Y’all, this vegan lemon cake is NO JOKE. Fluffy, moist, and amazingly delicious, this is the easiest cake you can make from scratch. Each bite brings you the freshness of poppin’ lemon flavor. It’s also naturally dairy free, with no vegan butter and a gluten-free option. So you can serve it at any holiday party or springtime get-together.
Truth be told, we don’t always have the time to make a time-consuming layered cake, but that doesn’t stop the serious lemon cravings from hitting! That’s why this lemon cake takes only one bowl and uses coconut topping as the finisher, making this dessert even EASIER.
And if you’re a lemon fan, be sure to try my delicious gluten free vegan lemon pie and these vegan lemon poppy seed muffins.
Jump to:
Best ever eggless lemon cake with coconut topping
I’ve always been a sucker for lemons, and any kind of baked confection with zesty lemon is a real winner for me. This cake is based on an old Betty Crocker vanilla cake recipe, which uses eggs and butter and umm, zero lemons.
But like I said, when you want that citrus fix, you’ll do anything to get it. And so I tweaked this simple recipe to make my lemony dreams come true.
One major switch I made was substituting the eggs with carbonated water. This created a fluffy, airy, and moist texture that totally worked. For more info about substituting eggs in baking, check out this recommended list.
Anyhoo, after making my alterations, I was so happy with the cake that I made it again…and again. So now I suppose I’ll share it because it’s not nice to keep good things to yourself, especially cake.
I’m sure you’ll enjoy this fluffy, moist, and lemon packed cake as much as my family and I did!
Ingredients + Substitutions
Here is what you need to make this easy vegan lemon cake, plus substitutions. Be sure to check the recipe box below for exact measurements.
- All-purpose flour. I prefer to use unbleached white flour. You can also substitute with a 1 to 1 all-purpose gluten-free flour, if needed.
- Granulated sugar. To make this vegan, be sure to use a natural cane sugar. Standard white sugar is processed using bone char, and is not vegan. Coconut sugar and turbinado sugar would also work, although keep in mind that it may change the flavor a touch.
- Baking powder.
- Salt. I use Himalayan pink salt.
- Carbonated water. This is your egg replacement for this cake. Sparkling water or seltzer water work here too.
- Oil. I prefer using canola because it’s a neutral tasting oil, but you can also use olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Lemon juice. Use a freshly squeezed lemon for the best taste.
- Lemon extract. This adds more lemon flavor and is delicious.
- Coconut whipped topping (optional). Instead of worrying about the frosting, I’ve topped this cake with coconut whipped cream for a deliciously easy finisher. I like using the So Delicious or Truwhip brands. Of course, if you want real frosting, you can top this cake with my easy coconut frosting.
How to make the easiest vegan lemon cake
Making a dairy-free eggless lemon cake from scratch does not have to be complicated! Just follow the simple steps below.
- Preheat oven to 350° F (176° C). Lightly oil a 9×13 baking pan (or line the bottom with parchment paper) and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and stir.
- Add in carbonated water, oil, lemon juice, and lemon extract. Using electric hand mixers, beat ingredients on medium speed until combined well. Batter should be thick.
- Transfer batter to cake pan and spread out evenly. Pop in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the sides start to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely (you can place in the fridge to chill faster). Top with coconut topping, if desired. Cut into squares and serve.
How many days in advance can you make this recipe?
If you have a special occasion coming up, and you want to make this vegan lemon cake ahead of schedule, do it!
I recommend making the cake up to 2 days in advance, but keep it refrigerated to prevent the cake from drying out. Also, for best results, wait to top it with coconut whipped cream until the night before your event– if the topping sits for too long on your cake, it could make it soggy.
Storage + Freezing
- When topped with coconut, this cake is stored best in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Just keep in mind that the longer it sits, the more likely the top could become soggy.
- You can freeze this cake without the coconut topping. Simply wrap in plastic and keep frozen for up to 3 months. To defrost, let it thaw out in the refrigerator overnight. You can then frost it with coconut topping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Simply switch out the flour for an all-purpose gluten-free baking flour, such as the Bob’s Red Mill brand.
Yup! If you want to make your lemon poppy seed dreams a reality, stir in 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds in step 2.
This cake can totally be made into cupcakes. Just divide batter between 12 baking cups and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until cooked through. For a bundt cake, grease bundt pan and add batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through.
Allergy Information
- This lemon cake is 100% vegan, meaning it is egg-free and dairy-free. It is also naturally nut-free and soy-free.
- Make it gluten-free by using a gluten-free all-purpose baking flour of your choice, such as Bob’s Red Mill brand.
More vegan lemon and cake recipes
- This Vegan Lemon Pie Will Be Your New Favorite
- When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Amazing Allergy Free Cupcakes for Your Next Birthday Party
- No One Will Know These Coconut Cupcakes are 100% Vegan
Easiest Coconut Vegan Lemon Cake
Equipment
- Electric Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour or all-purpose gluten-free flour, if needed
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup carbonated water
- ½ cup oil, such as canola
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon extract
- 1 container coconut whipped topping
- lemon zest, for topping optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F (176° C). Lightly oil a 9×13 baking pan (or line the bottom with parchment paper) and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and stir.
- Add in carbonated water, oil, lemon juice, and lemon extract. Using electric hand mixers, beat ingredients on medium speed until combined well. Batter should be thick.
- Transfer batter to cake pan and spread out evenly. Pop in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the sides start to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely (you can place in the fridge to chill faster). Top with coconut topping, if desired. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- I prefer to use unbleached white flour. You can also substitute with a 1 to 1 all-purpose gluten-free flour, if needed.
- To make this vegan, be sure to use a natural cane sugar. Standard white sugar is processed using bone char, and is not vegan. Coconut sugar and turbinado sugar would also work, although keep in mind that it may change the flavor a touch.
- Sparkling water or seltzer water work for this recipe too.
- Olive oil or coconut oil work for this recipe too. Just keep in mind that if you use coconut oil, you must be sure that all ingredients are room temperature, or it will harden the oil.
- Instead of worrying about the frosting, I’ve topped this cake with coconut whipped cream for a deliciously easy finisher. I like using the So Delicious or Truwhip brands. Of course, if you want real frosting, you can top this cake with my easy coconut frosting.
- If you have a special occasion coming up, and you want to make this vegan lemon cake ahead of schedule, do it! I recommend making the cake up to 2 days in advance, but keep it refrigerated to prevent the cake from drying out. Also, for best results, wait to top it with coconut whipped cream until the night before your event– if the topping sits for too long on your cake, it could make it soggy.
- When topped with coconut, this cake is stored best in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Just keep in mind that the longer it sits, the more likely the top could become soggy.
- You can freeze this cake without the coconut topping. Simply wrap in plastic and keep frozen for up to 3 months. To defrost, let it thaw out in the refrigerator overnight. You can then frost it with coconut topping.
- This cake can totally be made into cupcakes. Just divide batter between 12 baking cups and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until cooked through. For a bundt cake, grease bundt pan and add batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through.
- If you want to add poppy seeds, stir in 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds in step 2.
Nutrition Information
Heidi
This cake looks amazing! I was wondering if applesauce could be used in place of the oil?