Moist & Fluffy One Bowl Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake (Gluten Free Option)
This moist and fluffy vegan lemon blueberry cake is bursting with fresh blueberries and zesty bright lemon flavor, and is so easy to make in just one bowl! With a vibrant, lush blueberry buttercream made with real blueberries, this blueberry lemon cake is a favorite layer cake!
If you’re a lover of blueberries and lemon, and cake of course, then you need to try this cake.
Even if you DON’T love fruity desserts, I can guarantee that you’ll love this unbelievably vegan cake.
This cake is beyond stellar, and even rivals my 5-star rated vegan vanilla cake.
So let me tell you about this gorgeous cake. We have a fluffy and deliciously moist cake that’s speckled with fresh blueberries and lemon juice and zest to create the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
The texture is light, and the crumb is so soft and lovely. Plus, the cake batter only needs one bowl and can be mixed all together with just a whisk!
Then we have a homemade BRIGHT vegan blueberry buttercream made with fresh blueberry jam (though you can absolutely use store bought jam! I will say, the color is magnificently pink with fresh blueberry jam. There are absolutely NO food colorings in this frosting!) and topped with even more sweet and juicy blueberries!
And if you love berry-flavored cakes: you need to check out my fresh strawberry cake, vegan almond raspberry cake, and easy blackberry lavender sheet cake!
This unbelievably vegan blueberry lemon cake is truly the best cake for beginners and seasoned bakers alike because the results are just incredible- no one will know just how easy this cake was to make, and with such an incredible taste, they’ll think it came from a bakery!
Oh, and did I mention that this cake can be made entirely gluten-free too? Yep, it’s truly a master piece.
And if you’re into vegan and allergy-friendly baking, then you definitely must check out my cookbook! It’s jam-packed with healthier allergen-friendly vegan treats, including this vegan lemon blueberry cake, which just might be my all time favorite recipe in the entire book!
This vegan cake recipe is in there, and is only a taste of what else is in those pages!
Learn how to bake *unbelievably* vegan desserts in 5 steps!
Want to make amazing vegan and gluten free desserts that no one will know are eggless and dairy free? Sign up for this free e-course to transform your vegan bakes!
Ingredients for a vegan blueberry cake:
As mentioned above, you’ll need cake flour and applesauce for this vegan lemon blueberry cake, but you’ll also need:
- Flour: You can use all-purpose flour or your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. I love using King Arthur gluten-free measure for measure flour.
- Organic granulated sugar: I’ve also tested this recipe to be refined sugar free with coconut sugar and maple sugar. All three work!
- Dairy-free milk: When mixed with apple cider vinegar (ACV) or lemon juice, this creates the vegan buttermilk. I recommend using soy milk or almond milk, as those non-dairy milks will curdle best, but the results will still work with oat milk or cashew milk.
- Vegan butter: You can also use coconut oil here!
- Applesauce or dairy-free yogurt: Our vegan egg substitute here!
- Blueberries & lemons: Of course, we can’t have a vegan lemon blueberry cake without the two! However, this recipe will also work with other berries too, like blackberries or raspberries.
- Vanilla extract
- Leavening agents: This is your baking soda and baking powder.
- vegan buttercream frosting
The ingredients for this cake recipe are actually quite simple and straight forward! Nothing out of the ordinary here, just amazingly simple plant based ingredients 🙂
Overview: How to make a vegan lemon blueberry cake
I absolutely adore the process of making cakes (and I would hope so, since there’s at least 12 cake recipes in Baked With Love!).
For this lemon blueberry cake, you’ll start by whisking together the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
Add in the wet ingredients and combine the batter until it’s consistent and there are no clumps of dry ingredients left.
Fold in the blueberries and distribute the cake batter into cake pans to bake.
Once the cakes have been baked, allow them to cool completely before frosting. This note is crucial because we do not want your vegan cakes slipping and sliding everywhere after being frosted!
Homemade vegan blueberry frosting
This might sound silly to some, but truly, the frosting is where it’s at. I mean, I could eat the cake part alone (which speaks to how good this cake is, because I’m not one to eat cake without frosting), but this vegan blueberry frosting is spoonable.
To make this frosting, you’ll need a batch of my strawberry jam, but use blueberries instead. You can also use store bought blueberry jam, but again, the color will not be as bright!
Next, you’ll also need a batch of my easy vegan buttercream frosting (which I also use in my irresistible vegan vanilla cake).
Basically, you’ll just make the vegan vanilla frosting, then add in the blueberry jam (once it’s cool!), then frost your vegan lemon blueberry cake!
The color is just absolutely magnificent. It’s full of beautiful and radiant plant based purples and pinks- of course, all colored naturally from the blueberries!
How to prevent blueberries from sinking in cake:
If you’re worried about your blueberries sinking in your cake, not a problem.
Simply toss them with 1 tablespoon of flour before folding into your cake batter!
You are just going to LOVE this vegan cake recipe and thank you so much for being such a big supporter of the Banana Diaries! I am over the moon to share Baked With Love with everyone!
I cannot wait to hear what you think of the book and this recipe! If you make this vegan lemon blueberry cake, let me know down below in the comments section.
As always, I love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there!
And remember to always bake with love 😉 Happy baking!
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🌟MADE THIS RECIPE & LOVED IT?🌟I’d love it if you’d like a comment and a rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below! This helps others to find the recipes! As always, I absolutely love to see your beautiful creations on Instagram and Pinterest, so be sure to tag me there as well!
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Moist & Fluffy One Bowl Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake (Gluten Free Option)
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 16 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This moist and fluffy vegan lemon blueberry cake is bursting with fresh blueberries and zesty bright lemon flavor, and is so easy to make in just one bowl! With a vibrant, lush blueberry buttercream made with real blueberries, this blueberry lemon cake is a favorite layer cake!
Ingredients
Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake:
- 3 2/3 cups (440 g) all purpose flour or gluten free 1:1 baking flour*
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups (360 mL) dairy-free milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113 g) vegan butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 g) unsweetened applesauce or dairy-free yogurt, room temperature
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Optional: 2 tsp lemon extract
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1 batch vegan blueberry frosting
Instructions
To make the cake:
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two 8-inch nonstick cake pans with parchment paper. (If you don’t have nonstick cake pans, grease the pans with cooking spray or coconut oil, then use about 1 tablespoon of extra flour per pan to lightly flour them.)
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
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In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the dairy-free milk, coconut oil, applesauce, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
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Fold the wet mixture into the dry until combined, making sure there are no clumps of the dry mixture left.
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Fold in the blueberries.
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Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cake pans and place them in the oven to bake for 33 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. The cakes should be completely set and bounce back at a light touch.
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Remove the cakes from the oven and carefully invert them onto a cooling rack, then turn them right side up. Let the cakes cool completely; this should take about 30 minutes.
To make the frosting:
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Use a hand mixer to mix the buttercream with the blueberry jam until well combined. Cream the vegan butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Then add in 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time, mixing in between. Spoon in the blueberry jam, along with the vanilla, and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is looking like it could start to split, add in another cup of powdered sugar.
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When ready to frost, place one cake on a cake plate or stand. Evenly spread about ⅔ cup of the blueberry frosting on the top of the first layer. Place the second cake on top and frost the top with about ½ cup of the blueberry frosting. Use the remaining frosting to generously frost the edges and sides of the cake (you may have some frosting leftover). Garnish with fresh blueberries and lemon wedges.
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Slice and serve. Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or the freezer for up to a month; store any leftover frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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To prepare this cake a day ahead, complete Steps 1 through 7. Then place the cooled cakes on separate plates, cover them with plastic wrap, and store at room temperature until you’re ready to frost the next day.
Notes
Gluten free: I really only recommend using King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten Free Flour or a similar blend with xanthan gum that also weighs 125 g per cup. Please note that Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF Flour will NOT work here.
Coconut sugar makes cake slightly darker than when made with regular granulated sugar, but still delicious!
To make this nut-free, use a nut-free dairy-free milk (coconut milk or oat milk are good choices) and follow the nut-free options for the Vegan Buttercream Frosting. (Note: If buying oat milk, and you require it to be gluten-free, be sure to buy a brand certified gluten free.)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 418
- Sugar: 48.8 g
- Sodium: 221.9 mg
- Fat: 12.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 72.3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Hi! I’m just starting this recipe for Mother’s Day today, and am pretty sensitive to sugar and am wondering if you think it would be ok to cut it a bit, and if so, how much? I understand if you’re not sure, but figure it’s worth an ask! Thank you!
Hi Meg! I would try not to reduce the sugar by too much- typically you can safely reduce by a 1/4 in a recipe but I haven’t personally tried this, especially not with this recipe, so I’m not sure how it will turn out! I’m so sorry I couldn’t be more help!
Suggestion: Dust your blueberries with a little flour before adding them to the mixture. They won’t stick together then.
Can this be done with frozen blueberries?
Hi Sarah! Yes, it can!
I’m not sure if I’ve done the right thing in adding 3 and 2/3 cups of flour. My batter is so dry its almost like a cookie batter not a cake batter. Help!
Hi Phyllis! I’m so sorry this is happening! It sounds like you added too much flour- did you happen to spoon and level the flour or scoop it? If you scooped the flour accidentally using the cups, you’ll end up with way more than you need, which would create a cookie-dough-like batter!
Best recipe EVER!!! I keep making it on repeat! If I want this to be a plain vanilla (not lemon) can I just omit the lemon juice? Do I need to replace it with anything?
This is so awesome 🙂 So happy that you loved it!! And yes, you can omit the lemon juice and zest! Add in 2 tbsp of dairy free milk, plus 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar to create that “buttermilk” effect, and also add in an extra teaspoon of vanilla extract!
This cake is just so lovely! The frosting is unbelievably vibrant and the flavor is out of this world! I read all the instructions multiple times and made sure I followed them step by step and it worked perfectly. I just ordered your cookbook too! So excited to try more of your amazing creations 🙂
This is awesome 🙂 Thank you!! Enjoy!!
Hi there I used gluten free flour and it was sooooo dry!!! Any suggestions on what to do to make the batter more fluid like in the video? I used the correct amount of liquids and it was dry, came out really dense and there were still spots of loose flour, almost like I needed to double the liquid for using gluten free flour
Hi Amanda! So this sounds like it was the type of gluten-free flour you use. I’ve noticed a lot of people aren’t using a blend that’s truly 1:1 (for instance, someone used a blend that doesn’t have any xanthan gum- that won’t yield 1:1 results and that flour won’t be noted as a measure for measure). Which flour blend did you use? I always recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure, it creates the most consistent and nearly identical results to AP flour!
I spent all morning working on this recipe using the King Arthur gluten free flour, miyoko’s butter, and homemade jam. Things did not go in my favor : ( everything tastes good, just not pretty as I would hope in order to present to people who are not vegan. The frosting did not stay fluffy after adding the jam.
Hi Jasmine, I’m so sorry to hear that! I’m wondering, how soft was your butter? I’m realizing a few people misunderstood room temperature butter- it should actually still be cold to the touch, so able to be indented but still slightly cold. A few people left their butters out too long, which made it impossible to make a frosting out of!
Hi I was wondering what the difference was using yogurt and/or applesauce? I see there’s either option but I’m so indecisive and overthinking if I should do one over the other or half apple sauce/ half yogurt. Im clearly overthinking haha but would love your insight please?
Hi gabby! I personally go for the yogurt, because the added fat in the yogurt helps to give a really tender texture to the cake (very similarly to eggs!)- however if you only have applesauce, don’t worry! It will still work! I used to make my cakes just with applesauce until I discovered how wonderful yogurt is in baking- either option will still be delicious though!
This was by far the easiest and fun vegan cake recipe to make! I’m inherently bad at baking, and this made it so easy for me! Leaves you with leftover blueberry jam as well 🙂
This is so wonderful!! Wow thank you so much for leaving this review 🙂 Enjoy!!
Hello! I’m going to make this for Easter soon as it seems like it is perfect for the occasion! I noticed some one mentioned cupcakes and I would like to do that too.
I am afraid that I might mess it up on the first try and was wondering what you would recommend for cook time for the cupcakes? (I feel like they are often done for 15-18 minutes in recipes I’ve seen.)
Thank you 🙂
Hi Jewel!! Oh I’m so excited for you to try this!! Yes, you can definitely make this as cupcakes! It’s going to make quite a few (I would imagine around 24 cupcakes), and they should bake around 18-20 minutes, but they may take longer because of the blueberries. You can check around the 18 minute mark by just turning the light on in your oven to see how they’re progressing!
Hi,
In the UK we do not seem to have 1:1 GF flour, would the same recipe/ measurements work with all purpose GF flour or self raising GF flour?
Thank you !
Hi Kloe! No problem! So GF 1:1 flour in the US seems to be very similar to All Purpose GF Flour in the UK! As long as it has xanthan gum in it, then it should be good. I specifically use King Arthur Measure for Measure GF Flour if you want to see if you can find a GF flour blend near you that has similar ingredients!
so is it 540g flour or 440g flour? 300g sugar or 200g sugar?! Your measurements aren’t easy to follow at all…
Hi Bex! So sorry for the confusion- my metric button isn’t accurate, which is why I include the metric measurements in parentheses (the measurements I personally use- I don’t use US cups, but convert it since I have a large US audience who mainly uses cups). I hope that helps. Enjoy!
Tried this and maybe I am really a bad baker but this wasn’t as simple as I had hoped. 🙁 I am going to try it again but wondered if you could give me a few pointers.
First, this wasn’t one bowl and just a whisk. I had to get my hand mixer out to get the butter smooth. I used Miyokos and it was room temp. Not sure why it wouldn’t break down easily. Thoughts?
Second, my frosting split. I followed your vanilla recipe exactly and your jam recipe exactly. I combined them when the jam was cool and it split and I couldn’t recover it. It tasted fine but looked weird. Not pretty like your’s in the picture. 🙁
Any insight or tips would be helpful. I want to make it for a friend’s birthday!
Hi there! I’m so sorry to hear this, but from the sounds of it, I do have some insights here! So the butter should have bene melted, NOT at room temperature softened. Meaning, you melt the butter and allow it to cool to room temperature but still keep it at liquid. Then you don’t need a hand mixer! It sounds like you allowed the butter to go from cold to room temperature, which we’re actually going from hot to room temperature so that it stays a liquid and is super easy to mix.
For the frosting, did you add just 1/2 a cup? And how thick was the jam when you made it? It should be not quite liquid, but more “gloopy” and set. Also, did you happen to add dairy free milk to the buttercream? Because the recipe doesn’t need that at all! It just uses the jam as its way to get that fluffy frosting! I hope this helps!
Im not vegan or dairy free – can I just use regular milk with this recipe? thanks
So I can never speak to any of my recipes being made non-vegan as I’m truly 100% vegan and don’t test with non-vegan ingredients. However, some readers do use milk where I say dairy-free milk and they have noted they’ve had success. I can’t guarantee it nor speak to it myself, but other readers say it can work!
I’m wondering about the flour – the recipe says all-purpose, but the comments say that this cake uses both types of flour (cake and all purpose). Could you please clarify? Thanks!!!
Oh yes I’m so sorry for the confusion! So you can use either cake flour or all purpose flour, but I honestly mostly make this recipe with all purpose flour (and find it’s more approachable for those who are just starting out baking, so I want them to still feel like they can try this recipe with what they have in their cupboard!). I hope that helps!