Vegan Lemon Cake
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My vegan lemon cake recipe is light, fluffy, and full of citrusy flavor. It’s made in one bowl and covered in a silky lemon cream cheese frosting.
My keto lemon cake is one of my favorite citrus cakes, but when my partner needed to bring an egg-free cake to the office, he asked if I could make a vegan version- and I obliged.
Unfortunately, that particular lemon cake is too complicated to just remove the eggs, so I started with my popular vanilla cake (which is naturally vegan) and tweaked the liquid ingredients to add some fresh lemon juice. In testing, I found that using two tablespoons of lemon juice gave a pleasant lemon flavor and was enough to prevent a reaction with the baking soda and to avoid leaving the cake sour or bitter.
To intensify the lemon flavor, I like to add a little more lemon to the frosting, but that’s completely optional. The end result is a moist and fluffy cake with just the right amount of tang, and one to win your work colleagues over with. Just ask my partner.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Made in one bowl. Everything comes together in one bowl in about 5 minutes.
- No egg substitutes. No flax eggs, no chia eggs, nada. Instead, I use a little vinegar with the baking soda, yielding a light, tender crumb.
- Adjust the lemon flavor. If you’re a hardcore lemon head, you can add more than my suggested amount of lemon juice. If you prefer it milder, add less.
- Tastes like the real thing. My partner’s colleagues couldn’t believe it was vegan- no one ever can.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into this dairy free lemon cake, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour. Sifted to remove any clumps. Several readers asked if this could be made gluten-free, so I tested it with King Arthur Gluten Free flour, and it worked really well.
- Sugar. Any sugar works. I used white sugar, but brown sugar or coconut sugar could be used. The darker the sugar you use, the darker the cake will be.
- Baking soda. Gives the cake some rise and fluffiness. Baking powder won’t react with the vinegar the same way- the cake won’t rise as well and will be denser.
- Salt. Brings out the sweetness of the cake.
- White vinegar. Acts as a binding and leavening agent. You can also use apple cider vinegar.
- Oil. I used canola oil, but any neutral-flavored oil works, such as vegetable oil or refined coconut oil.
- Water (or milk). I typically use water, but unsweetened almond milk also works. I didn’t notice a difference between the two.
- Fresh lemon juice. Gives the lemon cake a gorgeous, tangy lemon flavor. Use fresh lemons so you can add the zest too. I don’t recommend bottled juice, as it can turn the cake bitter.
- Lemon extract. Brings out the lemon flavor even more. If you don’t have any lemon extract, you can use vanilla extract.
- Lemon zest. Optional but highly recommended for some extra lemon flavor.
For the lemon cream cheese frosting:
- Vegan butter. Choose a vegan butter from a block, not a spread. Blocks of butter are easier to mix and yield a creamier texture. I like the Miyokos brand because its texture is most similar to dairy butter.
- Vegan cream cheese. Softened to room temperature. Like the butter, choose the cream cheese from a block if possible (I swear by VioLife).
- Vanilla extract. A must for flavor.
- Lemon juice. Skip it entirely if you prefer a milder frosting- the cream cheese provides enough tang on its own.
- Powdered sugar. To thicken the frosting.
How to make a vegan lemon cake
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven and line a cake pan with parchment paper.
Step 2- Mix. In a large bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Whisk in the wet ingredients until smooth.
Step 3- Bake. Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean. Let the cake cool on a wire rack.
Step 4- Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and lemon juice until creamy. Fold in the powdered sugar until fluffy.
Step 5- Frost. Once the cake has cooled, frost it, slice it, and serve.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Make a layer cake. Double or triple the ingredients, and cover each cake layer with frosting. I make the triple-tiered version for birthdays. Freeze the layers for about 30 minutes before slicing. It makes it so much easier.
- Enhance the lemon flavor. Add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice or 1-2 teaspoons of lemon extract to the batter.
- Don’t swap water for more lemon juice. The water forms part of the batter structure. Replacing it with lemon juice makes the cake too sour and can affect the rise. Stick to the suggested amount of lemon juice and add lemon zest for more flavor instead.
- Cool completely before frosting. In testing, I found that vegan butter is more heat-sensitive than dairy butter. Even a slightly warm cake will melt the frosting.
- Block, not tub, for frosting. I mention this in the ingredients, but it’s worth repeating. Tub-style vegan butter and cream cheese have more water content in them, and the frosting will be runny and won’t hold its shape.
Variations
- Add mix-ins. Fold in ¼ cup of fresh berries, shredded coconut, or a few dollops of vegan lemon curd into the batter. I love folding in fresh blueberries. They burst during baking, adding pockets of sweetness that complement the lemon perfectly.
- Make a lemon glaze instead. Combine powdered sugar, almond milk, and lemon juice until smooth and glossy, then drizzle it over your cooled cake. It takes two minutes and makes the cake look extra elegant.
Storage instructions
To store: Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
To freeze: Wrap cake slices in plastic wrap, place them in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 6 months. Let the cake slices thaw overnight in the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
The cake may be crumbly if it was overmixed or if the batter was too dry. Only stir the cake batter until there are no lumps; if it’s pretty thick, add a splash of milk or water. It should be slightly thicker than pancake batter.
All-purpose or cake flour works best. I tested King Arthur Gluten Free flour, and it worked well. Just make sure it contains xanthan gum. Other alternative flours, like almond or coconut flour, would require the other ingredients to be significantly altered.
If the cake batter is too dry and thick, add a splash of milk or water. If the cake has already been baked, the best you can do is cover it in frosting…or use it to make my cake pops!
Yes, pour the batter into a lined cupcake tin and bake for 18-20 minutes. This recipe yields about 12 cupcakes.
Vegan Lemon Cake
Video
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar * See notes
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 5 tablespoons oil vegetable, canola, safflower etc.
- 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest optional, or lemon extract
Frosting
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese
- 1/2 cup vegan butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line an 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add your flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt, and mix well. Once mixed, add your vinegar, oil, water, lemon juice, lemon zest, and mix well.
- Transfer your lemon cake batter to the square pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out just clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan completely. Once cool, frost if desired.
- To make the frosting, beat together the vegan cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until smooth. Slowly add in the confectioners sugar until fluffy.
Notes
Nutrition
More vegan cake recipes
- Vegan birthday cake– Moist, fluffy, and with just enough sprinkles to bust out the candles.
- Vegan strawberry cake– Instead of food dye, I like to naturally color the cake with pureed strawberries.
- Vegan chocolate cake– The tried-and-true chocolate cake that even non-vegans prefer.
- Vegan German chocolate cake– I tested this cake 20 times to nail the filling.
Originally updated May 2023
Fantastic recipe, thank you!
I just made a couple alterations…1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1/4 cup granulated. Rather than lemon juice I used lemon zest marmalade (about 2 T). It was perfect with the lemon glaze. Going to return to this one often!
Eleni, thanks for making my recipe and leaving a lovely review. Lemon zest marmalade? YUM!! That would have such a fabulous and balanced lemon flavor. You’ve inspired me to have a go at making it.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
You wrote water in the recipe but the notes say milk or water, I feel like you should put milk in the recipe card. I used water and replaced with more lemon juice and it turned out very sour. I only read the milk in the article after I tried to figure out why my cake didn’t turn as great with a stiff crumb and no rise.
Hi Debbie! I actually tested this side by side with water and milk, but both turned out almost identical. I’m not surprised that your cake turned out too sour if you replaced some of the water with lemon juice. The water amount shouldn’t be varied, as it makes up part of the batter (especially 1/4 cup of lemon juice is already being added).
Love your recipes
Thanks Christine!
I have made this cake so many times. It is absolutely delicious , it is perfect to freeze. Thank you for a lovely Vegan cake recipe.
Hi Ann, thanks so much for taking the time to share this and you’re very welcome! I’m so glad you liked it, it’s always a hit with my vegan friends too!
Can this be made with almond and or coconut fliur and sugar free?
No, if you need it to be made low carb, I suggest making my keto lemon cake instead.
Hello, What cream cheese and butter do you use for this recipe? The links no longer work. Thanks so much!
Hi Erin- so sorry, I’ll fix them! It’s Kite Hill cream cheese and Violife butter. Miyokos is also my go-to .
Has anyone tried this recipe and made a multilayered cake out of it? Wondering how the crumb will hold up to frosting for an 8inch 3 layer cake with a 6inch 3 layer on top? Thanks!
Very easy cake and super delicious ! I grated lemon zest on top of frosting to accentuate the lemon taste. It definitely will be a keeper. Thank you.