By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On February 20, 2023
A layered cake filled with lemon curd and covered in a smooth, creamy lemon buttercream frosting, this Gluten-Free Lemon Cake will be the perfect addition to any holiday celebration.
This gluten-free lemon cake recipe comes with a dairy-free option and is super simple to make.
Do you love cake? Then you'll love my Easy Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake. My Easy Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake is scrumptious too. For something a little different, try this delicious Gluten-Free Olive Oil Cake With Orange Glaze.
Looking for other lemony desserts? Try these out: Gluten-Free Lemon Drizzle Cake, Easy Gluten-Free Lemon Bars, and Gluten-Free Lemon Meringue Pie.
If you like mixing your own gluten free flour blend check out which flours I use.
For more ideas feel free to browse my Easy Gluten Free Recipes.
Gluten-Free Lemon Cake Recipe
Someone asked me if this gluten-free lemon cake was moist because I soaked it in simple syrup. NOPE.
This Gluten-Free Lemon Cake recipe has the right combination of ingredients, it's loaded with fresh lemon zest, and it's topped with the most incredible lemon buttercream frosting.
I appreciate the compliment though 🙂
Spring is in the air. The birds are chirping, the flowers are blooming, and Easter is only a couple of weeks away.
Every year for Easter we make something different for dessert. Sometimes it's gluten-free cookies, sometimes there's gluten-free lemon cake, but grandma always brings a pie: chocolate cream pie.
It's not really an Easter type of a pie, but she brings it to every holiday meal. It's her special contribution and we appreciate her for it.
This Gluten-Free Lemon Cake is a perfect gluten-free Easter dessert.
This year for Easter I wanted try something new - a fresh and tangy cake that would make everyone in our family dive for seconds. Hence the gluten-free lemon cake recipe.
Do you think this Gluten-Free Lemon Cake will make a good Easter dessert? I had Easter in mind when I made it, so I hope you do. I have more Gluten-Free Easter Desserts, if you are interested.
Lemon treats remind me of spring and summer. Also, Lemon is a universal flavor in my opinion, like chocolate.
I haven't met a single person who would shun a lemon dessert. If I ever do, I will happily eat it for them so they don't feel guilty wasting it.
We're also celebrating one of my niece's birthday on Easter. A special girl needs a special cake.
She's the sweetest (I can say that because I'm her aunt) and I am thinking she might need a giant slice of this cake to celebrate her day.
Are lemon juice and lemon extract the same?
I often get ask if can you use lemon juice in place of lemon extract and vise versa. It’s not the same. Lemon juice is acidic and can’t be replaced with extract which is usually alcohol based.
Similarly, fresh lemon juice and bottled juice react differently. In many cases bottled lemon juice causes batter to get rubbery.
If a recipe calls for fresh lemon juice, use fresh lemon juice. If it calls for lemon extract, use lemon extract.
In this recipe, you want to use lemon Extract for the cake batter and lemon Juice for the frosting.
How to Make Gluten-Free Lemon Cake
- For the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Oil two 9-inch cake pans and dust with flour; set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine oil and sugar.
- Add eggs and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for one minute.
- Add flour, salt, baking powder, dairy-free milk, lemon extract, and lemon zest; beat at medium speed for one minute.
- Spoon batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until the centers springs back when touched and the centers are set. The time may vary on your elevation and oven temperature accuracy.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on the rack for five minutes. Run a rubber spatula along the edges of each cake to loosen them. Invert onto the cooking rack.
- For the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well. Alternate one cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice until all ingredients are blended.
- Beat in additional lemon juice if needed to obtain desired constancy.
- Place on cake, dome side down, on a plate or cake platter. Spread a ¼ inch layer of frosting on it. Spoon lemon curd into the center and spread until it’s a half inch from the edges.
- Add second cake to the top and frost the sides and tops. Tip: I like to put frosting in a piping bag and pipe in on, then spread it. It helps eliminate crumbs getting mixed into the frosting and adds the right amount of frosting.
Store any leftover gluten-free lemon cake in an airtight container at room temperature. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.
Tips for making gluten-free cake
There are a couple of tips and tricks to getting the right texture with gluten-free cake. First, you have to follow the recipe.
So many people comment on recipe posts saying that they made a ton of substitutions and the recipe didn’t turn out.
Other than the dairy substitute, I haven’t tried other substitutes in this recipe.
If you use substitutions, you are doing so at your own risk.
Second, you want to mix at the right time and not over-mix.
When you are beating the oil, sugar, and eggs you’ll want to beat it for the time listed. This adds air which in turn helps the cake rise.
Once you add your flour mixture, you’ll only want to beat until combined. Beating any longer will cause the batter to stiffen.
These tips are relevant to most cake and cupcake recipes, not just this Gluten-Free Lemon Cake.
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Lemon Cake
This gluten-free lemon cake is also dairy-free! So, whether you make this gluten-free lemon cake for Easter, someone's birthday, or any other special occasion, I think you'll agree that is quite amazing and it works for most dietary restrictions.
It's better than any bakery style cake I've had (I know, I say that about all my cakes. I make good cakes!).
Measuring Gluten-Free Flours
When working with gluten-free flours or measuring gluten-free flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level.
Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour.
The best method really is to weigh the gluten-free flour but I don't have the ingredient weights for all my recipes yet.
I've tested this recipe with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1, Cup 4 Cup baking flour, and my gluten-free flour blend.
Pin for later:
Can I use regular milk in the cake and real butter in the frosting and get the same results?
Yes. You can make this cake with dairy, or without dairy. It just as amazing. Both ways deliver a delicious, tender, bakery style cake.
This lemon cake moist but not wet, and it keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The tender cake, tart lemon curd filling, and smooth frosting makes the perfect lemony treat.
If you are looking for other cake recipes, you might like this Gluten Free Carrot Cake. For another delicious option, consider this Gluten Free Apple Pie or Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake.
Did you make this gluten-free lemon cake? I want to know what you thought! Please leave a starred review and comment below. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments and I will get back to you.
Gluten-Free Lemon Cake
A layered cake filled with lemon curd and covered in a smooth, creamy lemon buttercream frosting, this Gluten-Free Lemon Cake will be the perfect addition to any holiday celebration.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup vegetable oil (or oil of choice)
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder (reduce to 1 teaspoon if using a blend that has baking powder)
- 1 cup dairy-free milk (or regular milk)
- 2 teaspoons lemon extract
- Zest from one medium lemon
For the filling and frosting:
- 1 cup dairy-free butter (2 sticks), room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- Juice from the same medium lemon (about ¼ cup)
- ½ cup lemon curd
Instructions
- For the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Oil two 9-inch cake pans and dust with flour; set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine oil and sugar.
- Add eggs and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for one minute.
- Add flour, salt, baking powder, dairy-free milk, lemon extract, and lemon zest; beat at medium speed for one minute.
- Spoon batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for 28-32 minutes or until the centers springs back when touched and the centers are set. The time may vary on your elevation and oven temperature accuracy.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan on the rack for five minutes. Run a rubber spatula along the edges of each cake to loosen them. Invert onto the cooking rack.
- For the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well. Alternate one cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice until all ingredients are blended.
- Beat in additional lemon juice if needed to obtain desired constancy.
- Place on cake, dome side down, on a plate or cake platter. Spread a ¼ inch layer of frosting on it. Spoon lemon curd into the center and spread until it’s a half inch from the edges.
- Add second cake to the top and frost the sides and tops. Tip: I like to put frosting in a piping bag and pipe in on, then spread it. It helps eliminate crumbs getting mixed into the frosting and adds the right amount of frosting.
Notes
- Flour blends: I've tested this recipe with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 and my gluten-free flour blend. Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Flour does NOT work in this recipe.
- Frosting: You can use any frosting you like. If you want thinner frosting, add 2 tablespoons of milk or dairy free milk at a time until desired consistency is met.
- When working with gluten-free flours or measuring gluten-free flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour.
- You can make this cake with dairy, or without dairy. Use regular dairy milk and regular dairy butter.
- In this recipe, you want to use lemon Extract for the cake batter and lemon Juice for the frosting. Lemon juice is acidic and can’t be replaced with extract which is usually alcohol based. Similarly, fresh lemon juice and bottled juice react differently. In many cases bottled lemon juice causes batter to get rubbery. If a recipe calls for fresh lemon juice, use fresh lemon juice.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 581Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 299mgCarbohydrates: 79gFiber: 1gSugar: 64gProtein: 4g
Trinity
Is my batter too runny? It’s bowing in the middle this is the third cake today to do it??
chrystal
I'm not sure. What flour blend did you use? Did you change anything in the recipe?
Best
Chrystal
Trinity
I used whole milk but that’s all and the flour I use is pamelas. The last time I made it like a month ago it was great but this times they are all a little different
chrystal
Hi Trinity,
I haven't personally used Pamela's flour mix in this recipe. If it worked for you before, but not this time, I'd look at a few things: Did you possibly over mix it the second time, did you use the same type of lemon juice both times, and also, when you first made it was the air less humid than now (this can impact cakes). If it's more humid now or raining more, try leaving the cake in the oven for 5 minutes longer.
Best,
Chrystal
Susan
Hi there, so I need to make my own lemon curd or have you got a special recipe of curd that I can use for this? Thanks
chrystal
You can buy lemon curd or make lemon curd for this recipe.
Best,
Chrystal
Karrie
Is this recipe asking for salted butter?
chrystal
You can use salted or unsalted for the filling/frosting. Unsalted is preferred.
Best
Chrystal
Joyce
Hi,
If I try using coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, should I melt it first so it is liquid? Or can I use it when it is solid?
Joyce
chrystal
Melt it and let it cool so it doesn't cook the eggs when you mix it in.
Teri Taylor
Does this cake freeze well before frosting it?
chrystal
Yes, it freezes well.
Lucy Hawse
Hello, how did you decorate the top? Does the butter cream make enough to do the piping on top or did you make extra? Did you put the blackberries in anything to make them release their juices?
chrystal
Hi Lucy,
I didn't make extra frosting. I piped it around the top and put blackberries in the center. I didn't do anything to make them release the juice, they were very ripe. If you use frozen blackberries and let them thaw, they will release some of the juice.
Best,
Chrystal
Trinity
If you guys use Pamelas flour only add 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder. Since the flour already has baking powder, you don’t need as much! Fixed my caving in, in the middle of the cake!
chrystal
Thanks for sharing Trinity!
Najla
Hi!
Can I use coconut flour in this recipe?
chrystal
Sorry no, coconut flour doesn't work as a 1 to 1 in place of gluten free flour.
Best,
Chrystal
debs
hi,do i use plain flour or self raising gluten free.thanks
chrystal
You use a plain gluten free flour blend, not self rising.
Best,
Chrystal
Rachek
Made the last night! Aaaaa-mazing! Absolutely love it. Used mostly strawberries. It was like a decadent strawberry shortcake. Will make again.
Victoria
Can you replace eggs for making the cake with anything?
chrystal
Hi Victoria,
I haven't tried an egg replacer in this recipe but some of my readers have. Check the comments for what people are using.
Best,
Chrystal
Dawn
Can you use a sugar substitute? coconut sugar? Maple syrup?
chrystal
Hi Dawn,
I haven't tried a sugar sub in this recipe.
Best,
Chrystal
Giovanna
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made this cake yesterday for my birthday and it is amazing. Only sub was I used 2 cups of regular GF flour + 1/2 cup almond flour.
I’ll be making again for sure!
Has anyone ever tried using Key Limes instead of lemons?
Thanks!
Gigi
chrystal
I am so glad you liked it. Thank you for sharing what you used.
Best,
Chrystal
Amber
Hi Giovanna,
Would you mind sharing why you did the half a cup of almond flour ? I’m about to make this cake and I have almond flour On hand. Thank you
Giovanna
It's been almost 7 months since I first made this recipe and since I've made it 5-6 times! I subbed 1/2 cup almond flour that first time for texture. Since that first time I've made it mostly with 1-1 Bob's GF flour. Honestly this is the best cake and has quickly become my celebration go-to!
Michelle
I was following along until the lemon curd. How do you make or what do you use?
chrystal
Hi Michelle,
You can buy lemon curd from the store, just check the ingredients to make sure no gluten was added. You can also use frosting in the center.
Best,
Chrystal
Amber
Hi Chrystal,
I don’t have lemon extract on hand. Could I use lemon essential oil. It’s a vitality oil so it can be used for cooking. If not, can I sub the extract with fresh lemon juice?
Thank you
chrystal
A few of my readers have used essential oil with good results.
Best,
Chrystal
Janna
Have you ever tried making these into cupcakes? The components are the same as cupcakes I used to love before cutting out gluten. How long would you suggest cooking cupcakes for?
chrystal
Hi Janna,
Yes, you can make this cake into cupcakes. Start with a bake time of 18 minutes and watch for doneness from there. This recipe makes 22-24 cupcakes.
Best,
Chrystal
Melissa
I’m using king Arthur gluten-free one to one. I saw in your recipe it says you used Bob’s red Mill one to one gf flour but then below in your notes it says do not use Bob’s red Mill flower so I am confused?
chrystal
Hi Melissa,
Bob's Red Mill has 2 blends, the 1-to-1 and their all purpose. The 1-to-1 blends works great, and that's what I use. The all-pupose blend has chickpea flour and doesn't work.
With that said, many of my readers use King Arthur and love how it works in my recipes.
Best,
Chrystal
Debbie Magee
Chrystal, I have Better Batter flour on hand but have not made any cooked gluten-free cakes before and am making this for my cousin's birthday...don't want it to go wrong! Have you tried this flour and do you think I should still add the baking powder? Apparently it has xanthan gum in it. Thank you.
chrystal
Hi Debbie,
I haven't personally used it. The only thing that concerns me is that it has pectin in it, I'm not sure how that's going to work with the lemon in this recipe. Xanthan gum is fine.
Best,
Chrystal
Carolyn Zachry
I replaced the oil with sugar free applesauce. Worked great!
chrystal
Thanks for sharing.
Best,
Chrystal
Hana
Can I replace the milk with the non sugar bottled lemon juice ?
chrystal
In the frosting? Yes.
Best,
Chrystal
Christie
Hi! Can you share what you did to the berries!? Mint? Sugar? Excited to make this weekend!
chrystal
I arranged fresh berries on top and sprinkled them with lemon zest. You can always add a little sugar if you like.
Best,
Chrystal
April
I just make this cake tonight and used the brand Cup4Cup gluten free flour. It is lovely and bakes so well, however my cake turned out super fluffy and almost angel food cake texture vs a denser cake texture. I followed the recipe exactly, other than the flour (it does not contain baking powder). Any ideas what I did wrong?
chrystal
Hi April,
You didn't do anything wrong. Cup4Cup has cornstarch and milk powder in it, which is why it was fluffier. 🙂
Best,
Chrystal
Alene
Thank you, Chrystal, for that information. It's good to know what makes these flours different!
chrystal
You are very welcome.
Best,
Chrystal
Lyla
What do I do if I add too many eggs?
chrystal
How many extra? 1-2 is okay, but after that you might want to increase the recipe.
Best,
Chrystal
Courtney
I have made this cake 4 or 5 times and it is now my absolute favorite! I made two cakes for my son and I's birthday party this weekend and this one was the talk of the party and it is all gone! This will be our families summer treat for years to come!
chrystal
I am so glad you like it. Thank you for letting me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Carol
Hi Chrystal. I have been asked to make a gf lemon wedding cake. The lemon cake will be the middle tier. How will this hold up with stacking?
chrystal
This cake will hold up well. A few readers have used it as a wedding cake.
Best,
Chrystal
Tiffany
Can I bake this in a 9x13 pan? How would I change the cooking time/temperature?
chrystal
Of all my cakes, this is the one I haven't tested in a 9 x 13 pan. I would imagine it would work. Start with 30 minutes and watch for doness from there. Let me know how it turns out!
Best,
Chrystal
Tim
I noticed your lemon cupcakes use real lemon juice. Is it okay to use actual lemon juice instead of extract for the full cake as well?
chrystal
The recipes are different, but you should be able to use real lemon juice in the cake.
SUNNY MILLS
The photo shows berries on top of the cake but you mentioned nothing about berries in the recipe. Also what is the purpose of using dairy free? Does that make it gluten-free?
chrystal
Hi Sunny,
You don't need to garnish the cake with berries. We like berries, but not everyone does. No dairy-free does not mean gluten free. You can use regular butter and milk if you don't need dairy free.
Best,
Chrystal
dawn
I made this tonight and think it was fantastic. So glad I tried it. Followed the recipe exactly (even pulled out the mixer which I rarely use). Not a big cake fan since most to me some meh. This was just the right texture and moisture. Found a recipe to make my own lemon curd (using dairy free butter). I did use 8 inch square pans since I don't have round ones. Only challenge was getting the cakes to let go of the pans. Sides were easy, but bottoms fought me. May try parchment in the bottoms next time. Thank you!
chrystal
I am so glad you liked it. Thank you for taking the time to stop back by and let me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Emily
Hi Crystal
Could you technically bake this with regular flour instead of gluten free flour?
chrystal
Yes, you can.
Best,
Chrystal
Farah
Hello,
I was wondering, if i wanted to use less sugar in the recipe as I prefer it less sweet would I have to use a lesser amount of oil as well?
chrystal
Hi Farah,
I haven't tried reducing the sugar in this recipe, so I'm not sure.
Best,
Chrystal
Angela
Hello there! I have made you GF vanilla cake and it was great! I need a GF lemon cake now, so I was going to use this. I did notice this recipe is the same as your vanilla with one major difference. This recipe has .5 cup less flour in it. Can you explain why? Thanks!
chrystal
This recipe yields a different texture (a little more dense) that you often find with lemon cakes. You're certainly welcome to add lemon extract to my vanilla cake recipe as well.
Best,
Chrystal
Jeannie Houston
Hi Chrystal,
I am recently diagnosed with celiac but am a baker. I have been using this cup4cup flour since I just started to try to start baking again since my diagnosis and recovering from being sick. I know you said you tried this recipe with the bobs red mill and cup4cup flours, so I was just curious if it works okay with the cup4cup or what the difference is with the flours in this recipe? Thank you for taking your time in helping with this question.
Thank you,
Jeannie
chrystal
Hi Jeannie,
I have used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 in this recipe, and my flour blend. I haven't personally tried cup 4 cup in this recipe, but some of the other readers have with sucess.
Best,
Chrystal
Kathryn
Can I make this a couple of days in advance? Will it hold up well in the fridge?
chrystal
I would recommend only making it a day in advance.
Best,
Chrystal