Crispy on the outside and light and fluffy inside, these vegan waffles taste just like cake batter. Quick and easy to make, they’re a delightful treat for brunch or any special occasion.
Being vegan doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy indulgent comfort foods. These vegan cake batter waffles are a perfect example: they show that plant-based eating can include fun, nostalgic flavors. Instead of a smoothie bowl or avocado toast, sometimes you want something more playful — like waffles that taste like cake and are topped with rainbow sprinkles. They’re an easy way to treat yourself and still keep things dairy-free.
Sprinkles bring a bit of joy to breakfast — they’re mostly decorative, but they make a big impact. Many brands now make vegan sprinkles, so they’re easier to find than ever. Using cake mix blended into the batter gives these waffles that unmistakable cake-batter flavor and a soft, tender crumb inside with a satisfyingly crisp exterior.
The recipe is incredibly simple to assemble and uses common pantry ingredients. With one bowl for the dry mix and a quick whisk for the wet ingredients, the batter comes together in minutes. My family loves them for weekend brunch, and kids especially adore the colorful sprinkles.
These waffles are a fun treat for birthdays and celebrations — a small candle on top makes them extra festive. They’re also a quick weekday indulgence: about five minutes of prep and roughly ten minutes of cooking yields warm, fluffy waffles ready to top with maple syrup, vegan frosting, or coconut whipped cream.
Below is the full recipe with ingredients and step-by-step instructions so you can make these at home.
Vegan Cake Batter Waffles
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 C. All purpose flour
- 2/3 C. Vegan vanilla cake mix
- 3 Tbsp. Cane sugar
- 1 tsp. Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 4 Tbsp. Flax meal
- 6 Tbsp. Water
- 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 C. Almond milk (or other plant milk)
- 3 Tbsp. Vegetable oil
- 1/3-1/2 C. Vegan rainbow sprinkles
- Non-stick spray
Instructions
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In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, vegan cake mix, cane sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In a small bowl combine the flax meal and water to make flax “eggs.” Stir and let sit a few minutes until slightly thickened (this replaces two eggs).
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In a medium bowl whisk together the flax eggs, vanilla, almond milk, and vegetable oil until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients.
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Stir the wet and dry ingredients until just combined, then fold in the vegan sprinkles. Use 1/3 cup for a subtle sprinkle effect or 1/2 cup for more color.
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Preheat your waffle iron and spray it with non-stick spray. Pour about 1/3 cup of batter per waffle (adjust to your iron size) and cook according to your waffle iron’s instructions until golden and crisp. Serve immediately with maple syrup, vegan frosting, or coconut whipped topping and extra sprinkles.
Enjoy these waffles as a playful weekend breakfast, a special birthday morning, or whenever you want a simple, nostalgic treat that happens to be vegan. They’re easy to make, kid-approved, and irresistibly fun.