This vegan lemon cake is a plant-based makeover of a traditional favorite. It is fluffy and moist, bursting with zesty lemon flavor, and loaded with gorgeous poppy seeds. This is a dessert that's guaranteed to impress!
One of the reasons why I love lemon desserts is that they always signal the coming of spring and summer. They evoke lightness, freshness, and a whimsical mood. What's not to love?
And so I had to try my hand and creating the perfect vegan lemon cake. And I'm pretty sure I've succeeded with this one.
This lemon cake practically melts in your mouth. It's perfectly moist, fluffy, with just a slightly crunchy exterior. The light sweetness of the maple syrup balances out the tangy lemon. And the poppy seeds look pretty, and add a delightful texture.
This vegan lemon cake is:
- Moist.
- Fluffy and light.
- Spongey.
- With a crunchy outside.
- Perfect as cake for breakfast!
- Great for Easter.
- Ideal for parties and entertaining.
- Undetectably vegan.
- Light and refreshing.
- Tangy.
- Gluten-free.
- Easy to make and fuss-free.
Serve the vegan lemon cake by itself, or with a dollop of peanut butter. Bring it along to parties to impress the guests, or enjoy as an afternoon snack or indulgent weekend breakfast. Anything works, really!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Gluten-free flour. I tried this with recipe with oat flour, which makes a nice, hearty loaf, but it’s not as moist.
- Poppy seeds. Be generous with this, as they’re one of the star ingredients of this recipe!
- Baking powder.
- Vegan cream cheese. I personally like the Miyoko's or Violife brands.
- Lemon zest.
- Unsweetened plant based milk of your choice.
- Lemon juice. Use fresh if possible, as this achieves the best flavor profile.
- Coconut oil. Olive oil works too for getting that perfect moist texture.
- Maple syrup.
- Vanilla extract.
- Flax egg. Simply ground flaxseed and water, left to stand aside for around 10 minutes.
How to Make Vegan Lemon Cake (Step by Step)
STEP 1: Preheat a conventional oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F.
STEP 2: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, poppyseeds, and baking powder.
STEP 3: In a separate mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the vegan cream cheese, lemon zest, plant based milk, lemon juice, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and the flax egg.
STEP 5: Add the wet ingredients to the dry, but make sure not to over-mix as this will undermine the fluffiness of the loaf.
STEP 6: Transfer the batter to a loaf tin lined with baking paper. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Leave to cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes before serving.
FAQs
Is this recipe gluten-free? Yes, as long as you use a certified gluten-free flour!
Can I make this oil-free? I tried this without oil and it still works, but is not as moist. You can also replace the oil with aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas).
How do I store this lemon cake? Leave it in the fridge, covered, for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to around 1.5 months.
More Vegan Desserts
If you love this vegan lemon cake, be sure to check out these other delicious recipes:
Equipment
- Conventional oven
- Mixing bowl x2
- Whisk
- Loaf tin
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups gluten-free flour
- 3 tbsp poppy seeds
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup vegan cream cheese, storebought or homemade
- ¼ cup lemon zest
- ⅓ cup plant based milk
- 3 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- ½ cup maple syrup + additional ⅓ cup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 2 tbsp water, stirred together and set aside for 10 minutes)
Instructions
- Preheat a conventional oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, poppyseeds, and baking powder.
- In a separate mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the vegan cream cheese, lemon zest, plant based milk, lemon juice, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and the flax egg.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry, but make sure not to over-mix as this will undermine the fluffiness of the loaf.
- Transfer the batter to a loaf tin lined with baking paper. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Leave to cool on a cooling rack for 15 minutes before serving.
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