Gluten-Free Lemon Cake – This bright, tangy gluten free lemon cake recipe is like eating a bite of sunshine. Gluten free, dairy-free, and absolutely delicious.
PS – Looking for a paleo/naturally sweetened lemon cake? Try this Almond Flour Lemon Cake!
Once upon a time when Michael and I were newlyweds living in a 400 square foot apartment, we decided to host my siblings for our very first Easter together. Our apartment was less “modern IKEA/cute tiny house” and more “tiny-basement-hovel.” For seating, we had a single loveseat and about four folding chairs, so obviously we had all the essentials covered. (cough)
I decided that, since nothing feels more like spring to me than a bright pop of lemon, I’d make a lemon coconut cake. I used one of Ina Garten’s recipes and, through no fault of Ina’s (love you, Ina!), the cake was a disaster. About half of it ended up stuck in the bundt pan, but everyone was arriving in just a few minutes, so I thought I’d just try to cover the damage with a bit of shredded coconut.
It made things worse. Just…SO. MUCH. WORSE.
Thankfully, we were able to laugh about it, and I sort of closed my eyes while I ate it, and it all turned out fine.
We have–blessedly–come a long way since those days, but lemon cake is still my favorite spring dessert and always comes to mind when Easter rolls around. It’s like taking a bite of sunshine. This gluten free lemon cake has just the right amount of lemony punch. The secret is that the lemon comes in three phases…
What Makes This Gluten Free Lemon Cake So Great:
- IT’S PERFECT FOR CELEBRATING! First off, I always feel like I need to include a disclaimer when I post a recipe that isn’t vegetables, so consider yourself disclaimed 😉 Yes, this is a cake. Yes, it has actual sugar. Yes, it has icing made from more sugar. And YES, it’s SUPER delicious. We LOVE this cake for birthdays, Easter, baby showers and more, and I don’t feel one tiny bit guilty or bad about it. (I hope you don’t either!)
- THERE’S A TRIPLE DOSE OF LEMON! You get lemony goodness from the cake itself (with lemon zest + lemon juice), then a second dose from the lemon-honey glaze you brush over the still-warm cake. Finally, you get a third dose from the white lemon icing you drizzle on top. It’s lemon in every bite. Yum!
- IT’S GLUTEN, DAIRY, AND NUT FREE. Last year, after I posted my paleo lemon cake, lots of you asked for a version with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or white flour. This is it! I use a gluten free one to one baking mix, which keeps things easy (and gluten free!). Then, you can use non-dairy milk to fit your needs (nut free or not). I usually use unsweetened vanilla almond or cashew milk, but you can use whatever you drink–coconut, soy, oat, rice, or dairy milk if that’s your jam!
- IT’S SUPER LIGHT AND FLUFFY. Adding lemon juice to make a lemony faux buttermilk, and using a nice, light gluten free flour blend gives this cake a light, fluffy texture. The two gluten free flour blends I like best for cakes are Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour and King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure. They’re a cup-for-cup substitute for white flour in recipes like this, and they have the perfect combination of gluten free flours and starches to give a light, fluffy result super close to traditional flour.
Cake Baking Tips for Baking Gluten-Free Lemon Cake:
BE MINDFUL OF THE PANS YOU CHOOSE. I bake my gluten-free lemon cake in 9-inch round cake pans. You can use an 8×8″ pan if you don’t have a round cake pan, but you may want to check it a few minutes early, as it may cook faster. Also: darker pans cook darker and faster than lighter pans. I use these lighter cake pans and love that I get gorgeous caramelization without any burning.
KEEP YOUR CAKE FROM STICKING TO THE PAN: Grease your pan and line it with parchment. It might seem silly, but I do both. I spray my cake pans with avocado oil spray (or coconut oil spray), or you can grease them with butter, vegan butter, coconut oil, or avocado oil. Make sure to pay attention to the sides, and get the bottom. Second, trace the bottom of your cake pan on a piece of parchment paper and cut out a circle of parchment. Then, place it on the bottom of the pan, and it’ll help the cake lift right up after baking.
LET THE CAKE REST IN THE PAN BEFORE TURNING IT OUT. Give the cake about 10 minutes in the pan to cool a bit before you turn it out. This will allow the edges of the cake to slowly release from the pan a bit as the cake cools. (Cakes shrink slightly as they cool and steam inside evaporates.) It’ll also be less fragile and more likely to hold its shape when you turn it out of the pan.
HOW TO TURN OUT YOUR CAKES. This always feels like the highest stakes moment of the cake baking process! If you’re nervous about getting your cake out of the pan successfully, I recommend watching this tutorial which walks you through 2 of the most common methods. I’ve done both with good results. Also: try not to hesitate–it’ll help!
MAKE AHEAD TIPS. If you’ll be eating the lemon cake within a day, I recommend making the entire thing–bake the cake, brush with syrup, then glaze–and refrigerating it covered overnight. If you’re making it more than 1 day ahead, I recommend baking it, brushing with the lemon-honey syrup, and letting it cool completely before wrapping it and freezing. Thaw it in the fridge for a few hours before glazing and serving.
How To Decorate Your Gluten-Free Lemon Cake:
There are LOTS of ways you can garnish this pretty gluten-free cake. First, you can simply use the lemon glaze as your decoration. It’s gorgeous and thick, and the drip line around the edge of the cake is stunning on its own. Beyond that, you can try…
- Fresh berries – I use strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. You can use one or a mix, just be sure that they’re washed and dried. If they’re still wet, they’ll slip off your cake or make the icing go runny.
- Candied lemon slices – Candied lemon slices work better than fresh since fresh lemon slices tend to be too wet. (The lemon juice cuts through the icing and can make for soggy cake). You can buy pre-candied lemon at Trader Joe’s, or you can make your own.
- Edible flowers – Fresh flowers look BEAUTIFUL with gluten free lemon cake. The only caveat is to make sure they’re edible. Check by the fresh herbs at your grocery store–sometimes they sell them in small packages near other fresh herbs. Otherwise, you can choose something like chamomile (pictured here)
FAQ + Substitutions For This Gluten-Free Lemon Cake Recipe:
Can I use a different kind of sugar? I haven’t tested this with liquid sweeteners, like honey or maple syrup, since other ingredient amounts would need to be adjusted. If that’s what you’re looking for, I suggest my paleo lemon cake, which is naturally sweetened. As for other powdered sweeteners, like erythritol/Swerve, I haven’t tried them before. I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!
Can I make it into gluten free lemon cupcakes? Yes! I’ve got all the instructions in this Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcake post, along with a lemon frosting that’s delicious! And they’re SO PRETTY!
Can this be turned into a layer cake? I think so! I haven’t done it myself, but other readers have in years past with great results. You can halve it lengthwise after it’s baked (trickier), or divide the batter in half and bake in two pans (it’ll cook faster!). Then, you’ll frost it with your favorite frosting (rather than glaze it). You can try my lemon buttercream frosting if you like! You could also use a lemon curd filling between layers, if you like!
Can I make it vegan? I haven’t tried it without eggs, but if you’re going to try it, I’d recommend starting with a powdered egg substitute, like Ener-G or Bob’s Red Mill. In recipes like this, a chia or flax egg can sometimes be a bit dense or add grit to your cake (which isn’t what we’re going for).
More Gluten-Free Baking & Treats To Try:
- Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes With Lemon Frosting
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake – Texanerin (Fudgy & Gorgeous!)
- Rainbow Fruit Salad with Citrus Mint Dressing
- Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza Cookies (With Lemon Sugar Cookie Base!) – Sweets & Thank You
- Almond Flour Lemon Cake
- Chocolate Berry Tart
Gluten Free Lemon Cake
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 1 (9-inch) cake 1x
Description
This bright, tangy gluten free lemon cake recipe is like eating a bite of sunshine. Gluten free, dairy free, and absolutely delicious.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Cake:
- 1/2 cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
- 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 cup sugar (I used organic cane sugar)
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons’ worth)
- 1/2 cup avocado oil (can sub melted coconut oil, butter or vegan butter)
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour baking blend (like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Lemon-Honey syrup:
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 2 Tablespoon lemon juice
For the Lemon Glaze:
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons milk (I use almond milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (I measure, then sift)
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9″ cake pan with spray oil and line the bottom with a parchment paper circle*
- In a liquid measuring cup (or a small bowl), combine lemon juice and milk. Let sit for about 5 minutes.
- While the lemon juice and milk is sitting, rub lemon zest into the sugar in a large bowl. This gets the lemon oil into the sugar and distributes the flavor really well.
- Add milk mixture, avocado oil, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. (Or you can simply sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet before stirring)
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared 9″ cake pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Place on a cooling rack in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly before turning out onto a plate.
- While the cake cools slightly, mix up your lemon honey syrup (see below)
- After 10 minutes cooling in the pan, turn the cake out onto a plate or cake stand and brush with the still-warm cake with lemon honey syrup.
- When the cake has cooled completely, top with glaze.
For the Lemon-Honey Syrup:
- Stir together lemon juice and honey. Brush over the cake when it’s still quite warm (as soon after removing the cake from the cake pan as you can). Let cake brushed with syrup cool completely before adding the glaze.
For the Lemon Glaze:
- Sift powdered sugar into a large bowl. Add lemon juice, milk, and vanilla. Whisk or beat until smooth. (Ideally, you want the glaze to be opaque and to hold its shape when it drips down the sides of the cake. If yours is too thin, add more powdered sugar 1 Tbsp at a time. If it’s too thick, add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach the right consistency.)
- Pour glaze over your cooled cake and gently spread it toward the edges. Let some of the glaze run down the sides. Let set completely before cutting and serving.
Notes
- You can absolutely make this in a stand mixer or food processor instead of in a mixing bowl. Your preference!
- *To cut a parchment circle, I trace the bottom of my cake pan on parchment paper, then cut it out. It’ll be the perfect size!
- For even more lemon flavor, feel free to add 1/4-1/2 tsp. lemon extract or 1/8 tsp. lemon oil along with the vanilla extract.
- Be sure you use a 1:1 gluten-free flour that contains xanthan gum. Otherwise, your cake won’t turn out properly. Do not substitute almond flour or coconut flour in this recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: cake, Dessert
- Method: Baking, oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 301
- Sugar: 31.2 g
- Sodium: 156.7 mg
- Fat: 10.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 50.1 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 2.8 g
- Cholesterol: 46.5 mg
Recipe originally posted March 2016. Post, recipe, photos and video updated April 2018.
Just made this receipe😊😊. I can’t wait to try it with my sister and daughter 😍…
Hope it’s a huge win for you, Michele!
Very good!! I added lemon extract. Only used 1/2 the glaze on the top of cake, glad I did, would have been too sweet for me. Placed fresh berries all over cake then drizzled a small amount of the glaze on top. Will make this again, thank you!
Sooo yummy! I used olive oil and whole milk and it turned out perfect, so moist! I ended up doing the lemon honey syrup on top then I topped with vanilla icing since it was for a birthday cake. It was so good but next time i’m excited to try the glaze!
YUM! I’m so glad you loved it!
So yummy!! I absolutely loved this and will make again. particularly delicious with raspberries on top. yum!
Hi,
Do you have gluten and dairy free vanilla or chocolate cake recipe too?
thank you,
Not yet, but I’m always posting new baking recipes over at our gluten-free baking blog: https://sweetsandthankyou.com 🙂
Nice
So happy I found this recipe! This cake has a very nice texture, great rise and perfect lemon flavor! The only substitution I made was cashew milk for almond milk.
YAY! So glad to hear you loved it Angela!!!
I made this twice in a week! Rave reviews from from those were so lucky to have a piece. I used Namaste brand gluten free four, and olive oil (I love, love, love any Italian olive oil cake). I used duck eggs that seem to enrich the flavor and texture. It’s a plus for those who can’t have chicken eggs! I reversed the lemon juice and milk ratio in the icing for a more lemony flavor. Garnished with organic blueberries and strawberries- yum. I’ve had people asking for the recipe!
THIS REVIEW!!! You totally made my day Christine!
This was delish! We made it for a dinner party and it was not only beautiful, everyone LOVED it. You’d never know it was DF and GF. My husband is already asking when we can have it again. 🙂
I used olive oil and didn’t notice too strong of a flavor or anything strange with the bake!
Oh good! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
What a hit! My non-Celiac family members didn’t even realize it was gluten free! I doubled the recipe and baked it in 2 – 8” cake pans for a double layer cake. I put the syrup on both layers then once cooled, I glazed the bottom layer and then put the other on top and then added the rest of the glaze. I only substituted coconut oil for the avocado oil.
Very moist and lots of tangy lemon flavour.
YAY!!! So glad it was a win for you Julie!
Can this be made the night before and kept in the fridge?
Karissa – Yes! That works fine. You can also freeze the cake layer and thaw it later to serve if you need to make it even further in advance 🙂
hi! I’m allergic to honey, what could I substitute with?
Honey works best in this recipe, but if you need a swap, you can try agave! Otherwise, this recipe uses sugar and is a bit more straightforward. 🙂
Loved this! I took out the sugar and only used honey, roughly the same amount but weighed 175grams. I didn’t use any milk and used only 2 eggs as that was all I had. I added a tablespoon more flour of which I used gluten free rice flour. And an extra tablespoon of lemon plus some blueberries. I used 2 small glass square baking dishes and cooked for about 32 minutes. On top I only did a honey and lemon glaze and let it soak in. It was totally amazing. Thank you
Sarah – I’m so glad it worked out even with the changes! That’s lovely!
Hello! Do you use fresh lemon juice? Or bought/packaged lemon juice?
Thanks!
Hi! I always recommend fresh lemon juice for lemon desserts. The flavor of bottled juice is too bitter and acidic.
This is so good, very tasty, moist recipe, and easy to make. Love all the lemon!!
I’m so glad you loved it!
The cake was delicious! Even my husband who mostly only likes heavy deserts liked it. The glaze was a bit too sweet for me but that’s just personal taste. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I’m so glad to hear it! THANK YOU for taking the time to leave a review!
I made this for our daughter’s Easter dinner (that we couldn’t enjoy with them due to the pandemic). Their son (10 y/o) has Celiac disease, and their daughter (7 y/o) is a lemon lover; it was a huge hit and they have already requested it for another time when “Mamma” bakes for them! I used “Better Than Cup4Cup” flour blend from Nicole Hunn’s “Gluten Free On A Shoestring” blog (excellent blend btw!). Baked in a 9” round cake pan; and half recipe of the glaze was enough. I didn’t need it to be dairy free so used butter and cow’s milk. I didn’t get to taste this, but from the rave reviews I received I’d like to thank you for an excellent recipe!!
Maureen – You’re such a good Mamma! I’m so glad this cake was a win for your family. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
This was my first time using GF flour, and the cake was amazing! One quick question – are you supposed to brush the entire amount of syrup? I ended up leaving a Tbsp because I was worried it would get mushy, but it was fine. Just wanted to clarify.
I’m so glad it was a win for you!
The syrup is up to you. I like using the full amount and haven’t found that my cake gets soggy, but if you’re nervous, you can always do what you feel comfortable with 🙂
THANK YOU for taking the time to leave a review–it’s SO helpful!
can I freeze the gluten free lemon cake, I never made one before and want to make a few days ahead of time
Marge – If you’d like to freeze it in advance, I recommend freezing it after brushing it with the lemon syrup (to help lock in moisture) but NOT adding the glaze until after it’s thawed, if possible. You *can* freeze it with the glaze, but sometimes the glaze texture changes a bit upon thawing.
I hope that helps! 🙂
Hi, can I use coconut milk instead of almond milk?
Hi! You can use coconut milk in this recipe. It won’t impact the flavor much. One thing to keep in mind is that sometimes coconut milk makes for lighter-colored cakes when baked. Again, it shouldn’t impact flavor, but it may be slightly lighter in color than the one you see pictured 🙂
This is soooo delicious!!! Thanks for the recipe!!! I used Bob’s Red Mill baking flour and added xantham gum and it turned out very well!!!
I’m so glad you loved it! It’s my daughter’s absolute favorite dessert.
I made this cake for my son for his birthday,This was the perfect recipe. Moist delicious.I love it.
thank you for shearing this.
I’m so glad you liked it Donna! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Loved this!
I’m so glad! That’s fantastic!
This is so delicious. I have tried 2 other Gluten Free/Dairy Free lemon cake/loaf recipes and they were terrible. This tastes just like gluten-filled, butter filled lemon cake. I baked mine in a glass loaf pan (9×5) for 43 minutes (I started at 25 minutes but knew I would have to bake longer due to pan size. I kept adding minutes and checking center with a toothpick). I also only added the glaze on top and it was perfect. Thank you for this recipe. I will be making this a lot!
Oh my GOODNESS! What a kind review! I’m so glad you loved this cake. It’s both of my kids’ requested birthday cake each year, and we make it for all kinds of special occasions. I’m so glad you enjoyed it as much as we did! (THANK YOU for taking the time to leave a review!)
I bake quite a lot as a hobby and THIS recipe is incredible! I doubled the recipe and used 3 – 8″ round pans. After brushing on the syrup I let it cool to room temperature before covering and refrigerating overnight. Immediately before serving I piped lemon chantilly cream between the layers, then glazed, garnished, and gorged. The cake was super moist yet fluffy, and my guests enjoyed the lingering taste of lemon. Even my non-celiac guests devoured the cake. In our home we call this recipe “A Keeper!”. From one lemon-loving baker to another, thank you for the recipe. I look forward to trying your others!
You COMPLETELY made my day! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a thoughtful review. I appreciate you so much!
Hello from Australia
I found this receipe yesterday and made it for desert tonight.
I’ve tried many gf cakes with very little success. I am so tried of finding cake receipes with the need to have 9 different flours.
This was simple, easy to make and tasted absolutely Divine. We had two pieces each because we were so excited finally to be eating real cake.
Thank you so much.
Helen
Helen – What a lovely message to wake up to today! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s our all-time favorite for special occasions. So glad it was a win for you! (And THANK YOU for taking the time to leave a review. I appreciate it so much!)
Just baked this yesterday and it’s by far the best GF lemon cake recipe I’ve ever tried. (And I’ve tried DOZENS of them.)
I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, and also added a couple tablespoons of Cake Enhancer (by King Arthur Flour) because it makes all GF cakes better. For what it’s worth, I doubled the recipe and baked it in 2x 7″ x 3″ tall round pans, to create a four-layer 7″ cake. I filled it with blackberry Swiss meringue buttercream and it’s dreamy.
Thanks so much for sharing your lovely recipe!
I’m so glad you loved it! It’s our FAVORITE cake and is always requested at birthdays at our house. That blackberry buttercream sounds INCREDIBLE. Like, MIND-BLOWING. I’ll have to try something like that next time!
I made this cake for my son for his birthday. It seems that my sons and their girlfriends are all dairy and gluten free. This was the perfect recipe. Moist delicious. We had it for three days. I took a picture..it looked exactly like the photo on the recipe..looking forward to more of your recipes. It was so easy to put together. No mixer ! I love it. Can’t wait to make it again for another occasion.
Jennifer – I’m SO glad it was a hit for your son’s birthday! It’s my kids’ favorite birthday cake! 🙂
So freaking delicious! Wasn’t sure about baking gluten free but this was an excellent recipe. Looking forward to making more desserts and dishes!
Oh my goodness! Paige, you totally made my day. I’m so glad that you loved it as much as we do! It’s our FAVORITE!
This is my new favourite cake! It was absolutely delicious and turned out perfectly. Thank you for the brilliant recipe.
Helen – that’s fantastic to hear! I’m so glad you loved it. It’s a regular birthday cake at our house–we love it so much!
We found ourselves with a batch of ripe (yellow) limes in the middle of the pandemic, and I’ve made this cake about 10 times. It uses juice and zest which is what I was looking for. I skip the glaze & syrup and use a bit of berry jam instead. It’s my go-to snack.
YUM! I bet it’s fabulous with jam! Thank you for sharing 🙂
I’m new to preparing gluten/dairy-free foods. The lemon cake recipe was a big hit even with our non-gluten friends. In the past I’ve found gf baked good either too dense or flavorless. This is a definitely a keeper. (For the glaze I used almond extract instead of vanilla.)
That’s SO GOOD to hear! I’m so glad you loved it!
Hands down yummy. There are lots of dud GF recipes out there. This is NOT one of them. So moist – you wouldn’t know it’s GF. I used Presidents Choice GF flour blend. Make this cake – you won’t be disappointed. If you are adding fruit to the top make sure to do it while the glaze is damp so it sticks.
YUMMMMMM!!!!!
That’s amazing! I’m so glad you loved it. Thanks for sharing your tips with us!
This is the best gluten free cake I’ve ever made. They normally turn out a solid mess, but this is incredible. And so tasty 😍
Oh my goodness! Best review ever. I’m so glad you loved it!!!
Hi Emily 🙂
I made this beautiful cake for my daughters 18th birthday, in the Covid 19 Lockdown. It was a real real winner 😊. Thanks very much I’ll definitely make it again.
I’m so glad it was a hit! It was my daughter’s birthday cake during the lockdown, too! Happy birthday to your daughter! 🙂
First review I’ve ever written because your recipes are too good! Made this cake using Bobs Red Mill baking flour (red bag) and instead of adding xanthan gum I added 3/4 a tsp flax seed. My family said it was restaurant quality! Incredible texture and flavor. Thank you for your recipes! Made our Good Friday.
Cailley – I’m totally honored! Thank you so much for sharing this with me! You totally made my day!
It was so delicious that I hardly got any after all the gluten-eaters and GF people had had their way with it, so I had to promptly make another one. Seriously delicious, and really easy to make too — no need for any electrical tools except for my trusty electrical citrus juicer.
It was my first foray into GF flours, and much to my surprise the taste and crumb on this one was identical to regular cake, even without xanthan gum.
Oh, this makes me so glad to hear!
I LOVE this recipe! I’ve been craving lemon, and since finding this recipe last week I’ve already made it twice. Huge hit with everyone who has had it. I have a feeling this will be my new go to recipe when I need to bring a dessert to an event! And I was pleased to see it was also dairy free. For Christmas I’m going to attempt to add poppyseeds to make a lemon poppyseed cake, since it’s my Grandmother’s favorite.
Lizzy – Oh, I’m so happy to hear that! I bet it’ll be great with poppyseeds! (Hope your Grandmother loves it!)
Hi there, I’ve been asked to make a gluten free birthday cake for a friend tomorrow and this is by far the nicest recipe I’ve found, thank you! I’ve bought Schär Gluten Free Mix It! Flour because it was best reviewed of what’s available here in the UK, but please can you help me, are you using metric cups or imperial? There seems to be quite a variation between the two and I need to convert to either grams or ounces!
Many thanks!
Katrina – I’m not sure how to answer your question! We’re in the US and I’ve seen conflicting answers online.
One general guideline is that 1 cup of gluten-free flour is about 120g, per this chart. I do hope that helps!
It came out beautifully! To anyone looking for a gluten free flour, I highly recommend Schär Gluten Free Mix It! Flour, much nicer texture than any other I’ve used.
I tried 120g and it was a really thin mixture, but 240g was perfect, still much runnier than standard cake mix but I expected that.
I used sunflower oil because it was what I had, and I added a teaspoon of lemon extract to the sugar because I’d left my good lemon zester at work and the one on my box grater is less than efficient.
I used the double quantities because I wanted to make a layer cake, which meant that I had enough mix to cook a couple of fairy cake sized cakes as testers, which is how I discovered that a small warm cake (no syrup) with a scoop of ice cream is one of the most blissful desserts!
So glad it turned out for you Katrina! Thank you for sharing!
The flavor came out perfectly, but it was dry. How can I make them moist?
Jesmine – I’m so sorry that happened! My guess is that it was slightly over-baked. Every oven runs differently, and the color of the pans you used can also contribute.
It sounds delicious. I’d love to make this in a bundt pan. Have you attempted?
Maddie – I haven’t made this one in a bundt, though I think it might come out small, since it’s designed to be an 8×8″ cake. This article has lots of great tips for turning a cake into a bundt and makes it sound like doubling the recipe might work! I recommend reading through their article too see if you want to attempt it. If you give it a go, I’d love to know how it turns out!
Thanks for the response. I made it in a Bundt and it turned out great. I doubled the recipe, mostly. I used homemade cashew milk because I think it’s richer than almond. I used 1 c of cane, plus a half c of brown sugar. I used only 4 eggs (based on another Bundt recipe), three cups (king arthur) 1-1 flour. And I made a maple syrup + lemon juice syrup and skipped the powdered sugar glaze because we don’t like that super sweetness and then decorated with lemon peel and strawberries. Bake time was about 40 minutes in a medium-dark pan. It’s very moist and has a great lemon flavor. It came out of the pan while still warm so beautifully! I slathered the pan in refined coc. oil and sprinkled a bit of sugar rather than flour, which is advice I follow after once reading this: If you’re using a non-stick pan and still having trouble with sticking Bundts, try sprinkling a coating of either finely ground nut flour or granulated sugar into the greased pan before adding the batter. Either will provide a barrier between batter and pan — which is what you’re seeking. “But isn’t sugar sticky?” Yes, it becomes sticky as it cools; and it can act like glue when fully cooled. But while warm, sugar is still semi-liquid, and your sugar-coated cake should slide right out of the pan. Everyone loved the cake.
Maddie – These are GREAT tips! Thank you so much for sharing. I’m so glad it was a hit!
Hi,
I just can’t decide wether to make this cake or your almond flour one! I was wondering if you thought that the coconut cream would work with this cake if I made it 2 layers and used that to sandwich or.
Thanks
K
Kerry – That’s a tough choice! I love both so much!
I’ll say that layering whipped coconut cream in between cake layers can sometimes be tricky if you don’t plan to eat it right away, as it does tend to soak into the cake a bit and can get runny as it warms up. (If you’re using store-bought coconut whipped cream, that’ll be less of an issue)
If you do layer it between the cake, I’d suggest keeping it refrigerated until right before serving. I hope you love whichever cake you choose!
How does this cake batter look before you pour it in the pan? Im trying to find a good recipe, ive tried 4 different gluten free recipes amd havent had much luck. Just put this one in the over but it looked really thick and goopy. Is that normal?
Brian – Did you take a look at the video? I tried to show that texture there, but one thing to know is that the leavening will start to react immediately with the lemon juice in the recipe, so the batter will start to puff and thicken pretty quickly. I’d love to know how it turned out for you!
My sister became gluten intolerant a few years ago and I can’t have cow dairy so I recently ordered this super “fancy” vegan and GF cookbook in order to make an epic creation for my sister’s 50th b-day. Well, as a side note, I actually got a Baking and Pastry associate’s degree from the Culinary Institute of America back in 2002 (baking is no longer my career, but I did it for 6 years and people tell me I should have never changed careers). Alas, the cake and lemon curd I made from that book went right into my compost as they were both inedible. I was so traumatized and scavenged around in the 11th hour to find something to make in its place when I stumbled upon this recipe and GLORIOUS DAY…it was AMAZING!!! So easy and absolutely delicious. You’d never know it was dairy and GF and my family gobbled it down. Hugest thanks for saving the day!!
Kimi – WOW!!!! You absolutely MADE my day! This was such a sweet, thoughtful comment. Thank you so much! We tested and tested it to get it right, and we love it as much as you do. Thank you for sharing this with me!
I have made this twice and it is very lemony. Just wonderful. Thank you for the recipe, it’s a keeper. The texture of the cake is amazing.
I’m SO happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing!
Do you think this will be enough batter to fill two 8” rounds? I would love to layer fruit in the middle!
Zoe – I make mine in one 8-9″ round pan. If you’d like to make it as a layer cake, you can slice the single layer in half lengthwise (I use toothpicks as a guide), or you can bake two small layers by dividing the batter among 2 pans. I don’t have a baking time for you if you do it that way, so you’ll just need to keep an eye on it!
I used my home made GF flour blend and the cake turned out beautifully. It was a big hit with the birthday boy and family. Thank you for this recipe!
How wonderful to hear! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi, do you need to add Xanthan gum with the flour as well with this recipe? Thanks
I recommend you use cup-for-cup or measure-for-measure gluten free flour blends (Like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour or King Arthur Flour Measure-for-Measure) which includes xanthan gum in the mix. If your mix doesn’t, you may want to add some.
Hello, I was just wondering if you’ve ever made this cake with Pamela’s Products All-Purpose GF flour? I believe it has guar gum, and the ones you mentioned liking (King Arthur and Bob’s Red Mill) don’t have “gums” in them.
My friend is going to be making my wedding cake, and she said she usually uses Pamela’s… but if that won’t work I can get King Arthur (neither of us like Bob’s Red Mill)…. just wanted to see if you’ve had experience with the Pamela’s kind, and not, do you think it would hurt the recipe?
Thanks!!
Chelsea – I haven’t tested it with Pamela’s yet. If it’s a cup-for-cup substitute, you’ll probably be able to get away with it! (Otherwise, I’d say go with King Arthur Flour measure-for-measure) 🙂
Bobs red mill quit using bean flour in their mix and it’s good now.
I made this exactly as directed with c4c flour. Brushed syrup (seemed like a lot!) while hot, and omitted the glaze but brushed with lemon curd and decorated with a ring of berries and edible flowers to serve. I added some food-grade lemon oil, also. I think I overbaked slightly (a smidge more browning than I would typically have), but the results were still F A N T A S T I C. The c4c flour definitely deserves some credit, but I was pleasantly surprised by how easily this came together, how moist it was (even with potentially some overbaking), and the lemony flavor. I’m also not sure how it gets such nice rise with little leavening and no whipped egg whites, but it was nicely fluffy. The top was crinkly and shiny in a way that overly-eggy deserts sometimes are, but nothing that a glaze wouldn’t hide, and no egginess in flavor. Indistinguishable from a non-GF cake, and was devoured by all (Celiacs- and non-Celiacs) at our family Easter celebration. This will be a staple in our desert rotation, for sure.
I’m SO glad you enjoyed it! We served one at Easter, too, and all our family (GF + Non GF folks alike) LOVED it!
Excellent cake! Followed the recipe ingredients EXACTLY. The only thing was, I baked mine in an 8×8 glass pan. It wasn’t done baking until 42 minutes. Maybe being at a higher elevation changes the baking time? We’re at 4,500 feet above sea level. But really tasty! Would totally make again. Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Glass vs metal or ceramic pans can make a difference (in general, glass takes a bit longer because it doesn’t conduct heat the same way that metal/ceramic do. And altitude can make a difference. Sounds like you’re totally on top of it!
I’m thinking about trying this but using powdered erythritol instead of sugar in the glaze to make it a bit more keto friendly. Any experience with sugar substitutes? Thanks, Cora
Cora May – I haven’t ever baked with sugar substitutes, but my friend Carolyn (All Day I Dream About Food) SWEARS by erythritol as a 1:1 substitute! I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!
I was wondering if you can makes this into cupcakes , and how long would you bake them? Looks delicious
Yep! But, unlike a boxed cake mix, this’ll only make about 12 cupcakes instead of 24. You’ll bake them between 17-20 minutes or so, or when they’re turning golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 🙂
I just made this recipe yesterday for a little dinner party and it’s already gone. I made it vegan and used an 8×8 pan but otherwise stuck to the recipe and it resulted in a gorgeous springy cake with a great crumb texture and the perfect moistness. You can taste the lemon in each element of this cake and I want to make it again already.
Michelle – Oh, I’m SO HAPPY to hear that! Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi, I was wondering what you recommend to substitute the honey with? My friend cant eat honey but the cake sounds delicious so would love to make it with something else for the honey.
Many thanks,
Iris
Iris – You can substitute another liquid sweetener, such as agave 🙂
This is the best gluten-free cake I have ever eaten. Unbelievable! Thank you so much!!
Carrie – WOW! You made my day. THANK YOU so much for sharing this with me! I’m so, so glad you enjoyed it!
I was wondering if I could substitute the sugar for coconut sugar, honey or maple syrup?
Isabelle – I haven’t tried this one with honey or syrup. I do have this almond flour lemon cake (also GF) that uses honey as a sweetener. You may prefer that recipe! Otherwise, you can use coconut sugar, but it will alter the color of the cake.
HI I was wondering if this needs to be stored in the refrigerator? The recipe is great! Thank you!
Marina – I would, just to keep it as fresh as possible 🙂 So glad you loved it!
Four ****!
Made it for Easter! My family (GF and non-GF eaters alike) were impressed with how moist the cake was and the lemony flavor. Delicious cake recipe that I will save for future use! Thanks for sharing. (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour.)
Oh, I’m SO glad they loved it!
I made this for my daughter’s birthday and served it today> I prepared the night before as per recipe & ingredients called out – I used butter, almond milk and home grown juicy meyer lemons
It came out moist. I’m not used to the texture of the gluten free flower, but it was dense, moist and a bit grainy – my daughter told me it’s normal the texture and she thought the cake was delicious. My dad even had some and he doesn’t like sweets and commented on how amazing the glaze was. Zesty and sparkly lemon zing with a sweet, dense, moist cake.
The only thing is I didn’t sift the powdered sugar and it did run/pool around the edges. I thought I had made it thick enough and the cake had been fairly well cooled. I think i can make it even thicker for next time.
I used about 1-2 TBSPS more lemon than called for in each layering of lemon juice.
Dove – Thank you so much for sharing this for me! I’m so glad the birthday girl enjoyed it as well!
Can you use a vegan egg substitute for this recipe? Will it still come out okay?
Salina – I haven’t tried it with an egg substitute, but in similar recipes, it’s been okay for me! I’d say it’s worth a try! I liked using a powdered egg replacer for cakes since I get a lighter result (a chia or flax egg can be a bit dense or add color where I don’t want it). Bob’s Red Mill, Ener-G egg replacer and The Neat Egg have all worked for me in other recipes!
Thank you so much! I’m planning to make this cake for my Mom’s birthday this weekend and her favorite flavor is lemon! 🙂
Hi there,
Does using regular milk, butter and sugar alter the “gluten free” on this recipe? I’m new to this and just want to make sure!
Cathie – Milk, butter, and sugar are all gluten free! You should be fine to use those as substitutions 🙂
How can I adjust the ingredients for a sheet cake?
Trissa – I haven’t made this into a sheet cake before, but I do think you could easily put this in a square baking pan instead of a round one without trouble. You may need to double the ingredients and then watch the baking time if you decide to try it for a sheet cake. If you give it a go, I’d love to know how it turns out!
Well, I was thinking a 9″ round would not fill up a 13 x9 size. That’s my concern. Oh well, not a biggie.
The cake is JUST what I was looking for…thanks so much!!!
I agree! It would work for an 8×8 square pan, but I think you’d have to double it to fill a 9×13
I made this cake for the 2nd time. First time it turned out wonderful and delicious!! One question I have is, how do I keep the glaze from melting and disappearing??
This 2nd time I made it and by mistake switched the baking powder and baking soda amounts ;( I took out as much of the bakingsoda as possible, but there was still a fair amount there.
I decided to make small cupcakes instead of one big cake. They turned out beautiful and tasted really good. they were more fluffy then the first time, so all good.
I’m glad they turned out okay in the end! The glaze can “melt away” a bit if it’s thin. To help with this, you can thicken the glaze a bit by adding more powdered sugar.
I used coconut oil and almond milk but my cake turned out in a gooey consistency. Am not sure what I did wrong.
Lauren – I’m not sure… could you tell me more? We made this cake on Sunday for my husband’s birthday using coconut oil and almond milk and it was really fantastic. Was it perhaps underbaked?
I made this tonight with Aldi gluten free flour and vegetable oil and served strawberries on the side. It was beautiful and delicious. The whole family loved it.
Oh, I’m so glad you loved it! And glad to know of another flour blend that works well in the recipe!
I made this today for my birthday! It was amazing! I used the coconut oil and milk but regular flour and I’m so so happy with this, I had to do some adjustment for higher elevation but the results are still phenomenal! I want to mix lemon zest with sugar for everything! Thanks for posting such incredible recipes. My mom has celiacs and I can’t wait to make her this and the brownies you posted. Seriously love your recipes so much!
Oh, I’m so glad to hear it! Here’s to many more yummy cakes in the future!
What are the high altitude adjustments for GF?
You might find this helpful: https://gfjules.com/high-altitude-gluten-free-baking-tips/
This cake looks delicious! I always get so nervous baking gluten free things because I’m terrified of using flour that doesn’t sound normal, but all of your desserts always look so yummy! I’m going to have to try them soon!
The beauty of the 1-to-1 GF flour is that you can sub it for regular white flour, if you don’t need to bake gluten free!