This Gluten-Free Lemon Drizzle Cake is bright, tangy and perfectly sweet. It's the best dessert for any occasion, including Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day and Summer parties!
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This post was originally published in 2021 and it was updated in March 2023 with a slightly new recipe, new pictures and information.
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🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Made for lemon dessert lovers. I am not the biggest cake person but I absolutely love lemon cake. This cake is decadent, tangy and the perfect sweet treat for anyone who loves lemon desserts.
- Minimal ingredients. This cake uses mostly pantry and fridge staple ingredients and is really easy to make! Make it for your next dinner party or special occasion. If you like this recipe, you'll also love my Honey and Olive Oil Oat Flour Cake and Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Muffins.
- Great for the whole family. This lemon drizzle cake recipe is made with gluten-free flour making it a great recipe for all of your guests. Serve this for dessert after my Air Fryer Orange Chicken or Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos.
🥘Ingredients and Substitutions
- Gluten-free flour blend- my favorite gluten-free flours are from King Arthur and Bob's Red Mill.
- Lemon- you will need both lemon zest and fresh lemon juice for the cake.
- Honey- the classic recipe uses granulated sugar but I love the flavor of honey with lemon. Maple syrup would be a great substitute for the honey.
- Yogurt- adds moisture to the cake. I recommend Greek or Icelandic Skyr yogurt or a dairy-free alternative. Make sure the yogurt is plain and unsweetened.
- Eggs- three whole eggs are needed for this recipe.
- Coconut oil- the oil will need to be melted and cooled before mixing with the other ingredients. You can also use avocado oil, vegetable or canola oil.
- Powdered sugar- you'll need this for the lemon glaze.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
🔪Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F and grease your loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- Beat together the lemon juice, honey, yogurt, vanilla, eggs and coconut in a bowl. In another large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake. Cool the cake on a wire rack for about 10 minutes then remove it from the pan.
- Drizzle the top of the cake with the lemon glaze as desired and enjoy!
💭Recipe FAQs
The origins of lemon drizzle cake have not been verified but it is believed to be from the UK. The earliest known recipe for a lemon drizzle cake dates back to the 1930s, and it has been a popular dessert in the UK ever since.
Use extra baking powder to replace the baking soda. You need 3 teaspoons of powder for every 1 teaspoon of soda, which for this recipe means you’ll need 2 extra teaspoons of powder.
There are a few reasons a cake may sink in the middle.
1. It is underbaked. Ensure a toothpick or knife inserted into the center comes out clean before removing from the oven.
2. Over-mixing. If you over mix the cake batter, there can be too much air in the mixture causing it to collapse.
3. Opening the oven door. Be sure to let the cake cook without opening the oven door. This can cause a drastic drop in temperature which can affect the cake.
👩🏻🍳Chef Tips
- Since the cake contains yogurt, it should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
- Use room temperature ingredients when baking as it will will help them to blend together more easily, resulting in a smoother batter and a more even bake. For this recipe specifically, ensure the eggs, yogurt and coconut oil are all at room temperature.
- Add the glaze while the cake is still warm as it will allow the cake to soak it up and will result in a nice moist cake.
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing or it could fall apart.
- Use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this recipe as it's easier than using a normal handheld whisk. However, make sure you don't over mix the batter!
- The cake is done baking when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean or with a few crumbs on it.
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Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below—I’d love to hear how it turned out! THANK YOU!
Recipe
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Gluten-Free Lemon Drizzle Cake
See the full post for extra tips and photos
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten-free flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 lemon, zested
- ½-1 lemon, juiced
- ⅔ cups honey
- ½ cup Greek or Skyr yogurt, plain unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and generously grease a loaf pan with cooking spray or butter and line it with parchment paper.
- In a bowl or large measuring cup, beat together the lemon juice, honey, yogurt, vanilla, eggs and coconut oil.
- In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and lemon zest.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk together just until smooth. I like using an electric stand mixer or hand mixer for this.
- Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove the cake from the pan.
Lemon Glaze
- Add powdered sugar and lemon juice to a small bowl and mix together, until smooth. Pour onto the cake while it is still warm. The glaze will thicken as it sits a room temperature.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing.
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Sarah's Tips
- Since the cake contains yogurt, it should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
- Use room temperature ingredients when baking as it will will help them to blend together more easily, resulting in a smoother batter and a more even bake. For this recipe specifically, ensure the eggs, yogurt and coconut oil are all at room temperature.
- Add the glaze while the cake is still warm as it will allow the cake to soak it up and will result in a nice moist cake.
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing or it could fall apart.
- Use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this recipe as it's easier than using a normal mix. However, make sure you don't over mix the batter!
- The cake is done baking when the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean or with a few crumbs on it.
KITCHEN TOOLS NEEDED
- Stand Mixer
- Cooling Rack
Megan says
Could I possibly use oat flour vs 1 to 1 flour instead?
Sarah Holt says
Hi Megan, I've never tested this recipe with oat flour. You can try it but I can't guarantee it will come out okay. You will need about 1 1/3 cups of oat flour for every 1 cup of gluten-free flour as oat flour has the tendency to absorb more liquid.