This Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and almonds is soft, moist and delicious with a fresh lemon flavor. The recipe is quick and easy to make in one bowl, with a gluten-free option. (This post contains step-by-step pictures).
Best Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Hey guys, this Lemon Poppy Seed Cake tastes SO good, and it’s one of those cake recipes that I use over and over again! Especially in springtime, I love enjoying fresh lemony cakes that are easy to make and perfect for a quick snack or to take to a picnic. Of course, I also love my blueberry lemon layer cake, but making a loaf is definitely the easier way to go if you want a moist and fluffy cake in no time!
And can you guess what makes this Cake makes so special? It’s the poppy seeds! Actually, I’m a big fan of poppy seeds. I love to add them into sweet treats, such as pancakes, oatmeal, crepes, and cakes. By the way, have you tried my poppy seed cheesecake with crumbles on top yet? It’s so delicious! However, you can also make this lemon cake without poppy seeds if you don’t like them.
The perfect dessert for anytime!
The great thing about this Lemon Poppy Seed Cake loaf is that it’s the perfect sweet treat for any occasion! Not only for a cozy afternoon snack or picnic but, it’s also very practical to take to work, school or even to eat it for breakfast. You can enjoy it while it’s still freshly baked and store leftovers in the fridge for the next few days. However, being honest, it never lasts that long in my kitchen, because it’s so yummy and I always have to share with my hungry neighbors, haha!
How to make Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Making this loaf is super easy! You need a few simple ingredients and no special kitchen equipment. Actually, the batter comes together in less than 5 minutes. Furthermore, the frosting and topping take only one minute to prepare!
How to grease a cake pan for an easy removal
Start preparing your cake tin. You can, of course just butter it, but I prefer to line it additionally with parchment paper so it’s easier to remove. The previous greasing helps the parchment paper to stick to the pan, so I wouldn’t leave out this step. Another option is to dust the pan with a little flour after greasing, as I usually do when I make a bundt cake (because it’s not possible to line such a shape with parchment paper).
Don’t overmix your batter!
If you want a fluffy vegan cake it is important not to overmix the batter, or your cake will get dense! So please, using a spatula or whisk, make sure to mix it just until the ingredients are combined.
Cream Cheese Frosting and Almonds
You can frost your cake however you like, but I find it tastes best when it’s topped with a creamy frosting and toasted almonds. The Frosting is just made of non-dairy cream cheese, a bit of powdered sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. That’s it! To prepare the almonds, simply toast sliced almonds in a pan over medium heat. Sprinkle over a bit of brown sugar and allow to caramelize.
This Best Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is:
- Vegan
- Egg-free
- Dairy-free
- Soft
- Moist
- Lemony
- Delicious
- Easy & quick to make
- With cream cheese frosting
- Topped with toasted almonds
- The perfect recipe for spring and summer!
How to make gluten-free Lemon Cake
If you want to make a gluten-free Vegan Lemon Cake, you can substitute a gluten-free flour blend 1:1. If you can’t find it in a store, you could simply order it online. To be honest, I haven’t tried using other flours yet, but feel free to give it a try. However, I recommend adjusting the liquid and adding more non-dairy milk if needed, because different types of flour absorb less or more liquid. Also, remember that a heavier flour results in a denser cake. That’s why I usually prefer using light all-purpose flour or spelt flour.
Looking for more easy vegan cake recipes?
If you are looking for more easy cake recipes, that you can make in one-bowl, be sure to try my Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake, Vegan Marble Cake, Carrot Cake, Chocolate Banana Bread or my Best Vegan Chocolate Cake. But also my Berry Crumble Cake or Vegan Cheesecake Recipes are pretty easy and so delicious!
Whatever you try, whether this Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake or another recipe, please leave me a comment below, letting me know how it turned out for you! And if you take a picture of your recreation and share it on Instagram, please do not forget to tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka , so I won’t miss your post! Happy baking!
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake - Vegan
Ingredients
Vegan Lemon Cake:
- 1 cup non-dairy milk (240ml)
- 1 lemon juice + zest
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (300g) or gluten-free flour*
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup sugar (150g)
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (125ml) or soft vegan butter*
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 tbsp poppy seeds
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 200 g non-dairy cream cheese
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (60g) or more to taste
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Topping
- Sliced almonds
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
Vegan Lemon Cake (see step-by-step pics in the blogpost)
- Preheat oven to 355˚F (180˚C). Grease a 9,8-inch (25cm) loaf pan and line with additional parchment paper so that there is an overhang on both sides. (You could also use a similar sized pan, such as 9“. If using a square pan, the baking time will be about 25 minutes only.)
- Add the non-dairy milk and lemon juice into a measuring jar and mix to combine. Set aside to curdle until it becomes vegan buttermilk.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add the sugar and whisk everything to combine.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add into the well the vegan buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and poppy seeds. Stir together just until combined. (Please do not overmix, or your cake will get too dense).
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan, smoothing it out evenly. Tap the pan gently on your work surface to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes. Then cut a slit lengthwise to ensure that the cake rises evenly, and bake for another 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes in the pan, then remove onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place non-dairy cream cheese, powdered sugar and lemon juice into a mixing jar and mix using an electric hand mixer until smooth and creamy (or mix in a blender).
- Spread the frosting over your cooled cake evenly.
Almonds
- Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add sliced almonds and toast for a minute. Sprinkle over brown sugar and allow to caramelize. Remove from the pan when the almonds are slightly golden-browned.
- Sprinkle toasted almonds over your frosted cake and garnish with fresh lemons or other desired decorations.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- To make this lemon cake gluten-free, I recommend using a gluten-free flour blend 1:1.
- If using a heavier flour, such as whole grain flour, keep in mind that your cake won’t get as fluffy and soft as when using a lighter flour. Also, please make sure to adjust the liquid by adding more non-dairy milk, if needed, because different flours absorb different amounts of liquid.
- You can use any sweeteners you like, such as maple syrup, agave syrup, coconut sugar, a sugar-free substitute or other.
- The baking time may vary, depending on your oven, or which pan you use, or if you cover the cake during baking. So please make a cake test! Also, remember the longer you bake the cake, the drier it gets.
- If you want to make this cake with vegan butter or margarine, you can check out this lemon cake recipe.
- Please read my blogpost for additional information about this recipe!
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I was so excited to find this recipe, and it smelled so amazing and all while I was baking it – but I needed to do a gluten free version, and have substituted 1:1 with gluten free flour as is suggested in the recipe – sadly the cake is too dry, pretty much inedible. Just thought I would let you know – I was (now) told that gluten free flour absorbs a lot more moisture, so the quantities of the dry ingredients to wet will have to be changed for gluten free recipe. I will try it with regular flour though as was so pleased about the whole recipe otherwise.
Hi Blanka, so sorry to hear that! You’re absolutely right that gluten-free flours often absorb more moisture but I’ve mentioned in the recipe that you need to use a gluten-free flour blend 1:1. This is a special gluten-free flour blend that absorbs the equal amount of liquid as regular flour. I’ve also linked the product in the recipe notes. Kind regards, Bianca
I made this recipe for my mother-in-law, it was her birthday and I needed something special for her because she is allergic to dairy milk, white sugar, honey, eggs and gluten. So this recipe was perfect and DELICIOUS! We loved that combination of lemon and poppy seeds. LOVE IT!! ❤
Awww, this is such a cute present for your mother! Happy belated birthday to her 🙂 So glad that you enjoyed this vegan lemon cake! Thank you for your comment! 🙂
Super leckerer Kuchen😍 selbst meine “nicht veganer” fanden den lecker ❤️👌🏼
Das freut mich wirklich sehr zu hören! 🙂 Vielen lieben Dank dafür! <3
HI,l love you’re this recipe,but in my country I can’t buy any poppy seed.
May I can change chia seeds??
Hi Zewa, you can omit the poppy seeds. I suggest NOT adding chia seeds because they absorb much liquid. Hope you’ll like the lemon cake 🙂
I made this recipe three times now! Everyone tgat has tried the cake absolutely loved it! I have made so many of your recipes. Your blog is my go-to place to find recipes! Every single recipe I have made from your blog has been a success!!! Thanks for taking the time to create amazing plant-based recipes!
So happy to hear that everyone loved this vegan lemon cake 🙂 and thank you so much that you also love my other recipes! Lots of love to you! <3
Hi ,
So easy to make and very delicious !!!
This cake changed the way my friends look at vegan cakes !
Thank you for this delicious recipe!!
So happy to read that you could impress your friend with this vegan lemon cake too! 🙂 Thank you so much for your feedback!
Der Kuchen ist wirklich super fluffig geworden!! Ich habe ihn gestern gebacken, heute dann dekoriert und zum Kaffee serviert. Alle fanden ihn sehr lecker und waren überrascht, als ich gesagt habe, dass er vegan ist. 🙂
Das freut mich so zu hören! Ich mag diesen fluffigen Zitronenkuchen mit Mohn auch so gerne. Schnell gemacht und perfekt für jeden Anlass. Danke 🙂
Hey!
After the cake was a hit with my mums friends, my boyfriends mum asked me If I could possibly make this cake for her anniversary- but in a cupcake style.
Two cake batters make roughly – 48 cupcakes and two times the frosting is enough to coat all of them.
When baked with the same heat they need about 20 mins!
And they were fantastic! Again!
Thank you so much!
So happy that you liked this recipe 🙂 Thank you so much for your feedback <3
My mum has never been a good baker and when she told me that she would not be serving any cakes at her birthday party, literally in the morning on the day of her party – I knew exactly what I wanted to do lol.
Ever since you posted this recipe and the carrot cake recipe I wanted to try and recreate them because
1) they looked relatively easy and fast to make
2) ” ” absolutely amazing!!!!
And so I did and it was a hit, my mums friends really liked the freshness of the lemon and the fluffyness of the cake itself and ESPECIALLY the frosting!
All in all my experience with this recipe was easy, fast and veeeeeery tasty!
Shoot! In my first comment I forgot to rate the recipe before sending the post! 5/5!
I’m sooo happy that you like it too! It’s one of my favs! Thank you! 🙂
My mum has never been a good baker and when she told me that she would not be serving any cakes at her birthday party, literally in the morning on the day of her party – I knew exactly what I wanted to do lol.
Ever since you posted this recipe and the carrot cake recipe I wanted to try and recreate them because
1) they looked relatively easy and fast to make
2) ” ” absolutely amazing!!!!
And so I did and it was a hit, my mums friends really liked the freshness of the lemon and the fluffyness of the cake itself and ESPECIALLY the frosting!
All in all my experience with this recipe was easy, fast and veeeeeery tasty!
I’m sooo happy that you like it too! It’s one of my favs! Thank you! 🙂
Simple ingredients, simple preparation in almost no time. That’s what i want from a vegan recipe!
Thank you! 🙂
Super lecker. Es hat der ganzen Familie geschmeckt. Schnell und einfach zu backen!
Das freut mich so sehr zu hören! ?
Vielen Dank und liebe Grüße,
Bianca
This cake is so beautiful! I especially love the frosting! 🙂
Thank you, Ela! <3
This recipe is just amazing! Had to sub the lemon zest with orange zest, and made just basic powdered sugar+lemon juice+oat milk frosting due to not having vegan cream cheese on hand… But it was still a hit! When I brought a piece at 10pm to my vegan friend to taste it, she just had to make her own rightaway 🙂
So glad that you liked this recipe! Thank you! Your frosting sounds delicious too <3
Bianca, this cake looks incredible, and your photography is wonderful! Take care, Dee xx
Thank you so much, Dee! Lots of love to you 🙂 <3
I loveee anything lemon poppy seed!! Such a beautiful cake Bianca! xo
So happy that you like it! Thank you, Jess! <3
This vegan lemon cake looks so light and fluffy! I love that it can be made gluten-free.
I would love to bring it to a picnic 🙂
So glad that you like it! Thank you! <3 ?