This simple vegan blueberry cake is bursting with blueberry goodness! It’s so easy to make in 1 bowl and comes out perfectly fluffy and moist every time.
This light and fluffy Vegan Blueberry Cake is the ultimate snack cake for blueberry lovers. It easily comes together in one bowl, bakes in 1 hour, and has refreshing bursts of blueberries in every bite! You can also use raspberries, strawberries or blackberries in place of the blueberries.
One-layer snack cakes are the answer when you need a dessert that isn’t quite as much work as a layered Vegan Lemon Cake or Vegan Funfetti Cake, and this vegan blueberry cake is no exception.
It’s a wonderful and low-maintenance treat to serve for brunch, summer parties, and dessert. Treat yourself to a slice whenever you want to indulge in the light, fluffy, and blueberry goodness!
Ingredients needed (with substitutions)
- All purpose flour – I haven’t tested this recipe with anything other than all purpose flour, but white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour will work, though the flavor and texture will be different. If you’re gluten free, use high-quality all purpose gluten free flour.
- Sugar – Any kind of granulated sugar will do. Coconut sugar would work but the cake will be darker in color.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Vegan butter – Or you can also use a neutral flavored oil, like canola oil.
- Plant milk – Any kind of unsweetened dairy free milk will work.
- Lemon zest and juice – Lemon and blueberries go hand in hand. I love pairing them up in quick breads, pie bars, cakes, and more! You can leave this out if needed, but i love the subtle lemon flavor.
- Vanilla extract
- Blueberries – If you can, make this cake with fresh blueberries. In North America, blueberries are at their best from April to September. This is the time to keep your eyes out for plump and juicy berries in grocery stores or at farmer’s markets! Sub another fruit if you’d like.
- Powdered sugar – To decorate the baked cake. Keep scrolling for more decoration ideas!
How to make vegan blueberry cake
Find the complete printable recipe with measurements below in the recipe card.
Whisk the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Next, pour the melted vegan butter, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla into the bowl with the dry mix. Gently stir until everything just comes together.
Fold half of the blueberries into the batter with a spatula or large spoon.
Pour the batter into a prepared cake pan and scatter the rest of the blueberries on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Set the cake aside to cool before dusting the top with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Decorating ideas
This simple cake doesn’t need much in terms of decorations. A light dusting of powdered sugar is all you need to make the presentation pop while leaving the blueberries on display!
But if you do want to take the presentation up a notch, you can make the lemon and vanilla glaze from this Lemon Blueberry Loaf. This cake would also be good with vegan cream cheese frosting or served with vegan whipped cream or coconut whip and more fresh berries.
Variations
- Instead of blueberries – Use blackberries, raspberries, or chopped strawberries. It’s a simple cake recipe that adjusts well to different add-ins.
- Gluten free – Use high-quality gluten free flour instead of all purpose flour. I like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill brand. Almond flour will NOT work here.
- Oil free – Use the same amount of applesauce or vegan yogurt in place of the oil.
Frequently asked questions
While I prefer to make this cake with fresh blueberries, frozen blueberries do work in a pinch. There’s no need to thaw the berries ahead of time or roll them in flour before adding them to the batter. Just know that the cake may need to bake for 5 to 7 minutes longer.
Yes, this recipe makes enough batter for one 9-inch cake pan, one 8-inch square pan or two standard loaf pans.
Simply double the recipe and bake the batter in two 9-inch cake pans instead. Layer the cake with cream cheese frosting and blueberry jam or vegan lemon curd in the middle. Yum!
After it’s baked and cooled, you can store the blueberry cake or individual slices in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. It should last for up to 5 days in the fridge.
It also freezes well! Wrap the cake or slices in a layer of plastic or store them in a freezer-safe airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Want more easy vegan snack cakes?
Vegan Blueberry Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup melted vegan butter or oil
- 3/4 cup soy milk or other milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
- powdered sugar, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8-inch round pan. I also like to place a round of parchment paper on the bottom for easy removal.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk well.
- Now add the melted vegan butter, milk, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla to the dry ingredients. Stir with a large spoon until just combined, being careful not to over mix.
- Add half of the blueberries to the batter and gently fold them in.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Scatter the other half of the blueberries all over the top, pressing some of them into the batter just a little bit.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean with no wet batter on it.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a cooling rack (you can also just leave it in the pan and serve from there if you don't want the hassle of moving it).
- Right before you're ready to serve the cake, dust it with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Want a frosting or glaze? You can make the glaze from this Lemon Blueberry Loaf, if you want. You could also frost it with vegan cream cheese frosting. The cake would also be good served with more fresh berries and vegan whipped cream or coconut whip.
- This simple cake can also be made with raspberries, blackberries and perhaps even strawberries.
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To make it gluten free, sub a high quality gluten free flour. Do NOT use almond flour.
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For oil free, sub applesauce or vegan yogurt for the oil.
what is the consistency of the batter supposed to be like? Mine ended up coming together in a ball, and it was more of a “plop” into the cake pan than a “pour”- still turned out very yummy though! And like some others suggested, only used half the sugar and found it plenty sweet.
This cake is FANTASTIC!! It’s blueberry season so I have a fridge full of them. I served it to my (vegan) husband and his (non-vegan) friend and they both loved it so much they had two pieces! It is just the right level of sweetness, just the right amount of lemon and the texture is truly divine!! Wow!!! Thanks for sharing this recipe with us Nora! I will be putting this on repeat for sure!
Hi Michelle. Your cake sounds so delicious! I am thrilled that everyone loved the cake! I’m so excited about all the delicious blueberries that are in season right now! Thank you for sharing your glowing review and feedback! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
delicious and easy – I even reduced the sugar a bit and leave out the powdered sugar and it was fabulous! thanks
You bet, Tanya! Thanks for sharing your glowing review and feedback!
I need around 25 slices of cake , shall I x 2 the ratio ?
Hi Nora ,
From your experience what’s the best vegan milk , used in vegan cakes ?
I’ve been told Kara coconut cream , but wouldn’t it be rich in flavour ?
Oh no, I would not use coconut cream, it’s very rich and could weigh down a cake and make it TOO rich. I prefer unsweetened soy milk personally, but almond or oat milk do work.
Thanks for letting me know , I will use unsweetened soy milk .
I have way too many blueberries and have been looking for ways to use them up. I was feeling lazy, and this recipe seemed nice and quick. I had this in the oven in less than 10 minutes and it’s fantastic. Super fast, easy, great for a quick dessert, thank you for another amazing recipe!!
You are so welcome! I love easy and delicious! I’m so glad you love the cake and had a great recipe experience! Thanks for taking time to share your terrific review and feedback! Happy cooking!
This came out really moist and yummy. I had a lot of compliments. I reduced the sugar by a 1/4 cup and used olive oil. Simple and delicious .
This came out really moist and yummy. I had a lot of compliments. I reduced the sugar by a 1/4 cup and used olive oil. Simple and delicious .
Thank you for your glowing review and feedback! I’m thrilled you loved the cake! Happy cooking!
I make this cake all the time and it’s fabulous! It’s so easy! I’m going to try it as a layer cake in two 9 inch pans as suggested. Would I still bake it for the 60 minutes? Thank you.
That’s great, I’m so glad you’re enjoying it! Are you going to double the recipe? If you double it, then yes around 60 minutes, maybe a little less since you are using 9 inch pans. If you are looking for thinner layers and do not double it, then it will need much less time in the oven, I would check it after 25 minutes or so.
I just tried this today for my husband’s birthday! Our mixer broke and so did our blender lol so I was looking for something that wouldn’t need a frosting and this was just perfect. My god! So fluffy, so easy to make and so delicious! I swapped the blueberries for fresh, chopped strawberry and it’s just heavenly! 10/10 would absolutely make it again!
Hi Mari. Happy birthday to your husband! I love the idea of swapping blueberries for strawberries! I’m thrilled the cake was a hit! Thanks for your stellar review and feedback!