This vegan and gluten free lemon elderflower layer cake is royally delicious! Bright lemon cake surrounded by smooth and sweet elderflower frosting.
recipe originally published May 6, 2018
Table of Contents
- What Is Elderflower?
- How To Make A Layer Cake
- Tips For The Best Layer Cake
- Storing Unfrosted Layer Cake
- Storing Frosted Layer Cake
- How To Make Lemon Elderflower Layer Cake
- Vegan Cake Recipes
- Vegan Lemon Recipes
- Lemon Elderflower Cake Recipe
Lemon Elderflower Cake
A Lemon Elderflower Layer Cake was the Royal wedding cake of Duke and Duchess Sussex.
Veering from tradition, spring inspired flavors were the focus of the cake served at their Windsor Castle reception. As soon as I first heard that Prince Harry and Meghan chose to forgo the traditional fruit cake for this bright floral flavor?
I grabbed my favorite elderflower cordial and made one myself.
Lemon Elderflower Layer Cake
This vegan Lemon Elderflower Cake is brunch perfect. It works for Mother’s Day, girls night in, summer birthday celebrations, and every warm weather brunch I host from now until infinity.
You might recall that William and Kate’s 2011 Royal Wedding celebrations included a groom's cake. It was the Queen's favorite Chocolate Biscuit Cake, served alongside their multi layered wedding cake.
How To Make Lemon Elderflower Cake
For this recipe, we used Elderflower Cordial for the flavoring.
While the elderflower flavor was mainly used in the mousse frosting, we did infuse the flavor into the cake by brushing each cooled lemon cake layer with the cordial.
For this vegan gluten free lemon elderflower cake recipe, I intended the texture to be more dense, something substantial enough to stand as a solid layer cake. The cake has a good crumb, and is closer to a pound cake than a light sponge. Not quite a pound cake, but close.
If you prefer a light sponge, see our other Lemon Cake recipe.
Continue reading for tips on making a layer cake, and using different size cake pans.
What is Elderflower?
Floral and fruity without being perfume-y, Elderflower has been the sweetheart flavor of cocktails for a while. From a small white flower of the elderberry bush, Elderflower is generally found in the form of a cordial or syrup.
Elderflower cordial is easy to find! Many stores carry it, and is available to order online.
How To Make A Layer Cake
This vegan gluten free Lemon Elderflower Layer Cake has been made several times, in different sizes:
- a small but tall (6 inch round), 4 layer cake
- a larger, shorter (9 inch round) 2 layer cake
Tips For the Best layer Cake:
- Measure the same amount of cake batter into each cake pan, ensuring uniform layers
- Cool layers completely before trimming or frosting
- Carefully trim each layer for a flat top, using a serrated knife
- Use an offset spatula to fill each layer, evenly spreading frosting
- Allow frosting to go past the edge of each layer - this will incorporate into the final outer frosting
Storing Unfrosted Layer Cake
The layers of cake can be made ahead of time:
- Wrap each unfrosted layer of cake in plastic wrap - carefully, completely, and separately.
- Stack the tightly wrapped layers and wrap them all together in another piece of plastic wrap.
- Store at room temperature or in refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Storing longer than 2-3 days? Place the above wrapped cakes in a freezer safe ziplock / container and freeze.
Storing Frosted Layer Cake
- A frosted layer cake will keep 3-4 days. Store in refrigerator, loosely covered in plastic wrap. Tip: poke toothpicks around outer edge of cake, to keep plastic wrap from touching frosting.
- If there is fresh fruit or curd, enjoy the cake within 2 days, tops.
Vegan Cake Recipes
- Brownie Bottomed Cheesecake
- Blueberry Breakfast Cake
- Chocolate Biscuit Cake
- Chocolate Mousse Layer Cake
- Lemon Cardamom Cake Stacks
Vegan Lemon Recipes
- Lemon Piccata Potato Salad
- Bright Lemon Smoothie
- Lemon Poblano Mac and Cheese
- Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Cookies
- Lemon Poppyseed Waffles
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Royally Delicious! this vegan and gluten free cake has bright and light flavors surrounded by smooth and sweet elderflower frosting. cake is dairy, egg, and gluten free, vegan *Alternatively: if not gluten free, you can use an (accidentally vegan - check the ingredients) boxed cake mix + 12 ounces of lemon lime soda - that is it! no other ingredients! (optional add of lemon oil if you use vanilla / white cake) this gives you Super Fluffy Cake!) As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. nutrition calculations results vary by calculator, are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.Lemon Elderflower Cake
Ingredients
(make ahead) 1 batch Elderflower Mousse:
Cake:
Instructions
MOUSSE:
CAKE:
Notes
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 281Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 83mgCarbohydrates: 21gNet Carbohydrates: 17gFiber: 4gSugar: 22gProtein: 6g
about Kristina:
Kristina is spabettie! She found cooking at an early age, and created spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes. Kristina turned her culinary training into sharing vibrant vegan food! Read more...
spabettie / Kristina Sloggett is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Carol K says
I made this Lemon Elderflower cake for my vegan daughter's birthday. The flavor is exquisite. The texture is more dense than conventional cake, more almond torte like. 2 8" rounds made a 1" tall frosted cake. It is even better on successive days. The frosting holds up very well for the long haul. Thank you for this brilliant celebratory treat!
Kristina Sloggett says
oh Carol THANK YOU. I am so SO happy you chose this cake for your daughter's birthday celebration, and that you all loved it as much as we do! this message just made my day, and makes me want to have this cake again, ha! cheers!
Rachel says
looks so beautiful and subtle. I love Elderflower and citrus, this is a must-try!
Jenna says
I made this for mothers day, and will make it again this afternoon!! big wedding party late tonight (viewing party) and I will have this cake and your biscuit cake too. when I made it the first time, I used a sheet pan and then cut in half for a tall square. (I haven't made a layer cake before, I hope today's effort looks half as good as yours!) thank you for contributing to the fun of our weekend 🙂
Kristina Sloggett says
SO HAPPY you liked it enough to make twice, Jenna!! YAY! the fact that this was part of both celebrations? you really did make my day. thank YOU.
Rickee says
SO beautiful and subtle. I tried this out last weekend for my mom and day and they loved it. Although it didn;t look as divine as yours, the taste was still something out of the world. Now I am going to check what went wrong with the looks and prepare it again when they come back to stay with me for a month. And I;m going to check out more of your blog when they do. Excited!!!!
Amanda says
This cake is absolutely beautiful! I love the combo of the lemon peel with the flowers. It is as perfect as the light floral and tart lemony combination for the cake.
Leslie says
This cake is so beautiful! I've not had elderflower cordial, but it sounds delicious. I'll have to try this recipe for the next brunch I attend.
Kristina Sloggett says
it is a subtle floral flavor, so SO good.
Andrea says
my mom would love this, i should make this for her when i go visit her later on this month. i wont be with her for mothers day but i am sure she will love this.
Kristina Sloggett says
the frosting especially is really what makes this cake! we LOVED it. 😀