It is possible to make moist, tender gluten-free pound cake at home! Our favorite recipe has a bright lemon flavor. As a bonus, this gluten-free lemon cake recipe also happens to be dairy-free.
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Pound cake is a classic dessert for a reason: It’s rich, dense and moist, but also wonderfully tender. When baking gluten-free, this combination is tricky to get just right, but this gluten-free lemon cake recipe nails it.
The recipe is based on a whipped pound cake, which gets both towering volume and richness from eggs carefully worked into the batter.
Amazingly, this recipe is both gluten- and dairy-free!
Gluten-Free Lemon Cake Recipe
Ingredients
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- 1/2 cup vegan butter-style sticks
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
- 1-1/2 cups gluten-free baking flour (with xanthan gum)
- 1/2 cup dairy-free heavy whipping cream
- Confectioners’ sugar, optional
Tools
- Batter bowl: Here’s an underrated kitchen tool! “Batter bowls” have a sturdy handle and a spout for pouring batter cleanly into cake pans.
- Hand mixer: This vintage-style Hamilton Beach mixer is a gorgeous kitchen essential.
- Mini Bundt pan: Use a Bundtlette pan like this to bake six adorable mini cakes.
Directions
Step 1: Prep baking tools
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Preheat the oven to 325°F and set a rack in the middle of the oven. Thoroughly grease six 4-inch fluted tube pans.
Learn how to grease a Bundt pan so these mini cakes come out cleanly.
Step 2: Cream the butter
In a large bowl, cream the butter-style sticks and sugar until light and fluffy. This will take longer than you’d expect, about 5 to 7 minutes. Beating the butter well adds loftiness to the cake batter, so don’t rush this step.
Step 3: Add the eggs
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One at a time, add the eggs to the bowl. Beat well after each addition. The beaten eggs will add to the volume of the cake, so be sure to mix at a medium-high speed to whip air into the batter. Note that there’s no leavening or rising agent added to the recipe: all the volume comes from the way you beat the eggs.
Getting tired? You can always try a gluten-free boxed cake mix next time!
Step 4: Beat in the flour and cream
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Next, add the lemon extract and lemon zest. Then alternate adding flour and dairy-free cream into the batter, beating well after each addition.
Step 5: Fill the pans and bake
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After finishing the batter, gently pour the batter into the prepared pans. Do your best to divide the batter equally between each pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs, 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 6: Cool
Cool the cakes in their pans for 10 minutes before attempting to remove them from the pan. (Here’s a full guide to removing cakes from decorated pans.) Set a wire rack over each cake, then invert. The cake should slide off cleanly onto the rack. If not, leave the cake pans upside down on the rack to cool; they should drop out.
Allow the cakes to cool completely before slicing. If desired, dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving. You may also serve the cakes with ice cream, fruit preserves or additional whipped cream.
Tips for Making Gluten-Free Lemon Cake
How do you make this recipe dairy-free?
This recipe is dairy-free, as written! As long as you use dairy-free butter and whipping cream, the recipe won’t contain dairy. You may also use dairy ingredients if it isn’t a problem for you.
The recipe was developed using I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter baking sticks and Country Crock Plant Cream heavy whipping cream alternative. However, you can definitely substitute other brands. We rounded up the best vegan butters, if you’re looking for recommendations.
How do you measure GF flour?
Measure gluten-free flour just as you’d measure any type of flour: lightly scoop your measuring cup into the container of flour, then level off the top of the cup with a knife. Don’t shake, spoon or pack the flour into the cup, or the measurement will be off.
Which GF flour mix is best?
We rounded up the best gluten-free flour blends and found that several work well for all-purpose baking, including both cakes and savory bakes. Make sure to buy an all-purpose blend, not one specifically formulated for biscuits or breads. The recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, but any all-purpose mix will work well, including homemade.
How do you make your own GF flour mix?
It’s easy to make GF flour mix at home. Our all-purpose gluten-free flour mix recipe calls for measuring white rice flour, potato starch and tapioca flour into a big bowl, whisking together and storing in airtight containers. When it’s time to bake, simply measure out the flour as you would with traditional all-purpose wheat flour.
How do you store GF lemon cake?
After the cakes cool completely, wrap them well in plastic and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Refrigerating the cakes will dry them out.
You can also freeze the cakes. After cooling, wrap them well in two layers of plastic (such as wrap and a sealed bag) and freeze up to two months.
Why do GF bakes turn out gummy?
One major culprit of gummy cake is using the wrong balance of gluten-free flours and starches. If you use a storebought flour mix or make one at home, this shouldn’t be an issue with this recipe.
The other main cause of gummy GF cake is underbaking. Keep a close eye on the cakes as they bake, testing frequently, so you take them out just as the tester emerges clean from the cake.
A third cause of gumminess is eating the cake too hot from the oven. Gluten-free baked goods will continue to cook and “set” as they cool off from the oven. Let them cool completely before slicing.
How can I keep GF lemon cake from drying out?
It’s true that gluten-free baked goods don’t keep as long as traditional bakes, but these moist pound cakes will keep well for at least two days at room temperature. Store tightly wrapped and sealed in an airtight container. If you can’t eat the cake within a couple of days, you should freeze the baked cakes.
Can I use bottled lemon juice in place of lemon extract?
Lemon extract is not the same as lemon juice. Lemon extract is the pure essential oil of the lemon, so it’s extremely potent and full of flavor: sour, sweet and aromatic. Swapping out lemon juice will result in a less flavorful cake.
Can I make one big cake instead?
Gluten-free batter is not as strong as its wheat counterpart. When baking one large cake, the extra weight will prevent the gluten-free batter from rising as much as possible. Smaller cakes will be lighter and baked through.
