Lemon, blueberry and a hint of lavender come together in this moist and fluffy vegan lavender cake. This is the perfect cake for any special occasion! No one would ever guess it’s made with no eggs or dairy.
I’m not always a big fan of lavender flavored sweets, but I’m absolutely in love with this cake. It has just a hint of lavender, and when paired with the bright lemon flavor plus fresh blueberries, I find it simply delightful. And I think you will, too.
To add lavender flavor to the cake, we are steeping dried culinary lavender in warm non-dairy milk, then straining the mixture. If you want even more lavender flavor, add a teaspoon of lavender extract to the cake.
The cake is based on my popular Vegan Lemon Cake, and if you haven’t tried it, I highly recommend you do! The lemon cake and this lavender cake feature a moist, flavorful cake that is perfectly sweet with a tight crumb.
Lavender milk
To make the lavender milk which we will add to the cake batter, simple heat 1 1/4 cups unsweetened soy milk (or other non-dairy milk) in a saucepan until just simmering. Turn off the heat and add the lavender. Let it steep for about 25 minutes, then strain the milk through a fine mesh strainer and discard the lavender. Cool completely before adding to the cake.
Did you know you can also make lavender milk as a warm calming beverage? Add a tablespoon of agave, sugar or maple syrup and a tiny bit of vanilla extract and enjoy warm.
In addition to the buttercream frosting, I’ve added a thin layer of blueberry jam in between the cake layers. It adds a pretty color and pop of flavor, so I do recommend it if possible. Or fill the layers with my Vegan Lemon Curd instead.
Instead of the included recipe for frosting, try making my Vegan Swiss Meringue Buttercream instead. You can add a few drops of purple food coloring for a light purple hue, if desired.
More delightful vegan cakes
- Vegan Strawberry Cake
- Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
- 1 Bowl Vegan Carrot Cake
- Vegan Funfetti Cake
- Vegan Coconut Cake
- Vegan Red Velvet Cake
- Vegan Vanilla Cake
Vegan Lemon Blueberry Lavender Cake
Ingredients
Lavender milk
- 1 1/4 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender
The cake
- 1/2 cup aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
- 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) vegan butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup neutral flavored oil (grapeseed/vegetable/canola)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon pure lemon extract
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries, plus more for decorating
Frosting
- 1 1/2 cups vegan butter, barely softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2-3 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- optional: few drops purple food coloring
- optional: 1/2 cup blueberry jam
Instructions
- Lavender milk: Heat the soy milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until just simmering, then remove from heat and add in the lavender. Let it steep for 25 minutes, then strain the milk through a fine strainer and discard the lavender. Cool completely before adding to cake batter.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 6 inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment rounds (I cut them out myself to fit the bottom of the pans to prevent sticking.) Or make a double layer cake by using two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans.
- Aquafaba: In a medium sized bowl, drain the chickpeas to collect the liquid from the can. Measure 1/2 cup of aquafaba. With a hand mixer, mix on medium-high speed for 1 minute, until light and foamy. Don't mix it so much it forms soft peaks. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the softened butter, oil, sugar and lemon zest. Beat on medium speed with a handheld mixer (or stand mixer with whisk attachment) until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Now add in the lemon and vanilla extracts and beat to combine.
- On low speed, add in the lavender milk and aquafaba and mix. Now add the flour, sprinkle the baking powder and salt on top of the flour and mix on low until well combined, about 1-2 minutes, scraping the sides as needed with a spatula. Do not over mix. Fold in the blueberries.
- Divide the batter equally in the prepared pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool on wire racks for 5-10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen, and carefully invert the cakes onto your hand. Remove the parchment paper and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the frosting: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the vegan butter until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed, add in the 2 cups of the powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat on low, then switch to medium speed and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Now add in the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar and mix. If the frosting seems too thick, add a tablespoon at a time of non-dairy milk. If the frosting seems too thin, add more powdered sugar until a desirable consistency is reached. If desired, add a few drops of purple food coloring.
- Frost the cake: Place one of the cake layers on your cake stand or plate. Frost the top evenly, and spread a thin layer of jam on top of the frosting, if desired. Place the second cake layer on top. Top the second layer with more frosting and more jam. Repeat for the third layer, then frost the sides. Decorate with fresh blueberries, lemon slices and a little sprinkle of lavender, as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cupcakes – Divide into liners and bake for 20-24 minutes.
- Gluten free – I haven’t tested it, but a gluten free all purpose mix should work quite well.
- Variations – Swap blueberries for blackberries and blackberry jam instead or raspberries.
- For more lavender flavor, add 1 teaspoon of lavender extract when you add the other extracts.
Nora,
I want to make this for 20+ people, so I’m thinking of making it into a two layer sheet cake by baking the cake recipe twice in 8×11 pans and layering the cakes.
Do you think this approach would work, or should I use a 9×13 to keep them from being too thick? And what baking time would to recommend?
Thanks in advance.
You’re right, I think an 8×11 pan will leave you with very thick layers. Double the recipe and bake the cakes in two 9×13 cake pans for 30-35 minutes. Hope this helps!
In case anyone else is interested – making the cake twice as 9×13 layers was definitely the way to go. I did a trial run of the cake, using lemon curd as the filing and butter cream frosting. It was good but the tangy to sweet contrast was significant and the lemon curd drowned out any lavender flavour.
For the “official” cake, I opted for blueberry compote as a filling and cream cheese frosting, and that worked out much better. At least to my palate and the 25 other people who ate it. ?
Hi Marie. Your cake sounds really delicious! I’m glad it worked out well for you! Thank you for taking time to share your experience with the recipe, your tips, and your wonderful feedback!
sooo good!!! i always use your recipes when i bake because they’re consistently reliable and incredibly delicious. i made this cake for my birthday and gave some to my neighbors; one said it was the best cake he’s had in his life (and he’s a grandfather)! thank you for this amazing recipe : )
Hi Sophie. You are welcome! I feel honored by your neighbor’s compliment of the cake, and appreciate your kind words and confidence in my recipes. I’m glad you are enjoying them! Thanks for your wonderful feedback! Happy birthday to you!
Oh my goodness, Nora, this is another winner! The cake is rich and moist, The subtle lavender flavor was delightful! This was my first time using aquafaba but your directions were very clear on how to do it. Baked for 35 minutes, it rose nicely in two 8 inch pans, and then was easily assembled. The frosting was a perfect match for the cake and made a beautiful presentation. Thank you again for another wonderful and well tested recipe!!
Hi Connie. I’m glad that you loved the cake! I agree that this is a beautiful, and delicious, cake! Thank you for taking time to share your great feedback! Happy cooking!
I’m looking to make this for a friend’s birthday. Would oat milk be okay in this too?
Yes, oat milk should be fine. Happy baking!
Delicious I wanted to ask, the lavender did not show through. Should I use more?
Amazing cake recipe thank you, I did 6 cupcakes and two 8inch cakes with this recipe. My husband and son ate 5 cupcakes lol.. they said it was fluffy and light. The lemon blueberry mix is delicious. . Thank you again ?
You are welcome! I’m so glad your family loved the recipe! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback!
Nora… this was too good. The only thing I did differently was add some of the jam to the frosting, which turned out great! Blueberry and lemon is my new favorite combo. I can’t wait to make it for more people!
Yum, you can’t go wrong with blueberry and lemon! Thanks so much for your amazing feedback!
Does this recipe also work for a pound cake?
This cake is lighter than a traditional pound cake. Instead, you could try adding blueberries to my vegan pound cake and top it with a lavender-infused glaze.
Words can’t describe how good this cake was, I was in awe for a few minutes after my first bite. I’ve never enjoyed a cake that wasn’t all chocolate this much, and everyone that tried it loved it.
We couldn’t really taste the lavender much, I’m not sure if the one I had just wasn’t strong enough, but either way it tasted perfect!
Thank you for sharing your fantastic feedback about the cake. How wonderful to hear you enjoyed it!
Hey Nora, I am planning to make this cake this weekend for my mom’s birthday! I haven’t always had the best experience using aquafaba so I wanted to clarify soem things! You specify: “Don’t mix it so much it forms soft peaks,” did you mean not to mix it to the point of soft peaks, or to mix to the point of soft peaks but not further? Also, usually I find that there is a bit of liquid left in my aquafaba after mixing. do you just pour the foamy part or everything into the cake? Do you ever use/recommend cream of tartar to help foam the aquafaba?
Also, is there an alternative such as flax egg that can be used in this cake, and if so, how much?
Thanks in advance! You wouldn’t even believe how much my family and I LOVE all of your recipes!
1. Don’t mix it to the point of soft peaks (it should still be light and foamy), 2. Use the full 1/2 cup of aquafaba (foam and liquid – cream of tartar is only needed when making meringue), and 3. I don’t recommend using flax eggs instead of aquafaba because the texture of the cake won’t be as light and fluffy. Check out my aquafaba guide for more tips!
Hi Nora,
I was wondering if I could use frozen blueberries instead of fresh ones for the cake?
Thanks,
You can, but they might dye the cake blue or purple. I would thaw them, then try to remove as much purple juice as possible by draining them and patting with paper towels. Hope that helps!
Hi Nora,
Not sure if I missed it somewhere but what is the proper way to store this cake after completing?
Thank you!
I store it on the counter for 2-3 days or keep it in the fridge, covered for up to 1 week. It can also be frozen if needed. Thanks!
Hi Nora! I’m making this last minute and can’t find lavender buds, could I just use lavender extract in the milk? Thanks!
I think that would work fine. Enjoy!
I note you reference Amazon for the lavendar (which is out of stock) – can I just use lavendar from my garden that I dry myself?
Bummer they are out right now. I’m sure there are other brands available. But I don’t see why you couldn’t use lavender from your garden. Depending on the kind it might not be as fragrant, but I’m not sure. Hope that helps!
Hi Nora! Do you think I could add your lemon curd as well as the frosting and jam between layers? Looking forward to making this tomorrow for my son-in-law’s birthday. Thanks!
Yes, absolutely! Hope you love it!
My daughter could not believe the layers of flavor in this cake! She lives far away and it is becoming a request whenever she visits. I will be making one today and the amazing chocolate cake for Father’s Day this weekend! Nora you’re amazing!
I’m so glad to hear that, and am happy she enjoyed it! Have a great weekend, thank you so much. 🙂
Amazing recipie. The lemon to blueberry flavor is perfect. I used oatmilk and it worked fine. Instead of simmering milk I just put dried lavender into a steeper and let it steep over night in my oatmilk. Turned out delicious I even put that milk into my ear grey tea in the morning 🙂 Also for the frosting I only used 1/2 C vegan butter and 1/2 C vegan cream cheese, and 1.5 C powdered sugar as I don’t like things too sweet. It turned out like a lemon icing and was so delicious. Also, don’t be like me and not split the batter to bake one cake to save time. It was very hard to cut it in half and move it to ice the middle because the cake is moist and flaky. Just bake two separate rounds. 🙂 Overall, this recipe is amazing.
Forgot to add that I didn’t have cake flour so made my own using 3C-2TBSP of regular flour and 2TBSP cornstarch. Sifted it twice and put it in the batter. Worked really well
Thanks, Diana! I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake.
You did it again Nora! Light, fluffy and delicious cake. I’d like to increase the lavender flavor slightly, do you think that seeping the lavender a bit longer would help? Or should I seek out the elusive lavender extract you mentioned?
Thanks Becca! I would look for lavender extract if you want extra lavender flavor, but letting the lavender steep longer may help as well. I’m glad you enjoyed the cake!
This is a lovely cake recipe. Thanks for sharing. Funny story, the lemon in my frosting, turned the purple food coloring blue! What a surprise. Not exactly as I pictured, but still beautiful and delicious.
Loved this cake! I made it for my birthday. The hint of lavender is such a nice touch in combo with the lemon and blueberry.
I used bobs red mill gluten free flour, for the gluten free option. It wasn’t as fluffy, but I expected that from the flour.
Overall, loved this recipe and I’ve sent it to three people who enjoyed my post on Instagram. Th ask for sharing! ???
I’m glad you loved the cake! Thank you for taking your time to share your review and comments – and happy birthday!
Love this combination. Can I use any store bought blueberry jam? . Any suggestions for a good brand ? Thank you
It’s so good! Yes, any decent brand. Trader Joe’s has one I like, but any will do.
I had to make this recipe as soon as I saw it! We made these as cupcakes and they came out great. I halved the recipe and it made 12 cupcakes. Made 1/4 of the icing.
The texture of the cake is PERFECT! So light and fluffy. With delicious lemon flavor ? I love lavender, so might make another version with lavender-infused frosting. Thanks Nora!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! A lavender infused frosting sounds lovely.
This was phenomenal. I made it for Mother’s Day and it was a huge hit with my non-vegan family.. I couldn’t find culinary lavender anywhere so I attempted a few substitutions (hibiscus turned the milk an odd shade of pink, lavender tea turned it too grey). Ended up steeping some jasmine tea bags in the milk. Also, made this as a Bundt cake with a lemon glaze. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for an amazing recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!
hello is there a substitute to the 1/2 cup aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas?
I haven’t tried it with anything else, so I’m not sure. Maybe another egg substitute.
This looks delicious! Few questions, can you use lemon juice instead of lemon extract? Also, are there others flours you can use instead of the cake flour, like AP?
You could but you will miss the lemon flavor, as extract is much stronger than juice. You could try all purpose flour, but the cake won’t be nearly as light and fluffy. It’s okay though if you need to.
The lavender/lemon/blueberry cake looks fabulous. What do I buy in the UK for cake flour please?
If you don’t have cake flour, you can take 1 cup of regular flour, take out 2 tablespoons and add 2 tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour.) Then you will basically have cake flour!
This cake is incredible!
I was looking to replicate a lemon/lavender/blueberry cake that I tried in cafe years ago and this is spot on – bar the frosting. I made a vegan cream cheese frosting instead, and also a simple blueberry compote to put between the layers. I made it for my vegan friend for her birthday and she was blown away, as were my non-vegan friends and my super critical partner. It has passed just about every test. Highly recommend and will definitely be making this again!
Your additions sound so delicious and perfect for this cake! I’m so glad you and your friends loved the cake, and thank you for sharing such wonderful feedback!