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Angled shot of a mini 3-layer vegan lilac lemon cake with whipped coconut cream frosting on a white cake stand with lilac flowers and leaves around the base of the cake. The top of the cake is decorated with fresh lilac flowers. The background is styled with lilac flowers, tea dyed cheesecloth, a vintage lilac colored glass bottle, and a flower guide opened to a page on lilacs.
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5 from 2 votes

Vegan Lilac Lemon Cake

This moist and delicious vegan lemon cake with whipped coconut cream frosting is decorated with edible lilac flowers and perfect for spring! Swap lilacs out with any other edible flowers if you can’t source them where you live.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lilac flower cake, vegan lilac cake, lilac cake, lilac cake ideas
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 325kcal
Author: Kaity Farrell

Ingredients

Cake

  • 140 g white whole wheat flour 1 cup, or whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 100 g whole cane sugar 1/2 cup
  • 67 g extra-virgin olive oil 1/3 cup
  • 82 g non-dairy unsweetened yogurt 1/3 cup
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whipped Coconut Cream Frosting

  • 1/2 cup cold separated canned coconut cream
  • 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest optional
  • 2 loosely packed cups of lilac flowers removed from stems

Instructions

Prepare the Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350˚F/175˚C. Grease and flour 3 mini (4") spring-form cake pans or one 8-inch cake pan.
  • Sift dry ingredients together into a bowl. Whisk wet ingredients together in a measuring cup. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir until combined. Fold in a handful of fresh lilac flowers if you wish.
  • Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake on the middle rack for 20-25 minutes until the cakes are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. If making an 8" cake bake for 25-30 minutes.
  • Cool the cakes in their pans for 10 minutes then remove them from the pans and cool to room temperature on a wire rack.

Prepare the Frosting:

  • Whip coconut cream and sugar (and lemon zest if adding) into soft peaks.
  • Spread whipped coconut cream between each layer of cake and on the top, placing lilac flowers on top of the frosting between each layer.
  • For a "naked" cake look spread a thin layer of the cream around the sides of the cake, creating a crumb coat.
  • Arrange fresh lilac flowers on the top of the cake and around the base.

Video

Notes

  • Double recipe to make a 2-layer 8" round cake.
  • All-purpose flour can be used in place of white whole wheat flour and granulated sugar in place of whole cane sugar.
  • Cake Decorating Tips: Put a dab of the frosting on the cake plate first to keep the cake in place. Put wax paper under the cake around the edges to catch dripping frosting from messing up the cake plate.
  • Refrigerate full fat canned coconut milk the night before and skim off the separated cream to use in the frosting.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 323mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 14IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg