This Vegan Vanilla Loaf Cake is absolutely delicious and perfect for any occasion! Make this easy cake on birthdays, for parties, or just for a special treat. This is an easy vegan recipe that everyone in your home will love!
My very favorite birthday cake recipe is this Vanilla Loaf Cake! You can make this vegan loaf cake to fit your needs by using gluten-free ingredients as well. This is an egg-free cake recipe that is super easy to whip up and SO delicious!
Ingredients Needed
For a delicious vegan vanilla loaf cake, you will need some pantry staples and easy to find ingredients! Follow recipe ingredients and tips for a gluten-free cake, if desired. Here's what you'll need:
- Plant-Based Milk: To make a vegan cake, use your favorite unsweetened plant-based milk. I always prefer almond or oat milk. You can also use dairy-based milk if you prefer.
- Vegan Butter: Melted butter is used in this cake. You can use melted vegan butter to keep it all vegan!
- Cane Sugar: I like using cane sugar to make this cake a sweet treat!
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Baking soda and baking powder help the vanilla loaf to rise in the oven.
- Vanilla: It wouldn't be a vegan vanilla loaf without the vanilla!
- Flour: You can use regular all purpose flour here. If you need a gluten-free loaf cake, I recommend using King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten Free flour.
- Rainbow Sprinkles: I like adding some sprinkles to the batter for some funfetti action! You can omit this if preferred.
- Vanilla Icing: Powdered sugar, softened vegan butter, almond milk (or your preferred plant-based milk), and vanilla is all you need for a homemade vegan vanilla icing!
- Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting: If you prefer a cream cheese frosting, combine powdered sugar, vegan cream cheese and vegan softened butter!
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, mix the almond or oat milk, melted butter, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Then, mix in the flour. Option to add 2 tablespoons of sprinkles to the batter or wait and add them to the top of the frosting. Pour the batter into a 9 inch loaf pan or 8 inch round pan.
Step 3: Bake for about 45 minutes or until the cake is golden if baking in a loaf form. If baking in a round pan, you will want to bake the cake for less time. I recommend starting with 30 minutes and adding more time if needed.
Step 4: While the cake is baking, use an electric hand mixer to mix together the icing ingredients. Spread it over the loaf while it's warm OR allow the cake to cool and the spread the icing. Either way, it will be delicious! Top with sprinkles and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Prepare the pans! Spray the cake pan or loaf pan well with non stick cooking spray and line with parchment paper to ensure that the cake doesn't stick!
- Don't over mix the batter! As with any cake recipe, this vegan vanilla cake is best if you don't over mix the batter. Over mixing can cause a dense and tough cake!
- If you pour the icing over a warm vanilla cake, the icing will be slightly runny which I personally love. If you want the icing to stay in place, wait for the cake to cool and the spread the icing on top. Top with sprinkles for a festive vegan vanilla cake!
Frequently Asked Questions
This cake can be placed in an airtight container and stored at room temperature for up to 4-5 days.
Definitely! You can store an unfrosted cake in the freezer by wrapping it in plastic wrap and then placing it into an airtight container like a freezer bag and freezing it for up to 2-3 months. To thaw, let it sit in the fridge overnight and prepare your frosting on the day that you are ready to serve it.
To ensure that the loaf cake is done baking, you can stick a toothpick or wooden skewer into the middle and see if it comes out clean. It should come out with a few moist crumbs, and the toothpick should not look like it has wet batter on it.
More Cake Recipes to Try
Vanilla Loaf Cake
Ingredients
Vegan Birthday Cake with Sprinkles
- 1 cup unsweetened oat or almond milk
- ⅓ cup melted vegan butter
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cup regular or gluten free all purpose flour If gluten-free, I recommend King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten-free flour. Please don't substitute any other flour such as almond flour, baking flour, etc.
- 2 tablespoon vegan rainbow sprinkles
Vanilla Icing Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon softened vegan butter
- 1 tablespoon almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 oz vegan cream cheese
- 2 tablespoon softened vegan butter
Instructions
Vegan Birthday Cake with Sprinkles
- Preheat oven to 375
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the almond or oat milk, melted butter, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Then, mix in the flour. Option to add 2 tablespoon of sprinkles to the batter (funfetti style) or wait and add them on top of the frosting. Pour the batter into a 9 inch loaf pan or 8 inch round pan.
- Bake for about 45 minutes or until the cake is golden if baking in a loaf form. If baking in a round pan, you will want to bake the cake for less time. I recommend starting with 30 minutes and adding on more time if needed.
- While the cake is baking, use an electric hand mixer to mix together the icing ingredients. Spread it over the loaf while it's warm OR allow the loaf to cool and then spread the icing. Either way... it's delicious! Top with sprinkles and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Spray the cake pan or loaf pan well with non stick cooking spray and line with parchment paper to ensure that the cake doesn't stick!
- Nutrition information is calculated with Vegan Vanilla Icing, not Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting.
Nutrition
The recipes on Peanut Butter and Jilly can easily be adapted to fit a vegan lifestyle, a gluten-free lifestyle, or both depending on the ingredients you use. Please review the ingredients lists carefully and refer to our recommendations in the Notes of the recipe card to make this recipe compatible with your needs. Nutrition information provided is an estimate, and will vary based on specific brands of ingredients used and cooking methods.
celia says
Just made this with my 4 yr old. Super easy and very tasty! Didnt have butter on hand so I used coconut oil in the cake, and just left it out of the frosting. It was perfect!
JillianGlenn says
Thanks for your comment, Celia! I'm glad your swaps worked out well! Thanks for trying the recipe!
Brittany says
Do I still need to add xanthum gum if I am making it a gluten free cake?
Jillian Glenn says
Not needed. You just need to follow the recipe as instructed 🙂
Nicolette says
do I need to keep the cake/ frosting refrigerated if I am serving the next day? Thank you!
Jillian says
Hi Nicolette! The fridge tends to dry out baked goods so I would recommend leaving this on the countertop in an airtight container. I usually wait to frost it until just before serving but since the frosting doesn't have dairy - it will be fine left at room temp.
Michelle says
I have tried this recipe in a 6 inch round cake pan a few times.. It either comes out not done in the middle or over done. What temp and time would you recommend?
Jillian Glenn says
Hi! I'm so sorry! I have the temp and time listed in the recipe! What sort of flour are you using? Generally when it's not cooking in the middle it's because the flour used isn't one of the ones I have recommended in my recipe notes. I recommend using either regular or gluten-free all purpose flour. Gluten-free baking flour, almond four, or oat flour will not produce the correct results.