An easy recipe for Gluten-Free Lemon Cake. This gluten-free cake is full of lemon flavor and topped with a creamy lemon buttercream frosting. This gluten-free dessert recipe also has a dairy-free option.
The recipe was originally published in April 2019, updated in April 2021.
Gluten-Free Lemon Cake Recipe
This gluten-free lemon cake recipe makes a moist and fluffy lemon cake. It only takes a few simple ingredients to make this luscious lemon cake.
This lemon cake gets its lemony flavor from both the lemon extract and dried lemon peel.
I love lemon-flavored desserts. I love the balance between the sweetness and tartness of the lemon flavor. This lemon-flavored cake is so bright and is a perfect Spring dessert!
How To Make A Gluten-Free Lemon Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut parchment paper for the bottom of your two 9″ cake pans and spray with gluten-free cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar together with a mixer until fluffy. (photo 1)
- Add the vanilla, lemon extract, dried lemon peel, food coloring (optional), gluten-free flour, salt, and baking powder to the butter mixture and mix until combined. (photo 2)
- Add the milk and mix until smooth.
- Beat in the egg whites and mix on high for 2 minutes. (photo 3)
- Pour half of the batter into the first 9″ cake pan and then pour the rest of the batter in the second 9″ cake pan. (photo 4)
- Bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean and the sides of the cakes are pulling away from the side of the pan. (photo 5)
- Cool the cakes in the pans for about 10-15 minutes. Place the cakes on a cooling rack to completely cool before frosting.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
How To Make Lemon Buttercream Frosting:
- In a large bowl beat the softened butter at medium speed, until smooth. Add the pure vanilla and lemon extract and mix until fully combined.
- Add the powder sugar one cup at a time to the buttery spread mixture and mix until fully combined. (photo 6)
- If you want the frosting to be a brighter yellow color, add yellow gluten-free food coloring. I like gel food coloring.
Can You Use Lemon Juice In Place Of Lemon Extract?
Sorry, but the answer is no. Lemon juice has a different level of acidity from pure lemon extract. Baking really is like chemistry.
Lemon extract is lemon oil mixed with water and alcohol that evaporates, leaving the lemon flavor. Make sure you use pure lemon extract or gluten-free lemon extract.
Tips For Baking The Best Gluten-Free Lemon Cake
- Use Pure lemon extract in place of lemon juice.
- Trace the bottoms of the cake pans with a pencil and cut them out with scissors to have them fit perfectly! This helps the cake not stick to the bottom of the pan and makes removing the cakes from the pan super easy.
- Spray cake pans with gluten-free cooking spray. (I use gluten-free coconut oil cooking spray) Parchment paper is not enough to keep your cakes from sticking to the pans.
- Use yellow food coloring to make the cakes and frosting a brighter yellow color.
- Bake the cakes on the middle rack.
- Check the centers of the cakes with a toothpick to see if it’s done. It will come out clean when the cake is finished baking.
- Also, the cakes will pull away from the side of the pan when they are finished baking. It’s important not to over-bake a gluten-free cake. If you over-bake the cakes, they will be drier. If you underbake the cake, the centers will be gummy.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and allow to completely cool on a baking rack.
Can I Freeze The Lemon Cake?
Yes, the lemon cakes can be easily frozen. After the cakes have completely cooled, wrap them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place each wrapped layer in a plastic freezer bag.
The lemon cakes can be frozen for up to one month. Defrost the cakes in the refrigerator overnight.
The lemon buttercream frosting can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Gluten-Free Flour
I baked this gluten-free cake with Pillsbury gluten-free flour. I like baking with a cup-for-cup all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. A cup-for-cup all-purpose gluten-free rice flour blend is one that already has starches and xanthan gum.
Xanthan gum makes gluten-free baking so much easier! It helps replace the elasticity and texture of gluten.
Make sure not to add any extra xanthan gum to your flour if it already includes it. If you do, you will get a gummy cake!
Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
This gluten-free lemon cake recipe will not work with almond, coconut, or oat flour.
Pro Tip For Measuring Gluten-Free Flour
In gluten-free baking, it is very important to get the correct amount of flour the recipe calls for. Gluten-free flours are often compacted in their packages and if you directly scoop the flour from the bag, you could get more flour than the recipe calls for.
I measure gluten-free flour using the “spoon and level” method. I use a spoon to scoop the flour out of the bag into the measuring cup.
After spooning the flour into the measuring cup, I use the back of a knife to level the flour off of the measuring cup. I do all of this over a small bowl so, I don’t waste any flour.
Please do not use a measuring cup to scoop the flour directly out of the bag with your measuring cup. In doing so you will not have the correct amount of gluten-free flour and you may have different baking results.
Gluten-Free And Dairy-Free Lemon Cake
I have also included a dairy-free option for this gluten-free lemon cake. My family (me included) is also dairy-free, so I always try and include a dairy-free option in my recipes.
For the dairy-free option, I used Smart Balance butter and unsweetened almond milk.
If you are going to top your cake with lemon curd, make sure that it is also dairy-free. Most store-bought brands of lemon curd are not dairy-free.
Lemon curd can be made easily with dairy-free butter. Here is a recipe for Dairy-Free Lemon Curd from Noshtastic.
So if you are both gluten-free and dairy-free, you can enjoy the lemon cake. I promise that it is just as delicious made with dairy-free butter and dairy-free milk.
Some of my favorite dairy-free alternatives that I like to bake with are unsweetened almond or coconut milk. I also like baking with Smart Balance butter or coconut oil.
Tips For Frosting A Cake
- Make sure the cakes are completely cooled.
- Place the first cake round with the shiny side down on a plate or a cake platter.
- Frost the top of the first cake. This will be the frosting in the center of your cake.
- Place the second cake on top of the frosted first cake with the shiny side down.
- Frost the top and side of the cake with the remaining frosting.
- I decorated the top with lemon curd and frosting flowers using a Wilton 1M tip.
Additional Fillings Or Toppings For A Lemon Cake
One of my favorite things about lemon cake is that pairs beautifully with so many flavors. Especially blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and shredded coconut.
It’s easy to add fresh berries or shredded coconut to the top of the cake, or even into the middle layer of the cake.
For adding a filling to the middle of the cake, just add the berries on top of the lemon buttercream on the first layer of the cake. Add the second layer of cake on top of the berries and frost.
By doing this you will have a layer of lemon buttercream and berries in the middle.
The lemon buttercream has just the right amount of lemon flavor. If you want your cake to have an extra tangy lemon flavor, you can top the cake with lemon curd, as I did. Make sure to check your lemon curd ingredients to make sure it is both gluten-free and dairy-free if you need it.
Easy Gluten-Free Lemon Cake
Making a gluten-free lemon cake is super easy and only takes a few simple ingredients. This lemon cake recipe is one of my favorite year-round desserts, but it’s always a popular dessert for spring and summer.
More Gluten-Free Dessert Recipes To Try!
- Gluten-Free Lemon Bars {Dairy-Free Option}
- Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake {Dairy-Free}
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake {Dairy-Free Option}
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Gluten-Free Lemon Cake {Dairy-Free Option}
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup butter, softened Dairy-free use Smart Balance butter.
- 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
- ½ teaspoon dried lemon peel
- ⅛ teaspoon gluten-free yellow gel food coloring (optional) I like gluten-free gel food colors.
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose gluten-free flour with xanthan gum I like Pillsbury gluten-free. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
- 1 ½ cups milk Dairy-free use unsweetened almond milk.
- 5 large egg whites
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup butter, softened Dairy-free use Smart Balance butter.
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon pure lemon extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon gluten-free yellow gel food coloring (optional) I like gluten-free gel food colors.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the parchment paper for the bottom of your two 9-inch cake pans and spray with gluten-free cooking spray. (I like gluten-free coconut oil cooking spray)
- In a large bowl cream together the softened butter and the granulated sugar together with a mixer until fluffy.
- Add the pure vanilla extract, lemon extract, dried lemon peel, food coloring (optional), gluten-free flour, salt, and gluten-free baking powder to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
- Add the milk and mix until smooth.
- Beat in the egg whites and mix on high for 2 minutes.
- Pour half of the batter into the first 9-inch cake pan and then pour the rest of the batter into the second 9-inch cake pan.
- Bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean and the sides of the cake is pulling away from the side of the pan.
- Cool the cakes in the pans for about 10-15 minutes. Place the cakes on a cooling rack to completely cool before frosting.
Lemon Buttercream
- In a large bowl beat the softened butter at medium speed, until smooth. Add the pyre vanilla and lemon extract and mix until fully combined. Add the powder sugar one cup at a time to the buttery spread mixture and mix until fully combined. Add gluten-free yellow food coloring for a brighter yellow frosting (optional).
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Trace the bottoms of the 9-inch cake pans with a pencil and cut them out with scissors to have them fit perfectly!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
- I like Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
- I measure gluten-free flour is to use the “spoon and level” method to keep from getting more flour than the recipe calls for.
- For the dairy-free option, I used Smart Balance butter and unsweetened almond milk.
- To freeze the cake: wrap the completely cooled in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place each wrapped layer in a plastic freezer bag. The cakes can be frozen for up to one month. Defrost the cakes in the refrigerator overnight. The lemon buttercream frosting can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
- I topped the cake with lemon curd for an extra tangy lemon flavor. (Most lemon curd is not dairy-free. See the post of a recipe suggestion)
- I used a Wilton 1M tip to make the frosting swirls.
- Mama says, "always check all of your labels!"
Lynell D. says
Hi. I want to make this today. Can I substitute applesauce for the eggs and still have it taste good? Thanks.
Audrey says
Hi Lynell! I have not tried apple sauce for a substitute for eggs in this recipe. I am not sure how the applesauce will change the cake’s texture.
Paula says
super delicous and moist and I made the dairy free lemon curd. Out of this world, sooo good this will be a keeper !!
Sherry says
Love it! Made for my husband’s birthday in Feb. Don’t have round cake pans, but it still was great in a 9×13” pan. Didn’t have lemon extract so used 4 lemons! The curd was delicious as was the frosting! I didn’t put the total amount of powdered sugar in and it was great! Never had made a curd before! So thank you for recipe! Today I made it for Easter lunch for our daughter and her family! Have some strawberries I picked last June, still in freezer and will add a bowl of them on the side if anyone wants to drizzle on top of the cake. My husband wants to add whipping cream to his. Can’t wait to see how they all like it! Happy and blessed Easter wishes!
Colleen Macintyre says
I normally can’t bake a cake to save my life, forget a gluten free, dairy free cake. But this cake turned out AMAZING! I used Bob’s 1 to 1 flour. I did not have lemon extract, so I used the juice of one lemon instead, beyond that I followed the directions exactly. It turned out perfect and was love by gluten lovers and celiacs alike!
Deborah Rice says
I made this for a joint birthday celebration. Absolutely wonderful flavour, moist, and a very nice rise. I made a lemon cream filling and topped it with lavender buttercream. Beautiful!
Christine says
Made for my son’s birthday. He doesn’t like sweets and avoids sugar. He ate the entire cake. This cake is delicious by any standards. Making again for his college graduation party. I did use lemon curd for the filling. I did use a slightly modified frosting by increasing the butter and reducing the powdered sugar. The cake is quite sweet, so felt 4 cups of powdered sugar was too sweet for our Palate.
Wajeeha says
I tried it today for my wedding anniversary and my son is gf df. I was craving a good lemon cake. Came across this recipe and OMG!!! I am just blown away. The cake turned out AMAZING ?. I used aquafaba buttercream. Raspberry jam and lemon curd in between the layers. It’s just finger licking.
JB says
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
Miruna says
Great cake . It was for my friend’s birthday and it was perfect size and delicious. I will definitely make it again .
Audrey says
Thank you so much Miruna for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you and your friend enjoyed the cake, it was delicious and that you will make it again. Thank you again!
Kristina says
Made this for my daughters birthday and she loved it, we all did!
Christine says
My gluten intolerant son requested a lemon cake for his birthday. He loved this cake, we all loved this cake! Moist, a good rise, and tender. I did find that I needed to use much more lemon extract in the frosting. 1/4 tsp. Added little flavor, I used more like a tablespoon. Not sure if it was due to the brand of extract. I used lemon curd as the filling. I plan to make the cake again soon!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Christine for the wonderful recipe review, it really made my day! I am so happy that you made this cake for your son’s birthday and everyone loved it. You are so welcome, I love sharing the recipes that I make for my family. I am so happy to hear that you will be making it again. Thank you again!
Mary says
WOW, from a gluten/dairy eater looking for a recipe that I think is delicious, just wow.
Thank you so much for this recipe. ❤️
Amber says
This was amazing!! Made for my bday cake- gluten and dairy free and delicious. I did not have lemon extract, but lots of lemons. A staple and ample supply always in my house so I just did more lemon zest to substitute. Wow- it was just the right amount of lemon and slightly sweet. I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday cake! I made it a two tier round cake, with lemon zest on top! It was so delicious and moist- way to go. Thank you for the best birthday cake I could have asked for! ?
Audrey says
Thank you so much Amber for the awesome 5-star recipe review, this really made my day! I am so happy that the lemon cake was amazing and you enjoyed it for your birthday. Happy Birthday, Amber! YOu are so welcome, I love sharing the recipes I make for my family. Thank you again!
Lisa says
This is an outstanding cake, and has been a favorite in our house. We make it with Krusteaz gluten free flour, coconut milk and butter, and do the extra lemon curd as suggested. We find it especially good refrigerated! Thanks for a fantastic recipe!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Lisa for the awesome 5-star recipe review, it really made my day! I am so happy that everyone enjoys the lemon cake. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thanks again!
Mindee says
This cake is wonderful!! My daughter loves lemon cake and I made this for her birthday. Nobody knew it was gluten free! I use Cup 4 Cup flour when I bake and it worked perfectly. Years ago I was nervous to serve a first time GF recipe at a party, but yours never disappoint. Thank you for sharing your incredible talent!! ❤️
Audrey says
Thank you os much Mindee for the awesome 5-star recipe review, you really made my day! I am so happy that you all enjoyed the lemon cake, especially your daughter, as it was a special birthday cake for her. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thank you again for your kind words and review, it really made my heart happy, it really means the world to me!
D. says
Great cake! Made some changes….only because I didn’t have a few ingredients on hand and it still turned out fabulous. I was out of lemon extract, so I replaced with 4 tsp of lemon juice and also left out the vanilla in hopes that the lemon would shine through. I reduced the sugar to 1 1/2c. I used a King Arthur GF flour blend as I didn’t have any Pilsbury. Then I added 1 Tablespoons of poppy seeds as this was a birthday cake requested by my daughter. I made a lemon butter cream frosting and lemon curd and put the curd in the middle of the layers as well on top. This cake was a crowd pleaser!. Thank you for creating and sharing.
Audrey says
Thank you so much D for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that everyone enjoyed the cake, especially the birthday girl. Thank you for sharing your modifications, as I know that it will help others. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thanks again!
Savannah says
Hello, I am looking for a cake for my birthday. Will coconut oil work in place of a vegan butter? I am allergic to palm oil which is in all vegan butters.
Audrey says
Hi Savannah! I have not tried coconut oil in this recipe, but I have baked with coconut oil successfully in some of my other recipes. I would think that it would work well int his recipe too. If you try it, will you please let me know how it turns out? Wishing you a Happy Birthday!
Bonnie says
I made this fantastic recipe for my husbands birthday. I made the dairy free version as he is GF and dairy free. I was so happy with the results. I made it into cupcakes and shortened the cooking time to compensate. It was amazing!!
I did just a few things differently. I added fresh lemon zest instead of the dried. . And I added a little bit more lemon extract to the frosting 1/4 tsp more and also zest from a lemon. ( I wanted more lemony taste in frosting)
We all loved it and I can’t wait to try out more of your recipes!!! Absolutely delicious! Thank you so much!!!!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Bonnie for the fantastic recipe review! I am so happy that you all enjoyed the lemon cake as cupcakes. Thank you for sharing that you used fresh lemon zest and a bit more lemon extract in the frosting to make it more lemony. I hope you enjoy the other recipes of mine that you try. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thank you again!
Heather says
This sounds and looks delicious. I need to take a GF dessert for my sons graduation next week and I love lemon. I think I’ll try making it as cupcakes though to make it easier to serve. Also that way I can keep some for me. ????
Audrey says
Hi Heather! Thank you so much! I hope that you and your son enjoy the lemon cupcakes. Congratulations on your son graduating!
Sarah says
This was SO delicious! So far, your recipes are ones I’ve had the most success with. I loved the extra tang that the lemon curd added and highly recommend it. If you can’t find lemon curd at the store, it’s super easy to make, just FYI. If I would do anything different next time it would be to use lemon curd between the layers as well as on top, then frost the sides and decorate around the top with the buttercream. My family was impressed and my kiddos said this was the best GF cake I’ve made so far. I’ve had MANY awful-tasting outcomes in the past!
My next cake will be the cinnamon roll cake, but I have one question. If a recipe calls for a 9×13 and, assuming all the ingredients can halve evenly, would there be any problem with cutting the ingredients in half and making a smaller cake?
Thanks! I look forward to making more of your recipes AND purchasing your cookbook when it comes out. ☺️
Audrey says
Thank you so much Sarah for the amazing 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you and your family enjoyed the lemon cake, especially that your kids said that it was the best gluten-free cake you have made so far. It makes my heart so happy to hear that you have found success with my recipes. Thanks for the tip on the lemon curd, I’ve never tried making it from scratch. I am defiantly going to give it a try. I have had a lot of readers tell me that they have cut the cinnamon roll cake recipe in half or they have frozen the left-overs for later. My large family always devours the cake in 24 hours. The cake is also awesome for breakfast too. I hope you enjoy the cinnamon roll cake as well. Thank you so much for your kind words and support! I am very excited about the release of my first cookbook. I really appreciate your support. Thanks again!
Michelle says
According to my kids it is the best gluten free, dairy free cake ever, and I agree.
Audrey says
That makes my heart so happy to hear Michelle! I am so happy that you and your kids enjoyed the lemon cake. Thank you so much for the wonderful 5-star recipe review!
Susan Pearson says
I look forward to making this cake for my son’s birthday! I see the recipe serves 16, can I double the recipe to make a sheet cake to serve 40 people?
Audrey says
Hi Susan! I am not sure because I have never doubled the recipe and made a sheet cake with it before. If you try it will you please let me know how it turns out? Wishing your son the happiest of birthdays!
Catherine says
Wow, what a beautiful and luscious cake, YUM!! This is so perfect for this time of year, although I think I could go for lemon all year long! 😀 I love also that your recipe is both gluten and dairy-free!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Catherine! I am in total agreement with you, a lemon cake is lovely all year long. Not only am I gluten-free, but I am also dairy-free, so I always try and have a dairy-free option for my recipes. Thank you again!
Kate Berkey says
I was looking for a gluten-free recipe for the whole family and I stumbled on this article. I read and followed the instructions carefully and I made it deliciously! Every member of my family is so happy! Thanks for this!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Kate for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that your whole family enjoyed the lemon cake. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thanks again!
Willow says
This cake looks lovely (and I love lemon) and like that you have both gluten-free flour and butter alternates. However, have you attempted this recipe with an egg replacer instead of eggs? Unfortunately in addition to sensitivities to gluten and dairy I am not allowed eggs. This makes finding a cake recipie – or cookie for that matter – that eliminate (or provide alternates) to all of these items extremely difficult. In fact I have yet to find any. Thank you!
Audrey says
Hi Willow! Thank you so much. I have not tried this recipe with an egg replacer. I have made my chocolate chip cookies, pancakes and biscuits using Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer. I have not tried any of my cake recipes with an egg replacer yet. Do you have a favorite egg replacer that you use?
Rashida says
You can use applesauce as an egg replacer.
Audrey says
Hi Rashida! I have never tried applesauce as an egg replacer in this recipe. If you try it will you please let me know who it turns out? I hope you enjoy the lemon cake!
Jane Phillips says
The picture show a frosting, perhaps lemon curd, but I don’t see a recipe it that. Help…
Audrey says
Hi Jane! The recipe includes a lemon buttercream frosting. As stated in my post, if you want your cake to have an extra tangy lemon flavor, you can top the cake with lemon curd, as I did. I bought the gluten-free lemon curd from Publix grocery store. The recipe card with the cake and frosting recipe is at the bottom of the page. Here is the link to the recipe card https://www.mamaknowsglutenfree.com/gluten-free-lemon-cake/#wprm-recipe-container-7176 I hope you enjoy the lemon cake.