Description
This lemon almond layer cake with a luscious vanilla cream cheese frosting is vegan, gluten free and insanely delicious! It's absolutely perfect topped with fresh berries and makes for a stunning Spring or Summer dessert. *NOTE: This recipe makes a two layer cake. If you'd like to make a single layer cake, cut all ingredient amounts in half. If you wish to make cupcakes, bake for 29-31 minutes. Will make 28-30 cupcakes.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2/3 cup vegan butter, softened
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 cups almond milk (brought to room temp)
- 4 cups gluten free all purpose flour blend
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup oat flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp xanthan gum* (only use if your GF flour doesn't contain any)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- Fresh raspberries and strawberries for topping
Frosting:
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened to room temp
- 16 oz vegan cream cheese, softened to room temp
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 335 F (we used convection bake cycle).
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, almond flour, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or regular mixing bowl), cream butter for about 1 minute.
- Next, add applesauce, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon juice, and lemon zest and beat until smooth.
- Slowly add in almond milk. The mixture may separate a bit if the almond milk is too cold, but don't panic - it will be fine when you add in dry ingredients.
- When almond milk is incorporated, add dry ingredients in 3-4 increments. Beat until batter is smooth. Let batter sit for 20 minutes before transferring to cake pan.
- Line two 9 X 9 cake pans with parchment paper and pour batter in. Bake for 35 minutes, or until cake is golden brown and toothpick comes out clean. (Note: if using store bought gf flour blend, you may need to bake an extra 5-15 minutes.)
- Let cakes cool completely before frosting.
- While cake is cooling, beat together vegan cream cheese and butter until well incorporated. Add in powdered sugar (you can sift for an extra smooth texture, but not totally necessary), vanilla and salt and beat until smooth and creamy.
- When cake is completely cool, frost one cake with about 1/3 of the frosting, then add second layer and add remaining frosting. Top with fresh berries. Enjoy! Store leftovers in refrigerator.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Big Slice
- Calories: 1075
- Sugar: 104.6 g
- Sodium: 968.2 mg
- Fat: 44 g
- Saturated Fat: 30.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 161.1 g
- Fiber: 5.3 g
- Protein: 6.9 g
- Cholesterol: 3.2 mg
