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    Home » Recipes » The Best Vegan Cake and Cupcake Recipes

    Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

    Published: Dec 8, 2023 · Modified: Feb 11, 2024 by Megan Calipari · This post may contain affiliate links · 1 Comment

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    This Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake is a super easy loaf cake recipe filled with fresh lemon zest and plenty of poppy seeds! Its buttery, soft and topped with a lemon glaze that is absolutely delicious.

    A slice of Vegan Lemon Poppyseed Pound Cake  on a white plate with lemon slices in the background.

    Loaf cakes and single layer cakes like are perfect for beginner bakers. And I have no shortage of them here on Earthly Provisions. I love to simply dust powdered sugar on top of my Vegan Earl Grey Bundt Cake, or top my Vegan Olive Oil Cake with fresh figs. Or even top my Vegan Honey Cake with whipped cream and macerated berries.

    So, today I'm sharing this simple Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake. It gets topped with a simple lemon icing, then you just sice it and serve! It doesn't get easier than that.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Variations and Substitutions
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Expert Tips and Tricks
    • Looking for More Easy Vegan Dessert Recipes?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    Pound cake is a classic cake that is traditionally made with a pound of each: flour, eggs, butter and milk. It is typically baked in a loaf pan or bundt pan and yields a cake that has a dense but moist crumb.

    This Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake recipe is dairy-free and eggless. Its also softer and more buttery than its traditional counterpart. And you will love it because:

    • It is made with simple ingredients
    • Has no special extracts or flavorings
    • It is buttery and soft
    • And its topped with a 2 ingredients lemon icing that is absolutely delicious

    Ingredients

    Ingredients needed to make this recipe.

    Vegan Butter: My two vegan butters of choice are Earth Balance Soy-Free Buttery Sticks and Country Crock Plant Butter.

    Non-Dairy Milk: I used oat milk , but any non dairy milk will work.

    Vegan Yogurt: I used Forager Plain Unsweetened Yogurt. You can use dairy-free plain unsweetened yogurt or dairy-free vanilla yogurt if thats all you can find.

    Lemon Juice and Zest: All of the lemon flavor in a lemon comes from the zest. Thats where all of the essential oils live.

    Variations and Substitutions

    If you just want a Vegan Lemon Pound Cake, leave the poppy seeds out. It will not change anything about the outcome of this recipe.

    And if you prefer vanilla, see my Vegan Vanilla Pound Cake recipe!

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    A small mug with the with wet ingredients and a medium bowl with the dry ingredients for this recipe.

    Step 1. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and combine the wet ingredients in a small bowl.

    Vegan butter creamed with sugar and lemon zest in a marble bowl.

    Step 2. Cream the vegan butter, sugar and lemon zest in a mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment.

    Some of the liquids added into the mixture and mixed into it in a mixing bowl.

    Step 3. Add half of the wet ingredients and mix well. The mixture will look broken here and thats okay!

    Half of the dry ingredients added into the mixing bowl.

    Step 4. Add half the dry ingredients and mix until just barely combined.

    The remaining wet ingredients added into the bowl and mixed in.

    Step 5. Add the remaining wet ingredients and mic until just combined.

    The remaining dry ingredients in the bowl with the poppyseeds.

    Step 6. Add the remaining dry ingredients along with the poppyseeds and mix until combined.

    Unbaked Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake in a loaf pan.

    Step 7. Scrape the batter into a prepared loaf pan.

    Baked Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake Loaf in the loaf pan.

    Step 8. Bake the loaf until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

    Recipe FAQs

    How do I store this Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake?

    Store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I recommend only slicing what you need to prevent the load from drying out.

    What size loaf pan should I bake this pound cake in?

    I recommend an 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch loaf pan. You can bake this loaf in a 9x5 inch pan, but the loaf will be a little more squat and it will need less time in the oven.

    Can I leave the poppyseeds out of this recipe?

    Yes! If you just want a Vegan Lemon Pound Cake, leave the poppyseeds out.

    Expert Tips and Tricks

    Be sure to scrape the bowl down after mixing each addition of liquid and dries in.

    Batter will get stuck to the sides of the bowl and on the paddle.

    And if you don't scrape diligently, you will end up with a loaf that doesn't bake evenly.

    Close up of the texture of the vegan lemon pound cake loaf.

    Looking for More Easy Vegan Dessert Recipes?

    • Loaf of vegan cinnamon chocolate chip bread on a wooden board
      Vegan Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Bread
    • vegan lemon raspberry cupcakes on a white cloth
      Vegan Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
    • Chocolate Whoopie Pie filled with vegan cream cheese frosting with a bite taken out of it.
      Chocolate Whoopie Pies (vegan!)
    • cardamom cupcake with vanilla buttercream on a white plate with the wrapper removed
      Cardamom Vanilla Cupcakes (Vegan)

    If you tried this Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed 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

    A slice Vegan Lemon Poppyseed Pound Cake on a white plate.

    Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake

    Megan Calipari
    This Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake is a super easy loaf cake recipe filled with fresh lemon zest and plenty of poppy seeds! Its buttery, soft and topped with a lemon glaze that is absolutely delicious.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 Servings
    Calories 270 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
    • 1 Rubber Spatula
    • Measuring Cups and Spoons
    • 8 ½ x 4 ½ inch Loaf Pan
    • Parchment Paper

    Ingredients
      

    • ½ Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Yogurt I used Forager Plain Unsweetened Yogurt
    • ½ Cup Non-Dairy Milk
    • 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
    • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
    • 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
    • ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
    • 10 tablespoon Vegan Butter I used Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks
    • 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
    • 1 ½ Large Lemons, Zested
    • 2 tablespoon Poppy Seeds

    For the Lemon Glaze

    • 1 Cup Powdered Sugar, sifted
    • 6-7 teaspoon Lemon Juice

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350* F. Prepare an 8 ½"x 4 ½" loaf pan by greasing it with coconut oil and lining with a parchment sling for easy removal- see photos for reference.
    • In a small bowl, combine vegan yogurt, plant milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Stir to combine and set aside.
      ½ Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Yogurt, ½ Cup Non-Dairy Milk, 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
    • In another small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
      2 Cups All-Purpose Flour, 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a mixing bowl using a hand mixer, cream vegan butter, sugar and lemon zest together until it is well combined and fluffy.
      10 tablespoon Vegan Butter, 1 Cup Granulated Sugar, 1 ½ Large Lemons, Zested
    • Into the mixer add half of the milk and yogurt mixture. Mix on low to combine and scrape the bowl down.
    • Now, add half of the flour mixture and mix on low until just combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl down.
    • Next, add the remaining liquid mixture and mix on low again until just combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl down.
    • Add the poppy seeds and the remaining dry mixture to the bowl. Mix until just combined.
      2 tablespoon Poppy Seeds
    • Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a spatula to scrape the bowl down and fold the mixture a couple of times to ensure everything is homogenous.
    • Scrape batter into prepared 8 ½" x 4 ½" loaf pan, smoothing the top out with the back of the spatula.
    • Bake in a 350* oven for 53-57 minutes turning the loaf halfway through. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the loaf. Its done when it comes out clean.

    Make the Glaze

    • In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar with 4 teaspoons of lemon juice and whisk to combine. Add 2-3 more teaspoons of lemon juice whisking between each addition until the glaze reaches a pourable consistency.
      1 Cup Powdered Sugar, sifted, 6-7 teaspoon Lemon Juice

    Glaze the Cake

    • Allow the cake to cool for at least 30 minutes. Remove from the loaf pan using the parchment sling. And place onto a cutting board or serving plate.
    • Pour the glaze along the center line of the loaf and use a knife to spread it towards the sides.
    • Allow the glaze to set for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

    Notes

    The mixing method of creaming the butter and sugar then alternating wet and dry ingredients adds a lot of air to the mixture making this cake light and tender.
    Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down between each addition of wet and dry ingredients to ensure an even mix!
    To store: Place the cake in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 4 days.
    I recommend only slicing as much as you need to prevent the cake from getting dry.
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1SliceCalories: 270kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.05gSodium: 278mgPotassium: 55mgFiber: 1gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 484IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Loren Lippman

      March 23, 2024 at 4:40 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious! Very moist with a nice lemon flavor. I think I added extra lemon zest but then again I like things pretty puckery! Megan's instructions were spot-on but when I still had a problem with the cake falling in the middle, she diagnosed my problem right away...I wasnt using the middle rack of the oven when I baked the loaf. Next try....perfect specimen! Thank you Megan for your personal touch!

      I might to experiment with a lemon cream cheese frosting next time especially if I decide to make cupcakes with this recipe

      Reply
    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Megan! I'm a trained pastry chef who is passionate about creating vegan desserts and meals for everyone. My recipes use simple ingredients and methods to create delicious results.

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