Moist, tender and deliciously tangy, this vegan lemon polenta cake is the perfect dessert to bake this spring! This single layer cake is easy to make, ready to eat in less than 45 minutes, and is bursting with fresh citrus flavor in every bite.
Disclosure: This recipe is sponsored by Roland Foods, a leading global importer of premium, high-quality ingredients. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Pinch of Parsley possible!
Lemon desserts are always well-loved and for good reason! They're always bright, fresh, and sweet yet tangy, and this cake is no different. You'll love this fresh-flavored cake for spring, summer, and beyond!
Unlike most polenta cakes, this one is entirely vegan, egg-free, dairy-free and easily made gluten-free.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick & easy to make: This homemade dairy free polenta cake is a single layer, so you won't have to assemble multiple layers! Plus, it only takes 10 minutes to prep the batter.
- Tart & sweet: this cake is the perfect balance of tart and sweet.
- Perfect for any special occasion: Like most lemony desserts, this recipe is the perfect dessert for brunch gatherings or spring celebrations like Easter and Mother's Day.
- Allergen-friendly: This cake is vegan, dairy-free, eggless and can easily be made gluten-free!
Equipment
You'll need standard baking equipment for this lemon polenta cake!
- Cake Pan: an 8-inch round cake pan works best!
- Parchment paper: to ensure the cake doesn't get stuck to the cake pan.
- Mixer: you can use either a hand mixer or stand mixer to beat together the wet ingredients.
- Whisk: to mix the dry ingredients. You could also use the whisk for the wet ingredients if you don't have a mixer - it'll just require a bit more effort!
- Mixing bowls: one large bowl for the wet ingredients (and ultimately the cake batter) and one medium bowl for the dry ingredients.
- Kitchen scale: for the most accurate results! A scale is the best when it comes to measuring ingredients for baking.
- Measuring cups & spoons: if you don't want to use or don't have a scale.
Ingredients
- Flour: all-purpose flour works best here! Feel free to use gluten-free flour. I almost made this recipe using almond flour, but it's a bit pricey and not as easily accessible as plain flour.
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Egg Replacer: I recommend using either flax eggs or Bob's Red Mill egg replacer. Either choice mixed with water will act perfectly here.
- Aquafaba: (aka chickpea brine) is great in vegan recipes, especially baked goods! In acts as a binder and helps to lift the cake, making it fluffy and tender.
- Sugar: we'll be using granulated sugar. Feel free to use coconut sugar or monk fruit sweetener instead but I would not recommend using brown sugars or maple syrup.
- Oil: to add moisture to our cake! Any neutral oil such as vegetable oil, canola oil or sunflower oil will work.
- Vegan Butter: I recommend using sticks as opposed to the tubs of butter. I like Earth Balance, Melt or Country Crock sticks for all of my dessert recipes. If you'd rather not use vegan butter, you can use coconut oil.
- Dairy-Free Greek Yogurt: to keep our cake moist while also adding a bit of tang! Also, it helps to activate the baking powder for a nice rise. You can use soy or coconut based yogurt, just make sure it is plain and unsweetened.
- Lemons: we'll be using freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest. Use Meyer lemons for a sweeter lemon flavor.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Variations & Substitutions
- Make this lemon cake gluten free by swapping all purpose flour with either almond flour (ground almonds) or gluten-free all purpose flour at a 1:1 ratio. This cake has not been tested with oat flour but let me know if you try it!
- Change up the flavor by swapping the citrus. Use freshly squeezed orange juice and orange zest instead of lemon to make an orange polenta cake. This would also work with limes, blood oranges, and grapefruit.
- Boost the lemon flavor by using lemon olive oil instead of a neutral oil.
- Keep it nut-free by leaving off the slivered almonds. Other than looking nice and adding some crunch, not having them won't affect the deliciousness of the cake!
- Instead of almonds & powdered sugar, top the vegan polenta cake with a lemon glaze, icing or thin lemon slices.
- Bake it as a sheet cake instead. You can bake the cake batter in a square 8x8 pan. It may bake a bit quicker than the indicated baking time so I recommend starting to check it at the 20 minute mark!
- Use vegan sour cream instead of yogurt. This will provide the same effect.
- It doesn't need it, but for extra flavor feel free to add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or lemon extract.
This recipe has not been tested with any other substitutions or variations than the ones listed above. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Instructions
Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the polenta, flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the flax eggs, aquafaba and sugar with either a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-speed for 3-4 minutes, or until fluffy and foamy (you do not need to beat it until you've achieved stiff peaks).
Step 3: Reduce mixer to low speed and mix in the oil, vegan butter, dairy-free greek yogurt, lemon zest and lemon juice.
Step 4: Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Optional: Evenly sprinkle slivered almonds on top.
Step 6: Bake for 35 minutes at 350°F, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. Once cooled, lightly sift powdered sugar over the cake before slicing and serving!
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this cake as is or you can dress it up by serving it with: fresh fruit (I love raspberries or blueberries paired with the lemon flavored cake), berry compote, blueberry sauce, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
Expert Tips
- Weigh your ingredients for the most accurate result. If you don't have a kitchen scale, be sure to use the spoon and level method when measuring the flour especially.
- Do not overmix! Stop mixing the moment you no longer see streaks of flour running through the batter. While this isn't the most fluffy cake, overmixing will lead to an extremely dense cake.
- Use room-temperature ingredients. Pull the ingredients out of the fridge a few hours prior to baking. This will ensure a smooth batter that rises properly in the oven!
- Don't over-bake! Baking times may vary because every oven is different. I recommend watching the bake time and checking for doneness every few minutes, starting around the 25-minute mark to prevent over-baking.
- If your polenta is very coarse, you can blitz it in the food processor for a few minutes until the grains become very small.
How to Store
Room Temperature: If you're planning to eat the cake within 3 days from when it was baked, you can leave it at room temperature! Store it under a glass cake dome or in a plastic cake storage container on the counter, away from heat, and out of direct sunlight.
Refrigerator: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay super soft and moist for up to 5 days!
Freezer: Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap then store in an airtight container for up to 1 month in the freezer. You can also freeze the whole cake in the same way if you have the space! Before you're ready to serve, just remove the cake from the freezer and let it thaw on the counter.
FAQ
Polenta is made from coarsely ground yellow corn.
Polenta and cornmeal are almost exactly the same product and are often used interchangeably but there is one important difference: the consistency of the grain. Polenta is much more finely ground, which makes the end product less mushy than if you were to use cornmeal.
You definitely can! Pour the batter into a greased 9x5" loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Lemon Polenta Cake
Equipment
- 8-Inch Cake Pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup (160 g) quick cooking polenta or stone ground cornmeal
- ¾ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 egg replacers or flax eggs (2 tablespoon egg replacer or flax + 6 tablespoons water)
- ¼ cup (60 g) aquafaba (chickpea brine)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (48 g) neutral oil
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) vegan butter softened
- ½ cup (115 g) dairy-free greek yogurt room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- ¼ cup slivered almonds optional, to garnish
- ¼ cup powdered sugar to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (160°C) and line the bottom of an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together your egg replacer and water then let set for 5-7 minutes.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the polenta, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt until combined.1 cup quick cooking polenta, ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg replacers, aquafaba and sugar with either a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-speed for 3-4 minutes, or until pale and foamy. Reduce speed to low and mix in the oil, vegan butter, dairy-free greek yogurt, lemon zest and lemon juice.2 egg replacers, ¼ cup aquafaba (chickpea brine), 1 cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup neutral oil, 2 tablespoons vegan butter, ½ cup dairy-free greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Optional: evenly sprinkle slivered almonds on top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.¼ cup slivered almonds
- Lightly sift powdered sugar over the cooled cake. Slice and enjoy!¼ cup powdered sugar
Louise says
I have made this at least 5 times and another is baking right now because my wife asked for it as my anniversary gift to her yes that’s how much she loves it and it’s all she asked for. Another Pinch of Parsley favorite added to the recipe rotation.
Lauren Casolaro says
Omg I’m so happy to hear that!!! I’m so glad you both love it, thank you for your kind comment
Ludy Brito says
Thanks for this delicious recipe. I replaced the sugar with dates (4 pieces blended with the "egg"). It's perfectly moist, love the lemon addition!
Lauren Casolaro says
Hi Ludy, thanks so much for your review! I'm so glad you loved it and it turned out well for you! Love the use of dates instead of sugar.
Mariann says
Absolutely delicious! Not too sweet and so moist and flavorful. Will definitely be making for Easter
Lauren Casolaro says
So happy you enjoyed it!