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tower of 5 South African rusks stacked on top of each other on a white doily with a cup of tea in the background

South African Rusks

This South African rusk recipe offers a healthy and delicious take on the beloved crunchy bread cake. It's vegan, packed with whole grains and perfect with a hot cup of tea. 
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Course Breakfast & Sweets
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Rest Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 7 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 30

Ingredients

  • 4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 4 cup white flour
  • .5 tsp salt
  • 2.5 tbsp baking powder roughly 1 tsp per cup flour
  • 3 cup bran flakes cereal
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1 3/4 cup coconut oil
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 tbsp ground flaxseed to make 2 flaxseed eggs (or if not vegan, use 2 eggs)
  • 3 cup cashew yogurt (if not vegan, use Greek yogurt)
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

  • Start by making your flax eggs. You'll need either two eggs or two flax eggs, which are super quick and easy to make. Mix in a small bowl 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds (1 per "egg") with anywhere from 6-9 tablespoons of water. After 6 tbs, add one spoon at a time until you have a somewhat firm yet runny consistency.
    Let the flax eggs sit for about 10 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    In a large bowl, mix flours, salt and baking powder together (1 teaspoon baking powder per cup of flour, which is 8 teaspoons or roughly 2.5 tablespoons). Then, mix in your bran flakes, nuts and raisins.  
  • In a large glass bowl, melt coconut oil. You can microwave it, or heat separately in a small saucepan then pour it into a bowl. While the oil is warm, mix in the sugar to dissolve it a bit. When the oil and sugar is mixed well, whisk in flax eggs. Finish by adding yogurt and vanilla. 
  • Make sure the wet ingredients are mixed together very well, then add them to dry ingredients. Mix until just combined (don’t over-mix at this point).
  • Pour batter into a casserole dish lined with parchment paper. Bake for 1 hour until a toothpick comes out clean. 
  • Cool the rusk bread/cake for 10 minutes in the dish, then transfer to a wire cooling rack until completely cool (about 20 minutes). If you cut them while they're still hot, they will fall apart.
  • Cut rusk size pieces—basically rectangle cubes you can comfortably hold and dip into tea (about 1-2" x 1-2" x 3-4"). Go with your preference here.
  • Now the rusks need to dry. Drying times will vary depending on your method. If you're using an oven, try about 6 hours at 180 degrees. If you're using an air fryer, try 250 degrees for only 20 minutes. Every oven is a little bit different, so you'll have to do some estimating yourself and check that your rusks aren't burning every so often. If you're drying them in the oven, maybe set an alarm for every hour to check on them.
  • Once dry, store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a few months. 
Nutrition Facts
South African Rusks
Amount per Serving
Calories
312
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
16
g
25
%
Saturated Fat
 
11
g
69
%
Trans Fat
 
0.001
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
2
g
Cholesterol
 
1
mg
0
%
Sodium
 
176
mg
8
%
Potassium
 
183
mg
5
%
Carbohydrates
 
40
g
13
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
8
g
9
%
Protein
 
7
g
14
%
Vitamin A
 
104
IU
2
%
Vitamin C
 
0.3
mg
0
%
Calcium
 
96
mg
10
%
Iron
 
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.