This gluten free lemon cake is easy to make, made in one bowl, and dairy free! Made with sweet honey and smooth avocado oil, enjoy this topped with Greek yogurt frosting (not dairy free) and balsamic mint berries. It’s gluten free made with only natural sugar!
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Gluten Free Lemon Cake Ingredients
How to make Gluten Free Lemon Cake:
- Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
- Prepare the pan. This recipe is sized to be made in a bread pan, but could also be done in a muffin pan. To prepare your bread pan, put oil, coconut oil, or room temperature vegan butter on a paper towel and smear along the bottom and sides of the pan so the surface is completely coated. Sprinkle gluten free flour in the pan and tilt and shake pan to coat the pan in flour. Any excess flour can be added or returned to the cake ingredients. If using muffin tins, line with cupcake liners.
- Mix all dry ingredients. Mix well in a large bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients, lemon juice and vinegar last! Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add liquids. Add the lemon juice and vinegar (acid) last. It is best to have all the wet ingredients out and ready prior to this step because once acids are added, they will react with the baking soda and baking powder.
- Mix. Mix until just combined and the cake batter is smooth. The batter will be thick, similar to a banana bread. I like to use an electric mixer for this, but a fork will work just as well.
- Bake for 30 minutes. The cake will be done when golden brown and the top springs back if gently poked.
- Make the frosting! Mix the Greek yogurt and honey until well combined. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
- Make the balsamic mint berries. Mix the honey and balsamic vinegar until well combined. Add berries and mint and mix until coated. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
- Let the warm cake sit 10 minutes before removing from the pan. After the cake cools in the pan we recommend moving it to a wire rack to stay to cool. At this time, spread Greek yogurt frosting and berries on top of the cake and serve warm!
Quick Facts
How long does this dish take? 1 hour
How much does this make? 10 servings
Does this meet my dietary needs? This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, and refined sugar free, not diary free with Greek yogurt frosting
How many bowls should I plan for this meal? One medium bowl or large mixing bowl, and one pan
How long does this keep? 1 week in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
Is it freezer friendly? Yes
Can I pack this for lunch? Sure! Just store the berries separately.
How do I store this? Store this gluten-free cake in an airtight container in the fridge or wrapped tightly in foil or plastic wrap in the freezer, with or without the frosting on. Keep the berries separate.
Why is this not vegan? This recipe uses honey, which because it comes from bees, is not considered vegan.
Substitute Options
Avocado Oil: Olive oil or vegetable oil can be used in place of avocado oil
Non-Dairy Milk: Regular milk or any plant based milk can be used
Lemon Juice & Lemon Zest: Fresh lemon juice can be used. For best results, we do not recommend using lemon extract because it's such a strong flavor that when used in excess it creates an artificial lemon flavor. Also, 2 tablespoon additional lemon juice can be used if you do not have fresh lemons for lemon zest.
Coconut Sugar: Regular sugar, maple sugar, or monk sweetener can be used
Honey: Maple syrup or agave can be used.
1:1 Gluten Free Flour Mix: Regular flour or your own gluten free 1:1 blend (it MUST include xanthan gum) can be used in place of gluten free flour. To make your own gluten-free flour blend, use a recipe like this one that mixes almond flour and coconut flour. Our favorite gluten free flour is this one.
Apple Cider Vinegar: White or rice vinegar can be used
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla beans, vanilla paste, or vanilla flavoring can be used
Greek Yogurt Frosting: This frosting is optional, but so so good. Plain plant based yogurt could be used instead of Greek yogurt and maple syrup or powdered sugar can replace the honey
Balsamic Mint Berries: Berries are optional but recommended. Mint is optional and we only recommend using fresh mint for this recipe. Maple syrup or agave can replace the honey. Lemon glaze, lemon icing, or lemon curd can replace the balsamic vinegar for real lemon lovers, but will be a different flavor profile.
Fun Fact!
Lemons are great for the immune system and for heart health. One lemon contains 51% of your daily Vitamin C needs! Lemon also aids your body in it’s absorption of iron. Iron deficiency anemia is very common and occurs when you do not get enough iron. Lemons help you make more of less iron! . (Source).
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Recipe
Gluten Free Lemon Cake
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 1.5 cup 1:1 Gluten free flour blend
- ⅓ cup Coconut sugar
- 1.5 teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 tablespoon Lemon zest
- ⅓ cup Avocado oil or olive oil
- ½ cup Non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- ⅓ cup Honey
- 1 tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoon Vanilla extract
Greek Yogurt Frosting
- 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoon Honey
Balsamic Berries
- 3 cups Mixed berries
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Fresh mint leaves chopped
Instructions
To Make the Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare bread pan by rubbing oil or butter along the inside and then dust with flour to ensure the cake does not stick.
- Mix dry ingredients and lemon zest in bowl.
- In the same bowl, make a well in the mixed dry ingredients. Add the liquid ingredients, except the apple cider vinegar and lemon juice to the well. Mix until just combined.
- Add the apple cider vinegar and lemon juice to the batter and mix until just combined but no lumps are present.
- Transfer batter to bread pan.
- Bake for 30 -35 minutes or until tops are golden brown and spring back or a too the pick comes out clean when pressed into bread. While the bread is baking make the frosting and berries.
To Make the Frosting
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Store in fridge until ready to use.
To Prepare the Berries
- Chop the mint into small pieces and dice strawberries (if using) into bite size pieces. I prefer to use a mix of fresh raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries. Any mixture or single berry will work.
- In a bowl, mix the balsamic vinegar and honey until well combined. Add the berries and mint to this mixture and toss to coat all the berries.
- Let this mixture sit for at least 15 minutes in the fridge to develop the flavors, but do not let the berries sit in this mixture for more than 4 hours. Once ready to use, drain the excess sauce and top cad with berries
Assemble
- Let the cake cool for 15 minutes before slicing and then top with frosting and berries and enjoy!
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