This Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake, topped with lemon glaze, is bursting with lemon flavor. If you’re a lemon lover, this gluten free pound cake won’t disappoint.
Here’s a cake recipe with just the right amount of sweet tart lemon flavor packed into a soft-yet-dense pound cake. Top it with a lemon glaze, and you’ll be in lemon paradise.
The secret to the tasty lemon flavor is using freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest. There’s a time and place for using bottled lemon juice, but not with this recipe.
Why this Recipe Works
- Using fresh lemon juice and zest gives the cake a bright lemon flavor.
- The sour cream gives richness and tenderness to the cake.
- Adding lemon juice to the glaze adds an extra layer of flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Pound Cake
- Gluten free flour blend - Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 baking flour is my go-to brand. I like that it already contains xanthan gum, so I don’t need to add any more to the recipe.
- Baking powder - The baking powder gives lift to the batter so the cake will rise.
- Salt - Table salt.
- Butter - I always use unsalted butter when baking. The butter should be at room temperature so it will easily cream together with the sugar.
- Sugar - Granulated sugar also known as white sugar.
- Eggs - The eggs should be at room temperature to more easily combine with the other ingredients. Take the eggs out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you’re going to use them.
- Sour cream - The sour cream should be at room temperature, so take it out along with the eggs about 30 minutes before use. Sour cream adds extra moisture to the cake.
- Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives the cake a bright, distinct lemon flavor. Bottled lemon juice just won’t give you the same flavor.
- Lemon zest - Fresh lemon zest gives a little boost to the tangy lemon flavor.
- Vanilla extract - The vanilla adds depth of flavor to the cake
Lemon Glaze
- Powdered sugar - It’s also known as confectioners’ sugar. Powdered sugar combines easily with the other ingredients and gives the glaze a silky consistency.
- Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed juice will add a subtle lemon flavor to the glaze.
- Milk - I use regular milk to keep the color of the glaze bright white. You could use nut milk, but the color of the glaze may not be as bright.
How to Make Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake
- Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside.
- Cream together butter and sugar, then beat in eggs, one at a time.
- Add sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla, and beat until combined.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan.
- Bake at 350° F. for about 50 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Stir together the glaze ingredients and pour over the cooled cake.
Step by Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, baking powder, and salt.
Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until completely combined.
Add the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and beat until completely combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Stir in the flour mixture, one-half at a time, until just combined.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour, then remove the cake from the pan. Allow the cake to finish cooling on the wire rack.
In a small mixing bowl, stir together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cake and allow to set up for a few minutes before serving.
Baker’s Tips
- Zest the lemons before juicing them. It’s much easier to zest the whole lemon before slicing it in half to juice.
- Use room temperature butter, eggs, and sour cream. Room temperature ingredients combine together more easily and completely.
- Cool the cake completely before adding the glaze. The glaze will slide right off a warm cake.
FAQs
Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake can be stored at room temperature, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.
If you need to keep the cake longer, cover in foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Using a bread knife makes it easy to slice through the dense cake.
This recipe for Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake makes a tasty, sweet dessert filled with lemon flavor. The rich, dense cake, topped with lemon glaze, is sure to be a hit.
More Gluten Free Recipes Using Lemons
More Gluten Free Cake Recipes You’ll Love
- Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake
- Gluten Free Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
- Apple Walnut Crumb Cake
- Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Cake
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Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Glaze:
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
Making the Cake:
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until completely combined.
- Add the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract and beat until completely combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Stir in the flour mixture, one-half at a time, until just combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour, then remove the cake from the pan. Allow the cake to finish cooling on the wire rack.
Making the Glaze:
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cake and allow to set for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Zest the lemons before juicing them. It’s much easier to zest the whole lemon before slicing it in half to juice.
- Use room temperature butter, eggs, and sour cream. Room temperature ingredients combine together more easily and completely.
- Cool the cake completely before adding the glaze. The glaze will slide right off a warm cake.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on products and brands you use. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the ingredients you are using with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Recipe adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction.
Abby says
Can this be made with regular flour?
Flavor Walk says
Hi Abby,
Yes, you can substitute regular all-purpose flour for the gluten free flour blend.