🌱🍋 When life gives you lemons, bake a delicious vegan lemon cake! Grandma Sita’s lemon cake is light, moist and wonderfully zesty, with freshly grated lemon zest bringing plenty of natural lemon flavour to every bite. For an extra special touch, Grandma Sita often adds a handful of fresh rosemary, picked straight from the garden.
😋🍰 This easy vegan lemon cake is made with simple ingredients you may already have in your kitchen. It is one of those wonderfully fuss-free cakes that doesn’t need icing or fancy decorations — just mix, bake and enjoy! The fresh lemon and a little fruit jam add plenty of flavour, making this a simple homemade favourite for any time of day.
♻️ And, of course, Grandma Sita loves a recipe that helps us waste less. This cake is a great way to make the most of lemons, including their fragrant zest, and to use up that little bit of fruit jam waiting in the fridge. Simple ingredients, a little creativity and a delicious result — the Grandma Sita way!
- INGREDIENTS
Dry ingredients
Zest of 1 lemon
1½ cups plain flour
⅓ cup unrefined cane sugar
4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
A pinch of salt
½ cup fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)
Wet ingredients
½ cup oat drink (or any non-dairy milk)
¼ cup berry jam (or any fruit jam)
3 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral-flavoured oil)
- METHOD
1. Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a loaf tin or square cake tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest, plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, unrefined cane sugar and a pinch of salt. Add the chopped fresh rosemary, if using, and mix everything together with a wooden spoon.
3. Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the fruit jam, vegetable oil and oat drink. Stir well until smooth and evenly combined.
4. Bring everything together. Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently stir with a wooden spoon until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
5. Bake the cake. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for around 40 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Try not to open the oven too early — if the cake needs a few extra minutes, simply leave it to bake until fully cooked.
6. Cool the cake. Remove the tin from the oven and leave the cake to cool for a few minutes. Carefully peel away the baking parchment, then transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool further.
7. Serve and enjoy! Slice the cake, serve and enjoy this delicious vegan lemon cake with a cup of tea, coffee or simply on its own. Bon appétit!
👵💛 Grandma Sita’s tip
- 🍋 Get the most from your lemon: When zesting, grate only the bright yellow part of the peel, avoiding the white pith underneath, which can taste bitter.
- 🌿 A little rosemary goes a long way: Fresh rosemary adds a lovely aromatic note to the cake. Chop it finely so it blends nicely into the mixture.
- 🫙 Use the jam you have: Berry jam is delicious, but there’s no need to use a particular flavour. Any fruit jam you already have in the fridge can work beautifully.
- 🍰 Choose the right tin: An 8½ × 4½-inch loaf tin is a good size for this recipe. If you use a different-sized tin, keep an eye on the cake as the baking time may vary.
- ❄️ Save a slice for later: Leftover cake can be wrapped well and frozen in individual portions. Simply defrost a slice whenever you fancy a homemade treat.
📗 Did you know?
🍋 Lemon zest is full of natural oils. These aromatic oils are what give lemon peel its intense, fresh fragrance and help bring plenty of flavour to this simple cake.
🌿 Lemon and rosemary are a classic flavour pairing. The bright, citrusy character of lemon works beautifully with rosemary’s fresh, fragrant flavour — especially when the herb comes straight from the garden.
🗑️ A little food-waste fact
♻️ Look beyond the recipe: Lemon peel and leftover jam don’t have to stop being useful once this cake is baked. Keep extra zest in the freezer and use it in future bakes, dressings or drinks, and add the last spoonfuls of jam to porridge, sauces or another dessert.
🌎 A little planning helps too. Before buying new ingredients, check the fridge and cupboard for anything that needs using. Small changes like this can help us make better use of the food we already have.
♻️ Make the most of what you have
🌱 For Grandma Sita, delicious baking doesn’t need to be complicated. A few everyday ingredients, a fresh lemon and a little imagination are all you need to make this vegan lemon cake. Bake, share and waste less — the Grandma Sita way!