In this homemade vegan lemon pudding cake, fluffy lemon cake sits atop a hidden layer of lemon pudding on the bottom!
Easy vegan lemon pudding cake
If you are new to the concept of self saucing pudding cakes, are you ever in for a treat.
At a glance, it looks like your average lemon cake.
But true culinary magic takes place in the oven…
As the soft cake bakes, a second layer of gooey lemon pudding sauce forms underneath. When you reach in for a spoonful, you get both cake and pudding in each delicious bite!
No food coloring, no eggs or heavy cream, and no box cake mix here.
And the cake is entirely dairy free, with just 90 calories a slice. What could be better???
Also try this 3 ingredient Lemon Sorbet
Step by step recipe video
How to make vegan lemon pudding cake
- First, zest the lemon with a citrus zester or in a food processor. Grease an eight inch square baking pan well, or line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Set the zested lemon and prepared pan aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit or 176° Celsius.
- Add the flour, half cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl, and whisk very well.
- Stir in the lemon zest, dairy free milk, melted plant based butter or oil, and applesauce until the lemon cake batter is just evenly mixed.
- Use a spatula or large spoon to smooth the batter into the square pan.
- Whisk the water (not boiling), lemon juice, and remaining third cup of sugar in a large measuring cup until the sugar dissolves.
- Carefully and evenly pour the liquid over the top of the unbaked cake in the pan. It should look very watery.
- Place the pan on the center rack of the preheated oven, and bake for thirty five minutes. Then remove from the oven and let cool.
- You may eat the vegan lemon pudding cake now. But if time permits, it is better to transfer the cooled cake to the refrigerator for eight hours or overnight. The pudding layer will thicken considerably as it chills in the fridge.
- After one day, refrigerate any leftovers in a covered container for up to four days. Or freeze in an airtight container for up to three months and thaw before serving.
Lemon cake ingredients
You need just a few basic ingredients to whip up your own old fashioned lemon pudding cake, also known as lemon upside down cake.
Lemon juice & zest – A third cup of fresh squeezed or bottled lemon juice in the pudding layer and two tablespoons of fresh lemon zest in the cake layer give bright citrus flavor to the summer dessert.
Flour – I like whole grain spelt flour, because it adds fiber and is not as heavy or dense as whole wheat flour. Regular white flour or all purpose gluten free flour are great options too.
I haven’t tried oat flour or almond flour and do not recommend coconut flour in this cake.
Sugar – Use traditional white sugar, unrefined cane sugar, or xylitol or granulated erythritol for sugar free cake. For the best texture, use granulated sweetener as opposed to maple syrup, powdered monk fruit, or stevia.
Milk of choice – Choose any milk in your refrigerator. My favorites are coconut milk (super decadent), soy milk (adds protein), or almond milk (low calorie).
Applesauce – A half cup of sweetened or unsweetened applesauce yields a moist crumb without extra fat. Feel free to swap applesauce for an equal amount of vegan yogurt or ripe, mashed banana.
Plant based butter – If you want a rich and buttery cake, I highly recommend including two tablespoons of nondairy butter or coconut oil. Or go with vegetable oil or sunflower oil.
Increasing the applesauce for a healthy oil free cake technically works, although I would not serve that version to guests unaccustomed to healthy desserts.
Other ingredients – You also need salt, baking soda, baking powder, and water to create the simple lemon dessert.
Leftover lemon? Make Lemon Truffles or a Lemon Mug Cake
Katie’s favorite serving suggestions
- Garnish with an abundance of fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
- Thanks to the sweet lemon sauce, there’s no need for frosting. Simply dust with powdered sugar and serve hot from the oven or cold the next day.
- Serve the cake in bowls, topped with a scoop of Coconut Ice Cream.
- It makes for a tasty alternative to heavier pastries or coffee cakes in the morning, especially paired with vanilla dairy free Greek yogurt or whipped cream. Warm lemon cake for breakfast? Yes, please!
- Are you an avid lemon lover who cannot get enough lemon? Drizzle Vegan Lemon Curd on top of the finished cake and devour every last spoonful of lemony goodness.
The recipe was adapted from my Vegan Lemon Loaf and Chocolate Pudding Cake.
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1. To make the lemon pudding cake, zest your lemon and grease an 8 inch square baking pan or line the bottom with parchment paper. Set the zested lemon and pan aside.
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2. Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (176° Celsius).
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3. Whisk flour, half cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
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4. Stir in lemon zest, dairy free milk, melted plant based butter or oil, and applesauce until batter is just evenly mixed.
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5. Spread cake batter into the prepared pan.
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6. Stir water (not boiling), lemon juice, and remaining sugar in a measuring cup until sugar dissolves.
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7. Pour this liquid evenly over the top of the cake batter. It will look very watery.
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8. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 35 minutes. Remove and let cool.
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9. You may eat the cake right away, but I recommend refrigerating at least 8 hours or overnight, because the pudding layer thickens considerably as it chills.
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10. Store leftovers after a day in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. or freeze for up to 3 months.
More dairy free dessert ideas
Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Healthy Chocolate Mousse
Tofu Cheesecake
Vegan Brownies
Chocolate No Bake Cookies
Tiramisu Chia Pudding
