Vegan Lemon Cake

4.12 from 254 votes

The best vegan lemon bundt cake is moist, has rich lemon flavor, and is smothered in a sweet and tangy frosting.

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Total Time1 10

Course: Breakfast/Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 340kcal

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)

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.

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.

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!

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.