A delicious, easy, one-bowl vegan Lemon Bundt Cake recipe made with coconut milk, drizzled with a tangy lemon glaze. Easy to make, with a video.
You can not teach someone to love; you must show them. ~ Finnish saying.
Amazing! Loved by all adults and kids! Easy to make!
This simple, one-bowl, Vegan Lemon Bundt Cake recipe is incredibly easy to make and very delicious! It’s an older recipe with great reviews, but the photos needed a little refresh. My husband Brian actually made this for me on my birthday a few years back, and if he can do it, I know you can do it too – it is really that easy! It’s a one-bowl recipe; just stir, pour, and bake. Using Meyer lemons adds a special touch, but regular old lemons work 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.
Why you’ll love this Lemon Bundt Cake recipe!
An easy, one-bowl recipe. This easy lemon bundt cake recipe is made in one bowl for easy prep and clean-up. It’s a perfect recipe for anyone new to vegan baking or for when you’re craving a sweet treat with little effort!
Bright lemon flavor. I especially love this cake in the spring or summer when bright, citrusy flavor is so refreshing and uplifting - a beautiful and festive cake for any special occasion. A treat for any lemon lover!
A decadent vegan dessert. It’s hard to believe this cake is made entirely with plant-based ingredients, but creamy coconut milk imparts a luxuriously rich flavor that is quite irresistible!
Lemon Bundt Cake Ingredients
- Sugar - Sweetens the cake while helping create a tender, moist crumb.
- Olive oil - Adds richness and moisture, giving the cake a soft, delicate texture without dairy.
- Full-fat coconut milk - Provides creamy richness and structure in place of eggs and dairy. Yogurt or sour cream (plant-based or regular) can be used as an alternative for a slightly tangier flavor.
- Lemon zest - The star ingredient, bringing bright, aromatic citrus flavor-don't skimp here for maximum impact.
- Fresh lemon juice - Adds vibrant acidity and fresh lemon flavor, balancing the sweetness and enhancing the overall brightness of the cake.
- Vanilla extract - Rounds out the citrus with warm, subtle sweetness.
- All-purpose flour - Forms the structure of the cake; a gluten-free flour blend can be used if needed.
- Baking powder and baking soda - Work together to help the cake rise and create a light, fluffy texture.
- Salt - Balances the sweetness and enhances the lemon flavor.
- Shredded coconut (lightly toasted) - Adds texture and a subtle nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with the lemon. Extra can be sprinkled on top for garnish if desired.
- Optional Topping - Lemon Glaze, or powdered sugar for sprinkling.
See the recipe card below for measurements!
How to Make Vegan Bundt Cake
1. Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease (with your fingers, a paper towel, or a spray) and flour your bundt pan, making sure to generously coat all of the edges.
2. Whisk the cake batter. Add sugar, oil, coconut milk, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla to a large bowl (or stand mixer), and whisk (use medium speed for the stand mixer). Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, a teaspoon of salt, and coconut into the wet ingredients, and gently fold them into the mixture.
3. Bake. Transfer the cake mix to the bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The internal temperature should be 200°F.
Note: You could also turn these into cupcakes! Fill a muffin tin 2/3-3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes.
4. Make the lemon glaze (optional). Follow our Lemon Glaze recipe. Or, sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar.
5. Let cool. For best results, let the cake cool on a wire rack for 20-30 minutes before inverting the pan. Slide a knife gently down the sides to loosen the bundt cake before placing a big plate or cake plate on top, then flip it. Tap the bottom of the pan firmly to release it.
6. Finish. Use a spoon to drizzle the top of the cake with lemon glaze and sprinkle with toasted coconut, or other garnishes, like edible flowers, quartered lemons, or fresh mint.
Chef’s Tips & TRICKS
- Grease the bundt pan generously. Get into every nook and cranny, as bundt pans are notorious for sticking. A light dusting of flour after greasing helps even more.
- Zest the lemons before juicing them. This makes it much easier, and you’ll get more zest without wasting the fruit.
- Don’t skimp on the zest! The zest carries the most concentrated lemon flavor, so be generous for that bright, aromatic punch.
- Sift the dry ingredients. This prevents clumps and helps create lighter, more even, and moist crumbs.
- Fold gently and be careful not to over-mix. Once the flour goes in, mix just until combined. Over-mixing can make the cake dense instead of tender.
- Check for doneness. Look for a clean toothpick and a springy top. An internal temp around 200°F ensures it’s fully baked without drying out.
- Let it cool. Give the bundt cake a rest for 20-30 minutes. Remove it from the pan too soon and it may break, or let it rest too long and it may stick.
- Loosen the edges gently. Carefully run a knife around the sides before inverting to help it release cleanly.
- Glaze after cooling. Let the cake cool completely before adding the glaze so it sets properly rather than soaking in.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with our rhubarb compote, vegan ice cream, or homemade vanilla ice cream.
Storage
Store leftovers covered with a lid or plastic wrap on the counter for up to 4 days, or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
This is the BEST lemon bundt cake recipe – hope you enjoy it!
More Lemon Desserts you may like
- Vegan Cranberry Cake
- Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
- Strawberry Breakfast Cake
- Dark Chocolate Bundt Cake with Blood Oranges
Watch how to make Lemon Bundt Cake
After you try this Lemon Bundt Cake recipe, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. Your review will help other readers, too! Sign up here to join our community and receive our latest recipes and weekly newsletter! xoxo Sylvia
Vegan Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe
- 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 delicious, easy, one-bowl Lemon Bundt Cake recipe made with coconut milk, drizzled with a tangy lemon glaze. Vegan with a video.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup sugar (see notes)
- 2/3 cup olive oil
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk (13.5–14 oz) (or sub 1 1/4 cups yogurt or sour cream)
- 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 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Prepare the pan. Grease and flour a bunt pan, really, really well, getting all the nooks and crannies.
- Cake Batter. In a large bowl (or a stand mixer), whisk sugar, oil, coconut milk, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla. Sift in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and coconut. Fold in gently, stirring minimally.
- Bake on Middle Rack. Bake 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out 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.
- Make the optional Lemon Glaze. Alternatively, you could sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Cool. Let the cake cool 20-30 minutes 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.
Notes
Sugar: If planning to use the lemon glaze, you could cut back the sugar in the cake by ¼ cup.
Store the cake at room temperature, lightly covered, for up to 3 days on the kitchen counter, or refrigerate 7-10 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
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- obviously 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
On the home front. 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 had 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.
My whole life, she had been quietly showing me. Never preaching, never talking about it. Showing me. What is the lesson that stands patiently in front of us every day? Sometimes lessons are born of suffering. These always get our attention, don’t they? Learn this now… or you will suffer more. HA!
But lately, I have found that life is generous with us, too, offering lessons born of others’ kindness. The simplest words, empathy, encouragement, or even something as simple as a smile. And the interesting thing is how often the universe taps us on the shoulder and invites us to participate in loving, most often in the smallest ways. Sometimes I feel these are the most important of all. It is only when I am present that I hear the invitation. When someone else is kind to me, it reminds me that I, too, can be kind. We learn from each other, don’t we? Share this cake with someone you love this weekend. -xo Sylvia
This cake looks glorious! Can’t wait to try it. In addition to the thin lemon quarters, wide toasted coconut shreds, green leaves (mint?), and lemon zest — what ARE those lovely little lavender flowers you scattered? Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Cristina, Lilac flowers and rosemary flowers. 🙂 Love your attention to detail.
Ah rosemary flowers. We also have borage (deeper lavender flowers) in our garden. Thanks, Tonia!
I’m going to make this for a reception following a refuge & bodhisattva vow ceremonies that our sangha is offering,
Sounds perfect Christina!
What is the edible flowers you used?
Hi Lily, These are lilac flowers and rosemary flowers.
What size bundt cake pan is recommended? Thank you!
We used a 12 cup bundt pan.
Thank you… for the recipe but more for your thoughts at the end. I appreciated the reminder to show love and kindness – the only remedy we really have to hand at all times!
Appreciate this Norma, so true!
I can’t wait to make this bundt cake! Can you add poppy seeds?
Sure! That would be yummy.
Hi. We love this cake but I need to make it while abroad. I have self raising flour here not plain flour. Can I use this and omit the baking powder? I think I would still need the baking soda? Any help would be much appreciated ❤️
Yes Clare, that is exactly what I what do, omit the baking powder but keep the baking soda. Hopefully that works. Does your self rising flour contain salt? If so, reduce the salt.
Thank you
You are welcome!
Hi. Update. I used the self raising flour, included the baking soda but omitted the baking powder. The cake has turned out beautifully but the volume increased dramatically. I used the same bundt tin as usual but needed 5 muffin moulds too. Even so, the mixture expanded over the centre of the bundt tin giving us an extra cake. Reminded me if the old quatermass movies 😂.
Oh wow! Funny. OK Maybe it doesn’t need the baking soda. I have never use self-rising flour so maybe it has everything in there to rise a cake? If anyone else knows the answer here, please pipe in. 🙂
Amazing! Loved by all adults and kids! Easy to make!
Glad you enjoyed!
Just foraged a bunch of Meyer lemons from my cousin’s house and made this. So yum! I forgot to toast the coconut that went in the cake but it is still delicious. And for some reason, the glaze didn’t ‘stick’ to the top of the cake. It all ended up on the bottom of the plate. I did let the cake cool all the way before drizzling the glaze. But I also made the glaze ahead of time so it was at least an hour or two before I glazed; maybe that had something to do with it. Either way, love this and thank you!
Hey Mel, fresh Meyer lemons sound dreamy! The glaze sounds like it was a little too thin. I will note the recipe.
Hi thanks for the recipe. What size Bundt pan did you use in this recipe?
I believe it is 12-cup bundt pan and I will link it in the post Robin.
Wow! So good! I didn’t top this cake with anything and it is perfectly sweet enough. I didn’t add any coconut to this, but I did use coconut yogurt instead of coconut milk. I also baked this in a 9×13 pan. Will definitely make this again.
So glad it worked out Rita!
This is a beautiful cake! Great flavors and texture. The glaze made it a little too sweet for me. I would serve it on the side next time so my guests can drizzle it on their cake if they want to. Thanks for a great vegan dessert recipe!
Hi Pam, thanks for the feedback! Yes, you could simply sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve the sauce on the side, or just skip the sauce. The cake is sweet enough. 🙂
I live in India where we have really sour lemons. Can I reduce the quantity of lemon from half cup to 1/3 cup ? It would require a lot of lemons to squeeze out that much juice
I bet that would work. This recipe is pretty forgiving. Make sure you add more liquid to keep the ratio the same-extra coconut milk or other milk to top of the 1/3 cup lemon juice to make it 1/2 cup.