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–+ servings
Slice of lemon cake
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5 from 1 vote

Gluten-Free Lemon Layer Cake

A luscious lemon cake with a velvety gluten-free crumb that's full of sweet strawberry jam and frosted with lemon buttercream frosting.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 249kcal
Author: Nicole Spiridakis

Ingredients

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 slice | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 205mg | Potassium: 7mg | Fiber: 0.002g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 357IU | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 0.1mg