This vegan loaf cake recipe is bursting with fresh lemon flavor! It's soft, moist, and tender. You'll love this Starbucks copycat lemon loaf!
If you're looking for a slightly tart and perfectly sweet dessert that's perfect for spring or summer, this recipe is for you.
Why you'll love this recipe
A traditional pound cake is made with equal parts flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. This delicious recipe is dairy free and eggless, but just as dense and buttery as the classic.
- Easy to make: You'll be amazed how quickly this recipe comes together. No milk or eggs needed!
- Better than Starbucks: We use fresh lemons so this homemade iced lemon loaf is just as bright, citrusy, and buttery, but made in the comfort of your own home.
- Incredible texture: This vegan pound cake has a soft texture with a sweet icing drizzled on top.
Equipment
This 8.5 x 4.5 loaf pan is aluminum and nonstick! It's great for quick breads, yeast breads, pound cakes, and more.
Ingredients
This vegan loaf cake recipe comes together with simple ingredients. Here's what you'll need to make this sweet treat, plus my recommended substitutions.
- Vegan butter: For a vegan loaf that melts in your mouth, use vegan butter that has been softened to room temperature. As an alternative, you can use olive oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil instead.
- Granulated sugar: This keeps our loaf cake soft and moist!
- Lemon zest: The oils from the lemon zest give this vegan lemon pound cake recipe an unbeatable lemon aroma and flavor. (This is the zester I use!)
- Lemon juice: I suggest using fresh lemon juice over bottled lemon juice but either will work.
- Vanilla extract: This enhances the flavors of the sugar and lemon.
- Vegan yogurt: The secret ingredient that makes this lemon loaf incredibly moist and tangy. You can substitute with vegan sour cream, if needed.
- Flour: This recipe calls for all purpose flour. If gluten-free, use 1:1 gluten-free flour!
- Baking powder: No egg replacer here, just a touch of baking powder will help this pound cake rise beautifully.
- Salt: Just a pinch to enhance the flavors.
How to make vegan lemon loaf cake
The full directions for this recipe are in the printable recipe card below.
Step 1: Beat vegan butter and sugar together
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the vegan butter and sugar together until combined, light, and fluffy.
Step 2: Add wet ingredients
Add the wet ingredients and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step 3: Add dry ingredients
Add the dry and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
Step 4: Transfer batter to loaf pan
Pour the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Tip: Instead of greasing the loaf tin with oil spray, line with parchment paper for easy removal.
Step 5: Bake for about 45 minutes
Bake at 350F for 45-55 minutes, until cooked through and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 6: Let cool completely
Remove from the oven and let sit in the loaf pan for 10-15 minutes, then let the cake cool on a wire cooling rack until cooled completely.
Step 7: Make vegan lemon glaze
In a small bowl, whisk the simple lemon glaze together. Drizzle the glaze over the loaf cake and let set before slicing.
Step 8: Slice and serve
Slice lemon loaf into 8-10 slices, serve, and enjoy!
What to serve with lemon pound cake
Vegan lemon cake is great for serving at afternoon tea or special occasions of any kind.
- Serve with a side of fresh berries.
- Pour strawberry compote over a slice.
- Dollop dairy free whipped cream on top.
How to store leftovers and freeze
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days either in an airtight container or plastic wrap.
- To make ahead and freeze, place the unglazed loaf in a freezer safe container or bag, and store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Let thaw in the fridge overnight then make the glaze right before serving.
Baking tips
- To help release the lemon oil and juice, firmly roll on the countertop for about 10 seconds.
- Don't overmix the batter! Overmixing results in a tough, chewy cake.
- Allow the loaf cake to cool completely on a wire rack. If the cake is warm, the glaze will melt rather than harden.
Related recipes
Want more vegan desserts? Try these recipes next:
- Vegan olive oil cake looks impressive but is super easy to make!
- Looking for a classic? Try my dairy free and egg free vanilla cupcakes.
- These vegan blueberry muffins are incredibly soft and fluffy.
- This vegan banana bread has a soft crunch from the walnut topping.
- My vegan oatmeal cookies are a fan favorite!
- Want to impress your guests? They'll love my easy vegan madeleines.
Vegan Loaf Cake
Ingredients
Lemon Loaf
- ½ cup vegan butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup vegan yogurt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Lemon Glaze
- 2 tablespoon melted vegan butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a standard loaf pan (8.5×4.5 or 9×5) with parchment paper or grease with oil spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the softened vegan butter and granulated sugar together until combined and fluffy.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and vegan yogurt. Mix until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined, do not over-mix. If the batter seems a bit too thick, add a very small splash of dairy-free milk.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, until cooked through and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and let cool in the loaf pan for 15 minutes. Transfer the lemon loaf to a wire rack and let cool completely.
- Whisk the lemon glaze ingredients together in a small bowl until smooth. Pour over the cooled loaf cake and let set. Slice into 8-10 slices and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
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