Lemon Cardamom Pound Cake (vegan)

Published: Jul 26, 2026

This vegan lemon cardamom pound cake is moist and tender with a tight, soft crumb and a beautiful delicate lemon and cardamom flavour. Made with vegan Greek style yogurt for texture and flavour, no one will be able to tell that it is free from eggs and dairy!

A slice of vegan lemon cardamom pound cake on a white plate with a fork. Fresh lemons and a bowl of icing in the background.

I first published this recipe (the original, non-vegan version) for Domestic Gothess's first birthday, back in 2015. Now eleven years later I am re-publishing the updated, veganised version.

This vegan lemon cardamom pound cake is delicious, soft, moist and flavourful with just the right amount of cardamon and a lemony tang. It has a close, tender crumb and while it may not be exactly like a traditional pound cake, it is pretty darn close!

The addition of the cardamom makes the cake a little more interesting than just a plain lemon cake and adds a subtle warmth, it isn't at all overpowering though.

This lemon cardamom pound cake is lovely just as it is, but is also delicious with fruit and a dollop of yoghurt, cream or ice cream, especially if you cook the fruit a little first to make a compote.

What Is Pound Cake?:

Pound cake is a dense, moist cake with a tight, soft crumb; very different to a light and fluffy sponge cake! It is generally baked in either a loaf or bundt tin.

Traditionally it was made with a pound each of flour, sugar, butter and eggs, hence the name. Original recipes did not contain any raising agents (such as baking powder), relying only on the lift provided by the eggs to make it rise. Since it's invention in the 1700's, pound cake recipes have mostly evolved a bit to make it a little lighter, less dry and more flavourful, and many countries have their own version.

As the original recipes call for such a large quantity of eggs and butter, it is not possible to make a vegan version that is exactly the same; I think that this vegan lemon cardamom pound cake is incredibly close however, and most importantly it is delicious!

A labelled photo of the ingredients needed to make vegan lemon cardamom pound cake.

Ingredient Details And Substitutions:

Cardamom: Use freshly ground cardamom rather than pre-ground if possible as it has a stronger, better flavour - buy green cardamom pods, use a pestle and mortar to break them open, discard the skins and grind the seeds up to a fine powder.

If you can only get hold of pre-ground, use an extra ½ a teaspoon.

Greek style soya yogurt: I like to use a thick, Greek style vegan yogurt as an egg replacer as it provides an excellent texture and flavour. A regular plain soya, coconut or oat yogurt will work ok, as will blended silken tofu.

Lemons: You really want to use fresh lemons, not lemon juice from a bottle as the flavour is far superior. You will also need some lemon zest so make sure that you buy unwaxed lemons.

Plant milk: You can use any kind you like but it should ideally be unsweetened and soy milk is best as it has the highest protein content.

Oil + vegan butter: Using a mixture of oil and butter in the cake gives you the best of both worlds - both flavour and moisture. Any neutral oil will work (except coconut), I use olive. For the butter you ideally need to use a block variety rather than the spreadable kind in a tub.

Sugar: Caster or granulated sugar is best. Do not use sweeteners or liquid sugars instead. For the glaze you will need icing (powdered/confectioners) sugar.

Self-raising flour: I use self-raising (self-rising) flour as that is what I used in my old (non-vegan) recipe that I adapted this cake from. You could try using plain flour plus 2 teaspoons of baking powder if you don't have any self-raising.

How To Make Vegan Lemon Cardamom Pound Cake:

(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)

Step 1: Mix the melted, cooled butter with the oil, lemon zest, ground cardamom, salt and bicarbonate of soda.

Step 2, the butter mixture with the flour added.

Step 2: Add the flour and stir with a spatula until it is fully coated in the butter mixture.

Step 3, the batter with the yogurt and sugar added to it.

Step 3: Stir in the yogurt and sugar to make a thick batter.

Step 4, the finished batter with the milk, lemon juice and vanilla added.

Step 4: Add the milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Mix to form a smooth, lump free batter, you may find it easier to switch to a balloon whisk at this point.

Step 5, the batter in the loaf tin with a line drawn down the centre with an oiled knife.

Step 5: Pour the batter into the tin and level the top. Dip a butter knife in oil and draw a line down the centre of the batter.

Step 6: Bake for 55-60 minutes

Top Tips:

USE SCALES. As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scales rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!

For the teaspoon and Tablespoon measurements, please use proper measuring spoons, not just regular spoons. A teaspoon is 5ml and a Tablespoon is 15ml.

If you want to make sure that the cake has a perfect crack down the centre, dip a butter knife in oil and run it through the middle of the batter before putting it in the oven. Alternatively you can cut vegan block butter into matchsticks and make a line of them down the middle of the loaf before baking.

The cake is ready when it is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.

Make sure that you buy unwaxed lemons as the wax used is not usually vegan and probably isn't good to eat anyway!

Coating the flour in the fat before adding the liquid ingredients helps to inhibit gluten development and ensures a plush, soft crumb. Make sure that you allow the butter to cool down until it is barely warm, not hot first though.

FAQ's:

How should I store this vegan lemon cardamom pound cake?

Keep the cake in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to five days.

Can I freeze it?

Yes this cake freezes really well, either whole or in slices. Allow it to cool completely before freezing, either well wrapped or in a freezer-proof container. Store for up to three months. Allow to defrost at room temperature before serving.

Can I omit the cardamom?

Yes, if you want a plain vegan lemon pound cake you can simply leave out the cardamom.

Sliced vegan lemon cardamom pound cake on a marble board.

More Vegan Lemon Cakes:

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