One bowl vegan lemon blueberry cake which uses only 7 ingredients! This cake is soft and moist, has the perfect crumb, and isn't too sweet.
This cake is perfect for Spring or Summer, just like my Lemon Olive Oil Cake and Vegan Lemon Cake (layered) and Vegan Blueberry Muffins!
What to expect from this cake
This lemon blueberry cake is:
- Delicious, fluffy, moist and golden (all of the good things)!
- Incredibly easy to make
- Not too sweet because the lemon balances out the sugar (and there's no frosting)
- Stackable for a layer cake
- Naturally eggless and can be made gluten free
- Designed so the blueberries don't sink to the bottom!
Ingredients you'll need
The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Notes about the ingredients
Granulated sugar is best for a light and fluffy cake. See the FAQ section below for alternatives.
Lemon juice and zest, preferably fresh. Alternatively, bottled lemon juice is fine. For a blueberry cake with less lemon flavor, check out my vegan blueberry bread recipe.
Neutral-flavored oil, such as sunflower, avocado or olive oil. Olive oil imparts a slight flavor, such as in my lemon olive oil cake.
Blueberries, fresh or frozen. If you use frozen blueberries, you don't need to thaw them but may need to bake the cake for 5 minutes longer.
How to make this cake
Simply add all the dry ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined. Add all the wet ingredients except the blueberries and mix until just before it's combined (there should still be some pockets of flour).
We aren't fully mixing the cake batter at this stage because we still need to mix it more later. We don't want to overmix the cake batter!
Then add the blueberries and fold them through the batter! I made this a thick batter which helps prevent all the blueberries from sinking to the bottom when we bake the cake.
The lemon cake batter is a scoopable consistency but isn't so thick that you will need to flatten the top. Once you pour the batter into your cake pan, scatter the remaining blueberries on top and press some of them into the cake.
I pressed only some of the berries into the cake for appearance and stability but this is optional.
The cake is ready when the surface is golden brown and you can insert a skewer in the middle and there's no wet batter on it.
Customizing this cake
This vegan lemon blueberry cake will work with coconut sugar, however it completely changes the flavor profile. Imagine eating a caramel cake with a hint of lemon!
Check out the notes section in the gray recipe box at the bottom of this post
Yes, though keep in mind that it'll make the cake more dense.
I'd only recommend using a larger cake pan or bundt pan for this recipe. It's already a very thick cake so a smaller and taller cake tin may not bake in the middle.
This cake will bake in a loaf pan. However, I recommend baking it for at least 70 minutes. Alternatively, check my vegan lemon loaf or vegan blueberry bread which are designed for loaf pans.
If you'd like a multiple-layer cake, I recommend following my vegan lemon cake recipe but adding blueberries.
If you'd like muffins instead of a cake, I recommend baking my vegan lemon poppy seed muffins and adding blueberries. You can omit the poppy seeds if you prefer!
Yes, however I suggest using only ¾ cup (110g) of blueberries and omitting the blueberries on top.
You can top this cake with:
- Simple lemon icing used in my olive oil cake
- Passionfruit icing used for my passionfruit cake
- Vegan Cream cheese frosting used in my carrot cake recipe
- Whipped coconut cream
- Your favorite buttercream recipe
More light and zesty vegan desserts
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Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake
Ingredients
Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake
- 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose plain flour, (note 1 for gluten free)
- 1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt, optional
- ¾ cup (190g) dairy-free milk
- ½ cup (125g) neutral flavored oil
- ⅓ cup (80g) lemon juice, and zest of those lemons (overall, you'll need about 2 large lemons or 3 medium lemons, note 2)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 1 ¼ cups (190g) blueberries, fresh or frozen
To serve (optional, note 3)
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F). Line or grease a 20 cm (8-inch) round cake pan.
- Add all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) to a large mixing bowl and mix until there are no lumps. Add all the wet ingredients (milk, oil, lemon juice/zest and vanilla) and mix until just before it's combined.
- Add half of the blueberries and gently fold them through. Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan. Scatter the remaining blueberries on top and gently press some of them into the cake.
- Bake the cake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until you can insert a toothpick in the middle and there's no wet batter on it. This is a moist cake so some crumbs on your toothpick are fine.
- Allow the cake to cool in the cake tin for 10 minutes then cool on a wire rack.
To serve the cake:
- Just before serving, dust the cake with powdered sugar (optional) and serve! The cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If you freeze the cake, the texture of the blueberries will change.
Notes
- To make this vegan lemon cake gluten free, substitute the plain flour for 1 ⅔ cups (165g) almond flour / blanched almond meal and 1 cup (160g) gluten free all-purpose flour.
- Don't be tempted to add more lemon juice. If you add too much lemon juice, it will make the cake gooey, and it won't bake through. If you want extra lemon flavor, add more lemon zest.
- Alternatively, you can enjoy the cake plain or topped with fresh berries.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2021 for simplicity.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Chihiro says
Such a delicious cake mmm moist and sweet and fresh. So nice!!
Anthea says
Aw that's wonderful to hear! Thanks Chihiro!
Laura says
This was absolutely delicious, thank you. I swapped in self raising flour instead of plain and added one tsp of bicarbonate of soda.
Anthea says
I'm so glad that you enjoyed this cake and that it worked with your substitutions!
Katie says
For the 1/3 cup of lemon juice and zest, is that 1/3 cup of juice and zest combined? What should the ratio be?
Anthea says
Yes it's 1/3 cup lemon juice and zest combined. The ratio is just whatever amount you can get from about 2-3 lemons, without scraping off the white part of the lemon.
Heather S says
This looks really good. Do you think it would double well?
Anthea says
Yes, I think so if you bake the cake in 2 x 8 inch cake pans or slightly larger cake pans. I don't think it would work if you bake 2 of the cakes in 1 x 8 inch cake pan. Hope that helps!
Tara says
Hi, this recipe is perfect for me as I am looking for an eggless cake recipe.
Could I swap the plant based milk for full fat milk? Thank you
Anthea says
Wonderful! Yes, full-fat milk (or any milk) is fine!
Sandy says
This recipe is amazing! I used soy milk and regular flour. My friends said it was so good and fluffy that they even hesitated that it was vegan 😂.
Anthea says
Haha, I *love* that your friends couldn't tell it was vegan! I'm so glad you all enjoyed this cake! Thanks Sandy 🙂
Tricia says
I made this cake last night. It was simple and delicious. In fact, my husband and I ate half when it was done. I used soy milk and classic flour. Thanks for sharing.
Anthea says
That's great news Tricia! And we tend to do the same with cakes when they're freshly baked too :). Thanks so much for your feedback!
Veggy Mania says
I didn't have blueberries and instead I made it with cherries and it was still amazingly delicious!! I took it to the school to share it with my co-teachers and they all loved it and are looking forward to me making it again :).
Anthea says
Oooh yum, I love that you made it with cherries! So glad you and everyone enjoyed this cake. Thanks so much for your feedback 🙂
Ashley says
This looks amazing! Quick question… Do you have to do anything special to prep the blueberries prior to putting them in the batter (ie. thaw them if frozen or soak them if fresh)?
Anthea says
Thank you! No you don't have to do anything to the blueberries beforehand, whether you're using fresh or frozen. Frozen berries don't need to be thawed and fresh berries don't need to be coated in flour or soaked. As it's a thick batter, the berries don't sink when the cake is cooked. I hope that helps!
Beverley says
I've made this cake a few times now - it is delicious! moist but crumbly on top. I've made it with blueberries like the original, then tried with raspberries (also excellent!) and I am currently trying a mix of blueberries/raspberries and blackberries! It's so easy and comes out great every time! It is so popular with my family and doesn't last long enough to freeze! Thank you so much!
Anthea says
Aw I'm so happy you've made and enjoyed this cake a few times! I love that you used raspberries once too. Thank you so much for leaving your feedback Beverley!
Tracy Jacobs says
I made this for a dinner party over the week-end. I am no baker, and this cake made me look like I was a natural baker, thank you for not only an easy, good looking cake recipe but an incredibly moist and delicious one too. Our dinner guests all had an extra piece. Super yum! I am going to try your Zebra cake next.
Anthea says
Aw, that's so amazing to hear Tracy! Go you! It's great that everyone enjoyed this cake. Thanks so much for your lovely comment 🙂
Christine says
Looks amazing! Will Meyer lemons work OK in this?
Anthea says
Thank you! Yes I think Meyer lemons would be great for this 🙂
Christine says
Thanks Anthea! Just made it with Meyer lemons a neighbor gave us and it’s delicious! I intended to share some with my sweet neighbor. I now have to make another one tomorrow because we gobbled too much of it up to share. 😂
Anthea says
Hahaha, I know the feeling! I'm so glad you enjoyed this cake Christine! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Joana says
Hello! I wanted to know if instead of using almond flour (which is a little expensive) I could use, in the same amount, rice flour ? I have been trying to use it for a while, and in the all amount that the recipe says, and the cakes are getting to dry! 😩
Anthea says
Hey! Yes rice flour works instead of almond flour (if you use 50% rice flour and 50% gluten free flour). The taste/texture is a little different to the almond flour version but it still works :).
Marie-Louise S. says
This recipe is soooo good! Everyone in my household loved it and it was gone in 2 days. Super moist and not too sweet, the lemon and blueberry flavors are perfect. 🙂 Can’t wait to make it again!
Anthea says
Aw I'm so happy to hear that you and everyone enjoyed this cake! Thank you so much 🙂
Sophia Rahman says
Hi
Recipe looks lovely. Can I do a straight swap for the flour to gluten free flour?
Thank u!
Anthea says
Thank you! It really depends on the brand of gluten free flour you're using. If you've previously used a brand for other cakes (and you enjoyed the result), it'll work well for this recipe :). Bob Red Mills 1:1 flour may work though I haven't tested it myself. I hope that helps!
Sara says
This was such a delicious cake, thank you!
Anthea says
Aw so glad you enjoyed this cake, thanks Sara!
Marilyn says
Hi, can I use all gluten-free flour instead of gluten-free flour and almond meal?
Thank you.
Anthea says
I wouldn't recommend it because standard gluten-free flour blends tend to make cakes dense and unpleasant. However, I haven't tried this recipe with Bob Red Mill's 1:1 flour which may work well.
Angela Tippets says
I’m excited to try this cake! Making it today, do you think it would work to replace the cup of oil with 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce? It’s a beautiful cake!
Anthea says
Hi Angela! I saw that you made and posted the cake on Instagram - glad that the substitution worked for you!