This Easy Gluten Free Lemon Cake is perfect for Spring and something everyone will love especially lemon lovers! This Starbucks copycat is a healthier alternative and let me tell you, it is so easy to make. This lemon cake is bursting with lemon flavors yet it is oh so sweet.
This recipe is my go to in the Summer or Springtime when we have company. It is light, fluffy, sweet and full of flavor! My husband loves it so much that this is his number one requested dessert recipe for his birthday.
I love to bake with fresh lemon and citrus especially during the summer. Some of my favorite recipes are: Dairy Free Sugar Cakes, Gluten Free Lemon Bars, Gluten Free Lemon Poppyseed Muffins, Gluten Free Raspberry Lemon Muffins, Healthy Gluten Free Strawberry Muffins, Gluten Free Zucchini Bread, Gluten Free Orange Cake, my Gluten and Dairy Free Cake, and Cherry Lime Cheesecake. I even have a dog treat recipe on my blog for your fur babies, check out my Liver Cake For Dogs Recipe on my blog. Dogs love this treat. I love making my dog a treat when I make us humans a treat too!
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Why I Love This Recipe
- This gluten free pound cake recipe is kid proof. Meaning, kids can easily help with it!
- There is just something about lemon filled desserts during the warmer weather months. My lemon cake recipe just screams Spring & Summer!
- This is one of my go to desserts on Easter, I always serve this with my Flourless Raspberry Muffins and Healthy Lemonade.
- If you are not a big baker, but want to try this recipe, you can even order it from my meal delivery service, we will deliver a slice right to your door!
- This cake freezes well. You can get approximately 12-14 servings from this cake. If your house is anything like my house, this cake will disappear fast. However, if you have some leftover, you can freeze it! It will taste just as good.
- Unlike most gluten free cake recipes, this recipe is nice and moist with a tender crumb.
- This recipe is naturally dairy free, gluten free, soy free, grain free, refined sugar free and paleo friendly.
Ingredients
Cake ingredients:
- Almond flour-This is the base of the recipe and one of my go to flours with gluten free and grain free baking.
- Arrowroot flour/ powder-This is my go to binder in grain free baking. It can act a lot like corn starch, which is typically avoided in anti-inflammatory eating. I talk all about arrowroot in my go to anti-inflammatory eating guide. I get my gluten free flours from Thrive Market. They offer healthier alternatives at a fraction of the price. If you use my link you can get a discount when you sign up!
- Baking soda-This helps the cake rise.
- Sea salt-To balance out the sweetness.
- Honey-For sweetener. I love using honey because it adds the perfect amount of sweetness, but it is not too sweet.
- Olive oil-This keeps the cake nice and moist.
- Eggs-To bind everything together. Make sure to bring to room temperature before mixing.
- Vanilla extract-For flavor.
- Fresh lemon zest & fresh lemon juice-To give the cake it’s lemon flavor!
Frosting ingredients:
- Palm oil shortening-This is the base of the frosting!
- Honey-To sweeten the frosting.
- Vanilla extract-This adds a little bit of flavor to the frosting.
- Arrowroot-This helps thicken the frosting so it does not run too thin.
- Coconut oil-To smooth out the frosting.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions And Variations
- Olive oil-You can substitute the olive oil for coconut oil but it is important to note that coconut oil in higher amounts can upset some peoples stomachs. This is why in this recipe we use coconut oil in the frosting only because it requires a smaller amount. The cake requires a good bit of oil which is why we suggest olive oil.
- Arrowroot flour-You can also use tapioca flour in this recipe.
- If you are not gluten free, you can use all purpose flour instead of almond flour.
- If you are not dairy free, you could make a cream cheese frosting instead of the palm oil shortening icing listed above.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Recipe Instructions
Photo #1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Then, add all of the dry cake ingredients to a large bowl and mix well throughout.
Photo #2: Mix the wet cake ingredients in a separate large bowl until well mixed throughout.
Photo #3: Mix the wet and dry cake mixture together.
Photo #4: Spray the silicone bundt cake pan with cooking spray oil and pour batter by filling halfway with the cake batter. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until you can stick a fork in and it can come out clean.
Photo #5: Remove the bundt pan from the oven and allow for the cake cool for 30 minutes prior to frosting the cake.
Photo #6: Add the frosting ingredients to a clear bowl.
Photo #7: Whip the frosting in a bowl until smooth.
Photo #8: Frost the cake with a silicone spatula.
Photo #9: Sprinkle optional additional lemon zest on top for extra flavor.
Equipment Needed
- Bundt pan-I suggest using a silicone one. Silicone pans are much easier to clean and the cake just pops right out!
- Mixing bowls-I am obsessed with glass nesting mixing bowls. They store so well by stacking on top of each other and have a clean look.
- Hand mixer or kitchen mixer-For the frosting. This will make your life so much easier and get the frosting soft and fluffy.
Money Saving Tip
- I love ordering a bunch of my healthy staples from Thrive Market. They have them available at a fraction of the cost and your ingredients get delivered right to your door!
Expert Tips
- Tip #1: Do not over fill the bundt pan! For the best results this pan should only be half way filled. If you over fill it you run the risk of the cake cooking unevenly. If the cake is too dense, it will burn around the outsides and be soft and uncooked towards the middle of the cake.
- Tip #2: Cover the cake with foil while baking it. This prevents the outer skirts of the cake from burning.
- Tip #3: For the best results, allow the cake to sit for 10-20 minutes prior to removing the cake from the the pan. If you remove the cake from the pan too quickly it will fall apart.
- Tip #4: If you frost the cake while it is hot, the frosting will get runny and appear to melt.
- Tip #5: Make sure that you ensure that your dry ingredients and wet ingredients are well mixed so that the cake flavor and appearance are consistent throughout.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You cannot substitute out the flour in this recipe 1:1. Not all gluten free flours are created equally so no other flour will work quite as well.
Be sure to store the cake covered in an air tight container in the fridge! This will help to maintain the moist crumb.
Yes! You can make muffins or cupcakes with this recipe. You will just need to bake them for 20-25 minutes or until you can poke a fork in and it comes out clear.
I like to either frost the bundt cake on a wire rack or cooling rack prior to moving to my cake stand or I will place small amounts of wax paper or parchment paper around the outsides of the cake so that I can easily remove any mess.
I like to garnish this with fresh lemon spirals and fresh berries! It would also be pretty garnished with fresh mint leaves as well.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerator: You can enjoy this cake for up to 5 days after you make it. This recipe stores best in an airtight container in the fridge. If you allow it to sit out for too long it will get dry.
- Freezer: If you chose to freeze this recipe, I suggest slicing it first into thick slices and wrapping each individual piece in clear plastic wrap. Then, place it in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Other Gluten Free Summer Dessert Recipes
Are you interested in a guide of my go to healthy alternatives?
If you loved this recipe, be sure to check out my FREE go to anti-inflammatory swap guide where I share all of my favorite go to healthy swaps.
Dairy Free Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake
Equipment
- bundt pan
- whisk
- juicer
- measuring cups & spoons
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups almond flour
- 1 cup arrowroot
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup honey
- ½ cup EVOO
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 4 eggs
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ tbsp lemon zest
Frosting
- 1 cup palm oil shortening
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup arrowroot
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine dry cake ingredients. Combine wet cake ingredients in separate bowl, then combine the two bowls.
- Stir until they are well combined. Add batter to greased bundt pan.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
- To make the frosting, combine all ingredients and beat together using mixer
- Once cake is cooled, spread a smooth, thin layer of icing over the cake.
sonal choudhary says
Can another pan be used for baking? I don’t have a Bundt pan..
Yes! You can use a loaf pan.
Vickie says
Hello Allianna,
I really want to try this recipe but I do not have palm oil shortening. Can I use Coconut oil instead?
thanks
You could try it although I am not sure how it would turn out! Let me know if you try it.
Michelle says
This is so good!
I am so glad you like it!