Vegan Lemon Cake

This Vegan Lemon Cake is super moist, slightly lemony, and the addition of the lemon glaze makes it just over the top good!

Vegan Lemon Cake

This Vegan Lemon Cake is one of the easiest and quickest recipes I’ve ever made, yet incredibly rewarding. It’s a favorite in my house and one of those desserts that doesn’t last long on the kitchen counter.

I have been making it for two years now because it’s tasty and easy, and a great alternative when you are looking for something lighter but just as delicious as a rich dark chocolate brownie. The batter itself is to die for! Good luck not licking the spoon and bowl clean!

Tips for the perfect Vegan Lemon Cake

• First, line the pan with parchment paper. For this cake, I used an 8-inch /20 cm square cake pan.
• Next, melt the vegan butter and the white chocolate. You won’t get a smooth mixture, that’s normal. While it cools down a bit, whisk together the coconut sugar with the apple sauce.
• Mix both mixtures and stir in the rest of the ingredients: the lemon zest, the lemon juice and the flour.
• After that, scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes.
• Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes before removing it from the pan. Meanwhile, make the glaze by mixing together the powdered sugar with the lemon juice until smooth.
• Then, use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and place it on a wire cooling rack. When the cake is cold, spread the glaze evenly over it with a spatula, letting the glaze drip down the sides.
• Once the glaze has set, cut into 16 squares.

How to Store Vegan Lemon Cake

This cake can stay at room temperature on your kitchen counter for up to three days, if you’re making it to consume within this time. If your kitchen gets very hot or humid, then the best way to ensure that the cake stays as fresh as possible is refrigerating it.

If you’re making this cake in advance, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it. Remove it from the fridge between 1-3 hours before serving. Glaze it just before serving.

Vegan Lemon Cake

Yield: 20-inch cake

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

This Vegan Lemon Cake is super moist, slightly lemony, and the addition of the lemon glaze makes it just over the top good!

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Ingredients

For the Vegan Lemon Cake

• ½ cup plant-based butter, room temperature
• 5 ounces vegan white chocolate, roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup apple sauce
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup coconut sugar
• zest of one lemon
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour (also, GF all-purpose flour)

For the Lemon Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

For the Vegan Lemon Cake

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Line a 8-inch/20 cm square cake pan with parchment paper. Lining it makes it easier to remove the cake once it is baked.
2. Start by melting the vegan butter and the white chocolate pieces in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Alternatively, you can put the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds with a rubber spatula. Do not over heat as chocolate burns easily. Let it cool down.
3. In a large bowl, mix the apple sauce and the coconut sugar until combined. Add the butter and the molten chocolate and mix well. Stir in the zest of one lemon, the lemon juice, the flour and the baking powder, and blend until all is incorporated. Do not over mix. 
4. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Check for doneness inserting a skewer in the center, it should come out clean or almost clean. Don't cook it for longer, it continues to cook until set, as it cools. 
5. Remove from the oven. Place the pan on a wire rack and let it cool for 30 minutes or until cold enough to handle. Then invert the pan onto a flat surface and peel off the parchment paper.  Flip the baked cake back onto the rack to cool completely.

For the Lemon Glaze

1. Stir the powdered sugar together with the lemon juice until a smooth consistency is reached. 
2. Pour the glaze over the cake. Use a knife or a spatula to spread it to the edges of the cake. Once the glaze has hardened, cut the cake into portions

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More easy chocolate treats from Simple Green Recipes

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Vegan Carrot Cake

Vegan Flourless Chocolate Cake

More vegan recipes from favorite blogs:

Vegan Mango Bars  from Pies and Tacos