Food Re-networked Series: Lemon Cake (vegan + grain-free)

May 7, 2014 By Leanne Vogel November 3, 2018

This vegan, grain-free and nut-free frosted lemon cake is sweet and buttery with a moist, yet dense texture. The cake batter is filled with fresh lemon and frosted with a lemon glaze that dries to a crusty shell around the cake.

It took me 8 solid hours to create this recipe. No stops, no pause. When I ran out of lemons, I texted a girlfriend to see if she could buy me a bag and bring ’em over.

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I half thought of taking a picture of my kitchen (and myself) during the process, but decided against it. Every working surface was covered in bowls, spatulas, flours and measuring spoons. At about hour 4, I stopped using a tea towel to wipe off my hands and resorted to using my sweater. I don’t like aprons. They slow me down.

When I was adjusting the ingredients for what would be the last (perfect) batch, I knew then and there that I’d nailed it. It felt right.

And now, I can say to you with budding pride: This is the ONLY vegan, grain-free, nut-free lemon cake recipe on the internet right now.

I need a drink…. and maybe a piece of cake?

Food Re-networked Blog Series

After I changed eating styles, watching Food Network (my all-time favorite TV channel) was torturous. It reminded me of all the foods I couldn’t eat anymore and how alone I felt in my healthy living journey.

I do not want you to feel the way I felt. No matter what your eating style, food allergies or sensitivities, I firmly believe that recipes can be re-networked to make them work for you.

Each month in 2014, I’ll be re-networking your favorite Food Network recipes into meals that are safe for you and your family.

In January, I made these Chocolate Crepes from Giada De Laurentiis.

In February, I made these Chicken Pot Pies from Ina Garten.

In March, I made this Classic Fried Chicken from Bobby Flay.

And for April (I’m a couple of days behind in the game), you voted for me to rework Ina Garten’s Lemon Cake recipe.

5.0 from 6 reviews

Food re-networked series: Lemon Cake (Vegan + Grain-free)

Author: Leanne Vogel

Recipe type: Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Yeast-free, Corn-free, Grain-free, Nut-free, Egg-free

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 12

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

¾ cup quinoa flour
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons chickpea flour
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons tapioca starch/flour
2 tablespoons freshly ground flax seed
1 cup cane sugar or coconut sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Wet Ingredients

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest (from approximately 2 lemons)
5 tablespoons avocado oil or melted coconut oil
1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ cup water

Lemon Frosting

¾ cup powdered sugar
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F and line a 8x4 loaf pan with parchment paper draping over both sides. Set aside.
Add dry ingredients to a large bowl. Stir with a fork until mixed. Set aside.
Add wet ingredients to a medium-sized bowl in the order they are listed. Give it a good stir.
Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until combined. Allow to sit for 3 minutes.
Then, pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, until top is golden and toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Immediately after taking the cake out of the oven, use the parchment paper flaps on either ends to lift the cake out of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack, gently sliding the parchment paper out from under the cake. Allow to cool for 60 minutes.
Transfer the cake to a pretty plate. Combine frosting ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk and then drizzle over the top of the cake. Allow to harden, about 10 minutes. And serve!

Notes

Cane Sugar vs. Coconut Sugar - I used cane sugar for this recipe for a couple of reasons. First, coconut sugar is fairly dark and would have made this cake a caramel color which I did not want. Second, cane sugar is far less expensive and I knew I would have to test this recipe multiple times and didn't want to use up coconut sugar.
Powdered Sugar - check out this powdered sugar that is less refined

View nutrition information (once on page, scroll down)

The batter will be so much like real cake you’ll be all like, “Who swapped out the chickpea flour with all-purpose gluten-filled flour?”

Awesome.

My favorite part about this cake is the frosting.

Do it. Do it hard.

And then, because everyone loves lemon cake, it would be so super fantastic if you SHARED this post by using the sexy social media buttons below. Facebook it, Tweet it, Pin it. You know.