Vegan Blueberry Lemon Cake

This Vegan Blueberry Lemon Cake is studded with fresh blueberries and bursting with bright lemon flavors. A lovely snack cake for spring and summer! Vegan.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Method Oven

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings servings

Calories 430kcal

Author Caitlin Shoemaker

Ingredients

2 cups fresh blueberries rinsed and dried*
3/4 cup non-dairy milk (I used soy milk)
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
2 1/4 cups flour spooned and leveled
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup fine cornmeal*
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup oil or melted butter*
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
2 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting the cake (optional)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350F and spray or grease an 8” cake tin with butter or cooking oil. Rinse your blueberries and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel.
Buttermilk: Add the milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest to a small bowl or measuring glass. Mix well to curdle the milk; Let this mixture sit for 3 to 5 minutes while you prep the dry ingredients.
Dry Ingredients: Whisk flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together until evenly combined.
Combine: Use a spatula to form a well in the center of the bowl and add the buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and almond extract if using. Mix well until almost fully combined; add half of the blueberries (1 cup) and fold into the batter.
Transfer: Transfer the batter into the prepared cake tin and spread evenly around the pan. Top the batter evenly with the remaining blueberries.
Bake: Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until the cake has risen and is golden brown on top. Remove the cake from the oven and let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes to set. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Serve & Store: Once the cake has cooled you can sprinkle it with the powdered sugar, then slice and serve. This cake is best stored in the refrigerator because of the blueberries; store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or pre-slice and freeze for up to 2 months.

Notes

Blueberries: Rinse your blueberries well, but make sure they are fully dried before folding into the batter to prevent them from sinking in the batter. I like to spread the blueberries over a clean kitchen towel and rub them gently.
Frozen Blueberries: You can also make this recipe using frozen blueberries. Do not thaw the blueberries and add them directly from the freezer to the batter in step 5. Frozen blueberries will bleed a little more color when baking, and you make need to bake the cake for an extra few minutes as they will release more liquid.
Oil: I like to use olive oil for added depth of flavor to this recipe, but you could also use a neutral oil or vegan butter. If you are using salted butter, reduce the salt to only 1/2 teaspoon. I prefer to use oil in this cake as it gives it a slightly more moist texture.
Cornmeal: Make sure you use fine cornmeal for this recipe (not medium-grind or stone-ground) for the smoothest and lightest texture.
Cake Strips: I highly recommend baking your cakes with cake strips to encourage an even rise and bake!
Gluten-Free: I have not tested this recipe using gluten-free flour.

Nutrition