Soft Eggless Lemon Cake
This eggless lemon cake is soft, moist, and packed with fresh lemon flavor. If you have been searching for a lemon cake without eggs that actually tastes bakery-quality, this recipe is about to become a favorite. You would never guess it is made without eggs because the texture is fluffy, tender, and perfectly rich without needing any complicated ingredients or egg replacers.
Quick Look:
⏰Total time: About 3 hours including cool time for the cake and decorating
🍋Ingredients needed: Cake flour, unsalted butter, whole milk, yogurt, baking powder, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract, vanilla extract.
🎂Equipment needed: 2, 9-inch cake pans, cooling rack, 2 large mixing bowls
💡 Top tip: Be sure to use fresh lemon juice. The lemon extract is optional but adds so much flavor to the cake!
The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, and summertime calls for bright, fresh desserts like this moist eggless lemon cake. I made this cake right at the start of summer. It was actually for a friend’s graduation, and it was a huge hit. Everyone loved it and my two-year-old kept asking for more of the frosting!
Whether you are baking for a backyard barbecue, a summer birthday, a baby shower, or simply want something sweet, this cake fits right in. Fresh lemon zest and lemon juice give this cake a bright citrus flavor that tastes fresh and homemade. Now the lemon extract is optional, but it truly strengthens the lemon flavor, and I think is worth the purchase.
Note from Lexi: Why this Recipe Works
One of my favorite things about this egg-free lemon cake is how easy it is to make allergy-friendly for more people to enjoy. Since the recipe is already made without eggs, it is a great option for anyone with an egg allergy or when you simply run out of eggs at home. I have also included simple swaps to make the cake gluten-free or dairy-free if needed, without sacrificing the soft and moist texture. No hard-to-find ingredients or complicated substitutions are required, which makes this recipe approachable for everyday baking while still tasting absolutely incredible. Read more about my food blog here!
– Lexi with Our Slice of Home
Ingredients and substitutions
Eggless Lemon Cake
- Cake flour: You can substitute all-purpose flour if needed.
- White granulated sugar
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Whole milk: Or 2% milk. I do not recommend a fat free milk.
- Unsalted butter
- Whole milk yogurt (plain, unsweetened): You can also use a plain Greek-style yogurt
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon extract
- Fresh lemon juice
- Lemon zest
Lemon Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted butter
- Powdered sugar
- Whole milk
- Vanilla extract
- Lemon Juice
- Pinch of salt
How to make egg-free lemon cake
Step one: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Mix lemon zest and white granulated sugar together. Combine all the dry ingredients including this lemon zest/sugar mixture, cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
Step two: Mix wet ingredients together including melted butter, room temperature milk, yogurt, lemon juice, lemon extract, and vanilla extract.
Step three: Combine the wet and dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix until just combined.
Step four: Divide the batter evenly between two 9-inch cake pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean.
Step five: Allow the cakes to cool in their pans (sitting on a cooling rack so air can circulate underneath them). Allow them to cool completely prior to frosting them.
Step six: Prepare the frosting. Beat the softened butter with a handheld mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in vanilla, lemon juice, and milk. Then slowly add in powdered sugar and mix until the desired consistency. Using a large, serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the top of the cakes to create a flat surface.
Step seven: Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand. Cover the first layer with about 3/4 cup of frosting. Place the 2nd cake layer on top. Spread the rest of the frosting on top of the cake and on the sides. This cake has a thin scraped coat around the sides, so the cake peeks through.
FAQ
Yes, use a 9 x 13 metal baking cake pan. You will need to increase the baking time by a few minutes.
Yes. Line two muffin pans with liners and fill each one 2/3 of the way full of batter. You will get about 24 cupcakes. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Yes. Use a vegan butter (firm block not a spreadable kind). Use a dairy-free milk such as oat, almond, or soy milk. Use an unsweetened plain vegan yogurt or vegan Greek-style yogurt.
Be sure you are not overmixing the batter. Once the flour is added in, mix until just combined. Secondly, measure the flour correctly so you don’t accidentally add too much flour. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off. Better yet, use gram measurements to be precise. Lastly, check your baking powder to ensure it isn’t expired.
This was likely from overbaking. Some ovens run hotter than others. Next time, remove the cake a few minutes earlier.
More eggless cakes
Okay, cake fans – here is the best line up of more eggless cakes! Allergy-friendly swaps are listed in the notes. A super soft and fluffy cake is this Easy Eggless Vanilla Sheet Cake. This Eggless Apple Cake reminds me of a coffee cake, but apple flavored. Lastly, this Chocolate Mug Cake Without Eggs is beyond easy to make in the microwave.
Pan size conversions
The recipe as written makes a 9-inch two-layer cake. With a few changes in bake time, you can prepare it easily in a different sized pan.
- 8-inch round cake: Divide the batter among 2 round cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes. The layers will be a little bit thinner since the pans are larger.
- Sheet cake: Bake in a 9×13-inch cake pan for about 30 minutes.
- Cupcakes: Line two muffin pans with liners and fill each one 2/3 of the way full of batter. You will get about 24 cupcakes. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Equipment needed
- Two 9-inch cake pans
- Parchment paper to line the bottom of the cake pans
- 2 large mixing bowls
- Cooling rack
Allergy-Friendly Swaps
This recipe is naturally egg-free and nut-free
To make this recipe dairy-free: Use a vegan butter (firm block not a spreadable kind). Use a dairy-free milk such as oat, almond, or soy milk. Use an unsweetened plain vegan yogurt or vegan Greek-style yogurt.
To make this recipe gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend designed for baking. If your gluten-free flour blend does not have xanthan gum, add 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum.
Note: These substitutions have been tested individually, meaning *gluten-free and egg free* or *dairy free and egg free*. I have not tested this recipe with all three modifications together (egg free, dairy free, and gluten-free).
How to store
Storage: Cover the cake and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: To freeze the unfrosted cake allow to cool completely in the cake pan. Remove from the pan and wrap in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Place the cake on the countertop (still wrapped) to thaw out.
Tips for Success
To avoid dense cake, don’t overmix the batter once the flour is added. Mix until just combined.
To avoid a dry cake, don’t overbake. Oven temperatures can vary greatly so check on it early and add time as needed.
If you made this recipe, I’d be so grateful if you left a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a quick comment sharing how it turned out. And if you haven’t already, follow along here:
– Lexi with Our Slice of Home
Eggless Lemon Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Eggless Lemon Cake
- 3 cups (390 g) cake flour
- 1 ¾ cups (360 g) white granulated sugar
- 5 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk room temperature or slightly warm
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled a bit
- ½ cup whole milk yogurt plain, unsweetened
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest from 2 lemons
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice about 1 1/2 large lemons
- 1/4 teaspoon natural lemon extract see note
Lemon Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter softened
- 3 cups (340 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Start with melting the butter first and allowing it to cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.7 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9-inch cake pans and then place parchment paper rounds on the bottom of the cake pans. Grease the top of the parchment paper.
- Toss the lemon zest and white granulated sugar together.3 tablespoons lemon zest, 1 ¾ cups white granulated sugar
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar/lemon zest. Set aside.3 cups cake flour , 5 teaspoons baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, 1 ¾ cups white granulated sugar
- In a separate large bowl, combine milk, yogurt, melted butter, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and natural lemon extract. Whisk together until well combined.1 ¾ cups whole milk , 7 tablespoons unsalted butter , ½ cup whole milk yogurt, 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon natural lemon extract
- Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Mix together until there are no more streaks of flour and ingredients are just combined. Avoid overmixing as this can cause a dense cake.
- Pour batter evenly into the 2 cake pans. Tap the cake pans on the countertop a few times to remove any air bubbles.
- Bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.
- Place the cake pans on a wire cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool completely and then remove from the cake pan. The cake needs to be completely cooled prior to frosting it.
Prepare your frosting
- To a large bowl, add softened butter.1 cup unsalted butter
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer on low speed, beat the butter until light and fluffy. This will take about 1 minute. Stop halfway through to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Pour in milk, lemon juice, and vanilla and stir together.2 tablespoons whole milk, 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour in powdered sugar. Using the hand mixer on low speed, mix until well combined.3 cups powdered sugar
Assemble and decorate
- Using a large, serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the top of the cakes to create a flat surface. Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand. Cover the first layer with about 3/4 cup of frosting. Place the 2nd cake layer on top. Spread the rest of the frosting on top of the cake and on the sides. This cake has a thin scraped coat around the sides, so the cake peeks through (called a naked look).
- Slice and enjoy! Cover the cake and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Video
Notes
- 8-inch round cake: Divide the batter among 2 round cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes. The layers will be a little bit thicker since the pans are smaller.
- Sheet cake: Bake in a 9×13-inch cake pan for about 30 minutes.
- Cupcakes: Line two muffin pans with liners and fill each one 2/3 of the way full of batter. You will get about 24 cupcakes. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Love the fresh flavor of lemon here!