Veganuary: I started a cruelty-free and gluten-free baking business but I'm not fully vegan

Helen Blake shares her tips for trying Veganuary - as we take a look at how she bakes her beautiful vegan treats from her home kitchen.

Helen, from Lytham, explains that her cakes and desserts are all made by herself, using dairy-free substitutes for ingredients like eggs and butter.

Although she’s always loved baking, Helen turned her hand to vegan treats when she realised some of her neighbours were missing out. She explains: “I thought if I was going to open a little business then I should have a niche, and there seemed to be a need for it, and I really enjoy doing it.”

WATCH: Roots of Change: The Veganuary Revolution.

Helen sells her vegan and gluten-free deserts at the Fairhaven Lake cafe, and also makes cakes to order - including for children’s birthday parties. Helen adds: “I’ve been surprised by how many orders I get because children have gluten or dairy intolerances. So, not because of any ethical reasons, but because they have an allergy to products that you’d use in normal baking.”

Her social media pages, under the name Vea Curious Baking, are full of eye-catching celebration cakes that rival many traditional non-vegan bakers. And she aims to show that being vegan doesn’t have to mean missing out. “Fondant’s great, it’s like modelling clay and you can stick all sorts of things on cakes and they look fantastic.”

Helen says she is a pescatarian, but will be joining in with Veganuary. As many other people think about trying a meat and dairy-free lifestyle, the Lytham baker says it’s fine to take ‘baby steps’ and that it’s surprising how many vegan-friendly products are available. “I’ve cut out meat, but I still have fish and dairy but it’s been a step in the right direction for me. There’s lots of things we eat naturally, like chick peas and nuts, so just eat more of them and reduce the amount of meat you have”.

The video clip above is taken from Roots of Change: The Veganuary Revolution. Watch the full show on Shots! TV at https://www.shotstv.com/watch/vod/52745937