Summery citrus cakes are always my go-to treats once the weather begins to get warmer and this vegan lemon poppy seed cake is definitely a favorite of mine that I keep making over and over again.
This simple sandwich cake takes less than 30 minutes to make and subsequently you have the most delicious and moist cake which is so moreish.
If the lemon cake itself isn't enough lemon flavor for you, there is also a lemon-flavored buttercream frosting in the middle, which makes this easy recipe even more heavenly, as well as super creamy.
After you've shared this cake with your friends and family (or happily eaten it alone), here are some other cakes that I think you'll like. My vegan chocolate peanut butter cake, vegan chocolate fudge cake and vegan Red velvet cake slices are just a handful of the classics.
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Why You Will Love This Cake
- Perfect For Summer - As the main flavors in this recipe are lemon-oriented, this makes the cake a perfect dessert for the summertime. I love to serve it at outdoor get-togethers and barbecues but the truth is, it is tasty all year-round.
- Complimentary Flavors - The tanginess of the lemons goes perfectly hand in hand with the poppy seeds which provide a mild, savory flavor to the cake. They also have a nice, crunchy texture and they're visually appealing. Poppy seeds also worked really well in my vegan orange poppy seed cake, vegan lemon poppy seed mug cake and vegan lemon poppy seed muffins.
- Easy to Make - Making this lemon cake is so simple. All you need to do is, fold together the dry and wet cake ingredients, pour the batter into two pans equally, bake the cakes and make the vegan buttercream while you wait.
- Allergy Friendly & Plant Based - This vegan lemon poppy seed cake recipe is entirely vegan and dairy free.
Ingredient Notes
- Poppy Seeds - These amazing little seeds change the whole cake dynamic, giving the cake a unique taste and texture. They're so complimentary to the lemon cake and if you've never tried them before, I think you'll love them.
- Apple cider vinegar - This ingredient is super important for the final outcome of the cake. The apple cider vinegar reacts with the leavening agent to give the cake a wonderful, airy consistency.
- Vegetable oil - If you love your cakes to taste cozy and moist, don't forget to add the oil. More specifically, vegetable oil which works brilliant in this recipe every single time. It's also great in my muffin recipes such as, the vegan banana chocolate chip muffins.
- 3 Lemons - You will need all of the juice and zest from two of the lemons and then a little more juice from the third. Unlike some other of my recipes where it is subtle, I wanted the lemon flavors to be strong in this cake like they are in my vegan blueberry lemon cake.
- Vegan butter - Make sure that the dairy-free butter is slightly softened at room temperature before you use it. This will make it much easier to combine it with the powdered sugar.
See recipe card for full information on individual ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- If you're not keen on poppy seeds, use a different type of seed such as, toasted sesame seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds and flaxseeds (linseeds). Many of these popular choices will emulate the nutty flavor of the poppy seeds, as well leaving their own twist on the recipe. I occasionally add different seeds to my vegan orange almond cake. There's something about seeds and citrus fruits together which is so good!
- You can make this lemon poppy seed cake gluten free by simply swapping out the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 ratio gluten free baking flour blend. You might also want to add a small amount of arrowroot powder which can also be helpful for cakes without gluten.
How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
For the full method, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1: Grease two round cake tins and set aside.
2: Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl. Mix until fully combined.
3: Next, add in the wet ingredients and fold until a cake batter forms.
4: Pour the cake batter into two round cake tins equally. Bake the cakes.
5: Make the lemon buttercream frosting and apply it to the center of the cooled cakes.
Expert Tips
Don't over-mix the cake batter - This will give the cake a dense and unappealing texture. The flour should be just combined so that there are no visible lumps. Fold gently so that the gluten in the flour isn't over-worked.
Add the right amount of poppy seeds - Stick to the recommended two tablespoons of poppy seeds. Accidentally adding too many poppy seeds can make the cake gritty and dry. That's the last thing that we want.
Recipe FAQs
Poppy seeds taste great in this recipe and with lemon cakes in general due to their amazing texture and their flavor. They give the cake an ever so slight crunch as well as having a mild, nutty flavor. This really enhances cakes.
This lemon poppy seed cake will last for up to 3 days at room temperature or in the fridge. It must remain in an airtight container until it's ready to be consumed.
Yes, you can use them interchangeably but be aware that as the chia seeds will be submerged in wet batter, their consistency will become jello-like which could potentially affect the final texture of the cake.
More Vegan Cake Recipes
If you tried this Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you!
Easy Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
Dry Ingredients:
- 350 g all-purpose flour
- 250 g granulated sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 tablespoons poppyseeds
Wet Ingredients:
- 350 ml plant milk
- 2.5 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 140 ml vegetable oil
- 2 lemons juiced and zested
For the lemon buttercream:
- 400 g powdered sugar sifted
- 120 g vegan butter
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
Instructions
Preparation:
- Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius.
- Grease two round, 7-inch cake tins and set aside.
Making the cakes:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, poppy seeds and salt.
- Next, mix in the plant milk, apple cider vinegar, vegetable oil and the lemon juice and zest. Mix again but don't over-mix. The flour should be just mixed in enough so that there are no lumps.
- Equally, divide your cake batter between the two prepared cake tins. If you only have one tin, you can also bake the cakes one at a time.
- Bake the two cakes in the center of oven for 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
- Take your cakes out from the oven and allow them cool fully. In the meantime, let's make the lemon buttercream!
Making the lemon buttercream:
- In a large bowl, beat together all of the vegan buttercream ingredients until smooth and creamy. Be patient and keep mixing, even if it feels too thick at first. You can also add the buttercream frosting ingredients to a stand mixer if you find it easier that way.
Layering the cake:
- If your cakes have now cooled, you can now apply the buttercream!
- Spread the lemon buttercream onto the flat side of one of the cakes.
- Place your other cake half over the filling. I like the sift some extra powdered sugar over the top of the cake.
- Place your cake into the fridge for 30 minutes as this will thicken the frosting a little. Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- Over-mixing the cake batter will give the cake a dense and unappealing texture. The flour should be just combined so that there are no visible lumps. Fold gently so that the gluten in the flour isn't over-worked.
- Stick to the recommended two tablespoons of poppy seeds. Accidentally adding too many poppy seeds can make the cake gritty and dry. That's the last thing that we want.
Yvonne says
Need to try this recipe ASAP