Published: · Modified: by Anthea
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4.98 from 120 votes
One bowl vegan lemon blueberry cake which uses only 7 ingredients! This cake is soft and moist, has the perfect crumb, and isn't too sweet.
This cake is perfect for Spring or Summer, just like my Lemon Olive Oil Cake and Vegan Lemon Cake (layered) and Vegan Blueberry Muffins!
What to expect from this cake
This lemon blueberry cake is:
- Delicious, fluffy, moist and golden (all of the good things)!
- Incredibly easy to make
- Not too sweet because the lemon balances out the sugar (and there's no frosting)
- Stackable for a layer cake
- Naturally eggless and can be made gluten free
- Designed so the blueberries don't sink to the bottom!
Ingredients you'll need
The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Notes about the ingredients
Granulated sugar is best for a light and fluffy cake. See the FAQ section below for alternatives.
Lemon juice and zest, preferably fresh. Alternatively, bottled lemon juice is fine. For a blueberry cake with less lemon flavor, check out my vegan blueberry bread recipe.
Neutral-flavored oil, such as sunflower, avocado or olive oil. Olive oil imparts a slight flavor, such as in my lemon olive oil cake.
Blueberries, fresh or frozen. If you use frozen blueberries, you don't need to thaw them but may need to bake the cake for 5 minutes longer.
How to make this cake
Simply add all the dry ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined. Add all the wet ingredients except the blueberries and mix until just before it's combined (there should still be some pockets of flour).
We aren't fully mixing the cake batter at this stage because we still need to mix it more later. We don't want to overmix the cake batter!
Then add the blueberries and fold them through the batter! I made this a thick batter which helps prevent all the blueberries from sinking to the bottom when we bake the cake.
The lemon cake batter is a scoopable consistency but isn't so thick that you will need to flatten the top. Once you pour the batter into your cake pan, scatter the remaining blueberries on top and press some of them into the cake.
I pressed only some of the berries into the cake for appearance and stability but this is optional.
The cake is ready when the surface is golden brown and you can insert a skewer in the middle and there's no wet batter on it.
Customizing this cake
Can I make this cake refined sugar-free?
This vegan lemon blueberry cake will work with coconut sugar, however it completely changes the flavor profile. Imagine eating a caramel cake with a hint of lemon!
How do I make this cake gluten-free?
Check out the notes section in the gray recipe box at the bottom of this post
Can I use whole wheat or spelt flour to make this a healthy lemon blueberry cake?
Yes, though keep in mind that it'll make the cake more dense.
Can I bake this vegan blueberry lemon cake in a different cake pan?
I'd only recommend using a larger cake pan or bundt pan for this recipe. It's already a very thick cake so a smaller and taller cake tin may not bake in the middle.
This cake will bake in a loaf pan. However, I recommend baking it for at least 70 minutes. Alternatively, check my vegan lemon loaf or vegan blueberry bread which are designed for loaf pans.
If you'd like a multiple-layer cake, I recommend following my vegan lemon cake recipe but adding blueberries.
If you'd like muffins instead of a cake, I recommend baking my vegan lemon poppy seed muffins and adding blueberries. You can omit the poppy seeds if you prefer!
I'd like to add a frosting/icing to this cake. What would you recommend?
Yes, however I suggest using only ¾ cup (110g) of blueberries and omitting the blueberries on top.
You can top this cake with:
- Simple lemon icing used in my olive oil cake
- Passionfruit icing used for my passionfruit cake
- Vegan Cream cheese frosting used in my carrot cake recipe
- Whipped coconut cream
- Your favorite buttercream recipe
More light and zesty vegan desserts
- Vegan Blueberry Lemon Bars
- Vegan Lemon Tart
- Vegan Lemon Cheesecake (no bake)
- Easy Vegan Passionfruit Cake
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Print Recipe
4.98 from 120 votes
Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake
One bowl vegan lemon blueberry cake which uses only 7 ingredients! This cake is fluffy, has the perfect crumb and isn't too sweet.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr
Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Cuisine: American, Vegan
Servings: 10
Author: Anthea
Ingredients
Vegan Lemon Blueberry Cake
- 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose plain flour, (note 1 for gluten free)
- 1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt, optional
- ¾ cup (190g) dairy-free milk
- ½ cup (125g) neutral flavored oil
- ⅓ cup (80g) lemon juice, and zest of those lemons (overall, you'll need about 2 large lemons or 3 medium lemons, note 2)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 1 ¼ cups (190g) blueberries, fresh or frozen
To serve (optional, note 3)
Instructions
To make the cake:
Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F). Line or grease a 20 cm (8-inch) round cake pan.
Add all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder and salt) to a large mixing bowl and mix until there are no lumps. Add all the wet ingredients (milk, oil, lemon juice/zest and vanilla) and mix until just before it's combined.
Add half of the blueberries and gently fold them through. Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan. Scatter the remaining blueberries on top and gently press some of them into the cake.
Bake the cake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until you can insert a toothpick in the middle and there's no wet batter on it. This is a moist cake so some crumbs on your toothpick are fine.
Allow the cake to cool in the cake tin for 10 minutes then cool on a wire rack.
To serve the cake:
Just before serving, dust the cake with powdered sugar (optional) and serve! The cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. If you freeze the cake, the texture of the blueberries will change.
Notes
- To make this vegan lemon cake gluten free, substitute the plain flour for 1 ⅔ cups (165g) almond flour / blanched almond meal and 1 cup (160g) gluten free all-purpose flour.
- Don't be tempted to add more lemon juice. If you add too much lemon juice, it will make the cake gooey, and it won't bake through. If you want extra lemon flavor, add more lemon zest.
- Alternatively, you can enjoy the cake plain or topped with fresh berries.
Nutrition
Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Sodium: 153mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 18IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you Make this Recipe?Rate it & leave your feedback in the comments section below, or tag @rainbownourishments on Instagram and hashtag #rainbownourishments!
This recipe was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2021 for simplicity.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
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Reader Interactions
Cindy says
I live in a high altitude location (northern Colorado, USA). I followed the recipe to the letter, except I used a 9-inch round cake pan. The cake was still raw in the center after 55 minutes, so I left it in for an additional 15 minutes. A knife in the center came out clean. It's cooling now and smells so good. I can't wait to try it!Reply
- Jeanne Funk says
Delicious cake & very easy. I've made it several times & it's always a big hit. I just made it, by special request!
Reply
- Medha says
Hi. Will this recipe work, if I use butter, instead of oil and whole milk instead of dairy-free milk? Also, if I use butter, should I cream it with sugar or just melt and use it?
Reply
- Anthea says
Hi Medha, techically whole milk would work similarly, however I haven't tested it. With butter, it would work best just melted. However, it will make the cake denser and rise less. You can see the difference in this post by Handle The Heat (see the cupcakes picture).
Reply
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