Dairy-Free Lemon Loaf with Lemon Icing

Soft, moist, and made from scratch, this dairy-free lemon loaf is a spring-time treat! Bursting with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest, this tangy loaf cake with a lemon icing hits the perfect balance of tart and sweet.

When the weather warms up, I find myself hankering for something that makes me think of the bright spring days ahead. From lemon basil risotto to vegan frozen yogurt bark, anything with fresh fruits and vegetables is a must.

This year, my neighbor gifted us with some fresh lemons. After using a few in some fresh hot toddies I thought the rest of the lemons should go into a delicious and moist loaf cake.

Packed with fresh lemon juice and lemon zest this simple lemon loaf makes a vibrant treat perfect for all of your spring gatherings.

Why We Love this Lemon Loaf

I’m not one to need may reasons to jump on a slice of moist cake. This melt-in-your-mouth lemon cake is no exception. Some of the reasons we have devoured close to half a dozen of these beauties include:

• Ultra moist. I know it makes many of you cringe to hear moist but this cake makes it worth it.
• The ideal balance of sweet and tart. This dairy-free lemon loaf has just the right amount of fresh lemony tart-ness balanced out with a little sugary sweetness.
• Delicious all day long. This delightful lemon loaf makes a great breakfast treat, afternoon snack, or dessert after dinner. You truly can’t go wrong!

How to Make a Dairy-Free Lemon Loaf Cake

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Plant-based butter– Used to replace traditional butter and keep this lemon loaf light and moist.
• Lemon– Both the zest and the juice from fresh lemons.
• Eggs– At room temperature.
• Vegan buttermilk- A blend of non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar tenderizes the cake.
• Sugar + Vanilla– For sweetness and flavor in the cake.
• Dry ingredients– A blend of all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt add structure to this bright and flavorful lemon loaf.

Lemon Loaf Cake Directions

Step 1: Prepare for Baking

Before beginning your lemon loaf cake, I highly recommend pulling out and measuring all of your ingredients first. This will help keep the process seamless and easy.

• Take out butter and eggs: Begin by allowing your plant-based butter and eggs to come to room temperature.
• Next, zest and juice two lemons.
• Make the dairy-free buttermilk. Mix together non-dairy milk and apple cider vinegar and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
• Mix dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside for later.

Step 2: Make the Lemon Loaf Cake

• Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan by spraying with non-stick spray.
• Cream butter, sugar, and zest: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together non-dairy butter, sugar, and lemon zest.
• Next add the eggs, one at a time, until they are combined.

• Add remaining liquids: Pour in the lemon juice, vanilla, and non-dairy buttermilk. Mix until smooth.
• Mix in dry ingredients: Slowly spoon in the dry ingredients, mixing on low, and fold the last bits of flour in.
• Bake: Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool completely before icing.

Dairy-Free Lemon Icing

Step 3: Make Dairy-Free Lemon Icing

• Melt vegan butter: In a medium mixing bowl, melt plant-based butter and allow to cool slightly before making the frosting.
• Add remaining ingredients: Once cooled add lemon juice, powdered sugar, non-dairy milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt.
• Mix until smooth and refrigerate until you are ready to ice the cake.

Tips for a thick Icing

When I first started my quest to make an irresistible lemon loaf cake I wanted to make sure the cake was topped with a thick and tangy icing. After a few failed attempts to make a thick icing, I picked up a few helpful tips along the way.

• Cool the loaf cake completely. This will prevent the icing from melting and running off the cake in a pitiful puddle.
• Chill the frosting. Similarly, chilling the frosting will help thicken it up before you ice the cake.
• Spread the icing on in layers. Divide the icing into half or thirds and then start with a base layer of icing. Allow it to set a little bit before you put a second and even third layer on. Feel free to pop the cake into the refrigerator between icings to help it layer well.

Dairy-Free Changes to Lemon Loaf Cake

With two main swaps, you can easily take this delicious cake from a dairy-filled dread to a delightful dream.

• Plant-Based Butter– I used Country Crock’s plant-based butter sticks to replace traditional butter. They whipped up light and airy and work in just about every recipe I have used them in.
• Non-dairy buttermilk– Making vegan buttermilk to replace a traditional buttermilk keeps this cake recipe tender and moist.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

When it comes to making this moist and flavorful lemon loaf cake, here are a few helpful tools you might need to whip it up.

• Microplane (Amazon affiliate link)- Used to zest the lemons.
• Lemon Juicer (Amazon affiliate link)- Used to squeeze all of the lemon juice out of the fresh lemons.
• Loaf pan(Amazon affiliate link)- I used a glass loaf pan to make and bake this moist cake.

Serving Suggestions

I honestly don’t think there is a wrong way to dish out this loaf cake. Here are some of my favorite ways to serve this lemon loaf.

• Slightly warmed with a morning cup of coffee.
• In the afternoon with a proffee latte (protein coffee)
• After dinner with a warm cup of lemon ginger tea or a hot toddy.

Storing Suggestions

This dairy-free lemon loaf cake can easily be stored at room temperature, in the refrigerator, or even frozen. Here are some tips for properly storing the lemon loaf cake.

• Room temperature– Keep this moist lemon loaf in an air-tight container on the counter for about 4 days.
• Refrigerated- Stored in an air tight container in the fridge this lemon cake will keep for about 7 days.
• Frozen– Some steps for freezing success include:
  • If possible freeze the lemon loaf on a baking sheet until the icing is solid.
  • Wrap the lemon loaf with plastic wrap and then store in an air-tight container.
  • Remove the plastic wrap from the loaf before thawing, if the cake is iced.
  • Allow to thaw in an air-tight container before serving.

More Lemon-y Treats

• Lemon Shortbread
• Lemon Curd
• Strawberry Lemon Galette

If you tried this moist lemon loaf cake recipe feel free to leave a comment below! I would love to hear how it went! Or, snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!

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5 from 1 vote

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Lemon Loaf Cake with Lemon Icing

This ultra-moist lemon loaf cake with fresh lemon icing makes a delightful treat perfect for a warm cup of coffee or fresh brewed tea.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Cake, Dairy-Free, Lemon, Loaf Cake

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 8 slices

Ingredients

Lemon Loaf Cake

• ½ cup Plant-based butter
• 2 Eggs
• ½ cup Non-dairy milk
• ½ teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 ½ cup Flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 ½ Tablespoons Lemon Zest (from about 2 lemons)
• 2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice (from about 2 lemons)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla

Lemon Icing

• 1 Tablespoon Plant-based butter melted
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice
• 1 ½ cup Powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Non-dairy milk (I used oat milk)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 pinch Salt

Instructions

Prepare for Baking

1. Begin by allowing ½ cup plant-based butter and 2 eggs to come to room temperature.

2. Next, zest and juice two lemons.

3. Mix together ½cup non-dairy milk and ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

4. In a medium mixing bowl stir together 1 ½ cup flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside for later.

Make the Lemon Loaf Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan by spraying with non-stick spray.

2. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together ½ cup non-dairy butter, 1 cup sugar, and 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon zest.

3. Next add the eggs, one at a time, until they are combined.

4. Pour in 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ½ cup non-dairy buttermilk. Mix until smooth.

5. Slowly spoon in the dry ingredients, mixing on low, and fold the last bits of flour in.

6. Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake 55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

7. Cool completely before icing.

Make Dairy-Free Lemon Icing

1. In a medium mixing bowl, melt 1 Tablespoon plant-based butter and allow to cool slightly before making the frosting.

2. Once cooled add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon non-dairy milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt.

3. Mix until smooth and refrigerate until you are ready to ice the cake.

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