If you are vegan, do you consider ‘ghee’ an acceptable food?  I see it in a lot of vegan recipes, but I guess it depends on how ‘hard core’ vegan you are?

Looking to create a niche for paleo and vegan foods in my home bakery, but need to know where to draw the line.  I’m thinking ‘loosely’ based, because I think of most desserts as an occasional indulgence...

So what do you think? Acceptable or no?

Ghee is clarified butter, butter comes from animals.

Anyone who considers themselves vegan, hardcore or not shouldn't be eating it. It is definitely an animal product.

That was my first thought and why I was curious!  It didn’t sound right to me.

To add due to some miscommunication on my part for anyone else that might bring it up, I would also include a list of ingredients for the ‘diet’ cakes that I’m playing with.

Another note... While I am not vegan, I have a friend that is... Some vegans also do not consume honey... Some do...

Vegans ( I am one)  are usually quite committed to avoiding animal products and would not be happy with misrepresentation. Non vegan foods include dairy, eggs and honey.   (some vegans are OK with honey since bee farming may be the best hope for saving the species as they are disappearing in the wild).  Agave syrup is one sub for honey.   Best to ask on an individual basis about honey.   Gelatin is also not vegan so be careful with fondant ingredients and marshmallows.  I bake exclusively vegan and have worked out some great vegan recipes that I like as much or more than my old non vegan recipes,  so it is entirely doable.  I recommend veganegg egg substitute, and earth balance butter substitute.  My absolute favorite fondant which I have been using for years is massa grischuna neutral which happily happens to be vegan.  Big fan of liqueurs as well, most of which are vegan. Hope that helps, and thanks for helping the planet!