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    Recipes » Recipes » Baking & Desserts

    Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Pound Cake

    Last updated - July 14, 2021; Published - June 29, 2018 By Rhian Williams 30 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Photo of a sliced white pound cake taken from the side with two slices
    This Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Pound Cake is easy to make, seriously moist and perfectly tangy! It's the perfect simple dessert that will suit a range of occasions. Photo of a sliced white pound cake with two slices

    Why you'll love this Lemon Pound Cake

    This Lemon Pound Cake makes a great dessert, but can also be enjoyed as a snack, brunch or even breakfast. It's also refined sugar free and a relatively healthy version of the traditional cake. The recipe comes together easily, requiring just one bowl and simple ingredients. Photo of yellow cake batter in a glass mixing bowl taken from above The recipe is similar to my Lemon Drizzle Cake, but it’s made with a special ingredient. I've been using plant-based yogurt in desserts recently, and, as traditional Lemon Pound Cake sometimes contains sour cream or yogurt, I decided to add plant-based yogurt to the batter. This worked beautifully, and the yogurt serves two purposes:
    • it keeps the cake super moist and creates a beautifully dense crumb
    • it adds the best tangy flavour.
    Photo of raw cake batter in a silver loaf tin against a white background Photo of a golden brown pound cake in a silver loaf tin against a white background

    Substitutions you can make to the recipe

    The recipe is versatile and there are a number of substitutions you can make:
    • you can use any type of oil: coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil
    • you can use any type of plant-based yogurt: almond, soy, cashew or coconut yogurt all work well
    • if you can't find plant-based yogurt, you can substitute it with any type of plant-based milk, or use an equivalent amount of blended up silken tofu
    • you can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc
    • you can substitute the ground almonds (almond meal/almond flour) with ground walnuts
    • for a nut-free version: substitute the ground almonds (almond meal/almond flour) with ground sunflower seeds or use 30g (¼ cup) coconut flour instead of 150g (1 ¼ cup) ground almonds
    • you can use plain flour, wholemeal (whole wheat) flour or spelt flour instead of the gluten-free flour if you’re not gluten-free.
    Photo of a golden brown pound cake topped with lemon slices and sprigs of rosemary on top of brown baking paper

    TIPS FOR MAKING THIS LEMON Pound CAKE

    • Make sure to use the right amount of baking powder – 2 heaped teaspoons! Use too little baking powder and your sponge won’t be fluffy, too much and it’ll have a bitter taste.
    • Make sure to use an all-purpose shop-bought gluten-free flour blend (or a homemade gluten-free flour blend), as opposed to just using any type of gluten-free flour you can find (such as almond flour, coconut flour, buckwheat flour etc).

    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.
    Photo of a golden brown pound cake topped with lemon slices with two white slices of cake next to it on top of brown baking paper

    Equipment you'll need to make this Lemon Pound Cake:

    • glass mixing bowl – for mixing the cake batter
    • measuring jug – for measuring out the plant-based yogurt
    • one-pound loaf tin - for baking the cake
    • baking paper - for lining the loaf tin
    • cooling rack - for leaving the cake to cool down on once out of the oven
    Photo of sliced white pound cake topped with lemon slices with two slices in front of it

    How long does this Lemon Pound Cake keep for?

    This Lemon Pound Cake keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days - it's best reheated in the toaster!

    More vegan lemon desserts:

    • White Chocolate Lemon Cake
    • Lemon Layer Cake
    • Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
    • Lemon Drizzle Cake
    • Lemon Curd
    • Lemon Pie
    Two slices of white cake on a white plate with lemon slices and a sprig of rosemary 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.
    Photo of a golden brown pound cake topped with lemon slices with two white slices of cake next to it on top of brown baking paper

    Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Pound Cake

    This Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Pound Cake is easy to make, super moist and perfectly tangy!
    4.53 from 21 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: gluten-free lemon cake, healthy vegan lemon cake, vegan lemon pound cake
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 10 slices
    Calories: 265kcal
    Author: Rhian Williams

    Ingredients

    • 60 g (¼ cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
    • 230 ml (1 cup) unsweetened plant-based yogurt * (I used coconut yogurt but you can use any other plant-based yogurt)
    • 8 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons lemon zest (make sure to use unwaxed lemons)
    • 12 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Pinch salt
    • 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)

    Instructions

    • 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 yogurt 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 of any plant-based milk if it’s looking too dry
    • Transfer the mixture into a loaf tin lined with greased baking paper (I used a one-pound loaf tin)
    • Bake in oven for around 45 minutes until risen and golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean
    • Once out the oven, leave to cool completely before cutting
    • Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days - best reheated in the toaster!

    Notes

    *You can use any type of plant-based yogurt: almond, soy, cashew or coconut yogurt all work well. If you can't find plant-based yogurt, you can replace it with any type of plant-based milk, or use an equivalent amount of blended up silken tofu.
    **You can alternatively use almond flour.

    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.
    Nutrition Facts
    Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Pound Cake
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 265 Calories from Fat 126
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 14g22%
    Saturated Fat 6g30%
    Sodium 33mg1%
    Potassium 87mg2%
    Carbohydrates 32g11%
    Fiber 3g12%
    Sugar 17g19%
    Protein 5g10%
    Vitamin C 9mg11%
    Calcium 107mg11%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!
    Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Anonymous

      August 28, 2018 at 9:12 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for my husband's birthday just now. He likes healthy cakes. I used quinoa flour instead of almonds or almond flour. Turned out great.

      Thanks for sharing (I didn't know lemons carry their nutrients close to the skin!)

      Reply
      • Rhian Williams

        August 28, 2018 at 9:29 pm

        Yay thank you so much, so glad you liked it. That's helpful to know about your substitution with quinoa flour. Hope your husband had a nice birthday!

    2. Anonymous

      December 09, 2018 at 7:35 pm

      Can I make this without lemon? Just for a regular pound cake? Thank you:)

      Reply
      • Rhian Williams

        December 10, 2018 at 2:16 am

        Yes absolutely, just add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to the batter instead because you'll need something acidic to react with the alkali bicarbonate of soda (baking soda).

    3. Kathy

      August 28, 2019 at 4:47 pm

      Do you leave it in the loaf tin to cool or take it out?

      Reply
      • Rhian Williams

        August 28, 2019 at 9:09 pm

        Take it out!

    4. Sandra M

      January 11, 2020 at 3:39 am

      Hi! Is there a purpose for the male syrup other than as a sweetener?

      Reply
      • Rhian Williams

        January 11, 2020 at 2:36 pm

        No! You can leave it out, but perhaps add a little extra plant-based milk if you do!

    5. Rita

      January 14, 2020 at 8:48 am

      Hi!
      Can I use vegan butter instead of the oil or light coconut oil? (I don't have any other options at home)

      Reply
      • Rhian Williams

        January 14, 2020 at 11:41 am

        Yes that will work!

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    Photo of Rhian Williams from Rhian's Recipes

    Hi, I'm Rhian! I make easy, undetectably vegan + gluten-free recipes, including healthy comfort food and naturally sweetened desserts using plant-based ingredients.

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