This gluten-free lemon pound cake is rich, buttery, and bursting with fresh lemon flavor. Made with gluten-free flour, real lemon juice, and lemon zest, then finished with a tangy lemonade icing. Ready in under an hour. It is celiac-safe, nut-free, soy-free, and easy to make dairy-free with plant-based butter and milk.
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
The Quick Bite: This gluten-free lemon pound cake is rich, buttery, and packed with real lemon flavor from both the juice and the zest. Topped with a tangy lemonade icing, it comes together in under an hour with everyday ingredients. I tested it with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure, and share exactly what to expect from each.
This recipe is an absolute hit. I have used King Arthur brand and the Walmart GF brand. I think as long as it’s a white/brown rice flour blend with xanathan gum, it will work.”
crystal, blog comment
If you have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know we have a small, prolific lemon tree in our backyard. It produces lemons almost year-round, thanks to the beautiful California weather! Our lemons are not normal-sized lemons; they often look like small grapefruits, and they provide lots of juice to make my gluten free lemon recipes!
Testing this gluten free lemon loaf recipe was fun, and it helped me use up some of the lemons I picked. I tested King Arthur Measure for Measure first, because that is my go-to store-bought gluten free flour blend for creating gluten free cake recipes. It is reliable and has no gritty texture. The biggest challenge is getting the right ratio of flour to keep the cake moist, but soft. After a couple of tries, I felt confident testing Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 next.
Bob’s blend worked just as well as King Arthur’s, but I found it was more important to rest the batter for 15 minutes to allow time for the rice flour to soften. It helped the texture and crumb stay soft and tender. I also tested this recipe using Earth Balance and Oatly Four-Ingredient Oat Milk and found these dairy-free ingredients worked well to keep the flavors.
We love our desserts here in the Fearless Dining household, including these Gluten-Free Lemon Donuts, and this easy Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf, which is perfect for breakfast or dessert. Or if you need more inspiration, see all of my gluten-free cake recipes.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure. Other blends will work, but you may need to adjust the moisture level of your cake batter. Every brand’s blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio, and this affects the moisture. Read Why Gluten Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more. If you are gum-free and can’t have xanthan or guar gum, try my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend or my Gluten-Free Cake Flour Blend.
- Binder – Binders are what hold together your gluten free baking. If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon. Read Why Binders are Important in Gluten Free Baking to learn more.
- Butter – I tested this recipe using unsalted butter. If you use salted butter, omit any other added salt.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Milk – I used milk, but plant-based non-dairy milk also works well in this recipe.
- Lemon Juice – Use either freshly squeezed or bottled lemon juice.
- Powdered Sugar – If your powdered sugar is lumpy, strain it for best results.
I share all of my easy-to-follow Gluten Free Baking Tips so you can bake gluten free like a pro! I also share tips on what my go-to gluten free flour blends are and what recipes are best for different gluten free flour blends. See these gluten free lemon dessert recipes for more inspiration and recipe ideas!
How to Make a Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Add your dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend.
I recommend using the spoon or leveling method to measure your gluten-free flour. In a perfect world, people weigh their flour, but most do not own a kitchen scale. Put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour.
Use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.
Step 2: Grab a lemon and a zester. Zest the whole lemon, as you need 2 tablespoons of zest for this recipe!
👀 Sandi Says: I do not recommend using a mixer. They tend to overmix your batter, removing the air bubbles you get from stirring. This can result in a denser cake.
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Step 3: In a smaller mixing bowl, add your wet ingredients and use a whisk to blend.
Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix just until the ingredients are barely combined. Be careful not to over-mix your batter, or your cake will be denser.
👀 Sandi Says: If you think your gluten free flour blend has a gritty texture, I highly recommend letting the cake batter sit for 15-20 minutes. This allows the ground rice flour to soften.
Step 5: Spray gluten free baking spray into two loaf pans. (Note: PAM baking spray is NOT gluten-free!) Add the batter to two one-pound bread loaf pans and spread the pound cake batter around the pans so that it is evenly distributed.
Step 6: Bake the cakes at 350º F for 45 minutes.
Step 7: Remove the cake from the oven and insert a toothpick in the middle. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is fully baked. If you see crumbs or batter, you must bake it a little longer.
Step 8: Now, it is time for the homemade lemonade icing. Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. You can easily control how thin or thick your icing is by the quantities you use. Drizzle the icing over the cake.
Store this cake in an airtight container. You can also freeze this cake quickly in your freezer. This cake will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Use any leftover lemon cake in my Gluten Free Cakesicles recipe. If you love citrus flavors, you will want to try this Gluten-Free Orange Poppy Seed Cake recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can easily use bottled lemon juice, but a fresh lemon is better, so you can also use lemon zest.
Yes, you can make this cake dairy-free, and in fact, one of my readers already tested this out and had great success! She used soy milk (you can also use almond milk) and vegan butter from a brand called Smart Balance.
If your lemon cake turned out heavy, it is due to a couple of reasons. Using a grain-heavy gluten-free flour blend or over-mixing the cake batter can make your cake heavy and dense. To fix these issues, be sure your cake batter isn’t too thick. Add more milk so that the batter is like thick muffin batter. Mix by hand so the wet and dry ingredients are not overmixed together. You can read more about troubleshooting in my Gluten Free Cake Troubleshooting Guide.
A gummy cake may not have been baked enough, or you used a starchy gluten free flour blend, creating a wet batter. If your batter seems too thin, add extra flour 1 TBSP at a time until it has thickened.
More Gluten Free Lemon Dessert Recipes:
- If you love ice cream, try this No-Churn Lemon Ice Cream recipe!
- Need a special cake? This Gluten Free Lemon Bundt Cake with lemonade icing is your cake!
- Grab some lemon curd and learn how to make this Easy Gluten Free Lemon Filled Cupcake recipe.
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake (Rich and Buttery!)
Ingredients
- 3 cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- 1 ½ cups cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted melted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ⅓ cups milk or non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice depending on how thick you want your icing
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large mixing bowl, add 3 cups gluten free flour blend, 1 1/2 cups cane sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Use a wire whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, add 1 cup unsalted melted butter,3 large eggs, 1 1/3 cups milk or non-dairy milk, 2 tablespoons lemon zest, and 3 tablespoons lemon juice and mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is barely mixed. Over mixing can cause the cake to become denser.
- Spoon the batter into two greased bread loaf tins. Optional: sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar.
- Bake for 45 minutes until done. Check doneness with the toothpick test (see Notes).
- Remove from the oven to a cooling rack and allow cooling.
- Add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice to a bowl and whisk to make the icing. Add the lemon juice slowly until you get the consistency you want. Drizzle the icing over the cake.
Nutrition
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter and use plant-based milk.
- Other dairy-free kinds of milk will work, but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
- Check the cake’s doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is ready. If there is batter or crumbs on the cake, it needs to be baked a little longer.
- This cake will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
This post was updated from an older January 2020 post with more detailed information.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
Can a loaf be frozen and pulled in out in a few weeks? I’m new to gluten free baking and I wasn’t sure if I could make this ahead of time to take on the family beach trip in a few weeks.
Yes, I make this ahead all of the time and freeze it. Don’t ice it before freezing, do that after thawing it out when you are ready to eat it.
In your recipes for cakes like this do you grease the pans? And what size pans.?
Can you use coconut oil in place of butter ?
Lastly, if you use powdered egg replacement, what liquid would you increase and by how much? Thank you
I spray coconut oil on my pan. You can use coconut oil instead of butter easily, but it will change the flavor a little. Unfortunately, I haven’t tried egg replacer in this cake. If you try it, please come back and let us know how it turned out. That info would definitely help others.
Hi Sandy
Did you use plain flour or self raising flour in this recipe? I’m new to baking. Many thanks. Suzanne 😊
Hi Suzanne, I haven’t heard of a self rising gluten free flour. Which are you talking about using? Thank you!
Can I substitute the egg. I have egg replacements for baking or maybe applesauce?? Any other options to make it vegan? Thanks!!
Hi, I haven’t tested any substitutions so I don’t know how to best advise on this.
Would this recipe work with almond flour does anyone know?
Hi Erin, I have not tested this recipe with almond flour but I have a feeling it won’t work. Almond flour by itself is not a one to one swap with gluten free flour. It doesn’t absorb moisture in the same way. I am sure you could try a 3/4 gf flour to 1/4 almond flour ratio…the cake will be a little more dense, but worth a try!
As I am “staying home” I do not have gluten free flour. Could I use regular flour? I also have a bit of leftover almond flour and coconut flour (from gluten free blueberry muffins I made recently). Gluten free – almond – coconut… same same?Thanks!
Hi Tristan, I haven’t used wheat flour in over 10 years so I am not sure if that would work in this recipe or not. Logically it should work. Almond flour and coconut flour behave very differently. Coconut flour absorbs a ton of extra liquid while almond flour doesn’t. I don’t think they would work in this recipe in place of the gluten free flour. I am so sorry not to have better news. I did just post a banana bread recipe that is made with just brown rice flour but I am still experimenting with using minimal flours.
Hi, does the recipe make double loaf pans? I see the recipe says to put it into two. Thank you!
This recipe did make two pound cakes 🙂
my flour does not have xanthan gum in it, as yours does, Should I add some?
Hi Jackie, if your mix doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum, you need to add 1 teaspoon. Thank you.
Going to make this for my birthday! I live at higher altitude, so if there are any tips on adjusting the recipe or baking time I’d love to know.
Hi Susan, Unfortunately, I have never lived in a higher altitude so I am not sure how to guide you on this. I would say to try to use the same gluten free flour blend that I used. One reader used a starch heavy mix and this recipe didn’t turn out with the right texture. I used King Arthur Measure for Measure GF Blend.
I live at a high altitude and the recipe worked perfect as is.
I am so glad to hear, thank you so much for coming back to let us know.
This nice moist cake was great. No one would have known it was gluten free, unless I told them.
I am so glad you liked it Robin. Thank you :-).
This recipe was delicious and a hit!! I substituted the regular milk for soy and butter for non-dairy butter by smart balance. It was fantastic!! Highly recommending trying this recipe out! You will love it!!
I am so glad you and your friends loved this recipe. And thank you for letting me know what you used to make it dairy-free!
Super delicious and moist. You can’t tell it’s gluten free! Everyone in my family loved it and said it was much tastier than Starbucks!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
I am so glad you all liked it Jane 🙂