Vegan Pound Cake (Lemon or Vanilla ) - Stays Moist for Days by School Night Vegan (2024)

Publised on 03/07/2024. Last Updated on 23/07/2024 by Richard

My super moist vegan pound cake (aka vegan madeira cake or vegan loaf cake) with the most perfect tight crumb and mellow vanilla or lemon flavour.

This updated version of my vegan pound cake (also known as vegan madeira cake) is everything you’ve been dreaming of in lemon or vanilla! Moist, with a perfect crumb, and it stays that way for days. No more dry cakes on day two! This is as close as you'll get to a traditional pound cake recipe that just so happens to be completely free from any animal products. Honestly, this is one of my favourite vegan cakes on the planet, and this updated version is so simple and requiresno stand mixer!

If there’s one recipe that has been in the works for what feels like forever, it’s this vegan pound cake. I published the original version of this recipe earlier this year, and it went sort of viral! So why have I updated it?? The original was good, sure, but some of you lovely readers had issues with it not rising properly. I suspect this was due to the fact that some of the ingredients used (such as vegan butter) can vary dramatically from brand to brand. So, I’ve gone back to the drawing board, armed with your feedback, to create an updated and improved version of this classic treat, as well as a lemon flavour variation! This new recipe is all about simple ingredients that you can find anywhere, ensuring a consistently moist cake with the perfect texture no matter what brand you use. If you'd like to use the old version of this recipe, you can find it here.

What is Vegan Pound Cake?

Pound cake, traditionally, gets its name from the weight of its main ingredients: a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of flour. Simple, right? This method results in a rich cake with a dense crumb that's somehow also tender and moist. It typically comes in either vanilla flavour or lemon flavour (see my tips for a lemon variation below). In the UK, we know it as Madeira cake, but whatever you call it, it’s a classic.

In my vegan version, we’re swapping out the animal products for plant-based alternatives, but we’re keeping that classic texture and flavour that makes pound cake so beloved. Because of the nature of vegan ingredients, we can't quite stick to the "pound of this, pound of that" rule unfortunately, but rest assured I've tried to keep this as close to the classic recipe as humanly possible! Trust me, you won’t miss the butter or eggs one bit!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Before you rush off to the kitchen, let’s talk ingredients. For this vegan pound cake (or madeira cake), you’ll need some simple, everyday items you probably already have. If you’re missing something, don’t worry; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page, so you can quickly jot down what you need and nip to the shops.

• Caster sugar (aka superfine sugar)
• Vegetable oil (such as sunflower or canola)
• Soy milk
• Vanilla extract
• White wine vinegar
• Plain white flour (aka all purpose flour)
• Cake flour (see below for more info!)
• Baking powder
• Fine sea salt

If making the lemon version, you'll also need:

• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract

The Best Flour to Use

Now, here’s a little secret for the perfect vegan pound cake: a blend of cake flour and plain white flour. In my original recipe I usedjustcake flour and It's my theory that the lack of gluten in this version may have stopped some cakes from rising. This version, which uses a little plain white flour too, gives the cake a tender crumb and a perfect rise. If you can't find cake flour where you live (UK people, I feel your pain!) you can order it from amazon OR do what I did and purchase "Special Bun Wheat Flour".

I got this from my local Asian supermarket and it's normally used for making soft Bao buns. It contains 8% protein (aka gluten) and is super fine, which makes it identical to cake flour! I also use cake flour in my vegan birthday cake!

How to Make a Vegan Pound Cake

Alright, let’s get to the fun part: baking! Below is a simple breakdown of the steps, but remember, the full recipe card is at the bottom of the page.

1. Prep Your Tin: Grease and line a loaf tin with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 165°C (325°F).

2. Blend Wet Ingredients: In a measuring jug, blend together the caster sugar, vegetable oil, soy milk, vanilla extract, and white wine vinegar until smooth. You can also use a hand mixer and a medium bowl for this! The mixture will thicken slightly, almost to the texture of a runny aioli.

3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the plain white flour, cake flour, baking powder, and fine sea salt. Give them a good stir or whisk to combine.

4. Combine and Bake: Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until combined. At this stage you don't want to over mix, or the texture of the cake will be tough! Pour into your prepared loaf pan and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for another 30 minutes or until golden brown.

See Also

Super Easy Way to Make Vegan (Gluten-Free) Cake!Vegan Coca Cola Cake Recipe with Fudgy FrostingVegan Cake - 5 Easy Flavors! {and NO flax eggs!}Fat free vegan soda cake (surprsingly good)

How to Make a Vegan Lemon Pound Cake

Fancy a lemon twist? Here’s how you can turn this vegan pound cake (or madeira cake, ok have we established this thing has two names??) into a zesty delight:

1. Before blending, finely shred the lemon zest of two unwaxed lemons to the sugar and rub through with your fingertips until fragrant. This helps to release all those delicious essential oils.
2. Replace the white wine vinegar with lemon juice. A little goes a long way!
3. In addition to the vanilla extract, add a teaspoon of natural lemon extract. Try not to use lemon essence or "lemon flavor" as these are non-natural products.

The result? A classic pound cake texture packed with a natural lemon flavour kick! The full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Tips for a Perfect Bake

• Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure all your ingredients are at room temperature to prevent the batter from splitting.
• Sift and Whisk: Sift and whisk your dry ingredients to ensure they’re thoroughly combined.
• Blending Wet Ingredients: Blend your wet ingredients to form an emulsion for an even bake and uniform crumb.
• Soy Milk for the Win: Use soy milk instead of other plant-based milks like almond or oat milk. It contains lecithin, which helps emulsify the batter.
• Plastic Wrap Hack: It'ssuperimportant not to slice your cake straight off the cooling rack. The outside of the cake will still be crunchy at this stage. Instead, wrap it in plastic wrap and leave for at least four hours, or ideally overnight. This will transform it to a super moist vegan pound cake, from centre to crust!

Some Useful FAQs

So there you have it, the best vegan pound cake that stays moist for days! I’m so chuffed with how this recipe turned out, and I can’t wait for you to try it. Make sure to take a snap of your creation and tag @schoolnightvegan on social media - I love seeing your bakes!

If you enjoyed this recipe, why not try out some of my other favourites? Check out my vegan chocolate cake or my vegan Victoria sponge for more classic plant-based bakes! Oh and don't forget If you'd like to use the old version of this recipe, you can find it here.