oil, but you probably won't get the same color without it. If you are interested, I'll tell you how to make the oil in the recipe notes below and in the FAQs. You can use the oil both in your cooking and for topical applications like salves and cosmetics.
- It's easy to make. This is a one-bowl, dump and go recipe and if you follow instructions you should find it quite foolproof.
- Dandelion flowers add a dash of health. I won't pretend this is health food because we do have white flour and sugar in this recipe, but the dandelion flowers mix in some antioxidant-rich goodness, making each bite a little more healthful than it would otherwise be. There's also a good squeeze of lemon in here, which plays beautifully with the sweetness of the dandelion, and the coconut milk.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dandelion flower petals
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour. You can use whole wheat pastry flour for a healthier bread.
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil. If you have the time, infuse the oil with dandelions for a lovely yellow hue to the bread. (For instructions on how to make a dandelion oil see FAQs below).
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ cup sugar
For the optional lemon glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
How to make vegan dandelion bread
- Preheat the oven: Preheat to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C.
- Prepare a loaf pan: Prepare a loaf pan by brushing it with oil.
- Separate and wash the dandelion petals: Separate the yellow petals only for use in the bread and discard the rest of the flower. (Each yellow "petal" of a dandelion is a flower itself with the entire "flower" head being a collection of multiple flowers--but that's a botany lesson for another day). You should have a cup of dandelion petals. I prefer to wash the petals in a strainer after separating them, I just find it easier, but you can wash the flowers first and then separate the petals if you wish.
- Whisk dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl whisk the dry ingredients together--the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Add wet ingredients: To the bowl add the vegetable oil, coconut milk, lemon juice, dandelion petals and sugar.
- Mix the batter: Use a spatula to mix the batter until everything is incorporated and there are no dry streaks of flour. Don't overmix--stop once all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Scrape batter into loaf pan. Use the spatula to smooth the top.
- Bake: Bake the loaf for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool and unmold. I wait until the bread has cooled on a rack for an hour before I unmold it. Run a knife along the edges of the bread to make sure it unmolds easily. You can continue cooling it on the rack.
Make the optional lemon glaze
The glaze is not necessary but I highly recommend it because it really complements the sweet cake.
- To make the glaze whisk all ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Pour the glaze over the bread after it has cooled and after unmolding it. Wait for the glaze to dry before slicing.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: The bread will keep nicely in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: To freeze the bread place the whole loaf or slices in an airtight container. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw before serving.
Frequently asked questions
A dandelion oil infusion is not necessary in this recipe, you can just use any unflavored vegetable oil, but the oil adds a lovely yellow hue to the bread--and more nutrition. To make dandelion oil pick dandelion flowers and dry them thoroughly by spreading them on a baking sheet. Leave them alone for a week. Then pack the flowers into a jar and cover with any edible oil of your choice (I use grapeseed oil). Make sure the flowers are thoroughly dry when they go into the jar and they are covered by the oil to prevent any mold formation. Leave the jar alone for two weeks (except to shake it occasionally) then filter the oil through a cheesecloth or coffee filter. It should have a lovely yellow hue. You can also do a quicker infusion by placing the jar of dandelion flowers and oil in a double boiler or bain marie and letting the oil and flowers infuse for an hour before straining.
Yes, sliced almonds would be perfect in this bread and would go nciely with its delicate flavor of the dandelion bread.
Yes! I do like the slight acidity that the lemon brings to the recipe, which plays nicely with the sweetness of the dandelions. But orange juice would be nice here as well and would add a lovely hue of its own to the bread. You can also use orange juice in the glaze.
Related recipes
Vegan Dandelion Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup dandelion petals
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil (or dandelion oil. See FAQs or recipe notes to see how to make this)
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
- ¾ cup sugar
For optional lemon glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C.
- Prepare a loaf pan: Prepare a loaf pan by brushing it with oil.
- Separate and wash the dandelion petals: Separate the yellow petals only for use in the bread and discard the rest of the flower. (Each yellow "petal" of a dandelion is a flower itself with the entire "flower" head being a collection of multiple flowers--but that's a botany lesson for another day). You should have a cup of dandelion petals. I prefer to wash the petals in a strainer after separating them, I just find it easier, but you can wash the flowers first and then separate the petals if you wish.
- Whisk dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl whisk the dry ingredients together--the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Add wet ingredients: To the bowl add the vegetable oil, coconut milk, lemon juice, dandelion petals and sugar.
- Mix the batter: Use a spatula to mix the batter until everything is incorporated and there are no dry streaks of flour. Don't overmix--stop once all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Scrape batter into loaf pan. Use the spatula to smooth the top.
- Bake: Bake the loaf for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool and unmold. I wait until the bread has cooled for at least an hour before I unmold it. Run a knife along the edges of the bread to make sure it unmolds easily. You can continue cooling it on the rack,
Recipe notes
- The nutrition information does not include dandelion petals because I couldn't find any definitive source of information that listed nutrient values for the petals. The petals wouldn't likely add any significant amount of calories but they would add more nutrients and minerals.
- You can add sliced almonds to this bread if you wish and they would go nicely with the delicate flavor of the dandelion bread.
- A dandelion oil infusion is not necessary in this recipe, you can just use any unflavored vegetable oil, but the oil adds a lovely yellow hue to the bread--and more nutrition. To make dandelion oil pick dandelion flowers and dry them thoroughly by spreading them on a baking sheet. Leave them alone for a week. Then pack the flowers into a jar and cover with any edible oil of your choice (I use grapeseed oil). Make sure the flowers are thoroughly dry when they go into the jar and they are covered by the oil to prevent any mold formation. Leave the jar alone for two weeks (except to shake it occasionally) then filter the oil through a cheesecloth or coffee filter. It should have a lovely yellow hue. You can also do a quicker infusion by placing the jar of dandelion flowers and oil in a double boiler or bain marie and letting the oil and flowers infuse for an hour before straining.
- Refrigerate: The bread will keep nicely in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: To freeze the bread place the whole loaf or slices in an airtight container. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw before serving.
Charlie
Thank you for caring and sharing. I have a yard full of this yellow gold and will be making this, this week. Much Love
Vaishali
Awesome, hope you enjoy it as much as we did! For me picking the flowers was as much of a fun experience as eating the bread. 🙂
Nupur
Vaishali- how interesting! I've heard of eating dandelion greens but never dandelion flowers. My kids love foraging for chantarelle mushrooms. My 10 year old is an expert at distinguishing chantarelles from other possibly-poisonous mushrooms. She collects and eats pounds of them!
Vaishali
Hi Nupur, that sounds amazing, both that she is an expert at foraging mushrooms at such an early age and that she loves eating them! I still can't get Jay to love mushrooms despite my best efforts. 🙂