Vegan Spoon Bread (Mexican Corn Cake)

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This vegan spoon bread, also known as Mexican corn cake, is an amazing side for dinner or even brunch! Super simple to make and a great cornbread alternative.

A serving dish of vegan spoon bread uncut and drizzled with agave.

There used to be this Mexican restaurant called Don Pablo’s that served spoon bread. Now, we had no idea what spoon bread was, but once you tried it, you couldn’t go back to the restaurant without ordering more than one spoon bread order. Now of course, this wasn’t vegan spoon bread.

We wanted to recreate this dish, one because Don Pablo’s is no longer a restaurant, but also for those that have never had this, especially now being vegan. There is a lot of butter used, so the original recipe definitely isn’t vegan.

What we ended up creating was what we think is even better than the original version and we truly hope that you will love it.

If you love cornbread, you will love this recipe!

Also in our research it appears that this is a traditional Mexican dish. Sometimes it is referred to as Mexican Sweet Corn Cake or just Corn Cake, while a traditional name appears to be Tomalito. It is likely from this dish that the original restaurant we had it at got the idea.

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An ice cream scoop of vegan spoon bread on top of a casserole dish.

VEGAN SPOON BREAD INGREDIENTS:

Below are notes about the ingredients before we get into the full recipe located lower in this post on how to make these vegan Mexican corn cake:

corn flour and cornmeal – the base of the dish is a mixture of corn flour and cornmeal. The combination of the two leads to a fluffy, light and airy texture that will make you wonder what other amazing creations you can make to combine these two things together
vegan butter – The richness of the dish is what we get when we add vegan butter and yes it’s a lot of it.
vegan milk – any plant based milk will work, we do recommend that you use unflavored and unsweetened non-dairy milk
creamed corn – this is the canned corn that is not just the kernels. Do not get them confused, because the dish will not be the same if you only use the kernels
vegan cane sugar – we are using vegan sugar. to learn more about why your sugar may not be vegan, read our post here.
canned coconut cream – this is the thick part on the top of canned coconut milk. Some locations have where you can buy just the coconut cream as well. Our favorite brand is actually the Good & Gather brand from Target
baking powder – helps the dish rise and asks as the leavening agent
kosher salt – just a little in the dish to really make those flavors pop
agave and/or vegan cheese for topping – Either and or both will help take the dish to the next level

Substitutions and Variations:

corn flour and cornmeal – You can sub masa harina for the corn flour, but we recommend using the cornmeal
vegan butter – We highly highly highly recommend not subbing this. You can use some applesauce if trying to reduce, but we have not tested this and cannot confirm if it will work. Alternatively, if you just can’t get vegan butter where you live you could try subbing with coconut oil
vegan milk – water could be subbed if needed
creamed corn – do not substitute this
vegan cane sugar – coconut sugar could be subbed in equal parts
canned coconut cream – any non-dairy milk could be subbed here, but we would recommend trying to find a thicker one like Extra Creamy Oat Milk

Vegan spoon bread plated on white plates.

Frequently Asked Questions for Vegan Spoon Bread:

When is this typically served?

There’s no wrong answer here. Typically for dinner or brunch as a side. However, it could be a snack, dessert, or even breakfast side!

Can I make this Top 9 Allergen Free?

Make sure to use a soy free vegan butter like Flora or Earth Balance soy free. Other than that just sub the coconut cream for any other non-dairy milk. We would recommend trying to find a thicker one like Extra Creamy Oat Milk

Can I make this oil free?

We do not recommend omit all of the vegan butter. While we haven’t tested it, you could reduce some of the vegan butter with maybe applesauce, but the dish need the fat and richness.

What’s the difference between spoon bread and cornbread?

Spoon bread is like the bread pudding version of cornbread. It’s more moist and much lighter. It’s not a handheld version and you eat it with a fork or a spoon.

How long is vegan spoon bread good for?

This dish will last 3-5 days in the fridge in an air tight container. After that it begins to loose its moisture and dry out.

Can I freeze vegan spoon bread?

Yes! Let cool completely and then place in a freezer safe container. Use within 3 months. Let thaw completely before reheating.

How do I reheat vegan spoon bread?

You can place into the microwave for 30-60 seconds or you can place into the oven at 350 degrees F for 8-12 minutes or until heated throughout.

Why is a water bath needed?

Place the dish inside a water bath and then cooking helps for the steam released to slowly and evenly cook the spoon bread instead of very quickly rising and potentially falling. You will find a much more enjoyable vegan spoon bread this way.

A white serving plate of vegan spoon bread.

Sheet Pan vegan cauliflower fajitas with sliced avocado and lime wedges.

What other vegan meal ideas could I serve this with?

Honestly, this can go with so many dishes, but here are a few that we think you will love!

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