Incredible Vegan Lemon Cake
User Reviews
4.9
167 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
55 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
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Servings
16
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Calories
368 kcal
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Course
Dessert, Baked Goods
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Cuisine
American
Incredible Vegan Lemon Cake
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The Incredible Vegan Lemon Cake is a moist, tender cake made with a blend of vegan butter, sour cream, oat milk, and lemon zest for a bright citrus flavor. It uses aquafaba as an egg substitute and features a vegan lemon cream cheese frosting. This cake offers a textured crumb and refreshing lemon notes suitable for vegan diets.
Description
This recipe for Incredible Vegan Lemon Cake utilizes vegan baking ingredients to achieve a flavorful and tender cake. The batter includes softened vegan butter, vegan sour cream, oat milk, cane sugar, and fresh lemon zest mixed with all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Aquafaba provides leavening and moisture similar to eggs, while neutral oil and vanilla add richness and aroma.
The cake layers are baked in greased and parchment-lined pans to ensure even rising and easy removal. The lemon zest contributes a fresh citrus aroma and flavor that permeates the batter. The finished crumb is tender and moist, characteristic of a well-balanced vegan cake.
The cake is complemented by a vegan lemon cream cheese frosting, made from vegan butter, vegan cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt. The frosting adds tang and sweetness, enhancing the lemon notes.
Practical tips include bringing ingredients to room temperature for proper mixing and refrigerating the frosting to thicken it for easier application. Vegan sour cream is key to the cake’s texture and can be substituted with vegan yogurt if necessary. The lemon peel is trimmed carefully to avoid bitterness.
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Ingredients
- 1 tick vegan butter softened at room temperature, 8 tablespoons / 112g
- ½ cup vegan sour cream at room temperature (see Note 1, 112g
- ¾ cup oat milk at room temperature, 180 mL
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (or measured with a scale, 440g
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt fine sea salt
- 3 lemon zested (3 tablespoons lemon zest, large
- 1 ⅓ cups cane sugar organic, 280g
- ½ cup aquafaba the liquid from a can of chickpeas
- ½ cup neutral-flavored oil such as sunflower oil, 112g
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract pure
- fresh berries optional, of choice or candied lemons for decorating
Vegan Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 tick vegan butter softened at room temperature, 8 tablespoons / 112g
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese softened at room temperature, 227g
- 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar sifted, 270g organic
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
- 1/8 teaspoon salt fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
Instructions
- Take the butter, sour cream, and milk out of the fridge. Slice the butter into small cubes to soften quickly (see Note 2). Measure out the milk and sour cream instead of leaving them in their containers so they come to room temp more quickly.
- Arrange a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 350°F/175°C. Make two parchment paper rounds for two 8-inch (20 x 5 cm) round pans. Grease the bottoms of the pan with nonstick spray, then line with the parchment papers. Now spray the parchment paper round and coat the pan’s sides with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk very well to evenly combine the leaveners.
- Over a large bowl, zest the 3 large lemons.
- Now stand the 3 lemons upright on a cutting board. Cut the ends off of the lemons and use a sharp knife to peel away the peel and white pith right underneath, and discard. Use your hands to peel the lemons into segments, like you would oranges. Peel away the fibrous membrane on the outside of each lemon segment. You should now be able to easily pull the lemon flesh out. Mince the lemon into tiny pieces, picking out any seeds.
- Put a strainer or sieve over a small bowl and pour the lemon pieces with accumulated juices over the strainer (do not press the lemons down to release more juice). Measure out about 70g lemon pieces (5 TBSP) and 45 mL (3 TBSP) lemon juice from the bowl. Save leftover juice for a lemon water or spritzer--don't add extra juice to the cake.
- Add the sugar to the lemon zest and rub together with your hands to release the zest’s essential oils. Now add in the softened butter and oil. Beat on low with the mixer, and once the butter is in small pieces, increase to medium . Beat until starting to get fluffy and shiny, about 1 minute total. Rinse and dry the beaters for the next step.
- Shake the can of chickpeas to disperse the starches. Pour ½ cup (120 mL) aquafaba into a small bowl. With an electric mixer (or stand mixer), beat on medium speed until the entire mixture is foamy, including at the bottom of the bowl, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
- To the lemon zest-sugar-butter mixture, add the whipped aquafaba, room temp milk and sour cream, and vanilla. Mix on low until just combined, 15 to 20 seconds. Finally, add the lemon pieces (if any juice has accumulated, drain it off) and the 3 tablespoons lemon juice and mix again until well combined.
- Note: before combining the dry and wet ingredients, make sure everything else is ready (oven is preheated, cake pans are prepared). This is because the baking soda will start to leaven as soon as it's mixed with the wet ingredients. Add half of the flour mix into the liquid mix, beating on low until just combined. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix just until you have a mostly smooth batter, then stop. If it gets too tough with a mixer, switch to a silicone spatula. Now use a silicone spatula to fold the bottom and sides of the bowl with the spatula to ensure it’s well combined. If the liquid has settled on the top, fold the batter a couple times to incorporate. The batter should be thick and fluffy but airy.
- Use a digital scale (or measuring cups) to evenly divide the batter between each cake pan (~ 750g / 26 oz per cake pan). Smooth out the surface with the spatula or an offset spatula.
- Bake for 33 to 35 minutes, or until the centers are set and the cakes have puffed up a bit and just started to pull away from the pans. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs but not liquid batter.
- Cool the pans on a wire rack (don't rest on the counter) for 30 minutes. Now add a sheet of parchment paper to the rack. Carefully invert the cakes onto the rack. Cool completely before assembling, ideally in the fridge for a bit to set.
- Make the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting (or make it 1-3 days ahead of time and refrigerate). Sift the powdered sugar in a fine mesh sieve. Add the softened butter to a medium or large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the cream cheese and beat just until well-incorporated. Add half of the sugar and beat on low to combine. Add the remaining sugar and mix again until well-combined and fluffy, scraping down the sides with a spatula. Add the vanilla, salt, and lemon zest, and mix until smooth. If the frosting is a bit loose, refrigerate the frosting before icing the cake.
- Assemble. Place one cake (bottom side facing up) on a cake platter or large plate. Add a generous layer of Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting on top (ideally refrigerated for easier spreading), spreading to the edges using an offset or icing spatula. Top with the second cake (top side facing up). Add another layer of frosting on top and spread out. If you have leftover frosting, you can frost the sides of the cake, using the spatula or bench scraper to smooth it out. If you want less frosting, leave as is. Decorate with berries or candied lemons, if desired.
Notes
- Allow butter, sour cream, and milk to come to room temperature before mixing for better incorporation.
- Refrigerate the frosting to firm it up, making it easier to spread on the cake layers.
- Use vegan sour cream brands like Tofutti or Kite Hill for optimal texture; vegan yogurt can be substituted if needed.
- Carefully peel lemons to remove zest without pith, avoiding bitterness in the cake.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
368kcal
(18%)
Carbohydrates
61g
(20%)
Protein
4g
(8%)
Fat
13g
(20%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Trans Fat
0.02g
(1%)
Sodium
293mg
(12%)
Potassium
68mg
(1%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
36g
(72%)
Vitamin A
29IU
(1%)
Vitamin C
12mg
(13%)
Calcium
66mg
(7%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 16Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 368 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 368kcal | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | 61g | 20% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 0.02g | 1% |
| Sodium | 293mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 68mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 36g | 72% |
| Vitamin A | 29IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 12mg | 13% |
| Calcium | 66mg | 7% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
167 reviews
Excellent
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