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. The gluten-free dessert recipe also has a dairy-free option.
⅔cupbutter, softened Dairy-free use Smart Balance butter.
1 ⅔cupsgranulated sugar
1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2teaspoons pure lemon extract
½teaspoondried lemon peel
⅛teaspoongluten-free yellow gel food coloring (optional)I like gluten-free gel food colors.
2 ¼cup all-purpose gluten-free flour with xanthan gumI 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.
½teaspoonsalt
3 ½teaspoongluten-free baking powder
1 ½cupsmilkDairy-free use unsweetened almond milk.
5large egg whites
Lemon Buttercream Frosting
1cupbutter, softenedDairy-free use Smart Balance butter.
½teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼teaspoonpure lemon extract
4cupspowdered sugar
⅛teaspoongluten-free yellow gel food coloring (optional)I like gluten-free gel food colors.
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.