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A slice of vegan lemon layer cake on a white plate.
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Vegan Lemon Layer Cake

Vegan lemon layer cake - moist, tender vegan lemon cakes with a light, fluffy lemon buttercream and eggless lemon curd filling.
Course Dessert
Cuisine vegan
Keyword cake
Prep Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 people
Author Domestic Gothess

Ingredients

Cakes:

  • finely grated zest of 3 large lemons
  • 80 g (⅓ cup) fresh lemon juice
  • 90 g (6 Tablespoons) vegan block butter melted
  • 110 g (½ cup) neutral oil (not coconut)
  • 160 g (⅔ cup) vegan Greek style yogurt
  • 160 g (⅔ cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy)
  • 280 g (1 cup + 6 Tablespoons) caster or granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 20 g (2 packed Tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch)
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 380 g (3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour

Lemon Syrup:

  • 30 g (2 ½ Tablespoons) caster or granulated sugar
  • 30 g (2 Tablespoons) fresh lemon juice

Buttercream:

  • 225 g (1 cup) vegan block butter softened
  • 350 g (3 cups) icing (powdered) sugar
  • finely grated zest of 1 large lemon
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ batch vegan lemon curd to fill chilled

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180℃/160℃ fan/350℉/gas mark 4. Line two 20 cm/8 in round cake tins with baking paper.
  • Whisk together the lemon juice and zest, melted butter, oil, yogurt, milk, caster sugar and vanilla extract with a balloon whisk in a large bowl.
    finely grated zest of 3 large lemons, 80 g (⅓ cup) fresh lemon juice, 90 g (6 Tablespoons) vegan block butter, 110 g (½ cup) neutral oil (not coconut), 160 g (⅔ cup) vegan Greek style yogurt, 160 g (⅔ cup) unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy), 280 g (1 cup + 6 Tablespoons) caster or granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Whisk in the cornflour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt followed by the plain flour. Be careful not to over-beat the batter, stop mixing as soon as it is fully combined.
    20 g (2 packed Tablespoons) cornflour (cornstarch), 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), ¼ teaspoon salt, 380 g (3 cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
  • Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared cake tins and spread it level (use a scale for accuracy). Bake for about 30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  • Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 15 minutes then carefully turn them out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
  • Once the cakes have cooled make the syrup. Place the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan and bring up to a simmer then remove from the heat.
    30 g (2 ½ Tablespoons) caster or granulated sugar, 30 g (2 Tablespoons) fresh lemon juice
  • Trim the tops of the cakes to level them then gently brush them with the lemon syrup.
  • To make the buttercream, whisk the butter and icing sugar together with an electric mixer until very light and fluffy.
    225 g (1 cup) vegan block butter, 350 g (3 cups) icing (powdered) sugar
  • Add the lemon zest and juice and the vanilla extract and continue to whisk for a couple of minutes.
    finely grated zest of 1 large lemon, 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate and spread over a thin layer of the buttercream using a palette knife. Transfer some of the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle and pipe a ring around the edge of the cake to create a dam for the lemon curd.
  • Give the lemon curd a good stir until it becomes smooth then spoon about half of it inside the buttercream dam and spread it level.
    ½ batch vegan lemon curd to fill
  • Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the top of the other cake layer and place it on top of the lemon curd topped cake, buttercream side down.
  • Coat the top and sides of the cake with buttercream, use a cake scraper to smooth it out. Place any remaining buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle and pipe swirls around the top edge of the cake. Spoon the rest of the lemon curd in the middle and spread it level.

Notes

  • Make the vegan lemon curd first as it will need time to chill and set.
  • See post above for tips, details, storage instructions and step-by-step photos.
  • 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!