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The top view of the sliced cake and a slice of gluten-free lemon poppy seed cake on a plate.

Fluffy Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Sandi Gaertner
A moist and delicious gluten-free lemon poppy seed cake that is perfect for any brunch or dessert.
4.90 from 67 votes
dairy free allergen icon
gluten free allergy icon
soy free allergy icon
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Gluten Free Cake Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 10 slices
Calories 250 kcal

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups gluten free flour * see note
  • ½ cup almond flour * see note
  • cup cane sugar
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum-free
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup coconut oil or another oil
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ cup dairy-free milk

For Icing:

  • cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice feel free to adjust this if you want your icing thicker or runnier.

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease a bread loaf pan with gluten-free baking spray, coconut oil, or butter.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients and whisk to blend them together.
  • In a smaller bowl, add all wet ingredients, including zest and whisk to mix. If your coconut oil is solid, melt it for 20 seconds in the microwave oven.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix. Don't overmix or your cake will not be as light and fluffy. Optional: Let the cake batter sit for 20-30 minutes. This allows the rice flour to soften so the cake is not gritty.
  • Bake the lemon cake for 30-40 minutes, or until done. Insert a toothpick into the top middle to test. If the toothpick comes back clean, the cake is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, bake a little longer. The baking time can vary depending on the size and depth of your loaf pan.
  • Allow the cake to cool completely on a cooling rack.
  • In a bowl, add icing ingredients and mix. Drizzle on top of the cake and enjoy!

Notes

  1. 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.
  2. If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1/2 teaspoon.
  3. I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is coarser and will make your cake grainy.
  4. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the cake needs to bake longer.
  5. I used almond milk, but other dairy-free kinds of milk will work, but I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
  6. This cake will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 5gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 33mgSodium: 118mgPotassium: 79mgFiber: 3gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 49IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 93mgIron: 1mg
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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.