This Lemon Drizzle Cake is a vegan version of an old-fashioned lemon cake and is deliciously fruity, tangy and sweet. It is so easy to prepare using every-day pantry ingredients and despite being egg-free and dairy-free is incredibly moist and light.
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Origins Of Lemon Drizzle Cake
The origins of lemon drizzle cake is unclear but it is claimed that a Jewish woman named Evelyn Rose invented the first lemon drizzle cake in 1967. However, where she lived and how it was recorded that she did indeed bake the first lemon drizzle is not known. What is known is that lemon drizzle cake is a very popular and much loved traditional bake in Britain and makes regular appearances in bakeries, tea rooms, cafes and bake sales.
It is likely that lemon drizzle cake originates from the British pound cake that dates back to the 1700s. The pound cake get its name from the ingredient measurements which is 1 Ib butter, 1 Ib flour, 1 Ib sugar and 1 Ib eggs. Back in the 1700s baking powder had not been invented so to get a cake to be less dense and to rise during baking, would have taken lots of beating of the ingredients with a spoon which could take at least an hour or even longer.
Adding lemon zest and juice to a pound cake would have been natural additions as was adapting the pound cake recipe to create a lighter easier to rise cake with the addition of baking powder, which was invented in 1856.
Ingredients
The 8 ingredients you will need for this lemon drizzle cake are:
- self-raising flour
- baking powder
- caster or granulated sugar
- vegetable oil
- water
- fresh lemon zest
- fresh lemon juice
- icing (powdered sugar) - for the drizzle topping
How To Prepare
Pour in the water, lemon juice and vegetable oil.
Give it all a good mix to create a smooth batter.
Step 1: Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and lemon zest to a mixing bowl and stir.
Step 2: Pour in the water, lemon juice, and vegetable oil.
Step 3: Give it a good mix to create a smooth batter.
Step 4: Add the mixture to a loaf pan and bake.
Step 5: Allow to cool completely before adding the drizzle topping.
Prepare the lemon drizzle icing:
Step 1: Mix the icing (powdered) sugar with a few drops of lemon juice until the desired consistency is achieved. The icing should be thick and pourable but not too runny.
Step 2: Drizzle the icing over the cake and finish off with a sprinkle of lemon zest.
Step 3: Allow the lemon drizzle icing to set before slicing. Popping the cake in the refrigerator for a short while will set the icing quicker.
Recipe Notes
Storage
Store lemon drizzle cake within a cake tin or airtight container. Store for up to 5 days or a few days longer if kept in the refrigerator. The flavours will improve as the days go by and as it is incredibly moist it keeps well. However, if your home is extra warm do store wrapped in the refrigerator.
Freeze
Wrap the cake well, either iced or un-iced with the lemon drizzle icing, and freeze for 3-4 months. However do allow the water icing to set on the cake before wrapping and freezing otherwise the icing will smudge off into the food wrap.
Yes, you can replace the fresh lemon with orange, lime, grapefruit, mandarin, tangerine, etc.
More vegan old-fashioned cake recipes
We love old-fashioned bakes especially cakes so we have a growing collection of vintage baking recipes that are easily prepared as egg-free and dairy-free, though all ingredients are pantry staples or easy to source. A few of our family favourites are this Old-Fashioned Seed Cake and this Old-Fashioned Ground Rice Cake. We also love these individual Old-Fashioned Carrot Cakes and this Old-Fashioned Applesauce Cake.
***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***
📖 Recipe
Vegan Lemon Drizzle Cake
Equipment
- 1 Ib loaf pan (lined with baking paper)
- Mixing bowls
- mixing spoons
- lemon zester and lemon squeezer
- sieve
- cooling rack
Ingredients
- 225 grams self-raising flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 175 grams caster sugar (or granulated)
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil (use one with a neutral flavour such as rapeseed or sunflower oil)
- 195 millilitres water
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of ½ medium lemon)
- 1 lemon rind, zested (1 medium lemon)
Lemon drizzle icing:
- 12 tablespoons icing sugar (powdered sugar, may require more)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of ½ medium lemon: may not require all the juice so just add a few drops at a time)
- ½ lemon (the zest of ½ medium lemon)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 160°C Fan (180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4).
- Prepare a loaf pan by greasing with a little margarine and lining with baking paper or use a loaf pan paper insert.
- Add the flour, baking powder, sugar, and lemon zest to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine.225 grams self-raising flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 175 grams caster sugar, 1 lemon rind, zested
- Pour in the vegetable oil, water and lemon juice and mix the cake batter until it is smooth.6 tablespoons vegetable oil, 195 millilitres water, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Scoop the cake mixture into the loaf pan and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 35-45 minutes or until the cake has risen, is golden, firm and a skewer popped in comes out clean. Exact times will depend on your oven with fan ovens tending to cook faster.
- Leave the cake in the loaf pan for 15 minutes before carefully removing. Place on a cooling rack.
Lemon drizzle icing:
- Mix 12 tablespoons of sifted icing sugar with a few drops of lemon juice until the desired consistency of icing has been achieved.12 tablespoons icing sugar, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- The icing should be thick but still easy to drizzle. If the icing is too thin add a few more tablespoons of icing sugar to thicken it back up. If the icing is too thick add a few more drops of lemon juice until its just right.
- Drizzle all the icing over the cake. It's recommended to do this with a piece of baking paper under the cake as it can be messy. Any pools of icing that drip off the cake can be scooped up and drizzled back over.
- Sprinkle the lemon zest over the cake to finish and allow the icing to set before slicing.½ lemon
Notes
- Store lemon drizzle cake within a cake tin or airtight container.
- Store for up to 5 days or a few days longer if kept in the refrigerator.
- The cake flavours improve as the days go by and as it is incredibly moist it keeps well so is a nice cake to have in the cake tin for visitors.
- To freeze wrap the cake well either iced or un-iced and freeze for 3-4 months. Do allow the water icing to set on the cake before wrapping and freezing otherwise the icing will smudge off into the food wrap.
- Replace the lemon with oranges, mandarins, tangerines, limes, red or white grapefruit, etc.
Nutrition
Comments
We would love to know how you get on with our vegan lemon drizzle cake recipe. Do drop us a comment below we appreciate all your comments and feedback. Thanks! Jacq x
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