This Vegan Vanilla Pound Cake recipe contains no eggs or dairy and is flavored with real vanilla bean in the cake batter and in the glaze. It's buttery, soft, and moist, and is delicious on its own or served with berries and whipped cream.
There are so many types of cake out there. And at this point, I think I have a recipe for all of them. I have layer cake recipes like my Vegan Vanilla Cake, single-layer cake recipes like my Vegan Honey Cake, and plenty of loaf cake recipes like my Vegan Lemon Raspberry Cake.
A simple Vegan Vanilla Bean Pound Cake may seem boring, but don't be fooled! This recipe is absolutely delicious. This cake is buttery and has a tight but super moist and tender crumb. It's full of bold vanilla flavor from the combination of vanilla extract and fresh vanilla bean. And it's delicious on its own, or served with fresh berries and vegan whipped cream.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe only requires 11 simple ingredients.
- And the method is super easy, so it is perfect for beginners.
- This Vegan Pound Cake recipe is packed with big vanilla flavor from a combination of extract and real vanilla bean.
- The cake is tender, buttery, and moist.
- And most importantly, it is absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
Vegan Butter: Vegan butter keeps this pound cake recipe tender and moist. My top recommendation is Country Crock Plant Butter. It tastes great and is easy to find.
Non-Dairy Milk: I used oat milk, but any non-dairy milk works here!
Vegan Yogurt: I used Forager Project Plain Unsweetened Yogurt. Use whichever one you like, just be sure it's not flavored.
Vanilla Extract and Vanilla Bean: I love to make vanilla recipes with big vanilla flavor, like my Small Vanilla Cake recipe. Here, I use both vanilla extract and real vanilla bean to get a full round vanilla flavor in this Vegan Vanilla Pound Cake recipe.
Leaveners: A combination of baking soda and baking powder helps this cake rise tall and stay fluffy and tender.
Substitutions
Don't want to splurge on vanilla beans? No worries! Use 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste in its place.
Special Equipment
You will need a stand mixer or a hand mixer for this recipe.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. Combine the non-dairy milk, non-dairy yogurt, and vanilla extract in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
Then, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.
Set both bowls aside.
Step 2. In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the vegan butter, sugar, and vanilla bean seeds together until light and fluffy.
Step 3. Now, add half of the wet ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix until well combined.
Step 4. Then, add half of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Step 5. Next, add the remaining wet ingredients and mix until combined, followed by the remaining dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Step 6. Scrape the Vegan Pound Cake batter into a prepared loaf pan and bake in a 350* F oven for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in its pan for 45 minutes before removing it from the loaf pan and glazing.
What to Serve the Cake With
I love to serve this cake as it is, with vanilla bean glaze.
But it is delicious topped with fresh berries, and even better, topped with a dollop of Vegan Whipped Cream Frosting!
Recipe FAQs
Wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to three days.
Or slice the cake and store it in an airtight container and freeze it for up to a month.
Pound cake is denser and has a tighter crumb than a regular cake. But, it should still be buttery, soft, and moist.
Vanilla is expensive because they are labor intensive to grow. Each flower must be pollinated by hand.
And the plant that the pods grow on is incredibly delicate and is susceptible to being destroyed by storms and other weather events.
In this recipe, I use dairy-free milk, yogurt, and butter. In traditional pound cake, eggs would leaven the cake. So, this recipe has a little more baking powder and baking soda than a traditional pound cake recipe.
Expert Recipe Tips
It is important to start with room-temperature vegan butter for this recipe. It will be easier to cream with the sugar.
After each addition of wet ingredients and dry ingredients, use a rubber spatula to scrape all parts of the bowl. This will ensure an even mix.
Looking for More Vegan Loaf Cake Recipes?
If you tried this Vegan Vanilla Pound Cake recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Vanilla Pound Cake
Equipment
- 1 Stand Mixer with Paddle Attachment
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 1 8 ½ X 4 ½ Loaf Pan
- 1 Spatula
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
For The Loaf
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Yogurt I used Forager Project Plain Yogurt
- ½ Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 10 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, room temperature I used Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ Medium Vanilla Bean, split open and seeds scraped out Save the pod for another use
For the Glaze
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ Medium Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped out save the pod for another use!
- 5-6 teaspoon Non-Dairy Milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease an 8 ½" by 4 ½" loaf pan and insert a parchment sling across the center for easy removal after baking.
- Into a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside2 Cups All-Purpose Flour, 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- Into another medium bowl, combine non-dairy milk, non-dairy yogurt, and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine and set aside.½ Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Yogurt, ½ Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk, 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream vegan butter, sugar, and the seeds from the vanilla bean until light and fluffy.10 tablespoon Non-Dairy Butter, room temperature, 1 Cup Granulated Sugar, ½ Medium Vanilla Bean, split open and seeds scraped out
- Into the stand mixer, add half of the wet mixture and mix on low until it is well combined. Scrape the bowl down with a rubber spatula.
- Next, add half of the dry mixture and mix on low until it just begins to combine. Scrape the bowl down again with a rubber spatula.
- Add the remaining wet mixture and mix on low until its just combined. Scrape the bowl down, again.
- Finally, add the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low until it is incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold with a spatula to make sure the bottom of the batter is fully combined.
- Scrape batter into the prepared loaf pan and level the batter out with a spatula or knife.
- Bake in a 350* F oven for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool for an hour.
For the Vanilla Glaze
- In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds. Add 5 teaspoons of non-dairy milk and whisk until well combined. Add up to one more teaspoon to adjust the consistency as desired.1 Cup Powdered Sugar, sifted, ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ½ Medium Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped out, 5-6 teaspoon Non-Dairy Milk
- After the loaf has cooled, pour or spread the icing over the loaf. Serve.
Kathryn says
Is this recipe denser than say a Victoria Sponge cake, I am looking for a cake that will be layer-able, be covered in fondant and decorations and not cave from the weight?
Megan Calipari says
This cake would should work for that! Its soft but sturdy. But also, I actually have my own cake decorating business, so if you'd like i'd be happy to give you the recipe I use for all of my cakes- Just shoot me an email!
Tara says
Hi, would this recipe work using non vegan ingredients? I am vegetarian and am looking for eggless cake recipes. Thanks.
Megan Calipari says
Yes! Just be sure to use regular plain yogurt- not greek yogurt.