Gluten-Free Lemon Layer Cake

This gluten-free lemon layer cake uses three naturally gluten-free flours to create a velvety crumb that's balanced by lots of bright lemon zest. Layer it with sweet strawberry jam and vanilla buttercream for a super special cake.

Oooh, sometimes you make a cake and it is just perfect. A lemon cake is one of my favorites to put together (I am working on adapting my favorite, simple lemon yogurt cake to be gluten-free) and it is just right for spring. This recipe for the loveliest of lemon layer cakes that I'm sharing today is one of those "perfect cakes."

This particular lemon-kissed cake would would be a wonderful ending to any holiday meal, or as a dessert for any spring gathering. Just three gluten-free flours in combination create a velvety texture that is balanced by lots of lemon zest.

Luscious lemon layers are filled with strawberry jam and a little lemon buttercream and the whole cake is covered in the lemon-spiked frosting. I topped mine with blueberries but you could certainly do fresh strawberries or raspberries as you like. This is definitely a more "fancy" cake than what I usually do, which makes it a special occasion treat, and so worth it!

Why You'll Love This Lemon Layer Cake

Lemony! Lots of lemon zest make this cake flavorful and delicious.

Perfect gluten-free crumb. This is one of those cakes where the right blend of gluten-free flours comes together to create a cake crumb that's smooth and light. You'd be hard-pressed to tell it's gluten-free.

Great for celebrations. This cake takes a bit more time to put together, making it worthy of a special occasion. You could serve it at a spring dinner party or for a birthday.

Ingredients Needed to Make Gluten-Free Lemon Layer Cake

To make the cake

• Sweet white rice flour: Acts as a binder for the gluten-free flours.
• Sorghum flour: Brings whole-grain texture to the mix.
• Tapioca flour: Adds lightness and loft to the cake.
• Baking powder
• Fine sea salt
• Sugar
• Organic lemons
• Unsalted butter
• Eggs
• Pure vanilla extract
• Whole milk
• Strawberry jam: You could use any jam here that you prefer.

To make the frosting

• Unsalted butter
• Powdered sugar
• Fresh lemon juice
• Organic lemon
• Whole milk

How to Make a Gluten-Free Lemon Layer Cake

Scroll down to the recipe card at the end of this post for the full instructions.

Make Cake

1. Prepare pans. Butter 2 8-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flours. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt.
3. Mix lemon and sugar. In a large bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar for a minute or so until fragrant.
4. Cream butter. Add the butter to the bowl. Cream the butter into the sugar-zest mixture, beating on high speed for about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
5. Add flours. Add the dry mix in three additions alternating with the milk.
6. Rest batter. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and let rest for 10 minutes.
7. Bake cake. Place the cake in the oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes. Let cool completely.

Make Frosting

1. Make frosting. Beat the butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest together. Add milk and mix until desired consistency.

Assemble

1. Fill cake. Place one cake layer on a plate. Spread a very thin layer of buttercream on the layer, then top with the strawberry jam
2. Frost cake. Top with the other cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream.

Substitutions

Sorghum flour - swap in oat flour.

Sweet white rice flour - try almond flour.

Tapioca flour - use arrowroot.

To make dairy-free - use coconut oil in place of the butter and a non-dairy milk of choice.

To make refined sugar-free - Sub maple sugar for the sugar, and homemade powdered sugar for the powdered sugar.

Storage

Cake may be stored, well-covered in the fridge, for 3 days. Bring to room temperature to serve for the best texture and flavor.

Recipe

Gluten-Free Lemon Layer Cake

Nicole Spiridakis

A luscious lemon cake with a velvety gluten-free crumb that's full of sweet strawberry jam and frosted with lemon buttercream frosting.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 249 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For Cake

• 1 ½ cups/165 g sweet white rice flour
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp/145 g sorghum flour
• ¼ cup/45 g tapioca flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• 2 organic lemons, zested about 1 heaping Tablespoon
• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ⅓ cup whole milk, at room temperature
• ½-1 cup strawberry jam, for filling

For Frosting

• ¾ cup unsalted butter
• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 organic lemon, zested
• 1-2 tablespoon whole milk

Instructions

 

Make Cake

• Butter 2 8-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, place the sugar and lemon zest. Using your hands, rub the lemon zest into the sugar for a minute or so until fragrant to release the lemon oil.
• Add the butter to the bowl with the sugar and lemon zest. Using a stand or handheld mixer, cream the butter into the sugar-zest mixture, beating on high speed for about 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Beat in the vanilla until well combined.
• Add the flour mixture in three additions with the milk: flours, milk, flours, milk, and finish with the flours. Mix well on medium speed to make sure all the flours are incorporated.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two pans. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes, then preheat oven to 350° F. Let cake batter continue to rest until oven is ready.
• Place the cake in the oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes, checking at 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack; let cake cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.

Make Frosting

• With a handheld or stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest with the mixer running on low. Add the milk. Increase mixer speed to high speed and beat for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. If you think you need it, add a bit more sugar or milk for desired consistency.

Assemble Cake

• Place one cake layer on a plate. Spread a very thin layer of buttercream on the layer, then top with the strawberry jam. I went light on the jam, but you could increase it as you wish.
• Top with the other cake layer. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining buttercream.
• Store the cake, well-covered, in the fridge, but serve at room temperature for best texture and flavor. Cake will keep in the fridge for 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 249kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 1gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 205mgPotassium: 7mgFiber: 0.002gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 357IUCalcium: 64mgIron: 0.1mg

Keyword gluten-free lemon layer cake, lemon cake

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