Dairy Free / Vegan Lemon Cake Recipe 55 mins 12
This post may contain affiliate links. Where I make a small commission on purchased items, at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure for details.
This beautiful dairy free / vegan lemon cake is light, moist and CRAZY delicious! You'd honestly never know it was free from anything. Teamed up with an incredible dairy free lemon curd, this vegan lemon cake will convince your friends and family that you're a total pro when we know it was actually very easy to create! Shhhh, it'll be our little secret...
Do I need any expensive or crazy ingredients to make a dairy free / vegan lemon cake?
Nope! The only items someone who doesn't follow a dairy free/vegan diet may not already have is the soy milk and the dairy free spread. Both are very cheap and readily available from most supermarkets. Other than that, I'd be very surprised if you didn't already have everything you need to make this fabulous cake right now!
Is it easy to make a dairy free / vegan lemon cake?
Absolutely! There's no silly new techniques, lengthy waiting times or unique/expensive equipment you need to be able to make it. We're simply switching out dairy ingredients for dairy free and using a traditional cake making method. I promise, anyone can do it!
If you're new to baking however, you might like to read baking for beginners to improve your skills and confidence first.
So what makes this dairy free / vegan lemon cake better than all the others?
Wowsers, where do I start??
- It's very light in texture - not dense or heavy at all.
- It's SUPER moist! No spitting feathers here...
- The lemon curd more than makes up for the missing dairy.
- If you didn't know it was dairy free, you'd never guess it was!
- The frosting is really light and airy.
- It's cheap to make
I could honestly go on but I feel that at least sums up the main positives. This is genuinely one of the best cakes I've EVER made. Forget the fact that it's dairy free!
Helpful tips for making dairy free / vegan lemon cake
- Bake your cakes on the bottom shelf of your oven to prevent doming in the middle.
- Make sure the soy milk and dairy free spread are at room temperature before you begin baking. It will make a HUGE difference!
- When zesting the lemons, be careful to only zest the yellow skin. The white pith underneath is very bitter and doesn't taste nice.
- Don't skip the lemon curd! It's the star of the show and brings this cake to life.
- Get your cakes in the oven as soon as you've mixed the wet ingredients into the dry to get the best possible rise.
- Remember that all ovens vary so keep an eye on your cakes for the last 10 minutes of baking!
- Use Tomor dairy free sunflower spread. It's the best butter substitute I've come across.
The BEST dairy free / vegan lemon cake - Step by Step Picture Recipe
(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)
Please note, this recipe includes both UK metric and US Cup measurements.
Ingredients
Here is what you will need to serve 10-12.
For the cake
- 300ml (1 Cup + 3 tbsp) Unsweetened Soy Milk, Room Temp
- 1 tablespoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 150g (⅔ Cup) Dairy Free Spread
- 275g (2 + ¼ Cups) Self Raising Flour
- 220g (1 + ⅛ Cup) Golden Caster Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
- Zest of 2 Lemons
For the frosting/topping
- 160g (⅔ Cup + 1 tbsp) Dairy Free Spread, Room Temp
- 420g (3 + ⅓ Cups)Icing Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 150g (½ Cup) Dairy Free Lemon Curd *
Essential equipment
- 2 x 20 cm (8") Loose Bottomed Round Cake Tins
- Electric Stand Mixer or Large Bowl With Electric Hand Whisk
*I used this AMAZING vegan lemon curd recipe and it is absolutely perfect for this cake! Quick and easy to make and tastes wonderful. For a tasty variation, you could also use this pear vanilla jam instead.
Cake instructions
Firstly, preheat your oven to 180°C/Fan 170°C and lightly grease & line your cake tins.
Now let's prepare those ingredients! Measure out the milk (300ml | 1 Cup + 3 tbsp) in a jug, stir in the lemon juice (1 tbsp) and leave aside for later.
Melt the butter in a small bowl in 10 second intervals in the microwave.
Now sieve the flour (275g | 2 + ¼ Cups), sugar (220g | 1 + ⅛ Cup), baking powder (1 tsp), bicarbonate of soda (1 tsp) together into a large bowl.
Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk, melted dairy free spread and lemon zest. Mix it all together with a spatula until it's nice and smooth but don't over do it!
Now divide that mixture between the two prepared cake tins.
Bake them on the lower shelf in your oven for 15-20 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Once cool enough to handle, remove them from the tins, peel off the baking paper and cool completely on a rack. Set aside while we make the frosting.
Frosting instructions
Either in an electric stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric hand whisk, beat together the dairy free spread (160g | ⅔ Cup + 1 tbsp), the icing sugar (420g | 3 + ⅓ Cups) and the lemon juice (2 tbsp).
Start out on a slow speed then, once the icing sugar has almost dissolved into the spread, increase to a higher speed and continue for 2-3 minutes. You want it to be light, airy and smooth.
Assembly/decoration instructions
Take one layer of cake and place it on a cake stand or plate.
You can either just spread on about half of the frosting with a spatula or you can load a piping bag with a nozzle (I used a 2M open star nozzle) and pipe 'blobs' around the edge. Continue for one more row just inside that then pipe a 'snail' to fill out the middle.
Now spread the lemon curd (150g | ½ Cup) on top of the other cake layer. Take it almost to the edge but not quite. (It will squash out a little when you sandwich the two layers together.)
Carefully turn this layer over and place straight on top of the frosted bottom. Then spread a layer of frosting over the top of the whole cake and pipe pretty 'blobs' (technical term) around the edge for decorative effect.
And that's it! All that's left for you to do is serve your dairy free / vegan lemon cake to your friends/family and wait for the praise. Also - don't tell them it's dairy free/vegan before they try a slice and I bet they won't believe it when you tell them!
What's the best way to store a dairy free / vegan lemon cake?
My personal preference is at room temperature covered by a food net/umbrella. This should keep it delicious for around 4-5 days. I never store it cake in the fridge as it draws out the moisture which renders your cake dry very quickly. I also don't like to store cake in plastic tubs as sugar sweats in plastic - it never ends well!
Have you Made This Recipe?
I LOVE it when you share what you’ve made! You can get in touch by leaving a comment below, tagging me on social media or sending me an email. I don’t mind how, I just love hearing from you!
Loved this recipe? Pin it!
Dairy Free / Vegan Lemon Cake Recipe
This beautifully light, moist and delicious vegan lemon cake knocks all the others right out the park! The secret is that beautiful lemon curd and a clever ratio of ingredients...
Ingredients
For the Sponge
- 300ml (1 Cup + 3 tbsp) Unsweetened Soy Milk, Room Temp
- 1 tablespoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 150g (⅔ Cup) Dairy Free Spread
- 275g (2 + ¼ Cups) Self Raising Flour
- 220g (1 + ⅛ Cup) Golden Caster Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
- Zest of 2 Lemons
For the Filling/Topping
- 160g (⅔ Cup + 1 tbsp) Dairy Free Spread, Room Temp
- 420g (3 + ⅓ Cups)Icing Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 150g (½ Cup) Dairy Free Lemon Curd *
Essential Equipment
- 2 x 20 cm (8″) Loose Bottomed Round Cake Tins
- Electric Stand Mixer or Large Bowl With Electric Hand Whisk
Instructions
For the Sponge
- Line the base of both cake tins and preheat your oven to 180°C/Fan 170°C/356ºF. Then mix the lemon juice into the milk. And melt the dairy free spread in a bowl in the microwave in 10 second blasts.
- Mix together the flour, caster sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl. Then pour in the milk, melted spread and lemon zest. Mix until smooth.
- Divide between the two lined tins and bake in the lower half of the oven for 15-20 mins. Leave in the tins for 10 mins then remove and cool completely on a rack.
For the Filing/Topping
- Beat together the dairy free spread, icing sugar and lemon juice until light, fluffy and smooth. (About 3 minutes)
To Assemble
- Place a cake layer on a cake stand/serving plate. Load a piping bag with a star nozzle, pipe dots round the edge of the cake then fill the middle. (No one will see that bit so don't worry if it's not neat!)
- Spread the vegan lemon curd onto the bottom of the other cake layer then place it on top.
- Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top then decorate the edge with more piped dots to finish.
Notes
*I used this wonderful vegan lemon curd recipe which works great for this cake!
If you would rather use a more in depth picture recipe, please see the main body of this post. Where you’ll also find lots of extra FAQs and helpful tips, should you need them.
Please note, this recipe includes both UK metric and US Cup measurements.
Storage
Store at room temperature in a metal tin and consume within 4-5 days.
Tips
- Bake your cakes on the bottom shelf of your oven to prevent doming in the middle.
- Make sure the soy milk and dairy free spread are at room temperature before you begin baking. It will make a HUGE difference!
- When zesting the lemons, be careful to only zest the yellow skin. The white pith underneath is very bitter and doesn’t taste nice.
- Don’t skip the lemon curd! It’s the star of the show and brings this cake to life.
- Get your cakes in the oven as soon as you’ve mixed the wet ingredients into the dry to get the best possible rise.
- Remember that all ovens vary so keep an eye on your cakes for the last 10 minutes of baking!
- Use Tomor dairy free sunflower spread. It’s the best butter substitute I’ve come across.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 363Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 355mgCarbohydrates: 81gFiber: 1gSugar: 61gProtein: 4g
Nutritional information on kitchenmason.com should only be used as a general guideline, I am not a certified nutritionist. Please always check labels for allergens where applicable.
Emma is a British recipe writer, home cook, and founder of Kitchen Mason. For over 15 years, she has been creating simple, comforting recipes and practical kitchen tips that help tired, everyday people make dinner feel easier and more enjoyable again. Passionate about British home cooking, Emma shares reliable recipes, comforting classics, and realistic kitchen guidance designed for real life. Her work has also been featured in publications including Food Network, Cosmopolitan, and The Huffington Post.
Knowledgeable On: British home cooking, Easy dinner ideas, Comfort food recipes, Recipe writing
Thank you for this recipe. The cake is gorgeous x x ❤
Aww you’re so very welcome Hayley! I’m so pleased you love it 🙂 Emma x
I made the cake and lemon curd and they are both fantastic!!! Will always use this recipe for special cakes
Hi Jackie. Oh that's brilliant!! I'm so happy you had such great success using my recipe 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to comment, you've made my day! Emma x
I just made this for my birthday and it turned out great! I used raspberry puree instead of lemon for the curd and it worked really well. The cake itself did take longer to bake, around 30 minutes instead of 20. I also doubled the amount of lemon zest in the sponge mix for extra zing.
Hi Lucy. Oh that's fantastic! I'm SO happy this turned out so well for you! All ovens vary so good job you knew what to look for and it still turned out great. LOVE the idea of using raspberry puree 🙂 Emma x
Emma
Thank you for sharing this recipe & your tips. I followed every step carefully & I’m so pleased with the result. The cake I made yesterday has been shared amongst friends and I’m about to make another. I used the lemon curd recipe you recommended and that’s been a win too. I’m not an accomplished baker and I’m a relatively new vegan. I couldn’t be more pleased. One of my neighbours said it was the best cake she’d ever tasted. Thanks, thanks & thanks again xxx
Hi Wendy. What a lovely comment! Thank you so much or your kind words, you've made my day!! I'm so happy you enjoyed my recipe and I agree - that lemon curd recipe over at Domestic Gothess is amazing! Emma x
Looks yum. Can I use coconut or light olive oil instead of dairy free spread?
Hi Nicole. I’ve not personally substituted the dairy free spread with an oil before so not sure whether it would work or not I’m afraid. Free from baking can be so delicate a balance that I tend not to mess with a recipe once I’ve cracked it! If you try it I’d love to know if it does work. Emma x
Hi, I made this cake yesterday for my boyfriends birthday, he loved it, said it was the best vegan cake he’s ever had! I didn’t make the butter icing, I whipped up Elmlea vegan cream and made the lemon curd and sandwiched it with the cream! Thank you for the recipe, it will be are good to vegan cake now ??
Hi Ceri. Oh I'm so happy you love my recipe! I genuinely love the sound of your variation too, that Elmlea vegan cream is delicious! Thank you so much for taking the time to share this with me 🙂 Emma x
Hi - I followed the recipe with all in date new ingredients- it was still in cooked after 35 mins! Flat and stodgy 🙁
Hi Maria. I'm sorry this didn't work well for you. It's difficult for me to know what went wrong as I'm not with you. Did you read the whole post, including the 'top tips' section? That may have some things that could help you. Emma x
Just completed a trail run of this cake this morning and it came out a charm. It was absolutely delicious. I’m planning on making it next week for my grandmas 90th birthday. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!!
Oh this is wonderful to hear George! You've made my day, thank you for sharing your lovely comment 🙂 Emma x
By dairy free spread, do you mean vegan butter?
Hi Cecile. I used Tomor spread which is like a vegan margarine. Vegan butter would work fine too though 🙂 Emma x
Hello, made this cake and the sponge was great, although a little flat.The buttercream icing, though very pretty, is however unbearably sweet 🙁 any tips on making a creamy icing/topping with way less sugar?
Hi Hannah. Sorry your cakes were a little flat. Did you put them in the oven as soon as the batter was made? Raising agents begin to work as soon as liquid is added and their effectiveness lessens over time. As for the icing, it’s a tricky one. Dairy free butter is usually less firm than dairy butter so I add more icing sugar to help with both the firmness of the icing and the flavour. You could try decreasing the sugar and resting (covered) in the fridge for a while to firm it up slightly before using? Emma x
Thanks for the tips! The cake did look amazing and the flavours were spot on. Do you think a « cream cheese » type icing would work?
You’re welcome Hannah! A cream cheese style frosting would be delicious but I’ve personally never tried a dairy free version, so can’t point you in the direction of a recipe. I bet if you do a quick google search you’d find some great ones 🙂 Emma x
I am an experienced baker and I followed this recipe closely but the result was not good: the bake time was almost double the recommended and the rise was not even through the middle. The completed sponge was not the right texture, sadly.
Oh no, this makes me so sad!! I don’t understand what went wrong for you. I’ve made this cake so many times and it always works! I wish I could help. Emma x
My cake fell apart too when I put it on the rack after 15 mins to set in the tin. In theory it should have worked! I followed recipe to a T but it’s very boggy and not light at all. Not sure where I went wrong!
Hi Sally, I’m sorry to hear this happened to you! Without being there with you it’s tricky to know what went wrong. This may sound silly but are your bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and self raising flour all in date? I’ve made it before with out of date leavening ingredients by accident and it was quite thick/stodgy. Emma x
Mine fell apart when removing from tin. ?
Hi Julie, I’m so sorry to hear this! Not being there with you, it’s difficult for me to know what went wrong. Did you allow the cake to cool for a bit before attempting to remove them from the tins? Emma x
Hi,
My son is allergic to Soy and Cows Milk, do you think it will work the same with almond milk?
Thanks
Alice
Hi Alice. Yep! Almond milk will work absolutely fine 🙂 Emma x
I bumped onto this recipe yesterday and I could not stop thinking about the cake!! Woke up early this morning to satisfy my sweet tooth by making not one but two of them. They taste absolutely incredible. Thank you!!
Hi Bridge, what a lovely comment!!! Thank you SO much for sharing this with me - you’ve literally made my day! I’m so happy you like my recipe 🙂 Emma x
@Bridge,
Iv never dont this before messaging a reply but im hoping someone can help me.
I made these as small cakes this morning, but....though lovely in texture, they were horrid, tasted a aftertaste of Bicarbonate of soda, why do you think that was?
Hi Debbie. I've not personally baked these as smaller cakes, and it's always turned out very tasty for me. Could you maybe have put extra bicarbonate of soda in by accident? It should only be 1 teaspoon. Emma x
@Miss Debbie A Cook,
Hi Emma
Thankyou so much for your reply, I was not aware you had responded. Thankyou for confirming about the Bicarbonate of soda and could I have put extra in, I doubled the ingredients so I only put 2 teaspoons. However I think iv worked out what iv done wrong and I'm going to re-do the mixture tomorrow, I think I didn't use the right ratio as instead of lemon juice I added a large teaspoon of Lemon Curd instead, so I'm thinking I should have used less milk as once the lemon curd melted down it would have been to much liquid, but furthermore I think I might of used too much milk as well with a jug with faded measurements. So tomorrow I'm going to watch the milk quantity and make sure it looks like my former cakes with eggs.
I'd appreciate your thoughts?
Thankyou again
@Miss Debbie A Cook,
Apologies i remember now I mentioned the cake tasted like Bicarbonate, it wasn't the bicarbonate but too much lemon juice and rind that made it taste like soda.
This is all very new to me, the cakes tasted lovely second time round, just got to get the ratio right., this time to crumbly., IL get there in the end.
@Miss Debbie A Cook,
Hi Emma
I can't believe what I have just found. I used Gluten free flour and it states this flour causes vegan cakes of these ingredients to fall apart after cooking because there's not enough binding agent. Do you agree and has anyone out there used Gluten flour and the cake crumbles to pieces. What a revelation il suffer buying proper flour if only to prove this to myself, and IL let your website know because I noticed others saying about there cakes falling apart.
Hi Debbie. Baking can be tricky, don't worry if you make mistakes! It's how we all learn 🙂 It looks like you've worked out where you've been going wrong. As for using gluten free flour, I've not had a great deal of experience using it. But I do know it acts VERY differently to regular flour. If you need to make a gluten free cake, I would search for one that has specifically been created as gluten free, rather than trying to adapt one. Otherwise, stick to using regular flour. Hope this helps! Emma x