Moist Vegan Lemon Cake

Moist Vegan Lemon Cake

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Yield: 16

Author: Hudson Stepper

Prep time: 35 MinCook time: 30 MinInactive time: 3 HourTotal time: 4 H & 5 M

Ingredients

Lemon Cake

• 3 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups granulated white sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 cups soy milk + 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup olive oil (to make it fancy tasting)
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp lemon zest

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

• 6 oz softened vegan butter
• 6 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tsp lemon zest
• 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp + 1 tsp soy milk

Instructions

For the Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F and line the bottom and sides of two 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk your soy milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside to curdle for 2-3 minutes (this serves as a vegan buttermilk).
3. In a large bowl, mix the lemon zest and white sugar with your fingers until the sugar looks damp and pale yellow. Then whisk the lemon sugar with your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Whisk your olive oil, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest into your bowl with the curdled vegan buttermilk. Once combined, carefully mix your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients. Using a spatula, mix just until all the flour is combined.
5. Pour your cake batter into your cake pans and place in the oven immediately to bake for 28-32 minutes. Check with a toothpick to see if it's ready; if the batter comes off with the toothpick, it needs more time in the oven.
6. Let cool for 20 minutes in the cake pan before pulling out by the parchment paper onto a cooling rack. Let cool until room temperature for at least an hour, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge for at least an hour.
7. For a flatter cake, you can cut the tops off using a serrated knife (bread knife) after cooling in the fridge. Never throw out the scraps, it's your reward before the cake is finished.

For the Frosting

1. In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer, beat the softened vegan butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy (about 5 minutes for a fluffy buttercream). Then sift in your powdered sugar one cup at a time while beating at a low speed until you use 3 cups
2. After 3 cups of powdered sugar are mixed in, add your lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Then beat until combined and add the other 3 cups of powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Once combined, add in your soy milk and whip again.
3. Cover the icing and transfer to the refrigerator for at least an hour.
4. Using an icing spatula, cover the cold cake with half of the cold frosting. Put everything back in the fridge one more time.
5. Ice the cake as smooth as possible using the rest of the cold frosting on the cold and partially iced cake. This creates the smoothest cake possible.
6. You can top with additional lemon zest or decorations of your choosing. Serve and enjoy!