
One of my favorite springtime desserts has always been lemon cake. The poignant sour lemony flavor mixed with the sweetness of sugar just made me want to dance inside. I LOVE it. Maybe that’s why, when we married almost ten years ago, my hubby and I chose a big lemon cake for our reception.
One of the best things about this cake? It uses four lemons. FOUR. Which means that you’re in for a boat load of lemon-y goodness with every bite. While the instructions below may look a little long and daunting, I promise this won’t take too much time (or effort) and the results will knock or socks off. Ready to make it?
How to Make Vegan Lemon Cake
Part 1: The Cake
To get started, you’ll want to preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, you’ll want to find a big mixing bowl (or use the bowl from your stand mixer like I am). Measure and place flour, cornstarch, aluminum-free baking powder, salt, and turmeric in the bowl and gently whisk. The turmeric flavor isn’t noticeable in the cake, but it gives the cake a gorgeous subtle yellow color while it bakes.

Now comes the lemons. Two of them. You’ll need to grate the zest off of both lemons and add the zest to your flour mixture above.

Use a lemon juicer to get about 1/4 cup of juice out of those two lemons. Place juice in a separate bowl along with granulated sugar (or cane juice crystals), oil, non-dairy milk, applesauce, and vanilla. Whisk up these wet ingredients until the sugar starts to dissolve.
Add wet ingredients to the dry ones in your large mixing bowl. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine wet and dry ingredients, or, use a stand-up or hand mixer to mix all ingredients together for about 30 seconds or just until everything is well combined. You don’t want to over-mix here, or you’ll end up with a dense cake.

Choose a bundt pan that accommodate 10-15 cups of batter like this one (as an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases from this link).
Oil and flour your bundt pan. I use a combination oil + flour spray like this one to make oiling my cake pans easier.

Bake your cake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes.
Part 2: The Glaze
Now comes the best part. While your cake is in the oven, it’s time to start making your glaze. Grate the zest off of two more lemons, and set the zest aside. Now, juice those lemons. You should get about 1/4 cup of juice or slightly more. (You’ll use half of the juice for the glaze, and the other half for the frosting.)
Place two tablespoons of juice in a saucepan with two tablespoons of sugar, and bring it to a boil. Simmer for two to three minutes, then set aside.
When your cake is done, remove it from the oven. Allow it to cool in the bundt pan for about five minutes before turning your pan over on a platter or cooling rack.
Then, using a pastry brush, brush the glaze mixture all over the top of your cake. Then, let your cake continue cooling for about an hour.

Part 3: The Frosting
While your cake cools, it’s time to get started on the frosting. This frosting is meant to be slightly runny so it drips down the sides of your cake a little. the tricky part is keeping it from getting so runny that it falls off the cake.
Place confectioners’ sugar and remaining lemon juice (or about 2.5 tablespoons) in a small bowl and stir together until there are no lumps. If your frosting is just thick enough that you can see the tracks of your spoon in the frosting for several seconds after stirring it, you know it’s ready. If it seems too runny, feel free to add a few more tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar until you reach the right consistency.

Once your cake has completely cooled (usually takes about an hour), drizzle your frosting over the cake. Top it with the remaining lemon zest to add an extra pop of flavor (and for added garnish).

And there you have it! You’re well on your way to making the best vegan lemon cake around.
Where Should I Serve Lemon Cake?
Everywhere! No, but really…
- Office parties or potlucks
- Easter dinner
- Mother’s Day brunch
- Birthday parties
What Goes With Lemon Cake?
Building a menu around lemon cake? Count me in! Here are some ideas:
- Vegan Tofu Ricotta Stuffed Shells
- Roasted Baby Potatoes with Herbs
- Vegan Cobb Salad
- Vegan Scalloped Potatoes
- Lemony Roasted Asparagus (Use vegan butter and leave off parmesan to keep it vegan.)
- Thai Peanut Kale Salad with Crispy Tofu
- Potato, Bean, and Veggie Hash
Vegan Lemon Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 1/2 tablespoons aluminum-free baking powder (or 2.5 teaspoons of regular baking powder)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest (freshly grated)
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed from approximately 2 lemons)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (or cane juice crystals)
- 2/3 cup oil (I used safflower, but canole or melted coconut oil would also work.)
- 1 2/3 cup almond milk
- 2 tablespoons applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
For the Glaze
- 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar (or cane juice crystals)
For the Frosting:
- 1 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar +4-6 tablespoons as needed
- 2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, turmeric, and lemon zest.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together lemon juice, granulated sugar, oil, almond milk, applesauce, vanilla, and lemon extract.
- Pour wet ingredients into bowl of dry ingredients, and whisk (or use mixer) everything together until just combined.
- Oil and flour a large bundt pan (needs to hold 10-15 cups of batter).
- Pour batter into bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Once baked, remove cake from oven and allow to rest in bundt pan for about 5 minutes before turning pan over onto rack, plate, or platter to cool.
For the Glaze:
- Place lemon juice (of 1 lemon) and granulated sugar in a saucepan, and bring to boil. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside.
- When cake is on cooling rack (still warm), use pastry brush to brush glaze all over cake surface.
For the Frosting:
- Place juice of 1 lemon (about 2.5 tablespoons) of lemon juice in a small bowl with confectioners’ sugar. Add extra confectioners’ sugar (a few tablespoons at a time) as needed until frosting is thick enough that you can see your spoon tracks for several seconds after stirring it.
- Once cake is completely cooled (after about 1 hour), drizzle frosting on top of cake, letting it partially fall down the sides.
- Garnish with remaining lemon zest, and serve!
Notes
- This cake requires 4 lemons total: 2 lemons for the cake, and 1 lemon each for the glaze and frosting.
- This cake keeps for 3-4 days at room temperature, if stored in an air-tight container, or if tightly covered with plastic wrap.
- This recipe utilizes aluminum-free baking powder, which is different from your regular baking powder. Aluminum-free baking powder doesn’t have the same metallic aftertaste as regular baking powder, but it also requires a little more to get the desired rising effect. If you don’t have access to aluminum-free baking powder, use 2.5 teaspoons of regular baking powder in this recipe.
Best lemon cake I’ve ever had! Light and very lemony. Thank you so much for the recipe. Very easy to follow too! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/a37bcaa68372cef21fae010adb55caa34ed74f65c959bab8e151b91415b302dd.jpg
Hello! I haven’t tasted the baked cake yet but i could of eaten a bowl of the batter! My cake fell a bit in a center ring. The outer and the inner circles stayed up but the center fell a bit. Does it do that? Maybe i mixed it too much? Have you baked this in regular cake pans? So many questions, sorry. I’ll let you know how my family likes it tomorrow. I’m going to serve it with sliced strawberries and coconut cool whip. It’s going to be tough to wait! Thank you for your wonderful recipes!
I halved the recipe and baked it in an 8” round cake pan, which may be why mine sank a little in the middle like yours. But of the three vegan lemon cake recipes I made in a side-by-side comparison, this one was the clear winner for the whole family in taste, texture, and overall appearance, despite the slight sinking.
So glad you liked it, Anne! Sorry about the sinking, but I’m also guessing it may be related to the pan. Glad you liked the flavor though! :)
Hi could you please send me gram version of this recipe?
[email protected]
Hi Sayali! Sure! I’d be happy to do that. You can also click the “Metric” button at the bottom of the ingredients list, but I’ll also send you an email so you’ll have it.
:) Lindsay
Is the cornstarch required? I don’t have any.
Nope! You can leave it out, but the cake does hold together a little bit better with it. :)
Can we make half the recipe? Or what are the ingredient measures to bake approximately only 600-700g of cake?
yes! You can half the recipe. It likely won’t need to bake as long, so just keep an eye on it when it’s baking. :)
I made this into a traybake as I dont have a bundt tin and also decided to add some homemade vegan lemon curd on top of the batter before going in the oven. Big hit in our house!
I did want to check the reciple as it called for a lot of baking powder which I can taste though no one else seemed to notice. Should it be 2.5 teaspoons instead of 2.5 tablespoons?
Thanks for the recipe. will definitely make it again.
Hi Anita! So glad you enjoyed the cake. Yes, the baking powder is indeed 2.5 tablespoons–this is because I use aluminum-free baking powder (like Rumford brand, which can be found at most grocery stores), which is a lot different from regular baking powder. Aluminum-free baking powder is healthier, and does not have a metallic aftertaste. :)
I would love to try this out tonight, I don’t have aluminum free baking powder ( have never heard of it here in Ireland) if I use my regular brand how much should I use?
Thanks
Probably just 2 teaspoons of regular baking powder.
I’m hoping you can provide some more information on this. I bake professionally and have never heard of anyone using differing amounts of aluminum-free BP versus the standard baking powder, especially not such drastically different amounts. I only bake with aluminum free anymore. I know that the aluminum-free needs to be mixed and baked more quickly as the leavening action begins as soon as the liquids are added, but maybe there’s something you know that I’m missing.
Thanks for any insight you can provide!
Hi Sarah,
You know, when aluminum-free baking powder first came out years ago, everyone I knew who baked with it used 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder for every 1 teaspoon of regular baking powder. But, in the last few months I’ve had a few friends who, like you, have questioned that, and have had good results using the same measurements as regular baking powder. So, it’s on my list to test out this recipe with less baking powder, but I haven’t tried it yet, as this is just always what I’ve done, and it works. I’ll update this recipe when I re-test it. In the meantime, if you happen to try it with less baking powder, let us know how it turns out. Also, since you are a professional baker, I’d appreciate and respect any input/experience you have. :) Thanks, Lindsay
I’m glad I checked this lol I was looking at the comments bc I was also confused about the baking powder amount since I use normal baking powder. Maybe I should try aluminum free lol probably better for you. Just wanted to also say your response to someone questioning the ratio and giving constructive criticism was incredibly mature and it’s super nice to see someone online who doesn’t get defensive and remains kind despite people questioning a recipe you created. I respect that a lot and you seem like a lovely person, keep being you I’m def gonna try this recipe tonight!
Thanks, Abby!
Lovely cake. My first attempt at a vegan cake and I’m so happy. My question is, can this cake be frozen? My sister wants one for a special occasion next week but I will be away, but I could help her if it could be frozen.
Yes!! I have frozen a cake very similar to this one, at it worked out great. Just thaw at room temperature for several hours before serving. I wouldn’t recommend freezing for more than a week or two, as it becomes freezer-burned very quickly, and also dries out. To prevent the cake from drying out, make sure to wrap it really well in plastic wrap, so it is air-tight.
I have everything but the turmeric. Is it just for color, or is it needed for depth of flavor? Thanks!
Hi Julie! It’s just for color! You can totally leave it out! :)
Fab cake even the nonvegan eaters thought it was delicious!!! I used 3tsp of regular baking powder as I didn’t have any aluminum free and that worked a treat!!
Glad it worked out with the 3 teaspoons of regular baking powder! :) Thanks for the feedback.
Hi not 100%sure about the measurements is cups ! I have all different size CPS so how can I convert the ingredients into grams? Would welcome your feedback
Many thanks
Hi Noreen! I’m not sure if you can see this picture (I’ll try to e-mail it to you as well.) I’m still trying to figure out how to make my ingredients convertible to grams/milliliters for users. Hopefully I figure it out soon. In the meantime, I was able to convert it for you here. I took a picture of it, so you can hopefully see it, but it’s not a great picture, so I don’t know. /Users/reynolds/Desktop/1.jpeg
Nope, the image didn’t work. But I’ll shoot you an email, Noreen. :)
Could I request for the gram version as well. My email [email protected]. thank you.
hi! requesting for the grams version too! would be a big help..
[email protected]
Hi Amrita! I sent you an email. :) Lindsay
Hi, Lindsay
Would you mind sending me a version in grams.
Thank you so much.
absolutely!
Hi, I baked your cake yesterday and it tastes delicious, even the batter was amazing! Would you be able to send me the version of the recipe in grams as well please? My email is [email protected]
I only wish the cake would have risen a bit more and thereby have been a bit fluffier. Do you have any suggestions on how to achieve that? (I used 3 tsp normal baking powder)
Hi Robert! Thanks for your feedback! I’ll definitely send you a copy of the recipe in grams. You know, every oven is a little bit different, and this cake is meant to be a little bit more dense/like a pound cake. BUT, if you’re looking for a fluffier texture, you might beat some aquafaba (juice from boiled beans, beat in a mixer until semi-stiff peaks form like egg whites) and use 1 cup or 2 of the foam from that in place of the nondairy milk in this recipe. That’s what I’d try for a fluffier texture. :) Thanks for your feedback!
Lindsay
Great cake recipe-lemony flavor, easy to follow recipe, light texture. It was well received by my family and coworkers! I like that the egg substitutes are things I tend to have in my kitchen.
I just made it! Smells delicious! However feels a little bit stiff with the glaze and frosting. Do you think it will be ok by morning??? Eatable? I have to say I only tasted a few bits when I got it out. Also I have used organic baking powder from whole foods, but i have no idea if it was or not aluminum free…so.i have used 2.5 tablespoons…is it really too much??? Is this a disaster?
Hi Liz! Sorry I am slow getting back to your comment. You definitely want to make sure that your baking powder is aluminum-free. Otherwise, your cake will likely end up having a metallic taste to it. Generally speaking, if you aren’t using aluminum-free baking powder, you may want to use 2.5 teaspoons instead of tablespoons. I hope it ended up being eatable! :)
Is there a way to use regular round cake pans vs the Bundt pan ?
hello, this looks delicious. just wondering how you measure/scoop your flour? trying to prevent a sinking cake and also trying to achieve a nice crumb cake texture. thanks for sharing!
Hi Erin! I fill a cup measure with flour (no shaking it) and scrape the excess off the top with a spatula or butter knife.
Will have to wait to taste but looks OK!
I made this recipe for a half-sheet cake. It makes 7 cups of batter. For the first 9×13-inch pan, I used 2 1/2 Tbsp of baking powder, and the cake did sink in the middle more than I had hoped, so for the 2nd pan, I used 3 full Tbsp of baking powder. It still sank a bit, but not so much. I split the layers and filled the cake with vegan lemon curd, then frosted with lemon frosting. Everyone said it was delicious, and a nice balance of sweet and tart.
What a great idea! So glad you enjoyed it and found a way to minimize the sinking. :)
Do you have any advice for baking this at high altitude, such as over 4 500 ft?
You know, I haven’t done much baking at high altitudes myself, but this article seems to give some good suggestions. :)https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
Just perfect lemon cake.
Thank you from Iceland!
So glad you liked it! :)
I’m sorry excited to make this! I’ve had a massive craving for 7-Up cake and I’m hoping this cures it. It looks fantastic! With that being said, is there any way to incorporate 7-Up into this cake? Maybe into the icing?
Yes!! I might use 7Up instead of the lemon juice in the frosting? I haven’t tried it, but I think it would work.
Delicious! We’ve made it twice now, first time followed directions exactly, and second time we made a couple adjustments. We wanted it to be a little more moist, we added 1 cup of coconut oil. Then, for the final glaze we added equal parts of lemon juice & rum. It was major hit!
Thank you so much, this is definitely a family favorite!
Yvonne
Oh that sounds great! Did you use 1.5tblsp lemon and 1.5tblsp rum with the 3 tAlso sugar? Or did you use a different ratio?
Would using half the recipe work for a loaf pan?
Thank you.
Yes! I wouldn’t bake it for quite as long, but I’m confident this would work. :)
Can I use Monk Fruit sweetener or Swerve (Erythritol) instead of sugar?
Thank you.
I’m pretty sure you could. I don’t know the exact measurements you’d use for that (check on the back of your sweetener package for for sugar/sweetener substitution ratio), but you could definitely give it a try and let us know. I’ve tried using stevia in the past for a different lemon cake recipe, and it tasted a little different that sugar, but was still good.
hey is there any way to replace applesauce or make it at home (pls tell me how)? with this lockdown – i don’t have access to store bought apple sauce
I’d just leave it out, and maybe add an extra tablespoon of almond milk.
Have you made this cake with other flours. I am allergic to wheat. I wonder if spelt would work. Rice I believe would make it grainy.
I have not made this cake with other flours, but I’d love to hear if you try it. Spelt very likely would work. I would maybe test it with 1/2 the amount of batter in a smaller pan, just because sometimes gluten-free items might have a harder time baking through in a large bundt pan, but I could be wrong. Let us know if you try it!
Hi Lindsay!
I tried many times now to bake this vegan lemon cake but I always reached the same results: it won’t cook inside. No matter how long I keep it in the oven, it just doesn’t want to cook. I try to not overmix it, do you know what might be the reason of my failure?!
I absolutely want to achieve that to show my family that yes, we don’t have to use eggs in baking :)
Thanks a lot for your expertise!
Eliza
Hi Eliza! So sorry you are having trouble with the batter baking. I’m curious if you are baking at altitute? Every oven is a little bit different, so I’m wondering if you need to bake the cake for slightly longer at a lower temperature (like 340 instead of 350). Let me know if you give it a try again, and thanks for your comment. :)
Lindsay
It looks great.. would love to have recipe in grams.. so it will be easy to divide all ingredients.
Thankyou
[email protected]
Sure! I’ll be happy to send it to you. Working on getting a conversion button the recipe card itself, so everyone can easily access it. :)
Hi! Would you please send the recipe with grams to me, too? Thanks!
Absolutely! :)
Could you please also send mit the recipe with grams? I would like to bake it this morning :-)
[email protected]
thanks so much!!
Sure! I actually added a Metric button to the bottom of the ingredients list, so you can change to grams automatically, if you like. BUT, I will email it to you just in case you don’t get this. :)
I want to make this but was wondering if I could use almond flour instead
You know, I don’t know. I’ve never tried it with almond flour, but please let use now how it turns out if you do!
Delicious! I made this with a few changes due to my lack of lemons and applesauce. I had one large and a half of a smaller one so the lemon flavor isn’t strong but the cake is great nonetheless. I used Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer instead of applesauce, no issues. I also have a much smaller decorative loaf pan so I was able to use the rest of the batter in my tiny cake molds. Turned out so cute. Thanks for the recipe!
Love all your adaptations, Olivia!
I must have done something wrong. Cake did not rise much, it is very dense and baked almost with texture of a lemon bar. So disappointed. Hints to what I may have done wrong?
Thank you I’m new to Vegan baking.
So sorry it didn’t rise well for you. It’s possible the batter was over-mixed. What kind of baking powder did you use?
I’ve made this a lot and it’s always very good (already rated it!) but last time I cut the recipe in half and used 6” cake pans. It tasted fine but the cake sunk in the middle. Does this having to do with not using the Bundt pan or would Over mixing be more likely?
Interesting. It’s possible that the batter was over-mixed. Did you open the oven and peak at it while it was baking? That will definitely cause a little sinking. It could have also sunk if you lessened the baking time (with the smaller pan), if it wasn’t fully cooked in the middle. What kind of baking powder did you use? Sometimes, cakes can even sink if someone slams a door in the house while it’s baking. Generally, I find the Rumford aluminum-free baking powder to be fairly robust and not have issues with that, but yeah. I suppose it’s possible.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe! I have baked with your recipe numerous times! My family and I love this cake very much! I shared a slice of it with my neighbor who shares lemons with me and she loves it, so I shared your recipe with her too. I also changed to oranges, and voila! Awesome orange cake!!! Today I am adding a twist on the lemon recipe and added lavender to make a lemon lavender cake for my daughter’s B-day! Yummm! Thank you
Thanks, Monica! Yay! I love the idea of using oranges AND the lavender lemon cake sounds fabulous. How did you add the lavender? Happy vegan baking!
xoxo, Lindsay
I just added a teaspoon of French culinary lavender from an organic farm from California, I visited the lavender festival last year and got it there, but I am sure you can get it online too http://www.centralcoastlavender.com
Your recipe is my favorite one! Thank You for sharing it
Hi Lindsey,
I just wanted to share with you about the new adaptation my son did and resulted really good and festive, we used oranges from our garden and cranberry marmalade from the batch we did for thanksgiving! He had a good intuition on the flavors blend for a 15 y.o.
OMG! It tastes delicious
Hello! I too am a professional vegan baker and I have yet to try your recipe but wanted to chime in on the sinking issue. The core of the batter isn’t getting hot enough to cook in 6″ or more, round pans which is why this batter works well in bundt pans, there’s no center core to heat or loaf pans, there is only 3″ of width to heat. From what I can tell, this is a dense batter, so there are two options to getting the batter to rise and cook in the center. Place an upside-down “rose nail” in the center of the pan (a cake decorator tool to make buttercream roses) BEFORE you pour the batter in. While cooking, the metal will draw heat to the center and will help the center rise and cook evenly with the rest of the cake. To get the rose nail out without ruining the cake, once the cake has cooled, run a butter knife around the inside edge of the cake pan releasing the cake. Turn over onto a cutting board and release the cake from the pan, being mindful of the center rose nail. Pull the rose nail up and out of the center of the cake.
My secret to not ruining the cake while getting the rose nail is that I make sure all of my cakes are well chilled (almost frozen), so they will not split from being handled. Another option is “bake even cake strips”, they too work wonders with dense cakes and they are easy to work with either with/without the rose nail. And another secret baking tip, do not butter/flour the walls/edges of a cake pan and put parchment only on the bottom. No oil, butter, etc., is needed under the parchment as the oils can/will alter the cake batter if not careful. The batter needs something to cling too (the sides) as it’s rising, and even rising contributes to an evenly baked cake. This applies to non-decorative cake pans only. I just found your blog and love your recipes! Be well.
Wow, Jennifer!! Thanks so so much for chiming in! I love to bake, but I am not a professional, so thank you SO much for your tips. I appreciate it so much. :)
You’re very welcome! I too am self-taught and thankfully, these are tips and tricks I picked up along the way and am always happy to share. <3
Hi! Just wondering, would you be able to replace the almond milk with either soy milk or regular milk instead?
Hi Priya! Absolutely. You can use any plant-based milk for this recipe. :)
Hi, Lindsay
Would you mind sending me a version in grams.
Thank you so much.
***[email protected]
absolutely!
Greetings I have made this Lemon pound cake several times and it came out excellent every time even switched it up and put bits of strawberries inside of the batter for my wife’s birthday. I find joy in all these recipes and I try my best to try as many as I can.
THANK YOU!
YUM! I love the idea of adding strawberries!
I halved every ingredient but still baked it in my large bundt pan–it turned out perfect! I didn’t want to make too much cake because just 2 of us are going to eat it. My regular baking powder worked just fine and I added poppy seeds as well. I left out the turmeric and the lemon extract. With the lemon juice in the cake, glaze and frosting is it still very lemon-y! I will absolutely be making this again. YUM
Nothing short of amazing! It was a perfectly delicious and beautiful bundt cake. You can’t tell it’s missing butter, milk and eggs. I used coconut oil instead of safflower oil and it turned out perfect. Thank you!
In your directions, you say to mix the ingredients in a “bowel” instead of bowl. Just thought you should know.
HA!!! Thanks for the heads up. Will have to fix it.
This was the best lemon cake we have ever had!! I used cake and pastry flour because that’s all I had on hand. I also used oat milk and I only had 1.5 cups of sugar plus a few table spoons and it came out so moist and had a nice small crumb. I did not make the icing just the glaze and it was amazing.
This cake was amazing! I made it today and my family loved it! Wish I could post a picture!
Hi!
Came across this and would love to make it! Would you mind sending me the gram version of the recipe?
Thank you so much :)
[email protected]
Sure! You can also get the recipe in grams by clicking “Metric” above in the recipe card, just underneath the ingredients list. I will send you it in email form as well. :) Happy baking!
Lindsay
Delicious! My family loved it. The cake was easy to make. I will be making this one again for sure!
I bake lots of vegan cakes so I will defo be trying this. I cannot get hold of apple sauce, so can I leave it out or what can I use as a substitute?
You can definitely leave it out or add a few extra tablespoons of nondairy milk.
I had to give this 5 stars. I struggle to find good desserts being allergic to dairy. Made this yesterday and it was devoured at a dinner party. I left off the frosting and just did the glaze and everyone thought it was delicious and not too sweet. I’m going to make it again and try adding blueberries! This recipe is absolutely going down in my favorites. Thank you for sharing!
My non vegan Dad said it’s the best lemon cake he had ever had!
Yay! I’m so glad he loved it!
Omg yess! i just made this and it turned out amazing! i only used about a 1/2 tsp of lemon zest and just added a bit more lemon juice and extract; i also used oil in place of applesauce. this cake is super moist, lemony and sweet – will definitely make again! thank you!!
I made your vegan lemon Bundt cake for my daughters 20th birthday and it was a hit! I didn’t use the lemon extract and I used canola oil for the oil and followed the rest of the directions. I could not get the frosting to look like yours no matter how much confectioners sugar I mixed with the lemon juice was my only trouble. Please do a video on the frosting. Thank you so much! Rachel in Georgia
Lovely cake. My first attempt at a vegan cake and I’m so happy.
Perfect ratio I try! thank you much for sharing this recipe!
I am sure that I cannot make fail anytime
This dip is very, very delicious. My guests enjoyed it very much. I definitively will make it again and again.
Easy – Delicious – Addictive! Perfect summer treat and was a hit with a group I made this for.
Can i use milk instead of almond milk and what can i use instead of apple sauce, or can i skip apple sauce?
You can use any type of milk that you like for this recipe! You can also skip the apple sauce, or if the batter seems a bit dry, you can add a few more tablespoons of nondairy milk (or other milk of your preference).
I made the cake tonight and I will make frosting tomorrow. Thank you so much! Even without frosting the cake is delicious and has a great lemon flavor.
So glad you loved it, Milan! :)
Hi, could I please have the recipe in grams as well? [email protected] Still a vegan baker newbie and it’s better to be precise. Also, may I know what’s the size of your Bundt cake pan? Thanks!!
absolutely!
And, to answer your question–my bundt pan has 10-15 cup capacity. The link to my bundt pan is here: https://amzn.to/32KYVnq
Any advice on making these in a round cake pan? Same temperature and time?
Hi Carlee,
It really depends on the size of you round pans. I’d definitely bake at the same temperature, but not necessarily the same time. I’d watch it really closely, and when it starts turning golden brown on the edges, check it with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, it’s done. :)
Everyone I gave it to was AMAZED by how wonderful it was!! Great recipe!!
This looks amazingly simple and tasty!!! Thanks so much!
Can I use fresh lemon juice instead of lemon extract? We have so many lemons I need to do something with!
absolutely!
Best lemony cake I ever had. Just couldn’t stop eating. Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
This was my very first vegan cake that I’ve made, and OMG it is absolutely delicious and so super moist! It did not last long in my house because everyone ate it up and loved every bit of it! I will definitely make this and hope to share it with my work peeps when we all get back into the office!
Yay! I’m so glad you loved this cake. It’s a favorite at our house too, for sure. :)
Incredibly delicious I did, Your recipe is so easy to follow. I make it, I did it perfectly. I am so happy. Thank you for sharing!
I am intrigued and will try this. 2 cups of sugar seem like too much for my taste. Would the recipe still work if I were to decrease the sugar by 1/2 a cup?
Absolutely! You can adjust the sugar based on your preference. :)
I made this for my Daughter’s Birthday. She absolutely loved it and so did family
members. They all want me to make it again and
they are going to give making it themselves a go.
Thank you for a really delicious recipe
Delicious Bundt cake! Thank you for this recipe! . My daughter is vegan and I made it for her birthday. However, it split into 4 pieces. What do I need to do to keep it from splitting apart
Hi Barbara! Glad you loved the cake! Sorry it split on you…you might need to let it cool longer in the bundt pan before flipping it in order to prevent that from happening again.
Best lemon cake ever!
yay! So glad you loved it, Maria!
Hi Lindsay,
How can I substitute the lemon juice. I would like to make a basic pound cake without the lemon juice. Can I omit the turmic and lemon juice and will it mess up the cake? Also I want to double the rescipe so can you please help me figure the measurements out please? I want a plan vanilla pound cake.
Hi Lindsay,
How can I substitute the lemon juice. I would like to make a basic pound cake without the lemon juice. Can I omit the turmic and lemon juice and will it mess up the cake? Also I want to double the rescipe so can you please help me figure the measurements out please? I want a plan vanilla pound cake.
Hi Alice,
Yes, You can double the recipe. Just note that if you are using a different baking dish, you may have to adjust the baking time–so watch your cake closely, and when it is turning golden brown on top, and a fork or toothpick comes out clean, it should be done. You can omit the turmeric for sure. You can also omit the lemon zest. I wouldn’t completely omit the lemon juice, just lessen it. Lemon juice has vitamin C, which can improve the texture of vegan baked goods, so I’d use just 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, instead of what is in the recipe. You can even use bottled lemon juice; it doesn’t have to be fresh. Obviously add vanilla, if you’re making a vanilla cake. Let us know how it works for you if you try it out!
Happy vegan baking! Lindsay
Hi, could this vegan lemon cake be turn into a vegan vanilla pound cake? I don’t want the lemon or turmeric in it.
Thank you
I’m sure it could work as a vanilla pound cake! I haven’t tried it, so if you give it a go, let us know how it turns out. :)
Turned out so good! I only needed half the frosting. I used the zest from my four lemons in the cake, and it was great–I don’t think it was three whole tablespoons, though. I will absolutely make this again!! I love a super lemony cake and thought the addition of turmeric for color was genius.
So glad you liked it!! :)
Hello!
I would like to make this for my mother’s birthday tomorrow. My only question is, what is the point of having both a glaze and a frosting? Should I choose between one or the other?
Thank you in advance!
:)
You definitely could chose one or the other. The glaze kind of adds to the intense lemon flavor. But you could definitely skip it with little difference in flavor. :)
Hi! I want to make this cake tonight and serve it on the weekend. Do u suggest that I freeze it until friday? or keep it in the fridge?
Thank you!!!!
Hi Emily! This cake lasts a good 5 days refrigerated, just make sure you cover it with plastic wrap well, so it doesn’t dry out. I would also recommend letting it warm up to room temperature before serving. :)
Oh! Thank god I wanted to make it as a surprise for my mother after work and I’m sitting here saying “NOOOO! I can’t make it…” now I’m relived.
Can you use Pure Cane Granulated Sugar?
Me:”Please say yes, Please say yes…”
absolutely! :)
I substituted with King Arthur Gluten free all
Purpose flour. I used the coconut oil. It was delish! Got rave reviews from the family! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Lindsay, the recipe worked great even in a long pan instead of a round one. I added two tablespoons of poppy seeds to the dough. Loved the texture and the taste.
Hugs from Germany
Juli
Hey! I wanted to make this recipe next week because it looks amazing but I wanted to ask if we really have to use almond milk? I only have rice milk and oat milk at home, is it going to make a difference?
Thank you so much and thank you for the recipe!
Sincerely,
Beatriz
Hi Beatriz! You definitely could use oat milk or rice milk. I doubt that it will make any difference at all. :)
Happy baking! Lindsay
Hi Lindsay,
Thank you for sharing this recipe
I love baking and since one of my kids is anaphylactic to dairy, eggs, tree nuts (except almonds), and peanuts, I am always looking for new safe recipes to make for the family. I made the lemon cake yesterday (used coconut oil) and it came out perfect!
I can see why you picked a lemon cake for your reception – this is a delicious cake! My kids loved it and so did we! :-)
I look forward to trying some of your other recipes (I think the Vegan Cinnamon Rolls will be next)
Thanks again!
Raul.
Regarding the applesauce, is unsweetened or sweetened? Thank you.
unsweetened! :) thanks for checking.
I live in Japan so the oven situation is pretty limited – my last “oven” could never bake a cake fully through, so I was excited to finally get a convection oven and this is the first recipe I tried! The oven is still not so large so I halved the recipe and used an 8″ pan, also lowering the temp to 160C to account for the convection. It worked perfectly! The cake is light and fluffy and didn’t sink at all (I used 3 tsp regular baking powder).
Glazed but pre-frosting: https://i.imgur.com/nWZJOiD.jpg
I’ll be keeping this recipe to make again!
So light, moist and delicious! Everyone loved it, I will certainly be baking one again!
So glad you loved it, Susan!
Hola, ¿podrías enviarme una versión en gramos de esta receta? Le he dado a la opción metrico y me lleva al inicio de la página y no sale en gramos.
Gracias
May I have the recipe in gram measurements? Also, is the turmeric necessary or just for coloring? Making this for my family in two weeks.
sure! Sorry I am slow to respond to this. You can actually easily convert the recipe to grams by clicking on the link that says “Metric” at the bottom of the ingredients list in the recipe card. :)
Hi I really love this recipe and this is the 2nd time I’ve made it! I was just wondering if it would be okay to freeze the cake because I made it for a picnic but it was unexpectedly delayed to next week?
Hi Grace! If you cover the cake really well with plastic wrap, it freezes just fine.
The recipe, which I followed exactly, rose and then sunk around Bundt core. It’s really disappointing.
BEAUTIFUL CAKE!! This recipe was so easy and clear to follow! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi! I’ve baked this cake twice and each time it’s come out quite dense and heavy. Can I use cake flour to make it lighter?
I would love to try this, but it needs to be gluten free. Would Bob’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure flour work in this recipe? Thanks!
Can I make this in a different kind of bundt pan? I wanted to use my swirl bundt pan but then was not sure the glaze and frosting would work on the swirl cake. Love the touch of lemon zest.
Nice post. Thanks for sharing
Hi Lindsay! Made this recipe for the first time, and decorated it for Easter. Awesome Bundt pound cake loved by all! My 3/12 year old granddaughter said it was the best part of Easter. After glazing, I sliced a piece off so that I could stand it up on a large cake plate. Used a piece of chocolate bark to cover one side of the whole to make a bunny den and buttercream icing to make the grass, flowers, etc. Can’t seem to add a pic to show you. Thank you! Have added this recipe as my go-to lemon cake.
thanks, Pam! So glad you loved it!
This is such a fabulous vegan alternative to Lemon Cake. I used a smaller Bundt pan so I halved the ingredients. Still baked for 50 minutes and it turned out great. Thanks for posting.
I’ve been using aluminum free baking powder for decades and never ever increased the baking powder in a recipe that just call’s for “baking powder”. Never had any issues I’m talking vegan recipes, veganized recipes, my mother’s recipes and my grandmother’s recipes. Out of curiosity, I looked at Clabber Girl’s website (they are the manufacturer of Rumford baking powder (which is aluminum free) and they are the manufacturer of 3 brands of baking powder that DO contain aluminum- Clabber Girl baking powder, Davis baking powder and Royal baking powder. Nowhere on their website, not even in their FAQs, does it say anything about needing to increase the amount of baking powder you’ll need in a recipe if you are using Rumford (always aluminum free) vs the 3 other aluminum containing baking powders