Dairy Free Lemon Cake
This healthy dairy free lemon cake is almost guaranteed not to last long in your house. All I know is – it didn’t last long in my house, lol. It’s definitely a dessert that’s sure to be requested often, I believe..
Healthier Yet Still So Tasty
And being low in sugar and unhealthy fats makes it even better! Though it’s dairy-free, this lemon loaf cake tastes every bit like any other ordinary lemon cake.
Yet it’s perfectly sweet, moist and has a soft texture. Not as dense as a pound cake, but close enough. And be sure to make the lemon glaze (below in recipe card) to top it with. So yummy!
You won’t regret making this dairy free lemon cake. It’s basically great for anytime of the year. And your family and friends will be glad you did, especially with that tangy lemon flavor.
A Little Backstory..
With my previous lemon loaf recipe testing attempts, something always seemed to be off. Either the texture wasn’t right, or the loaf sunk in the middle after a few minutes out of the oven. I know, so disappointing..
But I still knew that there was potential for it to come out perfectly, so I kept at it. I really can’t remember the exact amount of attempts, before this healthy lemon loaf came out just right.
*You’re Guaranteed Success If You Keep Going*
Just goes to show, that in the beginning it may seem like you’re on the losing end. But it you keep going despite that nagging feeling of failure, you’re always guaranteed to succeed/win.
I went through the same thing while creating the recipe for this vegan blueberry oatmeal bread as well. Doubting that it would come out good. But it eventually did, thank God.
We just need to remember that not everything is guaranteed to work out the first time. Or even the second or third time we try or attempt it.
But that turnaround may be just around the corner, on your fourth try. Or just when you’re about to completely give up.
What Makes This Dairy Free Lemon Cake So Unique
There’s plenty of incredible lemon loaf recipes out there, no doubt. I even considered not creating this lemon loaf recipe, because of so many similar recipes online already.
But, alas! Here we are. I decided to go ahead and create the best lemon loaf recipe I could. In my own unique way and technique.
And that meant not focusing on other lemon loaf recipes, but on creating an easy recipe that’s different from the rest. I believe what makes this lemon cake so amazing.
You only need one large bowl for the dry ingredients. And a smaller one to combine the wet ingredients in. In addition, you don’t need any ingredients that you usually don’t keep on hand already.
**Tips**
If you don’t usually keep Greek yogurt on hand, you may be able to use sour cream instead. The texture may not be completely the same, but should be similar.
I would say, go with full-fat yogurt or sour cream since there’s such a small amount in the bread. And to help with adding the right moisture level.
But if you prefer to use a low-fat version, that should work fine also. The loaf may be a little less rich, but still tasty.
I also recommend that you use fresh lemon juice from actual lemons instead of using jarred lemon juice. You would only need a couple at the most for this healthy lemon loaf recipe.
Fresh Lemon Juice vs Bottled Lemon Juice
There’s just no comparison between the natural fresh taste of real lemon juice, and that of artificial lemon juice. I’ve used bottled lemon juice in the past, but found that it tastes inferior to the real thing.
If you absolutely must use bottled lemon juice, I recommend using organic lemon juice such as Lakewood Organic Pure Lemon Juice if possible. It’s from real lemons, not an artificial source; therefore it tastes more authentic.
Dairy Free Lemon Cake Ingredients
As mentioned earlier, I’m sure the majority of the ingredients you need to make this delicious lemon cake are on hand already.
You may just need to buy a couple of fresh lemons and Greek yogurt/sour cream if you normally don’t have them on hand.
The full ingredients list:
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Cane Sugar: Preferably organic, as it’s less processed.
- Salt: Just a small amount to bring the flavor of this lemon bread (aka loaf) together.
- Vanilla Extract: The perfect amount to boost the flavor of the loaf. Not too little or too much to overpower the lemon taste.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Helps the loaf to rise perfectly, together with the baking powder and baking soda.
- Light Oil such as organic canola oil, vegetable oil, etc. Organic = less processed and no solvents used in the production of the oil.
- Full-Fat Greek Yogurt or Full-Fat Sour Cream: Only a small amount is needed, so this loaf stays healthy. You can also try using a non-dairy alternative if you’d prefer. I would love to know how it turns out if you do:)
- 2 Fresh Lemons (squeezed and de seeded) or Bottled Organic Lemon Juice
- Dairy or Non-Dairy Milk
- Easy Lemon Glaze Ingredients: Just powdered sugar and fresh (or organic) lemon juice
Even More Delicious Dessert Recipes
I really hope you enjoy this dairy free lemon cake recipe. I would appreciate any comments in the comment section below. Thanks and be blessed!
Dairy Free Lemon Cake
Equipment
- 1 9×5 inch loaf pan
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups and 5 1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp and 1 1/2 tsp sugar or just keep it at the 1/4 cup if you’re on a low sugar diet.
- 1/2 tsp salt use 1/4 tsp for a lower sodium diet
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp oil (organic canola, vegetable oil, etc.) or even light-tasting extra virgin olive oil for a slightly unique taste.
- 3 tbsp full-fat or low-fat dairy-free Greek yogurt or substitute dairy-free sour cream if that’s what you prefer
- 2 1/2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice or tbsp bottled lemon juice (preferably organic) Optional: Add in zest from a medium sized lemon for a more lemony flavor
- 1 cup + 3 tbsp dairy or nondairy milk
- Lemon glaze ingredients: 1/2 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp powdered sugar and 4 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and gather all of your ingredients. Lightly grease or spray the loaf pan and set aside.In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients (flour thru salt). It’s better to use a fork here, as it’ll help break up any large lumps.In a smaller bowl, combine the wet ingredients thoroughly (vanilla extract thru milk). This is also easier with a fork..
- Add the combined wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Combine (making sure to reach the bottom of the bowl) just until any large lumps are gone.Any smallish lumps remaining are normal.
- Add and smooth the batter into the prepared loaf pan, as the batter will be a little thick.
- Bake for 38-40 minutes, or until tested with a toothpick in the middle. The loaf is ready to be removed from the oven if the toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the loaf sit for 5 minutes in the loaf pan before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. Drizzle with the desired amount of glaze. Let the loaf sit for about 5 minutes, so the glaze can thicken and set properly before serving.