Gluten Free Lemon Drizzle Cake

When I think of my favourite classic bakes, a Gluten Free Lemon Drizzle Cake recipe is right up there.

A zesty, moist sponge, drenched in a sugary lemon syrup and topped with zingy icing.

My gluten free lemon drizzle cake recipe is an absolute classic and one of my favourite cakes ever!

The lemon cake sponge is made with ground almonds to keep it extra moist, then doused in a lemon syrup and smothered in lemon icing.

It's also easy to adapt to make dairy free and the perfect accompaniment to a gluten free afternoon tea.

A lot of people are put off by gluten free baking, thinking you need loads of weird and wacky ingredients.

But that's simply not the case.

My aim with this blog is to make gluten free cooking and baking accessible to everyone. And this gluten free lemon drizzle cake recipe is no exception! 

How to make a gluten free lemon drizzle cake

Firstly, all of the ingredients for this gluten free lemon loaf cake can be bought in the supermarket.

In fact, the only thing that differs from a 'normal' lemon drizzle cake is the flour.

I always use a basic gluten free self-raising flour mix - usually FREEE by Doves Farm self-raising flour or Sainsbury's own gluten free flour.

And if you don't have self-raising gluten free flour, you can use a plain or All Purpose flour mix and add 1 tsp baking powder per 100g of flour.

Any general gluten free flour mix will do - and the rest is basic cake ingredients: eggs, milk, sugar, butter, and a whole lotta' lemon!

Once you've made this, why not give my Gluten Free Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes or my Gluten Free Citrus Drizzle Cake recipes a go?

I also have a round-up of my favourite Gluten Free Afternoon Tea recipes too.

Making the perfect lemon drizzle cake

Now there are two camps when it comes to the perfect drizzle cake - those with icing on top, and those without.

The good thing about this recipe is you can do either!

I really wanted to top this gluten free lemon drizzle cake with icing, as I think it gives a more 'polished' look to it.

However, if you wanted to you could simply drizzle on the lemon syrup and then serve it as is.

I've tried it with and without and to be honest, I love both versions!

Ingredients

There's a full printable recipe card below with the quantities and instructions, but here are the main lemon drizzle ingredients and ideas for substitutions:

• Sugars - I always use caster sugar (or superfine sugar/baker's sugar in the US) for my gluten free cakes as it provides the best texture. In the topping I use granulated sugar because I love the crunch, but caster sugar will work too. You'll also need icing sugar for the icing, of course.
• Unsalted butter - You can use Stork baking block or a dairy free margarine if you need to make this recipe dairy free.
• Gluten free self-raising flour - I usually use the FREEE self-raising flour or the Asda one. If you don't have self-raising flour, add 1 tsp baking powder per 100g of gluten free plain or all purpose flour instead.
• Ground almonds - The secret to the texture of this cake is almost certainly with the ground almonds. If you need a nut-free lemon drizzle cake you can substitute this with an additional 50g gluten free self-raising flour. However, this will result in a cake which is lighter and less moist.
• Eggs - I use large UK eggs in my baking.
• Lemons - The secret to the best lemon drizzle cake is using fresh lemon juice. You can use bottled lemon juice but you'll need the zest for the cake, so you may as well juice the lemons after for the drizzle and icing.
• Milk - Just a tablespoon of milk helps to loosen the cake mix. If you want a dairy free recipe, switch this for any dairy free milk.

Can this gluten free lemon drizzle cake be made dairy free?

It's really easy to make this lemon drizzle cake dairy free with a couple of simple switches.

All you need to do is swap the butter for a vegan alternative such as Stork baking block or a vegan margarine.

You can also swap the milk for a dairy free milk such as almond, soya or coconut milk.

How can I store this gluten free lemon drizzle cake?

I store my cooked lemon drizzle cake in an airtight container at room temperature - try to keep it in a cool place out of sunlight.

You don't need to keep this cake in the fridge. I find gluten free cakes are best at room temperature.

Can you freeze gluten free lemon drizzle cake?

If you have leftovers, simply slice them up and freeze them between sheets of baking paper in a tub or bag.

The baking paper will stop them sticking together - then defrost at room temperature whenever you fancy a slice.

What equipment will you need to make my gluten free lemon drizzle cake?

Don't worry - you only require the very basics! To make this gluten free lemon drizzle cake recipe you'll need:

• A 2lb loaf tin just like this one
• I also use loaf tin liners like these because I find it WAY easier than trying to line a tin with baking paper!
• A large mixing bowl - I have the pink version of this Mason Cash bowl and I'm in love with it!
• An electric mixer. You could use a wooden spoon but this makes life a lot easier! This is the one I use! It's basic, affordable and does the trick!

The ingredients are all store-cupboard essentials, do you don't have to worry about buying anything fancy. 

My gluten free lemon drizzle cake recipe

This recipe really is an absolute classic. I guarantee no-one will know it's gluten free!

It went down an absolute treat in our house and I can't wait to make it again.

And if it's only you eating it, don't forget you can slice it up and freeze it ready for all your gluten free lemon drizzle cake needs.

If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your creations!

And please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me.

Continue to Content

Yield: 8 slices

Gluten free lemon drizzle cake

Print

This gluten free lemon drizzle cake recipe is an absolute classic! A sweet and zesty bake which is packed with lemon flavours and super easy to make.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 175 g caster sugar
• 175 g unsalted butter, (softened)
• 125 g self-raising gluten free flour
• 50 g ground almonds
• 3 large eggs
• Zest of 3 lemons, (reserve juice for syrup and icing)
• 1 tbsp milk

For the syrup:

• Juice of 2 lemons
• 100 g granulated sugar

For the icing (optional):

• 150 g icing sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180'C / 160C Fan / Gas 4 and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin. Set aside while you make the cake batter.
2. Add the sugar, butter and lemon zest to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale and creamy.
3. Next add the eggs and beat again for 30 seconds. (The mixture will look a bit runny and 'gloopy' but the flour will bring it all together)
4. Add the flour, ground almonds and milk and mix again until combined. It should form a thick batter. Pour into the cake tin, smooth the top and bake in the centre of the oven for approx 50 minutes to one hour. It's done when a skewer comes out of the centre clean.
5. Place the cake on a cooling rack while you make the syrup. Add the granulated sugar and lemon juice to a saucepan and heat on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Use a toothpick to prick holes all over the cake and, while it is still warm, gently spoon the syrup over the cake. Make sure you do this slowly to ensure the cake has an even distribution of syrup and that it all absorbs.
6. Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin (approx 1 hour). Once cooled, if icing, make the icing by beating the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Pour over the cake and leave to set. Decorate with extra lemon zest if desired.

Notes

Will keep for 3-5 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze this cake and I recommend doing this by slice.

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  Loaf Tin Liners
• 
  2lb Loaf Tin

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

8 slices
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 487Carbohydrates: 65.3gProtein: 4.7g

Need some more gluten free baking inspiration?

If you want to have a go at some of the other gluten free cake recipes on the blog, why not give some of these a try? They’re perfect to satisfy any cake cravings!

• Lemon Drizzle Cupcakes
• The best gluten free coffee and walnut cake
• Citrus Drizzle Cake
• Gluten free marmalade cake recipe

If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram. 

And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!

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