This Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is moist and fluffy, sweet and tangy and a little nutty from the poppy seeds! It's also covered in a rich, lemony frosting. It's easy to make as it comes together in one bowl, and is easily customisable too. It's also refined sugar free, and is great for birthdays, Easter, Mother's Day and baby showers!
As my Lemon Drizzle Cake is one of the most popular baking recipes I've posted, I decided to make more lemon dessert recipes, and this Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is the answer!
How to make the cake
Scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Mix together the ingredients for the cake in a glass mixing bowl.
Tip: Use a measuring jug to measure out the plant-based milk.
- Transfer the cake batter into a one-pound loaf tin.
Tip: Make sure to line the loaf tin with greased baking paper - this will make removing the cake from the tin so much easier!
- Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Transfer to a cooling rack to cool down before applying the frosting.
For the frosting
- Place the ingredients for the frosting in a food processor or blender.
- Whizz until completely smooth, adding some plant-based milk or water to thin out if necessary.
- Use a knife (or palette knife for frosting) to spread the frosting over the top of the loaf.
How to decorate
I decided to decorate this cake with lemon zest and poppy seeds, but you can use whatever you like!
Substitutions you can make
- You can use any type of oil: coconut oil, vegetable oil, olive oil etc.
- You can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc.
- You can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, cashew milk, rice milk etc.
- If you don't need the cake to be gluten-free, you can replace the gluten-free flour with plain flour.
- The ground almonds can be replaced with ground walnuts.
- For a nut-free version, use ground sunflower seeds instead of ground almonds, use a nut-free plant-based milk and omit the frosting or make a different frosting.
Tips for baking with lemons
- For optimum lemon flavour, I would recommend using fresh lemons (not ones that you've had sitting in your fruit bowl for weeks!) and organic ones if possible.
- You have to be careful when baking with lemon juice as the acidity and lemon flavour can really vary depending on the lemons you use.
- I would recommend tasting the lemon juice you're using and adjusting the amount of lemon juice you use accordingly.
- For the lemon zest, make sure you use unwaxed lemons.
How long does this Lemon Poppy Seed Cake keep for?
This Lemon Poppy Seed Cake tasted best eaten on the day it was made, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
More vegan lemon cakes
- White Chocolate Lemon Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Mug Cake
- Lemon Drizzle Cake
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
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.
Watch how to make this recipe
Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 60 g (¼ cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
- 180 ml (¾ cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
- 8 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest (use unwaxed lemons)
- 12 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 3 tablespoons poppy seeds
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
- 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
For the frosting:
- 100 g (⅔ cup) raw cashew nuts soaked in cold water overnight or in hot water for 15 minutes
- 6 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
To decorate (optional):
- Lemon zest
- Poppy seeds
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, poppy seeds 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.
- Transfer mixture into a loaf tin lined with greased baking paper (I used a one-pound loaf tin).
- Bake in oven for 45 minutes until risen and golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Once out the oven, transfer the cake from the baking tin onto a wired rack to leave it to cool completely before applying the frosting.
For the frosting:
- Drain the soaked cashews and add to a food processor or blender with the maple syrup and lemon juice.
- Whizz until completely smooth, adding some plant-based milk or water to thin out if necessary.
To frost and decorate the cake:
- Use a knife (or palette knife) to spread frosting over the top of the loaf.
- Decorate with lemon zest and poppy seeds, if desired.
- This cake tasted best eaten on the day it was made, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
Video
Notes
- For optimum lemon flavour, I would recommend using fresh lemons (not ones that you've had sitting in your fruit bowl for weeks!) and organic ones if possible.
- You have to be careful when baking with lemon juice as the acidity and lemon flavour can really vary depending on the lemons you use.
- I would recommend tasting the lemon juice you're using and adjusting the amount of lemon juice you use accordingly.
- For the lemon zest, make sure you use unwaxed lemons.
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Carrie
I cannot eat nuts... but everything else in this recipe sounds great. I am wondering what you think would be a good sub for the almond meal. Would oat flour work there?
Rhian Williams
Ground sunflower seeds, or oat flour could work - if using oat flour I would recommend adding some extra plant-based milk as oat flour requires more moisture!
Raquel Esteban
Hi Rhia, I just made this cake and unfortunately didn't come up so well. Truth is I am a beginner so I don't know what I'm doing 🙂 We have an old oven so that could be the reason. I left the cake in the oven for 45 min. took it out and it was sticky and chewy. Probably uncocked?
Rhian Williams
Hi - really sorry to hear that. I think it could be your oven that's the problem. Or did you use enough baking powder?
Blissachi
Just made this with half the amount in a medium size loaf tin. I used almond flour with cake flour & whole meal flour. Baked for 30 min, topped with your lemon maple glaze, and mmmm!! It tastes like caramelised goodness with lemon & poppyseed twist! Loved it:))
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much, so glad you liked it!
Sara
Can I just use gluten free flour in place of the almond flour?
Rhian Williams
No sorry that won't work in terms of texture!
Ginger
Are you supposed to take them out of the pans? If so when do you do that?
Rhian Williams
Just before eating should be ok!