Dairy Free Lemon Cake
A dairy free lemon cake to light and refresh your day, perfect with a scoop of ice cream on the side or a hot coffee or tea.
Equipment
- 2 mixing bowls
- spatula
- electric mixer
- measuring cups and spoons
- whisk
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup dairy free milk (I use almond milk)
- 1/2 cup canola oil or butter
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lemon zest + 1 tbsp (extra for garnishing)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
Frosting
- 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the lemons, wash thoroughly. Grate the lemon skins for the zest and prepare the lemon juice.
- Preheat oven to 350F or 180C.
- In a medium-size bowl mix dry ingredients. All-purpose flour, whole wheat flour baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl add wet ingredients with sugar and lemon zest. Almond milk, melted butter, rice vinegar, vanilla, and lemon juice.
- Make a well and slowly pour liquid ingredients with dry ingredients. Mix well until there are no visible dry ingredients.
- Prepare your baking cake pan. I use my 8” cake pan. You can grease your pan or use cake parchment paper and pour the batter.
- Bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool first before transferring in a wire cooling rack and complete the process for frosting.
Frosting
- Combine butter and vegetable shortening. Beat together with an electric mixer or whisk by hand.
- After mixing add sifted powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla.
- Mix together until becomes well combined and thick for about 10 minutes. It should look spreadable.
- Spread through the cake.
- Top with lemon zest, serve and enjoy.
Notes
- You can use 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and skip changing a portion to whole wheat flour. I do not suggest using whole wheat flour alone.
- You can use any non-dairy free milk and use white sugar of your choice.
- If you do not want to add frosting you can skip the process or add a glaze instead. I have tried it and it’s still delicious.
- Using shortening is optional just check the ingredients if you want the cake vegan to make sure it has no animal fat.
- My goal is to create a naked dairy free lemon cake so I did not fully cover it with the frosting.
- Optional glaze to replace frosting: 1 tsp lemon juice + 1/2 cup icing sugar
