Publised on 07/03/2024. Last Updated on 27/09/2024 by Richard
My easy vegan blueberry lemon cake with a delicate, zesty sponge, juicy blueberries and a crisp buttery crumble topping.
When life gives you lemons, make a vegan blueberry lemon cake! Seriously, though, this vegan blueberry lemon cake recipe is an absolute game-changer in the world of plant-based baking. It's a delightful fusion of tangy lemon zest, juicy blueberries, and a buttery crumble topping for that extra crunch. That'll have you coming back for slice after slice.
Picture this: I'm in my kitchen, ready to make a fruit crumble, but all I have is a mountain of lemons that would make a citrus farmer proud. As I'm rummaging through my fridge, trying to come up with a new and exciting vegan dessert, I spot a punnet of fresh blueberries sitting innocently on the counter. And then it hits me like a bolt of lightning (or maybe just a particularly strong gust of wind): blueberries and lemon CAKE with CRUMBLE ON TOP! It's a match made in vegan heaven, and thus, the idea for this gorgeous cake was born.
Jump to:
🫐🍋 Why do Blueberry and Lemon Go Together?
The zingy brightness of lemon zest complements the sweet juiciness of blueberries in a way that lifts the flavour profile of whatever you're baking. It's a flavour combo that hits all the right notes, from tart to sweet and everything in between.
So let's take a moment to appreciate the magical union of blueberries and lemon. It's like they were destined to be together, like the vegan Batman and Robin of the culinary world.
📝 Vegan Blueberry Lemon Cake Ingredients
Now, let's talk about what you'll need to whip up this masterpiece. As always, full vegan blueberry lemon cake recipe is at the bottom of the page in the recipe card! Don't fret if you're in a rush! Just head down there and get baking!
For the Crumble Topping:
- Plain white flour - or All Purpose Flour (in the US)
- Granulated sugar - the chunky kind
- Vegan butter - melted
For the Vegan Blueberry Lemon Cake:
- Caster sugar - the US calls this "superfine sugar"
- Zest of two lemons - it's a lot, but necessary!
- Vegan yoghurt - use an unflavoured, unsweetened variety
- Soy milk - as above
- Lemon juice
- Lemon extract - or vanilla extract
- Plain white flour
- Baking powder and Bicarbonate of soda
- Fine sea salt
- Corn starch
- Sunflower oil - or any neutral oil
- Fresh blueberries
🔀 Ingredient Substitutions and Swaps
Now, I know what you're thinking: "But what if I don't have all those ingredients?" Fear not, my vegan amigo (veg-migo? veego? vamigo? never mind)! You can still go to the vegan blueberry lemon cake ball! Here are some handy substitutions you can make without changing the recipe too much:
- If you don't have caster sugar, regular granulated sugar will do just fine.
- No vegan yoghurt? Blend a block of soft silken tofu with a tablespoon of lemon juice and use this instead.
- Soy milk not your thing? Almond milk, oat milk, or any other plant-based milk will work in a pinch. Just make sure they're unsweetened and unflavoured.
- Lemon extract is optional, so feel free to skip it or swap it for vanilla if you ain't got it.
- As for the blueberries, well, there's really no substitute for those little fruity guys. But if you're down for a different cake altogether, swap for raspberries, blackcurrants or nice sour cherries!
🍰 Why use Cake Flour?
So why do I recommend you use cake flour over plain flour? Cake flour has a finer texture and lower protein content compared to all-purpose flour, so it works wonders in creating a delicate and tender crumb that'll have you swooning with every bite. Not just for this vegan blueberry lemon cake, but all of em!
Trust me, I've tried making this cake with all-purpose flour, and while it still tasted pretty darn good, there's just something magical about the light and fluffy texture that cake flour brings to the table. Plus, it helps achieve that perfect balance of moistness and structure, ensuring that your cake turns out soft and pillowy every single time.
If you're in the UK and are struggling to find cake flour in your supermarket, here's a hot tip! Head to your local Asian supermarket and look for Purple Orchid brand Special Bun Flour. It's designed for making soft fluffy bao so is very finely milled and it has the exact same low gluten content as cake flour. In other words, Special Bun Flour = Cake Flour!
🫙 How to Make Vegan Blueberry Lemon Cake
Alrighty, now onto the main event: making the vegan blueberry lemon cake of your dreams! Again, head to the bottom of the page for the full recipe!
Get zesty: In a medium bowl, mix together the caster sugar and lemon zest until fragrant. This step is basically aromatherapy for your hands. The coarse sugar also helps to bring out the lemon essential oils and makes your cake super fragrant, so rub that zest like you mean it!
Add the wets: Add the oil, vegan yoghurt, soy milk, lemon juice, and lemon extract to the bowl and whisk until smooth. This is your wet ingredient mixture.
Make the batter: Sieve together the dry ingredients then add the wet ingredients and beat again until just smooth. Don't over mix, unless you want a cake that's as tough as old boots. Pop in a greased (or lined) cake tin and top with your blueberries.
Finish and bake: Finally, make your crumble topping in a small bowl and sprinkle it on top. Pop it in the oven for 40 minutes. Make sure you let it cool before slicing!
🤷♀️ Some Vegan Cake FAQs
A: Unsweetened and unflavoured soy milk is the best option for vegan cakes. This is because soy milk naturally contains lecithin (the same thing you'll find in eggs!) which helps to emulsify batters. This means soy milk not only adds moisture to vegan cakes but also acts as an egg replacer!
A: Yes absolutely! Once completely cooled, wrap individual slices or the entire cake tightly in plastic wrap and then place in an airtight container, before placing it in the freezer. When you're ready to enjoy it, simply thaw the cake in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.
A: Using vegan yoghurt in cake recipes helps to keep the overall cake nice and moist. Alternatively you can blend silken tofu with lemon juice and use this instead.
Some More Vegan Snacks!
Wasn't that easy?? Vegan blueberry lemon cake for the win!! Fancy some cake for dessert after your cake lunch and dinner? Why not bake my:
Vegan Blueberry Lemon Cake
Equipment
- 3 Medium bowls
- 1 20x20cm square cake tin
Ingredients
For the Crumble Topping
- 60 g plain white flour aka all purpose flour
- 70 g granulated sugar
- 40 g vegan butter melted
For the Cake
- 220 g caster sugar aka superfine sugar
- Zest of two lemons make sure they're unwaxed
- 90 ml sunflower oil or any neutral oil
- 150 g vegan yoghurt unflavoured and unsweetened
- 100 ml plant milk unflavoured and unsweetened
- 50 ml lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract or vanilla extract
- 250 g cake flour or plain white flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 175 g fresh blueberries
Instructions
To Make the Crumble Topping
- In a medium bowl combine the crumble topping ingredients and stir together until a crumbly mixture forms. Set aside.60 g plain white flour, 70 g granulated sugar, 40 g vegan butter
To Make the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 170 °C. Grease and line a 20x20cm square cake tin.
- In a medium bowl, combine the caster sugar and lemon zest. Rub together with your fingertips until fragrant.220 g caster sugar, Zest of two lemons
- Add the sunflower oil, vegan yoghurt, soy milk, lemon juice and lemon extract to the bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.90 ml sunflower oil, 150 g vegan yoghurt, 100 ml plant milk, 50 ml lemon juice, ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- In a medium bowl sieve together the plain white flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, fine sea salt and corn starch. Mix to combine.250 g cake flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 tablespoon corn starch
- Add the combined wet ingredients and beat again until just smooth. Don’t over mix.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin. Top with the blueberries and sprinkle with the crumble topping. Bake for 35-40 mins or until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool fully before slicing and serving.175 g fresh blueberries
Hazel Goodier
I love this recipe and have swapped in coconut before and also blackcurrants work well. Goes well with custard. Really well.
Egon
Are you sure you mean a 120 cm baking tin? 😉
Looking forward to trying the recipe tonight.