Aren't citrus-y cakes just the best and so refreshing? I recently uploaded my vegan orange cake to the blog and people love it, so I thought I'd make a similar one in the form of a yummy eggless lemon cake!
Who wants a big slice? It's so light and fluffy. I hope you all enjoy it!
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INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE
- Soy milk – Soya is the best type of milk for vegan cake recipes.
- Apple cider vinegar – All you need to do with this is mix it with the soy milk. This way you can create a vegan ‘buttermilk’.
- All-purpose flour – This is the one and only flour you’ll need for this cake recipe.
- Granulated sugar –Substitute for caster sugar if you don't have any at hand.
- Baking powder & Baking soda – Say hello to the magical leavening agents.
- Salt – I always recommend using fine sea salt!
- Rapeseed/Canola oil – These are both the same oil.
- Vanilla – Makes the cake taste even better!
- Lemons – For juicing and zest. Add both to the cake batter.
- Vegan butter block & Powdered sugar – For the buttercream.
HOW TO MAKE MY EGGLESS LEMON CAKE LOAF
For the full method and ingredient amounts, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
STEP ONE
Mix the vinegar into the plant milk until it curdles.
STEP TWO
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
STEP THREE
Next, pour in your curdled ‘buttermilk’.
STEP FOUR
Once you have poured in the vegan ‘buttermilk’, add the remaining wet ingredients to the mixture.
STEP FIVE
Now, fold your dry ingredients into the wet ones. Don’t mix at all. Just keep folding until everything is nicely combined and there are no pockets of flour left.
STEP SIX
Next, equally pour the folded mixture into the two greased loaf pans. Bake the cakes in a preheated oven for 20 minutes.
STEP SEVEN
Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
For instructions on how to make the glaze and buttercream frosting, see the full method on the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
TIPS FOR MAKING AN EGGLESS CAKE
- Pre-heat your oven for at least 15-20 minutes before you start baking. Patiently wait for your oven to reach the required temperature. You want it to have reached the stated temperature before you place the cake batter in the oven so that it bakes to the correct texture.
- Use two loaf pans (20cm x 10cm). This will give you two perfectly-sized cakes for the amount of buttercream in this recipe.
- Make vegan buttermilk instead of adding ingredients separately. You can make a vegan ‘buttermilk’ by mixing some apple cider vinegar with soy milk. In comparison to just plant milk, buttermilk has high acidity. This gives vegan cakes a much fluffier texture and a much better crumb. Buttermilk also helps to break down gluten.
- Instead of mixing, fold instead. Once you have added the dry ingredients into your wet ingredients don’t mix it. Many people will tell you to avoid “over-mixing”. For my cakes, I prefer to avoid mixing altogether. Get yourself a wooden spoon and delicately fold the mixture over itself until there are no pockets of flour left. This will give you a super fluffy cake so please be patient!
- Each oven is different! Yes, some ovens are quite old and some are newer so the accuracy of each one will differ. When a skewer comes out of your freshly baked cake clean, you know it is ready.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why is my lemon cake dense?
Lemon cakes are high in acid so they need a good amount of baking powder. A baking powder deficit will result in your cake being dense, so make sure you use the amount that the recipe calls for.
Why does my lemon cake not taste like lemon?
Many lemon cake recipes only call for lemon juice but I think adding lemon zest can really enhance the flavour. Don't forget this option as it's a game changer!
HOW TO STORE MY EGGLESS LEMON CAKE LOAF
I recommend that you store this lemon cake inside an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or in the fridge for up to 4 days instead (also in an airtight container). Do not freeze.
Eggless Lemon Cake Loaf
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 200 ml soy milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 200 g all-purpose flour sifted
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 50 ml rapeseed/canola oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 50 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice* see notes
- Zest of 2 medium lemons
For the vegan buttercream:
- 225 g vegan butter block* see notes
- 240 g powdered sugar* see notes
Instructions
Lemon Cake:
- Pre-heat your oven to 177 Celsius (350 Fahrenheit). Grease two 20cm x 10cm cake loaf tins with vegan butter then set aside.
- Make your vegan buttermilk. Measure out the soy milk then add the apple cider vinegar to it. Give it a mix then set aside for 7-8 minutes until it curdles. Measure out the other ingredients while you wait.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda & salt. Mix well.
- Next, pour in the curdled soy milk, oil, vanilla, lemon juice & lemon zest. Don't mix at all. Using a wooden spoon, fold the ingredients together by slowly scooping the mixture over itself. Keep folding the dry into the wet until there are no more pockets of flour. This takes a little longer than mixing but it results in a much better cake. Patience is key!
- Equally divide the cake batter between the two greased loaf tins and bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 20 minutes. A skewer should come out clean at this point.
- Remove your cakes from the oven and let them cool in the tins for 15 minutes. Then remove the cakes from the tins and transfer them to a cooling rack to cool fully. Don't apply anything to the cakes until they have completely cooled down.
Vegan buttercream:
- Add the vegan butter block to a stand mixer or a large bowl and cream for 2 minutes.
- Next add half of the powdered sugar. Beat the buttercream mixture until it is fully combined and has began to thicken. Then add the rest of the powdered sugar. Beat again until your buttercream is nice and thick.
- Spread half of the buttercream in between the cake halves and spread the other half on top.
Notes
- Please use freshly squeezed lemon juice in this recipe instead of anything artificial.
- Use a block of vegan butter instead of spread. I love to use the Flora plant butter block and the Naturli vegan block. These create a much thicker vegan buttercream than a spread.
- Not all powdered sugar is vegan. Be sure to check.
Yvonne says
Delicious recipe!
Vegan Treats Blogger says
🙂
Gail says
Wow!!!
Vegan Treats Blogger says
Glad you like it!