Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

This Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake is moist and fluffy, fresh and fruity and covered in a rich “cream cheese” frosting!

Why you’ll love this recipe:

This Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake is perfect if you’re looking for a simple yet delicious dessert that’s bound to be a crowd-pleaser! Just like my Vanilla Cake, it’s great for a wide range of occasions, including:

• birthdays
• Easter
• brunches
• weddings
• baby showers
• Mother’s day

and anything else in between!

The cake is made using my go-to sponge recipe: it’s vegan, gluten-free + refined sugar free, but the texture is so moist and fluffy that you honestly won’t even notice!

How to make this Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

It’s also easy to make, requiring just one bowl and a handful of simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand. It’s also versatile, as you can use any type of oil, any type of plant-based milk, and any type of liquid sweetener.

The ground almonds (almond meal/flour) can be substituted with ground walnuts or ground sunflower seeds for a nut-free version. Or, you can substitute the ground almonds with a fifth of the amount of coconut flour (as coconut flour soaks up a lot more moisture).

And if you’re not into blueberries, this Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake recipe also works with any other similar fruit, such as raspberries, blackberries, cherries or strawberries!

How to make the frosting

The sweet, tangy “cream cheese” frosting really enhances the bright, citrusy sponge studded with jammy blueberries. My foolproof vegan cream cheese frosting is really simple as you don’t need to use a shop-bought vegan cream cheese – all you need is a tin of coconut milk!

Adding lemon juice to the rich, fluffy coconut cream creates just the right amount of tartness, whilst maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness. Instead of whipping up coconut cream, you can use coconut yogurt, which is not only easier but also has a natural tanginess and fermented flavour reminiscent of cream cheese, along with a good dose of friendly probiotics.

Equipment you’ll need to make this Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake:

• glass mixing bowl – for mixing the sponge batter
• measuring jug – for measuring out the milk
• 18 cm / 7 inch sandwich baking tin – for baking the sponges
• baking paper – to line the baking tins
• cooling rack – to leave the sponges to cool down on once they’re out the oven
• electric whisk – to whip up the coconut milk to make the frosting
• palette knife for frosting – for applying the frosting to the cake

More vegan blueberry desserts:

• Blueberry Cheesecake
• Lemon Blueberry Scones
• Blueberry Banana Bread
• Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes
• Lemon Blueberry Bundt Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Mug Cake
• Blueberry Muffins
• Blueberry Pie

If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

This Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake is moist and fluffy, fresh and fruity and covered in a rich "cream cheese" frosting!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gluten-free lemon blueberry cake, vegan gluten-free cake, vegan lemon blueberry layer cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 399kcal

Author: Rhian Williams

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 60 g (1/4 cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
• 200 ml (4/5 cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 8 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
• 150 g (1 1/4 cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
• 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
• 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 100 g (1 cup) fresh blueberries

For the frosting:

• 400 g (14 oz) tin of full-fat coconut milk **
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To decorate:

• Fresh blueberries
• Lemon slices

Instructions

For the cake:

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil)
• Once melted, add the milk to the same bowl along with the lemon juice, lemon zest, maple syrup, vanilla, salt and ground almonds
• Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda
• Mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry
• Add the fresh blueberries and fold in gently, to make sure you don’t crush them
• Transfer mixture between two greased baking tins lined with baking paper (I used two 7inch/18cm springform baking tins)
• Bake in the oven for around 15 minutes until risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean
• Once done, turn the cakes out onto wire racks and leave to cool completely before frosting

For the frosting:

• You’ll need to keep your tin of coconut milk in the fridge overnight for the rich creamy bit to separate from the watery bit at the bottom. Make sure it is full fat coconut milk, otherwise this separation won’t happen and you won’t be able to make this cream!
• Open the tin upside down – the coconut cream will be at the bottom and you can just pour off the watery liquid (save this for adding to soups or smoothies)
• Place the thick, creamy part into a bowl
• Add the lemon juice, maple syrup and vanilla extract
• Use an electric whisk (or a manual one and a lot of elbow grease) to whip up the coconut cream until light and fluffy

To frost and decorate:

• Place one half of the cake onto a plate or cake stand, and spread just less than half of the frosting onto it
• Place the other half of the cake on top of that and use rest of the frosting to spread on top and around the sides of the cake
• Top with fresh blueberries and lemon slices, if desired
• Best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days

Notes

*The lemon juice is crucial as its acidity needs to react with the alkali bicarbonate of soda to make the sponge fluffy. If you don’t want to use lemon juice, substitute with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

**You can alternatively use almond flour

***You can alternatively use 200g (7oz) coconut yogurt

Nutrition Facts

Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 399 Calories from Fat 252

% Daily Value*

Fat 28g43%

Saturated Fat 16g80%

Sodium 75mg3%

Potassium 173mg5%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 3g12%

Sugar 16g18%

Protein 6g12%

Vitamin C 4.4mg5%

Calcium 117mg12%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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