Vegan Lemon Cake
This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
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
eggs add a richness in flavor, improve texture, and can help with leavening, all of which are desirable in baking. This recipe may be good without eggs but if you could use eggs to make it even better, why not if there is no sensitivity or allergy? I was just looking for a dairy free recipe due to an allergy but I mostly find vegan recipes.
Reminder to speak kindly to people even if it’s from behind a keyboard.
Why on earth would you want to add eggs to an egg-less cake recipe??? The cake is delicious as is… It doesn’t need eggs! 🤦🏼♀️
How would I alter this if I wanted to use eggs in the recipe?
Not sure- haven’t tried it with eggs.
This was seriously the best lemon cake I ever had! I can’t believe no eggs needed to be harmed in the making of such a delicious cake! And the kicker is I used 100% whole wheat pastry flour. I made the cake in my bundt pan, then while it cooled, I poked holes in it with a chopstick and poured a glaze of remaining lemon juice mixed with sugar. After it cooled, I turned it out of the pan and served as is. Everyone loved it. Thanks for this amazing recipe.
Hello, can’t wait to try this recipe! How would you adjust the ingredients if you wanted it to be oil free as well? Would applesauce work? Or if the cake really needs oil, could I swap out coconut oil instead?
You can try applesauce- any other oil works.
Hello, can’t wait to try this recipe! How would you adjust the ingredients if you wanted it to be oil free as well? Would applesauce work?
That works
Very happy with this recipe. Love gluten free vegan cake!
This is by far the best lemon cake I’ve ever had. Taste and texture are perfect! I put 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of water and I folded some blueberries in as you suggested and did a vegan buttercream icing. It was AWESOME!Super easy and quick to make. Thank you for this beautiful recipe.
Hi there, does a sugar substitute work, such as allulose? Thanks
Will this work as a bundt cake? I’d love to try this with a simple glaze but not sure if it would hold up well.
I don’t see why not
Does this work with juice of lemon in the jar from the grocery store or do you recommend fresh from the fruit?
Either works 🙂
I cannot believe how easy this was to make! This might be the moistest cake I’ve ever made. Super delicious
Dear Arman.
Hope you are keeping well.
I note that you made this Vegan Lemon Cake recipe and baked it in a flat square tin, as a single layer cake.
Do you think it would be okay to make the cake into a multi-layer, 6” or 8” cake, rather than just a single layer cake?
If so, would you recommend baking the cake layers in separate tins, rather than in one tin, and ‘slicing’ into layers?
Thanks kindly, and best wishes, Dean.
Just updated it as a layer cake 🙂
This recipe is much simpler than other vegan GF cake recipes, and it comes out better than any others I’ve tried. I used Trader Joe’s GF flour blend, reduced the sugar by a quarter, and did half juice and half water. The batter was really liquidy so I was worried, but I baked it as it was, and it came out perfectly. I also doubled the recipe so I could make a layer cake with vanilla frosting. It came out great. Thank you – this is my go to lemon cake now.
Baked in a loaf pan for 35 minutes – perfection!
Thank you