Vegan Lemon Sponge Cake Recipe for Easter Celebration

A light, zesty vegan lemon sponge cake topped with dairy-free lemon buttercream — ideal for an Easter celebration.

Spring is finally here, and this refreshing lemon cake is a lovely way to celebrate. The recipe yields a soft, airy vegan sponge infused with lemon zest and juice, finished with a creamy dairy-free lemon buttercream and playful speckled chocolate or mini eggs for decoration.

This cake is perfect for anyone avoiding eggs and dairy who still wants an indulgent, bright dessert for Easter or any spring gathering.

Vegan Mini Eggs

If you’re wondering where the vegan mini eggs came from, they were originally found at Carluccio’s. If those aren’t available locally, many stores and online retailers now offer vegan-friendly mini eggs from various brands — check ingredient lists for suitability.

📖 Recipe

Vegan Lemon Sponge Cake

Yield:
10

Prep Time:
30 minutes

Cook Time:
30 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour

A soft, light and zesty vegan sponge cake with dairy-free lemon frosting and optional speckled chocolate decoration. Bright, flavourful and perfect for spring celebrations.

Ingredients

For the lemon sponge cake (adapted)

360 ml / 1 ½ cups unsweetened dairy-free milk
Juice of half a lemon, save other half for frosting
Zest of 1 lemon
230 g / 8.1 oz caster sugar
110 ml / ⅓ cup + 3 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract
250 g / 8.8 oz self-raising flour*
2 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the lemon buttercream frosting

300 g / 10.5 oz dairy-free butter
1 tsp vanilla paste or extract
450 g / 15.8 oz confectioner’s sugar
Juice of half a lemon

For the decoration

Dark chocolate, melted
(Optional) Vegan-friendly mini eggs or chocolates

Instructions

To make the lemon cake

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch cake tins.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine the dairy-free milk with the lemon juice and zest. Let sit a few minutes to “curdle”.
Stir in the caster sugar, sunflower oil and vanilla.
Gradually add the flour, cornstarch and bicarbonate of soda, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared tins and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until golden and a tester comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Chilling the layers in the freezer for a few hours or overnight makes decorating easier.

To make the lemon frosting

Whisk the dairy-free butter with vanilla, then gradually add the confectioner’s sugar until smooth. Whisk in the lemon juice. Adjust sweetness and consistency with more sugar or lemon juice to taste.

To decorate

If the cake layers are domed, trim the tops to create even layers.
Place one layer on a cake board and add a generous dollop of frosting. Smooth to the edges to form a thick filling, then top with the second layer.
Spread a thin “crumb layer” of frosting around the sides and chill for about an hour to set.
Apply the remaining frosting and smooth with a spatula or turntable for a clean finish.
To create speckles, dip a pastry brush in melted chocolate and lightly flick it over the frosted cake. Finish by arranging vegan mini eggs or chocolates on top.
Store refrigerated for up to 4 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

*If you don’t have self-raising flour, make your own by adding 2 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda per 250 g / 8.8 oz plain flour.