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Home » Cake

February 26, 2022

Easy Gluten Free Lemon Drizzle Cake

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Zesty and tangy gluten free lemon drizzle cake! This gorgeous lemon cake is citrusy and packed with lemon zest and lemon juice. The soft and moist crumbs of this cake are coated with tangy lemon icing that is difficult to resist!

A slice cut from the gluten free lemon drizzle cake to show the fluffy texture of the cake. The cake is set on a white cake stand surrounded by a pistachio colored kitchen towel.

This is hands down my favorite cake!

You should make this cake for several reasons and here are a few:

  • The cakes looks gorgeous without any effort or decorating!
  • This is an easy gluten free lemon cake to make!
  • The vibrant yellow color is irresistible!
  • Soft and moist crumbs that no one will know this lemon drizzle cake is gluten-free!
  • Zesty, tangy and crunchy lemon drizzle icing!
  • NO BUTTER! 😉

Not convinced? Scroll down for the pictures and see for yourself!

The Secret to a Moist Gluten Free Lemon Drizzle Cake

The secret to achieving a soft and moist gluten free lemon drizzle cake comes down to the ingredients used.

If you don't want to understand the science behind the ingredients chosen then feel free to skip this section! 😀

If you are looking for substitutions, read this section friend!

Gluten Free Flour Mix

The gluten free flour mix I'm using for this gluten free lemon cake consists of white rice flour, tapioca flour, corn starch, and brown rice flour. This gluten-free flour mix is what makes the crumbs of this cake soft and moist!

Alternatives: You can use Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour or Dove Farm Gluten-Free Plain White Flour.

Vegetable Oil

Vegetable oil is the main source of fat in this recipe. I do not like using butter and try to limit the use of it as much as possible. Also, in this case, the vegetable oil works best as it makes the cake moist and soft.

You can use canola oil, corn oil, or any vegetable oil you like that does not have a strong flavor.

Eggs

Eggs give this cake structure and make it fluffy. Without them, the cake won't rise and it will sink. This recipe requires 4 eggs.

Lemon Zest & Lemon Juice

To flavor the cake and make it zesty and citrusy, I recommend the use of fresh lemon zest and lemon juice. The zest makes the lemon flavor stronger and so make sure to include it.

I do not recommend the use of Lemon extract for flavoring as it is dull and just not as good as using fresh lemon!

Buttermilk

I love love love buttermilk! It makes everything so much better. The buttermilk makes the crumbs soft by hydrating the gluten-free flours.

If you don't have buttermilk and want to make it at home, simply add one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 200 ml of full-fat dairy milk. Let the milk thicken for 10 minutes before using it.

Baking Gluten Free Lemon Drizzle Cake from Scratch

Like I said before, this is an easy gluten free lemon cake recipe!

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make this citrusy gluten free lemon drizzle cake at home with ease:

  • Prepare The Dry Ingredients: Sift all your dry ingredients and then combine them in one bowl. Sifting the ingredients ensures that there are no lumps!
  • Prepare the Wet Ingredients: Using a handheld mixer, or a standalone mixer, with the paddle attachment fitter, beat the vegetable oil and sugar until light and fluffy. Then, add the eggs one at a time, and beat until combined after each addition. Do not add the eggs all at once, or the batter will curdle. Then, add the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice and beat until combined.
vegetable oil and sugar fluffed in a stainless steel bowl.
the wet ingredients combined in a stainless steel bowl.
  • Make the Batter: Add half of the dry ingredients, followed by the buttermilk and beat until combined. Then add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Do not over mix the batter at this stage. The batter will be loose.
the gluten free lemon cake batter in a stainless steel bowl, with a pink spatula.
  • Bake the cake: Transfer the lemon cake batter, to a greased bundt pan and bake the gluten free lemon cake for 30-33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Let the cake sit in the bundt pan for 10 minutes before inverting it.
the gluten free lemon cake batter in a greased stainless steel bundt pan.
  • Prepare the icing and drizzle it: Add and combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest and heavy cream. Then once the cake is cooled down to room temperature, drizzle the icing over the cake and enjoy your gluten free lemon drizzle cake!

Dairy-Free Option & Substitutions

You can make this cake dairy-free by following the below substitutions:

  • Dairy-Free Buttermilk: Instead of using dairy buttermilk, make dairy-free buttermilk by adding one tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 200 ml of Almond milk/Coconut milk. Let the milk thicken for 10 minutes before using it.
  • Coconut Cream: Coconut cream can be used as a substitute for the heavy cream in the icing. Feel free to omit the coconut cream, the icing will still taste great but won't have the white thick color.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my gluten-free lemon cake sink at the center?

A cake can sink at the center for various reasons, but one of the main reasons is oven temperature. If the oven temperature is too low or too high, the cake can sink. Invest in an oven thermometer to prevent this issue from occurring.

Can I make this recipe with All Purpose Flour instead of Gluten-Free Flour?

Yes, you can use All-Purpose Flour instead of Gluten-Free Flour. However, if you do so then omit the xanthan gum and use 170 ml of Buttermilk instead of 200 ml.

Can I bake this gluten-free lemon cake in a loaf pan?

Yes, you can bake this lemon cake in a loaf pan with a standard size of 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 2 ½ inches.

Other Delicious Gluten-Free Cake Recipes

  • Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake
  • Gluten Free Marble Bundt Cake
  • Gluten Free Vanilla Bundt Cake
  • Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake
  • Gluten Free Orange Bundt Cake
  • Gluten Free Gingerbread Bundt Cake
  • Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake
  • Easy No Bake Lazy Cake
  • Gluten Free Strawberry Jam Cake
gluten free lemon drizzle cake on a white cake stand surrounded by slices of fresh lemons.
Print
5 from 38 votes

Easy Gluten Free Lemon Drizzle Cake

Zesty and tangy gluten free lemon drizzle cake! This gorgeous lemon cake is citrusy and packed with lemon zest and lemon juice.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Active Time30 minutes mins
Total Time45 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free, Halal
Keyword: easy, gluten free, icing, lemon, lemon cake, quick
Yield: 20 Slices
Calories: 174kcal

Ingredients

Metric - US Customary

Lemon Cake

  • 162 grams of White Rice Flour
  • 64 grams of Tapioca Flour
  • 32 grams of Corn Starch
  • 64 grams of Brown Rice Flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoon of Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon of Salt
  • ½ teaspoon of Baking Soda
  • 2 teaspoon of Xanthan Gum
  • 175 grams of Vegetable Oil
  • 326 grams of Granulated Sugar
  • 4 Large Eggs (at room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
  • 3 tablespoons of Lemon Zest
  • 100 ml of Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 200 ml of Buttermilk (at room temperature)

Lemon Icing

  • 130 grams of Powdered Sugar
  • 1 tablespoon of Lemon Juice
  • ½ teaspoon of Lemon Zest
  • 2 tablespoon of Heavy Cream (at room temperature)

Instructions

Lemon Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 180 ℃ (356 ℉)
  • Add and combine, the white rice flour, tapioca flour, corn starch, brown rice flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and xanthan gum. Set the dry ingredients aside.
  • In a stand-alone mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer, beat the vegetable oil and sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
  • Next, add the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Then add the vanilla extract, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice and beat until combined.
  • Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, followed by the buttermilk and beat until combined. Then add the remaining dry ingredients and beat until just combined.
  • Grease your bundt pan with butter and add your cake batter until the pan is ⅔ full.
  • Place your bundt pan in the oven on the center rack and bake it for 30-33 minutes or until a toothpick inserted at the middle comes out clean. Let the cake sit in the bundt pan for 10 minutes before inverting it.

Lemon Icing

  • In a bowl, add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and heavy cream. Then using a whisk, combine the ingredients. If the glaze is too thin, you can add more powdered sugar, and if the glaze is too thick, add more heavy cream.
  • Once the cake has cooled down, pour the glaze on the cake and let it sit for about 30 minutes.

Notes

  • Storage & Freezing Instructions: This cake can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for three days, and it can be stored in the fridge for up to one week. To freeze the baked cake, cut it into slices and wrap each individual slice with plastic wrap. The slices of cake can last for up to four months in the freezer.
  • Loaf Pan: This cake can be baked in a standard size loaf pan. All instructions remain the same.
  • Dairy-Free Option: This cake can be made dairy-free by using dairy-free buttermilk for the cake and coconut cream for the icing. See above for more details.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 174kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg
« Gluten Free Focaccia Bread
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Leslie says

    March 19, 2022 at 6:56 pm

    5 stars
    What a delightful recipe! This is perfect for the spring & summer season and I love that it's gluten-free!

    Reply
  2. Tammy says

    March 18, 2022 at 9:00 pm

    5 stars
    So grateful to be coming across a lot of gluten free recipes lately. This one is definitely a keeper for the spring season. It looks so delightful!

    Reply
  3. Veronika Sykorova says

    March 18, 2022 at 5:20 am

    5 stars
    I love any desserts with lemon this time of the year and this bund cake definitely didn't disappoint! Our whole family really enjoyed it and I can't wait to make it again.

    Reply
  4. Kayla DiMaggio says

    March 18, 2022 at 12:34 am

    5 stars
    Yum! This lemon drizzle cake was so delicious! It was moist, light and fluffy and filled with yummy lemon flavor!

    Reply
  5. Mikayla says

    March 17, 2022 at 6:13 am

    5 stars
    I must say this cake came together quite quickly and the use of fresh lemons made all the difference for me. Would not have guessed it was a gluten free recipe if I hadn't made it myself.

    Reply
  6. Amanda Mason says

    March 16, 2022 at 7:24 pm

    5 stars
    This is a really good lemon cake recipe and I love that it is gluten free! It turned out REALLY good - just enough lemon taste. It's perfect for spring!!

    Reply
  7. Jere says

    March 15, 2022 at 9:34 pm

    5 stars
    We have so many fresh lemons right now and needed to use them in something. I normally don't bake GF but I did use the GF flour and the cake came out amazing. Nice and tangy, and so easy.

    Reply
  8. Lauren Michael Harris says

    March 15, 2022 at 6:54 pm

    5 stars
    This lemon cake looks incredible! My gluten free husband will love this and next to chocolate, lemon desserts are my favorite too!

    Reply
  9. Marta says

    March 15, 2022 at 6:48 am

    5 stars
    My son is a lemon-lover so i made this lemon drizzle cake to celebrate him getting into 4 colleges. He loved it as did the rest of my family.

    Reply
  10. Marie says

    March 15, 2022 at 5:43 am

    5 stars
    The texture of this cake is absolutely perfect! And that lemony aroma is irresistible. I can't wait to make the cake again for my lemon-obsessed gluten intolerant friend. She'll be so happy to enjoy one of her favorite cakes again! Grateful that you shared this recipe.

    Reply
  11. Tara Watson says

    March 06, 2022 at 2:12 am

    5 stars
    I made this today. My daughter has a birthday in a few weeks. I’ve often made her a lemon-poppyseed angel food cake with a lemon glaze. This is a great cake recipe. I’m amazed at the softness of it. I did add poppyseeds just to see if anyone notices much difference flavour-wise. thanks for another super recipe.

    Reply
    • Aya says

      March 08, 2022 at 6:36 pm

      Thank you for the kind comment, Tara! I'm so happy you liked it, and happy early birthday to your daughter!

      Reply
  12. Ghaida says

    February 26, 2022 at 7:51 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe! So refreshing and perfect for the spring!

    Reply
5 from 38 votes (26 ratings without comment)

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