This vegan lemon cake with velvety lemon buttercream frosting is moist and fluffy and will make all your lemon cake dreams come true!
This vegan lemon cake is pure lemony perfection!
Jaye was saying it’s exactly like the lemon cake his grandmother used to make! Which is high praise considering his grandmother was quite the chef.
The recipe is based on our vegan vanilla cake, with lots of lemon flavor added in via lemon zest and lemon extract and of course, a delicious lemon buttercream frosting and lots of lemon zest as decoration.
It’s super easy, and will happily fulfil all your lemon cake dreams!
When looking around the web at lemon cakes in general, I saw a lot of lemon loaf cakes.
But that isn’t what comes to my mind when I think of a lemon cake, to me a lemon cake is a lemon layer cake, and a lemon loaf cake or a lemon pound cake is the loaf cake. Anyway, just saying because I hope you didn’t come to this page hoping for a loaf cake.
If you did, well don’t worry, we also have a gorgeous vegan lemon pound cake.
I went with two 8-inch cake pans for this cake. The layers are really fat and beautiful. This cake also works perfectly in 9-inch cake pans.
Egg replacement?
I didn’t use a flax egg in this cake, which I also don’t use in my vanilla cake recipe that I based this recipe on. I don’t find I need it in this recipe and I don’t want it to affect the color.
In light colored cakes, a flax egg can affect the color leading it to look a bit spotty, so in this case it’s best to leave it out.
So there isn’t any specific egg replacer in this recipe, unless you count the baking soda/vinegar combination, which definitely acts together to create some crucial baking science that causes the cake to rise beautifully. It all just works.
Recipe Q&A
You can use a gluten-free all purpose flour blend to replace the regular flour in this recipe. If it comes out a bit dry (gluten-free flours can absorb more moisture) then increase the oil a little.
Yes you can. This recipe will make 18-24 cupcakes. Or for a perfect 12 cupcakes see our vegan lemon cupcakes recipe.
Sure you can, but the lemon flavor will be lessened quite a bit. I do recommend getting some lemon extract if you possibly can.
Storing and Freezing
Keep it stored in an airtight container at room temperature where it will stay gorgeous for a 3-4 days or keep it covered in the fridge where it will last for up to a week.
The cake is also freezer friendly for up to 3 months. You can freeze it either frosted or unfrosted. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
More Gorgeous Vegan Cakes
- Our vegan white cake is a classic 8-inch beauty which is pretty much a vanilla cake, just with attempts to make it even whiter in color.
- Our recipe for the best vegan chocolate cake can be made in either 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans and our easy vegan chocolate cake adapts well to multiple different cake pans.
- Our vegan banana cake can be made as a 9×13 sheet cake or a 2-layer 8-inch cake. It’s also topped with a delicious lemon frosting.
- Our vegan coffee cake isn’t just a cake to eat with your coffee, it’s actually a coffee flavored cake! Topped with a kahlua frosting it’s a real treat.
- Our vegan red velvet cake has a beautiful vibrant color and it’s perfect for special occasions and our vegan carrot cake is always very popular.
- Want to have an English tea? Make this delicious vegan Victoria sponge cake!
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Lemon Cake
Ingredients
For the Vegan Lemon Cake:
- 2 ⅔ cups All Purpose Flour (330g)
- 1 ½ cups White Granulated Sugar (300g)
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ¾ tsp Salt
- 1 ½ cups Soy Milk (360ml) or other non-dairy milk
- ½ cup Canola Oil (120ml) or Vegetable Oil
- 1 Tbsp Distilled White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 3 tsp Lemon Extract
- 2 Tbsp Lemon Zest
For the Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
- 4 ½ cups Powdered Sugar (540g)
- ½ cup Vegan Butter (112g)
- 2 tsp Lemon Extract
- 3 ½ Tbsp Lemon Juice
For Decoration:
- Lemon Zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray two 8-inch* cake pans with non-stick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Sift the all purpose flour into a mixing bowl and add the sugar, baking soda and salt. Then add the soy milk, oil, vinegar, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon zest. Whisk with a hand whisk briefly until nicely combined and no big lumps remain. Don't overmix, tiny lumps are okay.
- Divide the batter between the two cake pans and place into the oven to bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the pans and place onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare your frosting by placing the powdered sugar, vegan butter and lemon extract and lemon juice* into the bowl of an electric mixer. Start off at slow speed, gradually increasing speed until thick and smooth.
- Frost the cooled cakes and decorate with lemon zest.
Video
Notes
- Measure the flour correctly using the spoon and level method or by weighing it on a food scale. For the spoon and level method, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level off the top with a knife. Don’t scoop it and don’t pack it into the cup.
- You can switch the canola oil for another vegetable oil if you prefer. We have made this with various oils including a light olive oil and it has come out great.
- 2 Tbsp of lemon zest is from about 2 lemons, but it does depend on the size of the lemons, if it’s a large lemon you might get 2 Tbsp worth of zest from 1 lemon.
- You might not need all the lemon juice in the frosting. I used all of it, but how much you need will largely depend on the brand of vegan butter you use. If you use a firmer type of vegan butter (lower water content) you will need more lemon juice, whereas if it’s more of a soft spread (higher water content) you may need less. So this will require a little flexibility.
- This cake recipe can also be made in 9-inch cake pans with no other changes. The layers will be slightly thinner, but perfect! The cooking time will be 25 minutes.
Bella says
Hi!
I made this lemon cake and it was fab! I would like the cake part to be actual white and I think its not due to the Olive oil, can I sub the olive oil with coconut oil?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Bella, you can use melted coconut oil sure! 🙂
Heather says
This cake turned out amazingly!…so moist and flavourful; you’d never know the eggs/milk/butter are missing! ????????????????????????????
Alison Andrews says
Awesome Heather! Thanks so much for sharing! 🙂
Laila says
Hello,
Do you think this cake would cook ok in a bundt pan? I just put it in the oven without reading all the comments, and now I’m worried it won’t cook right…
Thanks,
Laila
Alison Andrews says
Hi Laila, it should be okay, it will just need a longer cooking time.
Lix says
I’ve made this three times now, once as cake and twice as (birthday)cupcakes, and very happy with the results. Will be my go-to vegan cake from now on (two of my kids are vegan).
Alison Andrews says
Wonderful! Thanks so much for the awesome review! 🙂
Janet Dickhout says
do you have to use lemon extract? Have you tried it without, just using lemon juice and zest?
Alison Andrews says
You can omit it, but the lemon flavor will be lessened.
Shelley says
This is an exceptional recipe. I baked it in a glass 9×13, and it still took the same 30 minutes. I only had granulated cane sugar, but I can’t imagine it makes much of a difference. I’m looking forward to trying it with orange extract and zest one day. I ate a piece (two, woops) without glaze or frosting, and it’s so moist and delicious, I probably won’t bother.
Thank you for a straightforward vegan recipe without eight different specialty flours, sugars or ingredients. Most people with an ordinary stocked pantry could make this. The only thing I had to buy was lemon extract, but that’s hardly an obscure item, just one I didn’t have on hand because I don’t bake much since I’ve gone vegan. I’ll have to cut it up and freeze it for treats for later to avoid eating too much, it’s so good. And it’s so moist, I’m sure it’ll freeze pretty well.
Thank you!
Alison Andrews says
Hi Shelley, so happy you enjoyed it! And thanks so much for the wonderful review! xo
Nicole says
Thank you for the recipe. I have used gluten free flour, rice milk, apple cider vinegar and lemon juice instead of lemon extract. I have used half the recipe for a one layer cake. It was yummy, better sponge-y results than other gf recipes out there. It was yummy even without the icing. It did not rise as much as I was expecting as per photo you have posted but it is still tastes amazing.
Alison Andrews says
Glad you enjoyed it Nicole, thanks for sharing! 🙂
Jilly lloyd says
Fab recipe. I am going to try (!) and make my niece’s wedding cake and definitely start with this one here in the UK.
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Hope it turns out wonderfully! 🙂
Karen says
This cake was a doddle to make and sooooo tasty. I really love the American cup measurements, so much simpler than weighing everything..
I do need to invest in some lemon extract for a little more zing, but it was delicious, moist and flavoursome.
I mixed all the dry ingredients in one bowl, the wet all in another and then simply mixed the two together as on one. I think the trick is to mix the wet with the dry ingredients and get it into the oven ASAP while the bicarb is stillactive – don’t let it sit on your worktop!
Alison Andrews says
So glad you liked the recipe Karen! Thanks for the awesome rating. 🙂
Amanda says
I have yet to make this cake. It will be in the oven in a few hours. I’m so happy I found this site! We have recently diagnosed food allergies in our family and it has been a tough transition to plant based. Your recipies helped us regain a sense of normallcy. I made your chocolate cake recipe for hubs 40th birthday. He was so overjoyed that it tasted like “real” cake! Thanks for all you do.
Alison Andrews says
Thanks so much Amanda! This is what we strive for! Thanks for the wonderful comment! 🙂
Theresa says
I would love to bake this cake but I only have one cake tin. Can I just put all the batter in one and cut it in half after baking or would the texture be too crumbly?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Theresa, it’s a little more risky because it will take a long time for the middle to cook, which could end up over-cooking the outside. It might take around 55 minutes to an hour to be cooked all the way through, so you might want to tent it with foil (top with foil in a tent shape so it doesn’t press down on the cake from the top) at around the 40 minute mark to make sure it doesn’t over-brown on top.
Doortje says
Thank you so much for this recipe! Made this cake for my daughters birthday and it was a huge hit! I could eat this every day, best cake I ever made or ate. I swapped the buttercream for vegan mascarpone frosting with lemon zest. This is one of those recipes I’ll keep making forever and ever. Xo
Alison Andrews says
That is wonderful to hear! Thanks so much for sharing and the fantastic rating! 🙂
Jenna says
Used Almond milk as I did not have Soy and used apple cider vinegar as I did not have white. I have made this as a cake and now as cupcakes. Best recipe ever!! I am proud to bring this to events and share how great vegan baking can be!
Alison Andrews says
Thanks so much Jenna! xo
Agate says
Hello Alison ! Your recipe looks wonderful and I want to attempt making it tomorrow. However there is no vegan butter in my wee village shop, do you think that could be replaced with margarine ? Thanks in advance 🙂
Alison Andrews says
Hi there! Yes definitely margarine is totally fine to use if you can get a dairy free margarine. All the best! 🙂
Lena says
Hey Alison!
I, as a really-not-good-at-baking-person, have found this recipe to be super easy and it turned out really really good! I doubled the recipe, made four cakes and stacked them on top of each other to make a kind of naked style birthday cake for my friend. I also didn’t have 8-inch baking pans, so I used 7-inch ones (baking time was maybe 5-10 minutes longer). I couldn’t find vegan butter in my country and I was afraid that buttercream with margarine would taste kind of weird, so I bought a vegan whipped cream substitute and used it as a frosting. Turned out great! Tastewise I’m also totally in love with it! Super lemony – inbelievably moist, it almost melts in your mouth! Thank you so much for this recipe! Loving it!
Love from Austria, Lena
Alison Andrews says
Hi Lena! So happy to hear it turned out so well. Sounds perfect! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂