How to Make a Sourdough Lemon Cake (Vegan, too!)

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This cake has a juicy, lemony burst of sunshine in every bite! It is my favourite recipe for sourdough discard, to date. So sweet and tart, it is a refreshing treat for any day of the week, because it is super budget-friendly. Not to mention vegan and sugar-free, too – this cake ticks all the boxes.

The Case for Vegan Cakes: does Butter or Oil make a Cake more Moist?

As you may have noticed, I am a great advocate for Vegan Cakes. They are less expensive to make, last longer, and even have a better texture than their dairy and egg filled counterparts.

Science is actually on my side with this one. Butter is 18% water (source), which evaporates during baking. Oil, on the other hand, has a greater fat content which leaves more moisture in the cake after baking.

Moreover, butter is firm at room temperature and solidifies when cool. Oil, on the other hand, stays liquid, even when cold. This means that cakes containing oil instead of butter do not dry out as easily, and can be stored in the fridge without compromising the crumb. They also keep for longer, too!

What is the best vegetable oil for baking cakes?

I have used them all – sunflower, canola, rice bran, grapeseed, and yes, even olive oil!

The key to using oil in cakes is ensuring that it does not have an overpowering flavour that will contaminate the baked cake.

Most vegetable oils have mild flavours, and I have not noticed any queer tangs in any of my baked cakes.

As a precaution, though, I would recommend the most neutral oils for lighter flavoured cakes, such as Lemon, Peach, or Pineapple.

Olive oil, has the strongest flavour, and I would not recommend using it for lighter cakes. If you have it on hand, I would recommend sticking to the more deeply flavoured cakes such as Zucchini, Apple, Plum, Carrot, and Chocolate.

How to Make Vegan Sourdough Lemon Cake

The Night Before

Start this cake the night before to ferment the flour and break down the anti-nutrients (phytates). this will make the cake easier on your tummy, and the crumb will be superior, too!

1. Combine the flour, discard, oil and lemon juice. This recipe uses nearly a whole cup of lemon juice! If you have lemons to use up, fabulous! Otherwise, using bottled lemon juice is a cheap alternative (because bought lemons are so expenny!).
2. Mix until a dough forms. The dough will almost be the consistency of bread, but do not fear because other ingredients will be added to break it down.
3. Knead it until there are no dry bits of flour left. Dry bits will not be fermented and we don’t want any nasties in this cake!
4. Cover and leave at room temperature for overnight (I always try to ferment for a minimum of 7 hours to fully break down the flour).

The Next Morning

1. Preheat the oven to 170 Celsius and line a 22cm cake tin with baking paper. I do not worry about cutting circles and strips, or even greasing. I just scrunch a square piece of baking paper in. So quick and the baked cake can be lifted out, super easy.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the fermented flour mixture, and fold through till thoroughly incorporated. If you are having trouble getting it smooth, use a stick blender to blitz it all up.
3. Pour into the lined cake tin.
4. Bake at 170 Celsius for about one hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5. Leave to cool completely before Icing.

Notes about Vegan Sourdough Lemon Cake:

Is this cake Dairy Free?

Yes, this cake is dairy-free. Instead of butter and milk, it uses oil and lemon juice. Since this cake is egg-free, it is also suitable for vegans. If you use Truvia, it is refined sugar-free, too (and equally delicious!).

Do I Need to Ferment the Cake Batter?

There is no baking need to ferment the flour overnight. If you are in a hurry, skip this step, mix all the ingredients and bake. While the resulting cake will not be as easily digestible as if it was pre-fermented, it will still be utterly delicious.

Does this cake need a full hour to bake?

This cake batter makes a large, 22cm diameter cake. Like all my 22cm diameter cakes, it generally takes at least an hour to fully cook. Long and slow is the key to an evenly cooked, large cake.

If you are pressed for time and need it cooked in under an hour, try separating the batter into two smaller cake tins. this should almost halve the cooking time.

Make sure you keep an eye on the cake in the oven, as not all ovens are created equal! Yours could run hotter or colder than mine. Check it after the 40 minute mark and make a judgment call about how much longer it needs.

How do you make a Vegan Frosting?

Vegan frostings should not be sniffed at! With the range of dairy-free products you can get nowadays, you can make a lovely, luscious, creamy frosting that is equal to any buttercream!

A lovely Vegan Frosting recipe can be found on my recipe for Zucchini Cake. Simply, it is a combination of coconut cream and coconut butter (ground desiccated coconut). It sets firm, like a buttercream, in the fridge. So, make sure you put it on the cake before refrigeration.

For this Lemon Cake, you could add a bit of lemon juice and zest, to really drive that lemon flavour home.

How big is this Vegan Sourdough Lemon Cake?

This recipe makes a decent 22cm sized cake. It is fairly large, and can be carefully sliced into three to create an impressive layer cake.

How to store this Vegan Sourdough Lemon Cake?

Because of the oil, this cake stores really well in the fridge without drying out. It is a lovely, moist cake, spongy and deliciously sweet, and will stay that way for up to four days in the fridge.