Best Gluten-Free Vegan Pound Cake
This is the best gluten-free vegan pound cake because of its super moist texture and rich, buttery, vanilla flavor. It is so easy to make this recipe with applesauce and it has no eggs, dairy, or butter. Every bite melts in your mouth! Add a simple lemon glaze on top to take the cake to the next level.
Equipment
- 1 9x5-inch Loaf Pan
- Parchment Paper for lining the pan
- 1 Medium Mixing Bowl
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Electric Mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups gluten-free 1:1 flour with xantham gum
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger can sub nutmeg or cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup vegan butter room temperature
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure butter extract can sub almond or vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce room temperature
- ⅓ cup unsweetened plant milk room temperature
Optional Toppings
- ¼ cup fresh strawberries or raspberries
- ¼ cup fresh blueberries or blackberries
- ¾ cup coconut whipped cream or other dairy-free whipped cream
- 2-3 tablespoons vegan powdered sugar for dusting
- ¼ cup lemon glaze see notes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper hanging over the edges (for easy cake removal later).
- In a medium-large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, ground ginger, baking powder, and salt until combined.1 ⅔ cups gluten-free 1:1 flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the vegan butter at medium-high speed. This should take 2-3 minutes to become light and fluffy. (Make sure to use room temperature butter, not too warm).¾ cup vegan butter
- Once fluffy, add the cane sugar, vanilla extract, and butter extract to the bowl. Mix on medium speed until fully incorporated and smooth.1 cup organic cane sugar, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon pure butter extract
- While mixing on medium speed, add the applesauce to the bowl and mix until fully incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix on low speed until just barely combined (it is okay to see a few flour specks left here). Add in the unsweetened plant milk and continue mixing on low speed until a smooth cake batter forms. Be careful not to over mix.⅓ cup unsweetened plant milk
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. Use a rubber spatula or spoon to spread the batter evenly throughout the pan and into the corners. You can give the pan a very gentle side-to-side shake to level the batter (but do not be aggressive or you will break the air bubbles in the cake).
- Bake the pound cake for 55-70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. The edges should be slightly golden brown and the center should be cooked through. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes after removing it from the oven so it sets up properly.
- Once the cake has cooled, use the edges of the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan. Use a knife to gently loosen the cake from the edges of the pan without parchment paper if necessary. Make sure the cake is completely cool before adding toppings (especially glaze or whipped cream).
- Top the cake with fresh berries, vegan powdered sugar, coconut whipped cream, lemon glaze, or enjoy plain. Slice and serve!¼ cup fresh strawberries, ¼ cup fresh blueberries, ¾ cup coconut whipped cream, ¼ cup lemon glaze, 2-3 tablespoons vegan powdered sugar
Notes
Storing & Freezing: Store leftover slices of pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. To freeze pound cake, wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 30 days. Allow for thawing before serving again.
Loaf Pan Preparation: Make sure you line your loaf pan with parchment paper hanging over the edges. This is easier than greasing the pan with spray or oil and allows you to lift the cake out of the pan without it sticking.
Easy Lemon Glaze: To make a lemon glaze for the pound cake, stir together ½ cup vegan powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Drizzle it over the cake after it is completely cool. This will make a lightly glazed cake, but you can make more for a thicker coat of icing.
Replacing Flour: I have not tested the pound cake with any other flour. I have only used gluten-free 1:1 flour for the recipe. If you are not gluten-free, you can substitute normal all-purpose flour. I DO NOT recommend using almond flour or coconut flour. I cannot say if oat flour would work or not. Please let me know if you try it.
Replacing Sugar: You can use coconut sugar instead of vegan cane sugar, but the cake will have a brown sugar taste instead of the classic vanilla taste. It will also make the pound cake a deep brown color, so I do not recommend this swap.
Replacing Applesauce: Applesauce is necessary for binding eggless pound cake and providing moisture. If absolutely necessary, you can try using mashed banana or dairy-free yogurt instead, but I have not tested this and cannot guarantee results.
Replacing Butter: Vegan butter is what gives the cake its rich, buttery vanilla flavor while keeping the cake recipe dairy-free. You can try replacing vegan butter with solid coconut oil (just slightly softened), but I have not tested this and cannot guarantee results. The cake will not have such a strong butter flavor if you make this change.
Sunken Middle: It is natural for dense pound cakes to sink slightly in the center. If it sinks too much, it may not have baked long enough.
Please see the full blog post for more detailed tips and advice for making the pound cake.