Close your eyes and imagine a delightful melody dancing on your tongue. Zest of freshly squeezed lemons harmonizes with the sweet, juicy notes of plump blueberries, all nestled within a light and airy vegan sponge cake.
This, my friends, is the enchanting Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake – a dessert masterpiece that caters to vegan and dietary-restricted preferences without sacrificing an ounce of flavor or visual appeal.
The vegan dessert market is booming, projected to reach a staggering USD 10.5 billion in 2024.
This recipe perfectly captures this trend, offering a guilt-free indulgence that’s as delicious as it is beautiful.
Whether you’re a seasoned vegan baker or simply looking for a show-stopping centerpiece for your next gathering, this recipe is for you.
We’ll guide you through every step, from creating the light and fluffy lemon sponge cake layers to crafting the tangy lemon curd and the delightful blueberry buttercream frosting.
This recipe is designed to be achievable for bakers of all levels. So, grab your mixing bowls, unleash your inner pastry chef, and prepare to be swept away by a symphony of summer flavors!
Here’s what you’ll need to create this vegan masterpiece (Yields one 8-inch round cake; serves 10-12):
For the Dreamy Lemon Sponge Cake:
- 270ml (1 cup + 2 tablespoons) Light Coconut Milk (room temperature, stirred from 1 can of Native Forest Organic Light Coconut Milk)
- 18ml (1 tablespoon) Fresh Lemon Juice
- 90g (1/3 cup) Vegan Unsweetened Yogurt
- 270g (1 cup + 1/3 cup) Organic Granulated Sugar (or cane sugar/golden sugar)
- Zest of 2-3 lemons (use a microplane grater for the finest zest!)
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 120ml (1/2 cup) Oil (any flavorless oil like vegetable oil)
- 310g (2 cups + 2/3 cup) All-Purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoons Corn Starch
- 2 ¼ teaspoons Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 10-12 Fresh Blueberries per Sponge Cake Layer
For the Tangy Lemon Curd:
- 130ml (1/2 cup) Light Coconut Milk (room temperature, stirred from 1 can of Native Forest Organic Light Coconut Milk)
- 95ml (1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon) Fresh Lemon Juice
- 100g (½ cup) Granulated Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Organic Corn Starch
- 28g (2 tablespoons) Vegan Butter (softened)
- Pinch of Turmeric Powder (optional, for color)
For the Blueberry Buttercream Frosting:
- 330g (1 ½ cups) Vegan Butter Sticks (softened)
- 300g (2 cups + 2/3 cup) Powdered Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 45ml (4 tablespoons) Homemade Blueberry Sauce (made from ¾ cups fresh blueberries)
Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Perfection:
- Preheat Your Oven and Prep the Pans: Set your oven to roar at 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper for easy removal later.
- Whisk Up the Luscious Lemon Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the light coconut milk, lemon juice, vegan yogurt, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Using a spatula, mix everything well until the sugar dissolves. Top Tip: Did you know that using room temperature coconut milk helps create a smoother batter?
- Dry Ingredients Take Center Stage: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Unite the Wet and Dry Mixtures: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing with an electric whisk on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough cake.
- Incorporate the Blueberries with Care: Gently fold in the fresh blueberries using a rubber spatula. Avoid bursting the berries, as this can bleed color into the batter and make the cake look less vibrant.
- Divide and Conquer: Evenly divide the batter between your prepared cake pans. A kitchen scale is a handy tool for ensuring equal portions, but eyeballing it works too!
- Bake Until Golden Bliss: Bake the cakes in your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The tops of the cakes should be springy to the touch.
- Cool Cakes Patiently: Remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in the pans for 30 minutes. Then, carefully invert them onto a wire rack to cool completely. This allows for even air circulation and prevents the cakes from becoming soggy.
Crafting the Tangy Lemon Curd:
- Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a saucepan, whisk together the light coconut milk, lemon juice, sugar, and cornstarch. Make sure there are no lumps!
- Heat Gently, Stir Constantly: Heat the mixture over low-medium heat, whisking continuously. As the mixture heats, it will begin to thicken. Be patient, this can take a few minutes.
- Butter Up the Curd: Once the mixture thickens and becomes translucent, remove it from the heat and whisk in the softened vegan butter. Continue whisking until the butter is fully incorporated, and the lemon curd is smooth and glossy.
- A Touch of Sunshine (Optional): If you’d like a vibrant yellow curd, add a pinch of turmeric powder at this stage.
- Chill Out: Pour the lemon curd into a bowl and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming. Chill the curd in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, until it becomes completely set.
Creating the Blueberry Buttercream Frosting:
- Whip Up the Vegan Butter: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric whisk on medium speed, cream the softened vegan butter until light and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the frosting, making it light and spreadable.
- Sweeten the Deal: Gradually add the powdered sugar to the creamed butter, one-third at a time, on low speed. After each addition, mix until just combined before scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. This ensures even incorporation and prevents pockets of unincorporated sugar.
- Vanilla Magic: Once all the powdered sugar is incorporated, add the vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Blueberry Bliss: Now comes the fun part! Add the homemade blueberry sauce to the frosting and whip for another 10 minutes on medium speed. This will lighten the texture of the frosting and fully incorporate the blueberry flavor.
Assembling Your Vegan Masterpiece:
- Prepare Your Canvas: Once the cake layers and lemon curd are completely cool, place one layer of cake on a serving plate or cake stand.
- Frosting Fun: Using an offset spatula (a flat spatula with a bent blade, perfect for frosting cakes!), spread a generous cup of blueberry frosting over the top of the cake layer.
- Lemon Curd Delight: Create a well in the center of the frosting layer, about ¼ inch deep. Fill this well with the chilled lemon curd, spreading it into an even layer.
- The Grand Finale: Gently place the second cake layer on top, pressing down slightly. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake to create a “crumb coat.” This seals in any crumbs and creates a smooth canvas for the final layer of frosting. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow the crumb coat to set.
- Frosted to Perfection: Now for the fun part – decorating! Apply the remaining frosting to the entire cake, creating a smooth and even finish. You can use a variety of techniques for this, such as the swirl technique or the basketweave technique. Get creative and have fun!
- Fruity Flair: For an extra pop of color and freshness, decorate the top of the cake with fresh blueberries. You can arrange them in a simple pattern or get creative with a more elaborate design.
- Slice and Savor! Cut the cake into slices and serve. Watch as your guests are delighted by the vibrant colors, refreshing flavors, and light and airy texture of this delightful vegan dessert.
Tips and Tricks:
- For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour.
- Leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- If you don’t have fresh blueberries, you can substitute frozen blueberries
The Takeaway: A Symphony of Vegan Sweetness Awaits
This Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake is more than just a dessert; it’s a celebration of fresh summer flavors and the boundless possibilities of vegan baking.
With its light and fluffy texture, vibrant blueberry filling, and tangy lemon curd, this cake is sure to impress vegans and non-vegans alike.
The recipe is designed to be achievable for bakers of all levels, with clear instructions and helpful tips.
So, preheat your oven, gather your ingredients, and get ready to create a vegan masterpiece that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you wanting more.
Here are some additional takeaways from this recipe:
- Vegan baking is on the rise: The growing demand for plant-based desserts makes this recipe not only delicious but also relevant to current trends.
- Simple ingredients, beautiful results: This recipe uses readily available ingredients to create a stunning and flavorful cake.
- Customizable and versatile: Feel free to experiment with different flavors and textures! For a richer flavor, add a tablespoon of almond extract to the cake batter. If you prefer a thicker lemon curd, simply whisk in an extra tablespoon of cornstarch.
We hope you enjoyed this recipe and that you’ll give it a try!
Blueberry and Lemon Curd Layer Cake
This Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake is a symphony of summer flavors, boasting light and fluffy cake layers, tangy lemon curd, and delightful blueberry frosting. Easy to follow and perfect for any occasion, this recipe is sure to become a new favorite.
Ingredients
Lemon Sponge Cake
- 270 ml 1 cup + 2 tablespoons Light Coconut Milk (stirred from
- 1 can of Native Forest Organic Light Coconut Milk at room temperature)
- 18ml 1 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- 90 g 1/3 cup Vegan Unsweetened Yogurt
- 270g 1 cup + 1/3 cup Organic Granulated Sugar (or cane sugar/ golden sugar)
- zest of 2-3 lemons
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 120ml 1/2 cup Oil (any flavorless oil like vegetable oil)
- 310g 2 cups + 2/3 cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoons Corn Starch
- 2 + 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp of salt
- 10-12 Fresh blueberries per sponge cake
Lemon Curd
- 130 ml 1/2 cup Light Coconut Milk (stirred from 1 can of Native Forest Organic Light Coconut Milk at room temperature)
- 95 ml 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
- 100 g 1/2cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Lets do Organic Corn Starch
- 28 g 2 tablespoon Butter (soft)
- pinch of turmeric powder for color
Blueberry Buttercream Frosting
- 330 g 1 + ½ cups Butter (nondairy butter sticks)
- 300 g 2 cups + 2/3 cup) Powdered Sugar
- 2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
- 45 ml 4 tablespoon Homemade Blueberry Sauce, slightly warm or at
- room temp made from ¾ cups of fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350f, grease 2 (8-inch) round cake pan with oil on all sides & line it with baking paper.
- In a mixing bowl combine light coconut milk, lemon juice, yogurt, granulated sugar mixed with lemon zest and oil.
- Mix with a spatula until the sugar has dissolved.
- Combine all the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, corn starch, baking powder, baking soda and salt) in a separate bowl.
- Add dry ingredients into liquid ingredients, mix with an electric whisk until fully combined.
- Divide and pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tins and evenly disperse the blueberries and press it gently into the cake batter & bake the cakes 25-30 minutes or until form to touch and when toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from oven Let it cool in the cake pan for 30 minutes and then invert onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely.
- Trim a very thin layer from the top of the sponge cakes.
- Wrap the cakes in cling wrap if you plan to layer the cake on the following day.
Method for Lemon Curd
- In a pot combine and whisk milk, lemon juice, sugar, corn starch and bring it to boil on low-medium heat. Keep whisking as it comes to a boil.
- When it comes to a boil and has thickened, remove from the heat, and add vegan butter.
- Stir the lemon curd until butter is fully mixed and lemon curd looks smooth and glossy.
- Add a pinch of turmeric for color at this point. Transfer in a bowl, Cover the surface of lemon curd with plastic wrap. Chill it completely in the fridge.
- Use it as a filling for the cake and topping.
Method for Blueberry Buttercream Frosting
- For homemade blueberry sauce, Put the ¾ cup (110g) of fresh blueberries in a saucepan along with 2 tablespoons water.
- Cook over medium heat until the liquids begin to simmer then reduce to low heat. Continue to cook the blueberries until they softened and can easily be smashed with a spatula.
- Place a mesh sieve over a bowl and pour in the blueberry sauce. Press down on the fruit with a spatula or the back of a spoon to release all the juices.
- Discard the seeds and skin. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- For blueberry buttercream frosting, to a mixing bowl add butter and whip with an electric whisk until it is creamy, fluffy.
- Scrape down the sides and then add powdered sugar in 2-3 additions and whip each time until the powdered sugar is fully incorporated, and buttercream is fluffy.
- Then addblueberry sauce, whip the buttercream for 10 minutes until it has light and fluffy texture and then smooth it out with a spatula to remove excess air bubbles.
Cake Assembly
- Place one of the trimmed sponge cakes on a plate. Add 1 cup of blueberry frosting to it and spread it in an even layer with an offset spatula. Make a well in the middle of the frosting layer that is about ¼ inch deep and fill it lemon curd.
- Spread the lemon curd in an even layer. Place the second sponge cake on top. Add a thin layer of frosting to crumb coat the cake and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Cover the cake in blueberry frosting and smooth it out with a spatula and reserve some frosting for piping for decoration if desired. Add few spoons of lemon curd for topping and spread it with a spoon.
- Decorate the cake with fresh blueberries. Serve.
