You can not teach someone to love, you must show them.
Finnish Saying
This simple, one-bowl, Vegan Lemon Bundt Cake recipe is incredibly EASY to make and oh so delicious! My husband Brian actually made this for me on my birthday, and if he can do it, I know you can do it – it is that easy! It’s a one-bowl recipe; just stir, pour, and bake. Using Meyer lemons adds specialness, but regular old lemons are great too.
Coconut milk gives it a decadent richness that I love. It’s a light and flavorful cake perfect for special occasions and holiday tables. Serve with the lemony glaze, top with fresh berries or toasted coconut if you like, or sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Vegan Lemon Bundt Cake | 60-sec video
Lately, I have been receiving all sorts of gifts. Words filled with wisdom, chance encounters, and simple acts of kindness have left me feeling humbled. Gestures so unexpected and thoughtful they reach straight to my heart and squeeze.
I have been thinking about this lately, how the smallest gestures can make the biggest impact in our day and in our lives. I admit I am not always good at this. But all around me, examples keep pouring in, of how to be better, of how to love better.
When I was growing up, there was this magnet on our fridge that lived in the same spot for probably 30 years. My mom put it there after a trip to Finland. It is a Finnish saying…
I cannot tell you how many times I have looked at this without actually seeing it. A few years ago when I was helping my mom pack up and move here, I finally asked her what it meant. She translated it to: You can not teach someone to love, you must show them.
Sometimes lessons are born of suffering. These always get our attention, don’t they? Learn this now… or you will suffer more. HA!
More recipes you may like
- Meyer Lemon Cake with Pistachios
- Huckleberry Cake – Vegan adaptable
- Vegan Cranberry Cake
- Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
- Strawberry Breakfast Cake
- Berry Trifles w/ Lemon Cake & Coconut Whipped Cream
- Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake with Blood Oranges
Vegan Lemon Cake
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Yield: 10–12 1x
- Category: Vegan Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Northwest
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A one-bowl recipe for vegan lemon bundt cake with toasted coconut, topped with a lemon glaze.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk ( 13.5–14 oz) (or sub 1 1/4 cups yogurt or sourcream)
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest, don’t skimp
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (3-4 Meyer lemons) or use regular lemons
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (or sub Bob’s Red Mill GF flour blend)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups shredded coconut or flaked coconut, lightly toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350F
- In a large bowl mix (or stand mixer) whisk sugar, oil, coconut milk, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla. Sift in flour, baking powder, baking soda mixing in batches. Mix well after each addition. Add salt and shredded coconut. Stir.
- Grease and flour a bunt pan, really well, and pour the mixture in.
- Bake 1 hour or until a toothpick comes at clean and internal temp reaches 200F. (You could also make these into cupcakes, filling 2/3- 3/4 full and baking for 20-25 mins ). Cupcakes will bake faster – in either case, check by inserting a skewer or toothpick, if it comes out clean, it’s done.
- While it’s baking make this Lemon Glaze.
- Let the cake cool 20-30 mintues before inverting. Carefully slide a thin knife gently down the sides to loosen. Invert the bundt cake by placing a big plate (or cake plate) over the bundt cake then invert both. Firmly tap the bottom of the bundt pan a few times, to release.
- Drizzle the top of the cake with the lemon glaze. Sprinkle with toasted coconut before the glaze sets so the coconut sticks- or use powdered sugar if you like.
- Store the cake a room temp, lightly covered for up to four days on the kitchen counter. Or freeze.
Notes
This recipe was originally from Epicurean Vegan- who got it from Veganomics- with some slight changes. You can swap out the coconut milk for whole milk yogurt or sour cream– not vegan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 416
- Sugar: 33.4 g
- Sodium: 364.9 mg
- Fat: 19.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 58.7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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This recipe is fantastic! I made it for her friend’s birthday and there wasn’t a single piece left. Since I didn’t have coconut on hand and I wanted to add another type of fruit besides lemon, I used blueberries, stirring some into the batter and then topping the final cake with blueberries and powdered sugar. It’s just so moist and delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Sounds delicious Donna!
Sylvia,
Did you make this with Bobs All Purpose GF flour
OR Bobs 1:1 GF Flour?????
These two flours bake quite differently so I wanted to ask before I experiment and potentially have a flop!
Hey Trina- I honestly can’t remember, sorry, it has been a while.
Hello,
I can’t wait to try this.
Could I substitute a coconut oil for the olive oil?
Thank you
I think that should be fine?
Instead of olive oil can I use canola oil or even regular vegetable oil?
Sure, should work just fine.
This recipe looks amazing! Could you use the same recipe to make a two layer cake?
Hi Erika- I haven’t tried but I think this would work!
Made this cake yesterday for my life group last night. Everyone loved it! I made the glaze, filled the center of the cake and around the base with mixed fresh berries and then sprinkled all with a little powdered sugar. Lovely presentation!
Love it Lisa!
Just made this cake today and it is delicious! I cut the sugar by 1/2 cup and honestly probably could’ve cut it by another 1/4 c since I put the lemon glaze over it, but either way, it’s incredible!
Thanks Lauren!
Can I use coconut sugar instead
I think it should be fine!
This cake is phenomenal. I make it with Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour, and it works like a dream. Easily one of the very best gf cakes I’ve ever had.
Would this recipe work with other flavors? As in, could it make a chocolate or some sort of spice cake? And if so, what would you suggest swapping out for the lemon zest and juice? Good gluten free cake is SO difficult to find, I’d love to try to use this as my staple base. Thanks!
I will add this to the recipe notes- very appreciated Laura! Yes, I think other flavors would work fine!
Great! Do you have any recommendations or should I just wing it? I’ll be happy to report back and let you know how they go.
I would be winging it with my recommendations 🙂 Just play around with it and have fun Laura!
Just fabulous cake. One of the best we have ever made. Only trouble is my husband doesn’t want to part with it and refuses to offer any to friends…
Ha! Funny… and so happy you both like it. 🙂
I’m not sure about the baking time. I bake bread all the time, and have an accurate thermometer, but with 350F after 25 min it was raw and liquid inside.
I’m at 45 min now and it’s finally looking like it’s done.
Hi Nina- I think you were looking at the cupcake baking time- bundt cake baking time is one hour. I made the instructions a little more clear. 🙂
This cake is scrumptious!!!! Seriously good , I did half the recipe just incase it wasn’t to my taste . I reduced 1/4 less sugar so instead of 1 1/2 cup 1 1/4 cup is perfectly sweet . I wanted to use my coconut creamer that I didn’t care for and instead of the 2 tsp vanilla I used lemon extract . Next time I will omit the shredded coconut this cake is so good the coconut is kind of interfering with the texture of the cake . Next time I will increase the lemon juice to 1/4 cup more and reduce the coconut milk . This cake is unbelievably awesome. The crust around is crispy the inside just melt in your mouth . When I will make it again I will cut the cake in half and add lemon curd in the layer …thanks
Glad you enjoyed this Bridgette!
Do you use unsweetened or sweet coconut ? I want to bake it but I am not sure which one you use . Is the cake really sweet or I can reduce the sugar a little bit ? Thank you
Hi Bridgette- I believe I used unsweetened shredded coconut here! It’s not overly sweet.
Can you give me accurate proportions using coconut flour, almond flour, or hazelnut flour instead of regular flour for this recipe?
Hi Michelle- I’m so sorry I’ve only made this with regular flour. You would have to experiment here. Please let us know the results if you try- helpful to other readers too!
I have made this cake every year for my husbands birthday! We love it. I use limes too!
I was wondering if I can use lite coconut milk?
It’s been a year so I was also wondering if I do go buy the full fat do I just use the thick white part or the whole can and clear liquid part too?
Thank you so much!
Use the whole can- liquid and solid. I haven’t tried lite coconut milk here but guessing it should be ok?
When you added flour did you use electric whisk or mix by hand x
I whisked by hand, but either is fine!
Thank you, I am baking this cake today 👍 can I ask did you use granulated or caster sugar x
Granulated!
I was looking for a good basic vegan Bundt cake recipe but this is not it. I had the same experience as others with the inside of the cake being a sort of rubbery goo. Cake was done (toothpick came out clean) and outside looked done though it was a little tough.
After mixing, I had noticed the batter looked very runny and was bubbling from the baking powder; that was my first hint it might not go well. When I took cake out of the Bundt pan, the surface of the cake and the residue in the pan looked oily.
Hummm, something seems off -I’m so sorry! Can you double-check your measurements… I’ve made this one so many times with no problems, so I’m curious as to what could have happened.
Are the measurements correct on here for the icing? 1 cup powdered sugar and only 2 tablespoons of lemon juice? It wasn’t nearly enough lemon juice to mix with the sugar when I did it.. help!
Sorry about that Katherine, just add a few more drops of lemon juice, until the sugar starts to dissolve.
YUM! What a perfect cake. Juiced 3 lemons and zested 5 for this. I left out the glaze. Used a homemade pan release to further prevent sticking to my angel food cake pan. Did not stick one bit. Would totally come back to this.
Great to hear Bowie!
Absolutely love this recipe. Such a delicious lemon flavor and wonderfully moist! I made cupcakes and they were a hit! I love your recipes; they are always well explained. Sissy
This cake looks delicious and I intend to make it, but what I really loved here was reading your beautiful words. Thank you so much for sharing,
thanks Donna. 🙂
Can I SUBSTITUTE A 5X9 INCH LOAF PAN FOR TH BUNDT PAN?
Mary- I haven’t tried- but don’t see why not?
I made this for Easter brunch tomorrow and I can’t stop picking at it!! It’s so moist and so delicious. This is a keeper, for sure. Thanks!!
Awesome- so glad you like it Sarah!
This was amazing! I wasn’t sure my husband and boys would like it, but it turns out they loved it!
Awesome!
sounds great
how to make it gluten free ?
Haven’t tried this with GF flour, so honestly not sure. If you try it will you let me know how it turns out?