If you love light, fluffy, refreshing, and citrus-packed desserts, you’re in for a treat! This vegan lemon loaf is incredibly moist, tender, and full of zesty lemon goodness. There's something about lemon in desserts that just brings the perfect balance to the sweetness, and for some reason, whenever I serve an array of vegan treats and baked goods at a party, the lemon desserts are always the first to go.

This recipe is also essentially a three for one because you'll learn how to make the cake, the perfect dairy free cream cheese glaze (our multipurpose vegan cream cheese glaze, icing and frosting to the rescue!), and the best part, that homemade lemon curd to swirl over your lemon cake and serve extra alongside it. It's like a lemon mousse and the filling of a lemon pie, and a lemon curd all in one jar.

The rich dairy-free cream cheese glaze adds the perfect touch of indulgence, and the homemade vegan lemon curd brings a tangy-sweet contrast that makes every bite unforgettable. Plus you'll be storing extra lemon curd in a jar in the fridge and you'll be eating it by the spoonful, spreading it on toast and English muffins. It's dreamy!

Not only is this recipe 100% plant-based, but it's also easy to make with simple ingredients you can find at your local supermarket. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just getting started, you’ll love how this vegan lemon cake turns out every time, and if you’re looking to sharpen your vegan baking skills (not to mention regular cooking skills), our online vegan cooking school is the perfect place to learn and up your game.

Why You’ll Love This Vegan Lemon Loaf

• Moist, fluffy, and bursting with citrus flavor
• Completely dairy-free & egg-free
• Easy to make with simple ingredients
• Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, not to mention everyone's favorite vegan dessert for a potluck or picnic
• Topped with a luscious glaze & homemade lemon curd

Gilmore Girls fans will remember Sookie making a peach sauce Lorelai said she wanted to bathe in? (Hi Gilmore fan nodding, a fellow one salutes you!). Well... that's this lemon curd. You'll want to slather it on everything (yes, maybe even yourself!), and you'll get a full jar of it with this recipe, so it will keep hanging out in your fridge after all that's left of the delicious cake are the crumbs.

This vegan lemon loaf with cream cheese glaze and homemade lemon curd is a must-try for any citrus lover. It’s light, tangy, sweet, and ultra-moist, making it perfect for brunch, dessert, or just because! Plus, it’s a great way to show how delicious plant-based baking can be, it will convince any of your loved ones that still turn their noses at the word vegan before a dish, that there's no telling it apart from it's non-vegan counterpart.

Ready to level up your vegan baking skills? Enroll in our online vegan cooking school and start creating bakery-quality desserts from your own kitchen. I always say that vegan treats are the fastest way for loved ones to come around to the idea that you're on this mission of reducing animal products, and that celebrations and traditions don't have to change. 

How to Make the Perfect Vegan Lemon Loaf

Step 1: Prep Your Loaf Pan 

Gather your loaf pan and cover it with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). 

Step 2: Make your homemade egg-free and dairy-free lemon curd and let it cool

This step can also be done in advance and the lemon curd stored in a jar in the fridge and simple whisked to soften right before serving.

Step 3: Make your Lemon Cake

I love using a standing mixer and the process is so easy: you rub the sugar with lemon zest and vanilla to infuse lemon flavor throughout the loaf, you make your vegan buttermilk, you sift and combine the dry ingredients, you whip up the non-dairy butter and sugar mixture, combine everything in your mixer and you're ready to bake! 

Step 4: Bake, Cool and Decorate

You'll bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool completely while you make the glaze, and then decorate and swirl your lemon curd before cutting into the most delicious and perfectly moist lemon cake, all made with plant-based ingredients.

Serving & Storage Tips

• Serve the vegan lemon loaf at room temperature for the best texture.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
• Store the leftover lemon curd in an air-tight jar or container for up to 2 weeks.
• For longer storage, freeze slices individually and thaw as needed.

Are you ready? Enjoy the printable PDF recipe for this yummy vegan lemon cake, a quick video to inspire you, and the full recipe below!

PDF RECIPE

THE BEST VEGAN LEMON LOAF WITH CREAM CHEESE GLAZE & HOMEMADE LEMON CURD 

Yield: 1 lemon loaf cake | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 5 minutes for the lemon curd + 50 minutes for the cake (unattended)

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• The zest of 2 lemons + 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 2/3 cup non-dairy yogurt and (Greek or Skyr style preferred)
• 2 cups all purpose flour (sifted)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 75 gr non-dairy butter (plus a few thin strips to place over the cake)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• The cream cheese icing below + A few tablespoons of our homemade lemon curd (ingredients and recipe below)

For the cream cheese glaze:

• 38 gr non-dairy butter
• 75 gr very cold non-dairy cream cheese (the firmer the better, especially cashew or soy based ones)
• 1 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 tablespoon cornstarch

For the Egg Free and Dairy Free Lemon Curd (makes a jar full of lemon bliss!):

• 3/4 cup lemon juice
• The zest of 2 lemons
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
• A dash of turmeric
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 45 gr cold non-dairy butter (about 1/4 cup)
  
  

Directions:

1. Make the lemon curd by whisking together all the ingredients except the butter in a small pot.
2. Heat on high whisking continuously and cook for about 5 minutes or until thickened.
3. Place the cold non-dairy butter in a bowl and strain the lemon curd mixture over it. Whisk together, place in a jar and let cool completely. (Store leftovers in the fridge).
4. To make the cake, combine the sugar, vanilla and lemon zest and rub zest in with your fingers.
5. In a separate bowl or jar, whisk together the lemon juice, soy milk and yogurt and let sit for 10 min.
6. In a bowl sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
7. In a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar mixture until slightly whipped, then with the machine running on low-med, start adding the dry mix.
8. Lower the machine to low and add in the milk mixture and mix just until no loose flour appears but don’t overmix
9. Add the batter to a parchment lined loaf pan, add strips of butter along the midline of the cake so that it cracks here once in the oven for that classic loaf shape.
10. Bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for 50 min or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.
12. Prepare icing by whipping the butter and cream cheese in a standing mixer with a globe attachment, then add the vanilla, the sifted confectioners sugar and the cornstarch and mix until you have a creamy icing.
13. Once your cake has cooled completely, top with the icing, add swirls of lemon curd, add walnuts if using and serve with extra lemon curd on the side. Enjoy with a perfect cup of tea or coffee!
    
    
    

Learn More Delicious Vegan Baking Skills!

Love this vegan lemon loaf? Imagine the incredible plant-based desserts you could master, not to mention the cooking skills, knife skills and savory cooking that could elevate and add variety to your plant-based meals. Our online vegan cooking school offers step-by-step lessons to help you bake (and cook!) with confidence and create stunning vegan treats like a pro. 

👉 Join our online vegan cooking school today and take your plant-based baking and cooking to the next level!