Vegan Lemon Loaf with Sugar Glaze

This fluffy and moist vegan lemon loaf is like taking a bite of summer! Topped with a simple glaze infused with fresh lemon juice, it makes the perfect dessert or snack!

This vegan lemon loaf is a bright and cheery dessert. It rivals the famous Starbucks lemon loaf! It’s got tons of tart lemon flavor, topped with an optional lemon sugar glaze. It’s like taking a walk through a lemon grove! I can almost feel the sunshine in each and every bite!

Looking for more lemon desserts? Try our vegan lemon tart with berries, our delicious lemon curd, or our fantastic vegan lemon cupcakes with creamy lemon frosting.

💗 Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• Simple Ingredients
• Great recipe for spring holidays
• Quick and easy method
• Bursting with lemon flavor
• Moist and fluffy crum
• Vegan Plant-Based Dessert and Dairy-Free

🥣 Ingredients and Notes for Vegan Lemon Loaf Cake

Scroll down to the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

Wet Ingredients

Fresh Lemons: You’ll need 2-3 lemons for this lemon loaf. You’ll use the juice and the zest of the lemons. When choosing your lemons from the store, choose a lemon that feels heavy in your hand. This means it’s juicy! It should also be firm when you give it a squeeze, while the color should be a bright yellow.

Dairy-Free Yogurt: This gives the loaf additional moisture. Be sure to get plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt. I usually get SoDelicious which is made from a coconut milk base.

Unsweetened Applesauce: Instead of oil, I used unsweetened applesauce for this recipe. You can use the same amount of unrefined coconut oil if you do not have applesauce. You could use melted vegan butter or oil in place of the applesauce if you don’t have this ingredient.

Sugar: This recipe calls for organic cane sugar. Get organic to ensure that your sugar is vegan. You can also use coconut sugar or maple syrup but this will make your lemon loaf a brown color. So if you want that bright yellow look, use organic cane sugar.

Dry Ingredients

All-Purpose Flour: You can also use white whole wheat flour for more fiber. Or oat flour for a gluten-free version.

Baking Powder and Salt: This is the leavening agent for your quick bread loaf.

Sugar Glaze Ingredients

Powdered Sugar: Mixing this with your plant-based milk makes your glaze.

Almond Milk: You can use any or other non-dairy milk.

Lemon Juice: I prefer freshly squeezed lemon juice to really give this glaze a tart pop.

📋 Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line loaf pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, almond milk, dairy-free yogurt, sugar, vanilla extract, and applesauce.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold together until just combined. Don’t overmix.

Step 4: Pour batter into the prepared loaf tin. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until golden brown.

Step 5: Remove the loaf pan from the oven, and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the loaf from the pan and allow it to cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 6: While the loaf cools, prepare the icing. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, plant milk, and lemon juice.

Step 7: When the loaf is cool evenly pour the icing over top. Allow the icing to harden, before slicing and serving!

❓ FAQS

👩‍🍳 Serving Suggestions

I enjoy serving this vegan lemon cake for dessert topped with icing sugar with a cup of warm herbal tea. However, I’ve been known to sneak a slice for breakfast with my morning coffee.

The kids like to have half a slice as a mid-afternoon snack.

You really can’t go wrong, however, you like to enjoy it!

Thaw: To thaw your frozen loaf, remove it from the freezer and set it on the counter to thaw until it’s room temperature and ready to slice and enjoy.

💭 Expert Tips for Making Vegan Lemon Loaf

• Combine the wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and slowly fold together until just combined.
• The batter may be a little lumpy. That’s okay! Over mixing the batter will cause the loaf to be tough.
• Make sure the loaf is completely cooled before adding the glaze. If it’s a little warm, the glaze will run right off the loaf, and soak into it. It will still taste good, but you won’t get that glazed top look.
• If you’re looking for a gluten-free version of this recipe, simply substitute the all-purpose flour for gluten-free 1:1 flour. I like the King Arthur Gluten-Free 1:1 blend.
• If you’d like to make this recipe refined sugar-free, substitute the cane sugar for coconut sugar. As mentioned above, it will change the color of your loaf.
• You can use silken tofu instead of dairy-free yogurt.
• Use a quarter cup of coconut oil, melted, but cooled in place of applesauce if needed.