Vegan Lemon Ricotta Cake
This vegan lemon ricotta cake is everything you’d expect from a classic Italian cake: light, fragrant, with a soft and slightly dense crumb. The ricotta is silken tofu, blended until completely smooth. You won’t miss the dairy.
It slices cleanly, keeps well for a couple of days, and the lemon flavor comes through without being sharp. A simple cake that earns its place.
Vegan Lemon Ricotta Cake
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ⅔ cup (150 g) blended silken tofu
- ¾ cup (150 g) superfine granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon coconut cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar add last
Dry Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (180 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Lemon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 6-inch pan. Line the bottom with parchment, then lightly grease the paper too.
- Open tofu right before using. Drain packaging water, weigh, blend in food processor until completely smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
- To another bowl, add sugar and lemon zest. Rub lemon zest into sugar with fingertips about 1 minute until fragrant and slightly damp,
- Add lemon sugar to tofu. Whisk until the mixture looks smooth and well combined.
- Add oil slowly and whisk at the same time, until the mixture is smooth.Then add lemon juice, coconut cream, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.
- Sift dry ingredients into the wet bowl. Fold until no dry flour is visible. Do not overmix.
- Add apple cider vinegar, fold gently and pour into pan immediately,
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 38-42 minutes, until toothpick comes out cleanIf the top is getting too golden, loosely cover it with foil around the 35-minute mark.
- Cool 15 min in pan, then flip onto wire rack.
- Mix lemon juice and maple syrup. Brush over top and sides while cake is still warm.
- Let cake cool down completely (about 1- 2 hours) before cutting. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Video
A couple of things worth knowing before you slice into it. The lemon maple syrup brushed on while the cake is still warm makes a real difference — it keeps the crumb moist and deepens the lemon flavor right through to the centre. Don’t skip it, and don’t cut the cake before it has fully cooled. The crumb needs that time to set.
Leftovers keep well at room temperature for two days, covered. After that, refrigerate and bring back to room temperature before serving. The powdered sugar is best added just before you put it on the table — it absorbs into the surface if it sits too long.
