Vegan Lemon and Pistachio Cake Recipe

This vegan lemon and pistachio cake recipe began with a very Anges sort of week: pistachios, PayPal drama, a charity auction and enough emotional whiplash to require cake. The result is a bright lemon drizzle sponge layered with vegan buttercream and finished with crushed pistachios.

If you want a delivered pistachio celebration cake rather than a home-baking project, you can order a pistachio cake online. Please note those bakery cakes are not vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free or egg-free.

Vegan Lemon and Pistachio Cake Recipe

Difficulty level: Easy/intermediate. Easy if you follow the vegan lemon sponge and drizzle only, intermediate if you decorate with vegan buttercream.

Time: approx. 2 hours including bake and chill time.

Servings: approx. 10 portions.

Vegan Lemon Sponge

For 3 x 6 inch round sponges

500g self-raising flour

365g caster sugar

1.5 teaspoons baking powder

2 lemons, juiced and zested separately

180ml vegetable oil

365ml cold water

1. Preheat the oven to 180 Celsius degrees, fan-assisted. Prepare three 6 inch round cake tins by brushing with oil and adding a light even sprinkling of flour.

2. Sift the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, briskly whisk together the wet ingredients: lemon juice, zest, oil and water. Once mixed, stir into the dry ingredients at a steady pace and mix until combined into a smooth batter.

4. Divide the batter evenly between the three cake tins and bake for 30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

5. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool in the tins for 10 minutes before releasing onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

Lemon Drizzle

85g caster sugar

30ml water

2 lemons, juiced and zested separately

1. Mix the caster sugar, water and lemon juice together in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Once dissolved, bring to the boil over high heat for a few minutes until it thickens slightly to a light syrup.

2. Take off the heat and stir the lemon zest into the syrup.

3. Poke holes over the lemon sponges with a skewer. Brush the syrup lightly over the sponges.

You can serve this as a simple vegan lemon drizzle cake or layer it with vegan frosting as shown below.

Vegan Buttercream

250g vegan butter or margarine. I prefer 50/50 Stork baking block and Trex shortening.

500g icing sugar

1 tablespoon dairy-free milk of your choice. I use a mix of almond and coconut milk.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1. In a stand mixer bowl, whisk the margarine until light and fluffy, then gradually add in the icing sugar.

2. Add the dairy-free milk, vanilla extract and salt. Beat until smooth and fluffy.

Decorating the Vegan Lemon and Pistachio Cake

Gel paste food colours in pink, yellow and green. Check that your chosen colours are vegan-friendly.

A handful of chopped pistachios

4-5 strawberries, optional

1. Smear some buttercream on a cake board, preferably a few inches larger than the cake sponge. Place one vegan lemon sponge layer on top and smooth vegan buttercream over it using a cranked spatula or palette knife. Sprinkle chopped pistachios evenly over the buttercream, place the next layer on top and repeat.

2. Once the two layers have been sandwiched, place the third layer on top and smooth vegan frosting all around and over the top. Place in the fridge to set for 5-10 minutes.

3. Divide the remaining buttercream into three bowls and mix in pink, yellow and green colours to create pastel shades.

4. Using the palette knife, dab the various colours around the cake. Using the edge of the palette knife or a cake scraper, smooth the buttercream over.

5. Sprinkle crushed pistachios on top and along the base. You can also prepare piping bags with various piping tips, spoon in dollops of buttercream and pipe swirls, stars and blossoms on the frosted cake.

6. Add fresh fruit such as strawberries on top, if you like.

And there you have it: a vegan lemon drizzle and pistachio cake for home baking.

If you've followed this recipe, please share your results by tagging me @angesdesucre #angesdesucre on Instagram so I can have a peek. It always makes me so very happy to see your beautiful creations.

If you’re not quite ready to go full vegan, or simply crave the kind of pistachio cake that comes delivered, pillow-soft and gloriously moreish, you can always order a pistachio cake online. Again, our bakery cakes are not vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free or egg-free.

Lots of love,

Reshmi xoxo