Recipe: Easy Vegan Lemon Cake

A slice of very moist and zingy lemon cake is an absolute treat with a nice cup of tea, and this recipe that I’ve been working on for a while is a winner.  I’ve included optional extras – a drizzle syrup if you’re after a traditional vegan lemon drizzle cake, and also a lemony icing which drips beautifully down the sides, and looks stunning topped with fresh berries – perfect if you’re after a bit more of a ‘showstopper’ for an afternoon tea or cake sale.

They are optional, of course, and the cake would still be lovely without either, but for the cake I photographed here I used both and it was utterly delicious.  Using both the drizzle and icing makes this a VERY lemony vegan lemon cake, so if you’re after something a little more delicate do opt for one or the other.  But if you’re a citrus fan like me, the double-drizzle cake is insanely good!

Having made quite a few of these for recipe testing, I can confirm that they freeze really well – I sliced mine and separated the slices with a small square of baking parchment, then wrapped the whole lot in foil.  What a treat to add a slice of homemade cake to a packed lunch in the morning, so it has just defrosted by lunchtime – it tastes like it was freshly baked that day!

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You might like to take a look at my Vegan Cakes Recipe Index for lots more delicious and speedy vegan meals!

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tagging me @thevegspace or using the hashtag #thevegspace to show me how you got on!

Vegan Lemon Cake: Equipment and Shopping List

You will need:

• 2lb loaf tin
• baking parchment or greaseproof paper
• food mixer (or large bowl and hand whisk)
• small bowl

Shopping List:

• lemons
• dairy-free margarine
• dairy-free plain yoghurt (soya or coconut work well)
• ground almonds
• caster sugar
• icing sugar
• self-raising flour
• cornflour
• bicarbonate of soda

5 from 9 votes

Print

Easy Vegan Lemon Cake

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

50 mins

Total Time

1 hr 20 mins

 

This deliciously moist lemon cake is a traditional British bake, made vegan.  This one has a few options to make it your own - add a drizzle for a super-most and extra-zingy sponge, or a lemon icing as pictured, then top with fresh berries.

Course: Cake

Cuisine: British

Keyword: vegan lemon cake

Servings: 12 slices

Author: Kate Ford | The Veg Space

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 150 g dairy-free margarine
• 225 g caster sugar
• 150 g dairy-free plain yoghurt (soya or coconut work well)
• 2 lemons
• 250 g self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 50 g ground almonds
• 2 tbsp cornflour

For the (optional) lemon drizzle syrup:

• 75 g icing sugar
• 1/2 lemon

For the (optional) lemon icing:

• 125 g icing sugar
• 1/2 lemon

Instructions

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan) / 340°F / Gas Mark 5.  Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.

2. In a food mixer or large bowl, beat together the margarine and sugar until pale and fluffy.  Add the yoghurt and the zest of the 2 lemons (save the zested lemons as you will need their juice later on), then beat again.

3. Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ground almonds and cornflour and gently fold together until the mixture is just combined and no lumps remain.  Finally, squeeze in the juice of the 2 lemons, and stir.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, and bash the tin firmly onto the work surface to remove bubbles.  Place into the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes until an inserted knife or skewer comes out clean.  Leave the cake in the tin whilst you follow the instructions below.

For the (optional) lemon drizzle syrup:

1. Tip the icing sugar into a bowl then stir in the juice of half a lemon and stir well.  If the mixture is a little too thick (it should be the consistency of a pouring syrup, not a thick icing) add a little more lemon juice or water just a teaspoon at a time.

2. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then prick it all over with a cocktail stick or skewer, and slowly pour over the drizzle syrup.  (Be sure to spread it evenly around the cake - spoon quite a bit of syrup around the edges where the cake will be a little drier, rather than just pouring it all in the middle!).

For the (optional) lemon icing:

1. Tip the icing sugar into a bowl.  Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into a mug or small bowl, then add it just a teaspoon at a time to the icing sugar.  You will probably need about 5-6 teaspoons in total, to reach a fairly thick, pourable icing that will just start to drip down the sides a little. (If you add a little too much lemon juice don't panic, just add more icing sugar to thicken it up).

2. When the cake is completely cool, (ideally stored in an airtight container overnight), spoon the icing onto the top of the cake.  

There are plenty of quick and easy vegan recipes in my new book, ‘Vegan in 15‘*. Hop over to Amazon for a look.  Thanks for your support!

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