Simple gluten free lemon cake

Simple gluten free lemon cake

Here’s a lovely recipe for a deliciously simple gluten free lemon cake. This lemon infused sponge cake is made using the quick and easy all in one method and the only switches I made from the original recipe, was to use gluten free flour, and butter instead of margarine. It’s a great recipe to give a whirl if you’re new to gluten free baking and it’s a lovely everyday cake to slice and enjoy with a cuppa!

I first discovered the recipe for this lemon cake when I was going through my grandma’s recipe book collection. The recipe is in a well used booklet, titled B.M.S Recipe Book, and it’s a collection of recipes that were passed on from various people who attended the Church where my parents, and grandparents were married.

Whilst the lemon cake recipe in the booklet came from one of my grandma’s friends, my cousin recently messaged me to say she’d come across a more or less identical lemon cake recipe, but with our grandma’s name underneath the recipe. So I’m not sure where the original recipe originates from. I only know that it will be well over 60 years old!


Ingredients 

For the cake 
150g (5oz) gluten free self-raising flour (add ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum, if this or guar gum hasn’t already been added to the flour)
Good pinch of salt
110g (4oz) caster sugar
75g (3oz) unsalted butter, softened
Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
1 tablespoon *lemon curd
1 tablespoon milk
2 large eggs

For the lemon syrup
3 dessertspoons of caster sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

Ingredients for a simple gluten free lemon cake


Method

Preheat the oven to 160C/350F/Gas 4/160C Fan.

Grease and line the base of a 20 cm (8 inch) loose bottom if possible, sandwich tin. If you’ve not got a loose bottom tin, you could instead, place two strips of baking paper across the bottom of the tin before adding the paper disk. The strips will help with lifting the baked cake from the tin.

Greased and lined sandwich tin

Place all the ingredients for the cake into a large mixing bowl. Using either an electric whisk or stand mixer, whisk until smooth and creamy.

Gluten free lemon cake mixture mixed together in a bowl

Transfer the mixture into the prepared tin.

Gluten free lemon cake before being baked

Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown, and the cake feels springy when gently pressed in the centre.

Freshly baked gluten free lemon cake

Remove the cake from the oven.

Blend together the caster sugar and lemon juice in a bowl and trickle evenly over the cake.

Gluten free lemon cake with lemon syrup poured over the top

After 10 minutes carefully remove the cake from the tin and leave to cool completely.

Simple gluten free lemon cake

 

Recipe notes and suggestions:

The cake is at its very best on the day it’s baked. If not being eaten straight away, then store in an airtight container, where it will be fine for 2-3 days.

If using gluten free plain/all purpose flour instead of self-raising, then add 1 level teaspoon of gluten free baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum, if this or guar gum is not already in the flour.

Whilst I feel the real appeal of this cake is its perfect plainness, it could so easily be jazzed up a little with *custard, fresh cream, Greek yogurt or a generous spoonful of *lemon curd, should you wish.

This lemon cake would make a GREAT base for trifle.


Thanks for checking out this gluten free lemon cake recipe… hope you give it a go sometime! I’ve also shared a video of me making one of these cakes over on my YouTube channel. Click here to watch. 

For now,
Liz x

*Check this product to ensure that there are no gluten containing ingredients, ‘may contain’ or ‘not suitable’ for a coeliac/gluten free diet warnings on the pack.

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