Lemon Cake

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5 from 3 votes

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This 5-Ingredient Lemon Cake is a super easy, egg-free, dairy-free dessert recipe made with no oil, but still with a light and fluffy texture and a sweet lemon taste.

You can find the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, video, storage instructions, detailed allergy swaps, FAQ, and save at: https://www.theconsciousplantkitchen.com/lemon-cake/ or scan the QR code here ➡️

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Servings: slices

Calories: 172.9kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

Ingredients

¼ cup Lemon Juice + zest from the same lemon (note 1)
1 ¼ cups Canned Coconut Milk (note 2)
¾ cup Unrefined Cane Sugar (note 3)
1 ¾ cups Self-Rising Flour (note 4)

To decorate

1 dust Powdered Sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line an 8-inch baking pan with non-stick parchment paper on the bottom and sides. Set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and canned coconut milk. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, add sugar and grate lemon zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar.
Add the whisked flour and the coconut milk mixture made earlier.
Use a rubber spatula to stir and form a smooth cake batter.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The top will stay pale, lightly golden on the edges. That's normal.
Cool down for 10 minutes in the pan, then for 1 hour on a wire rack.
Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, you can dust powdered sugar on top to decorate, and add a few extra slices of lemon in the center for decor.

Notes

Note 1: I squeeze fresh lemons, sieve the liquid to remove the pulp and seeds, then measure. The zest is highly recommended for a tangy lemon flavor.

Note 2: There's no swap! This is the key ingredient to avoiding oil. You must use full-fat canned coconut milk, without additives - no added gums, added oil, or sugar. Do not use packaged coconut milk, or other dairy-free milk, nor bottled coconut cream.

Note 3: I recommend unrefined cane sugar or white sugar to keep the cake light and pale in color. The recipe won't work with a liquid sweetener like maple syrup.

Note 4: To make your own, stir 1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour with 2 2/3 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. This recipe will not work with oat flour, almond flour, coconut flour, or buckwheat flour. For a gluten-free option, use my gluten-free converter, but don’t forget the baking powder.

Tips

Maximize Lemon Flavor: I recommend saving the zest from your lemons to rub directly into the sugar. This technique releases the natural oils and creates a deep, zesty flavor throughout the batter.

Choose Correct Milk: It is essential to use full-fat canned coconut milk without any additives for this recipe. Packaged drinking milks or other dairy-free alternatives will not provide the fat content needed for the cake to rise and stay moist.

Use Fresh Citrus: For the best results, I always use freshly squeezed lemon juice rather than the bottled version to ensure the flavor is bright and authentic.

Storage: Store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 1 month in airtight freezer bags.

Oven Mode: I use the fan-forced (convection) mode. If you have to use conventional mode, I recommend increasing the temperature by 25°F (15°C). The baking time should be the same, but it might take a few more minutes.

Nutrition