Lemon Pistachio Mousse Cake (Vegan Gluten-Free)
Light, fluffy and perfectly moist, this Lemon Pistachio Mousse Cake is swirled with smooth pistachio butter, topped with crumbled pistachios and a whipped lemon coconut cream. It’s naturally plant-based, easily gluten-free and delicious.
This summery cake brings a smile to your face as it’s so light, moist and lemony. The sponge is packed with ground pistachios for flavour and colour as well as swirls of pistachio butter and more pistachios on top. Then add on clouds of whipped coconut cream “mousse” with added lemon and even more pistachio for good measure. The combination is simple heavenly and everyone is going to love this fresh and fruity cake.
Why will I love this cake?
This cake is amazing:
- Moist, tender and fluffy
- Spongey, soft and fruity
- Nutty, creamy and bouncy
- Packed with real lemon zest and juice
- Loaded with pistachio butter and ground pistachios throughout
- Topped with whipped coconut cream mousse
- Ideal for summer (or all year long)
- Naturally plant-based, egg-free and dairy-free
- Easily gluten-free
- Contains no “egg replacer” ingredients
- Comes together in one bowl
- Bakes in 40 minutes
- Ideal for parties, gatherings and afternoon tea
- Everyone will love it
- Perfect for birthdays, too
- A real showstopper
If you already love this cake, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card below and see my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the cake sponge:
- Coconut evaporated milk: this is from Natures Charm and makes for the softest, moistest sponge as it’s thicker and creamier than regular milk. You can also swap for the oat evaporated milk or use all plant-based milk as below.
- Plant-based milk: use your preferred dairy-free milk like oat, almond, soya or coconut (from the carton).
- Lemon: for zest and zing.
- Light brown and caster sugar: together these sugars are great as the brown sugar is richer in colour and flavour but heavier, and the caster sugar is lighter and has a sweeter taste.
- Thick dairy-free yoghurt: I use Cocos Organic coconut yoghurt or NUSH original yoghurt here. They both add moisture and softness to the sponge and act as a natural egg replacer.
- Light olive oil: to add moisture to the cake. You can also use sunflower oil, too.
- Vanilla extract: for flavour.
- Self-raising flour: or use a GF SF blend with xanthan gum (or add ½ tsp of your own).
- Ground pistachios: this adds a lovely nutty texture inside and on top of the cake.
- Raising agents: for the rise.
- Salt: for flavour.
- Pistachio butter: add spoons of this to the batter before baking and then swirl through so that each slice of cake has some pistachio butter. You can either use 100% pistachio butter or a sweetened pistachio paste here.
As for the frosting and filling:
- Whipped coconut cream: I use the coconut whipping cream from Natures Charm which whips up so well and creates a lovely mousse texture.
- Lemon
- Pistachio butter
- Chopped pistachios
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
This cake is easily gluten-free, as long as you use a GF flour with xanthan gum (or add ½ tsp of your own). This cake is not free, try my other cakes here!
How do I make this?
This cake comes together in a few steps:
- Combine the plant-based milk and lemon juice: and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients: until combined.
- Sift in the dry ingredients: and whisk again until thick and smooth.
- Pour into a lined and greased round cake tin: an smooth over the top.
- Drop spoonfuls of pistachio butter: and swirl through.
- Sprinkle over some crushed pistachios: and pat down.
- Bake until golden, springy to touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean: about 40 minutes.
- Allow to cool fully: first in the tin and then on a wire rack.
- Whip up the cream in a stand mixer with lemon zest: and spread over the cake.
- Swirl on more pistachio butter: and add some pistachios.
How long will it last?
This cake will keep for 2-4 days in a sealed container in the fridge.
What other recipes can I try?
For more cakes to try:
- Orange and Almond Loaf Cake
- Chocolate Cherry Fudge Cake
- Carrot Orange and Walnut Cake
- Apple Caramel Crumble Cake
- Mango Turmeric Cake
Lemon Pistachio Mousse Cake (Vegan GF-Option)
Light, fluffy and perfectly moist, this Lemon Pistachio Mousse Cake is swirled with smooth pistachio butter, topped with crumbled pistachios and a whipped lemon coconut cream. It’s naturally plant-based, easily gluten-free and delicious.
Ingredients
WET Ingredients for the Cake Sponge:
- 120ml Natures Charm Coconut Evaporated Milk
- 120ml plant-based milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 50g light brown sugar
- 50g caster sugar
- 1 lemon, zested
- 80g thick dairy-free yoghurt
- 80ml light olive oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
DRY Ingredients for the Cake Sponge:
- 250g self-raising flour, or GF self-raising flour*
- 60g ground pistachios, divided
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- A pinch of salt
- 2 heaped tbsp pistachio butter
For the Frosting:
- 1 x 400ml tin Natures Charm Coconut Whipping Cream, chilled
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1-2 tbsp pistachio butter
- 1 tbsp chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC and line an 8-inch/20-cm round tin with parchment paper.
- Combine the plant-based milk and lemon juice and leave to one side to curdle for 5 minutes.
- Into a large mixing bowl, add both sugars with the lemon zest and rub with your fingers. Now add in the milk-lemon mix, the coconut evaporated milk, yoghurt, olive oil and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
- Sift in the flour and add 50g ground pistachios, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and whisk until you reach a smooth batter with no specks of flour.
- Pour the cake batter into the tin and smooth over the top. Spoon over the pistachio butter and lightly swirl through. Sprinkle over the remaining 10g ground pistachios.
- Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, until well-risen, golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean. You can cover the cake with tin foil for the final 10 minutes if needed.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes and then carefully remove to cool on a wire rack.
- To decorate the cake, add the chilled coconut whipping cream to the bowl of a freestanding mixer (or use a handheld one) and add most of the lemon zest. Beat for 2-3 minutes until really fluffy.
- Place the cake on a serving plate and spread over the whipped coconut cream.
- Add on some pistachio butter and swirl through. Sprinkle over the crushed pistachios and some remaining lemon zest.
- Slice and enjoy straight away or keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-4 days, best enjoyed at room temperature. You can freeze the cake without the whipped cream topping for 1 month, wrapped well. Allow to defrost before decorating.
Notes
*if using gluten-free flour, use a blend that contains xanthan gum or add ½ tsp of your own.
Shop the recipe
Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Lemon Pistachio Mousse Cake so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make this loaf, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With pistachio lemon love x
p.s. this recipe was first made with Natures Charm who I love. This blog post is not sponsored and all opinions are my own.
Skip to Recipe