Gluten Free Lemon Bundt Cake (Lemon Cloud Cake)

Each bite of this cake feels like eating a cloud. It's not quite as airy as a gluten free angel food cake, but thanks to the little DIY gluten free cake flour I created (a mix of gluten-free flour, in this case oat flour, and cornstarch), it's surprisingly light. At the same time, it has a pleasing density, managing to feel substantial without being heavy.

The crumb is firm yet tender, and holds up beautifully to sliced seasonal fruit and a generous dollop of whipped cream (the whipped cream contributing to the cloud-like factor).

I like this cake in the warmer months with berries, but it's quite lovely in winter, too, especially alongside a strong cup of tea and a pair of wool socks. Add a lemon glaze or a big dollop of homemade lemon curd if you like; it's just as delicious without.

What You'll Love

Lemon desserts are soooo good - my gluten free lemon curd cake and gluten free yogurt lemon loaf recipes are some of my favorites - and make the most of citrus season. You'll love this cake because:

• It has a beautiful texture. This is my favorite thing about this cake - it's soft yet springy, dense yet let ... honestly, it's a bit indescribable. You'll have to try it for yourself!
• There's a lot of lemon flavor. Lemon zest and lemon juice boldly flavor this cake, and you can add an optional glaze for even more.
• It's unapologetically sweet! This cake is DESSERT, with no apologies!

Ingredients Needed

Here's a look at everything that goes into this sweet cake. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

• Oat flour - Buy a package of oat flour (certified gluten-free if necessary) at the store or learn how to make oat flour at home to use in this recipe. If you don't eat oats, I like a swap of brown rice flour.
• Cornstarch - Cake flour is a mix of all-purpose flour and cornstarch, so I've replicated that here with a bit of cornstarch in the flour mix.
• Baking soda
• Salt - I use fine sea salt or table salt.
• Butter - Unsalted butter is best!
• Cream cheese - I prefer full-fat, block cream cheese rather than whipped cream cheese.
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs - Large or medium-sized eggs work best.
• Vanilla - Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
• Lemon - You'll use both the lemon juice and zest from the lemon.

Tips & Recipe Notes

• Room temperature butter and cream cheese! The best part about this cake is the fluffy base of creamed butter and creamed cheese - this is what gives it that gorgeous cloud-like crumb. Let the butter and cream cheese sit out for up to an hour before starting to make the batter.
• Make with gluten-free all-purpose flour. I firmly believe the light and fluffy texture of this cake is greatly aided by the oat flour + cornstarch combo. However, a gluten-free flour mix, like my homemade gluten free flour blend, will also give good results. Swap 1 cup + 2 tablespoons of flour blend for the oat flour + cornstarch.
• Dairy free option. This cake is easy to turn dairy-free! Swap the butter for non-dairy butter and the cream cheese for non-dairy cream cheese or yogurt.
• Make a lemon soak for the top. In a small pot, whisk together 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and ¼ cup of granulated sugar, then heat over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cake is cooled, drizzle the sugar-juice mixture over the top and let it run down the sides and soak in.
• Try another citrus. For an orange version of this cake use orange juice and zest. Make a lime cake with lime juice and zest.

Proper Storage

• Counter - Cover the cake and leave it on the counter for up to 3 days.
• Fridge - Keep the cake in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like to let it sit at room temp for a few minutes before eating so that the crumb softens up a bit.
• Freezer - Wrap the cake in plastic, or wrap slices in plastic and place them in a freezer-safe bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving.