This gluten free lemon pound cake is tart, sweet and tipsy with the addition of both fresh-squeezed lemon juice and Italian Limoncello (or lemon juice).
Made with my gfJules Flour, it’s also smooth, light and airy with no grit or funny aftertaste — no one will ever know it’s gluten free!
If you don’t happen to have this delicious liqueur, no worries. Substituting with more lemon juice works just fine.
Either way, this pound cake is a crowd-pleaser you won’t want to miss out on!
Look how gorgeous this authentic pound cake crumb is!
And for another twist on this yummy gluten free cake, bake in a bundt pan as @shoegirlberlin has done below.
She followed the directions as written, and baked for approximately 70 minutes, but recommends that you check your pound cake (with a toothpick) to make sure it’s done before removing, as bundt pans differ in size and material and ovens can bake at different rates. (Thanks for sharing, @Shoegirlberlin!)
How gorgeous is this gluten free lemon pound cake baked as a bundt? YUM!
Using different bundt pans will give your pound cake a unique look; none less appealing than another.
It makes a gorgeous cake on a plate or sliced with a drizzle of glaze and a sprinkle of lemon zest.
Here’s another reader’s twist on this lemony slice of heaven:
And here’s a brand NEW twist on this lemon cake favorite: make this recipe, as written, but use my new 1:1 grain-free Nada Flour in place of gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour and you’ll have a delightful cake made with paleo, grain-free, lectin-free flour instead!
All my taste-testers were blown away at how delicious this cake was, and no one was the wiser that it was even gluten-free, much less grain-free!
You can’t go wrong with this amazing gluten free Lemon Poundcake Recipe. What are you waiting for?
What will YOUR twist be?
Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
Gluten Free Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
This gluten free lemon pound cake recipe is perfectly tart, sweet and tipsy with the addition of both fresh-squeezed lemon juice and Italian Limoncello!
Ingredients
Pound Cake
- 3/4 cup + 1 Tbs. milk, dairy or non-dairy (soy, almond, cashew, hemp, rice, etc.)
- 1 Tbs. fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 2 Tbs. Limoncello (or 2 Tbs. additional lemon juice)
- 2 1/2 cups (337 grams) gfJules® Gluten Free All Purpose Flour OR (275 grams) Nada Flour*
- 1 Tbs. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 Tbs. lemon zest
- 3 eggs, room temperature (or substitute like aquafaba)
Glaze (optional)
- 1 cup sifted confectioner’s sugar
- 2 Tbs. lemon juice
- 1 Tbs. lemon zest
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F (convection) or 350° F (static).
Oil and flour (with GF cornstarch or gfJules® Flour) one 9×5-inch loaf pan, pullman bread pan OR medium sized (10") bundt pan. Using an 8-9" bundt pan, extra batter will need to be baked in a small loaf pan as well.
Measure and mix together the milk, lemon juice and limoncello and set aside. The milk will begin to curdle while you prepare the rest of the batter.
Whisk together gfJules® Flour or Nada Flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
In a large mixing bowl, whip butter and sugar at medium-high speed for 6-8 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Add vanilla and lemon zest, then the eggs, one at a time, and mixing in between each egg addition.
Slowly stir in the whisked dry ingredients, alternating with the milk mixture and stirring until fully integrated.
Pour batter into prepared pan, filling only 2/3 full. If you have extra batter that will not fit into your pan, bake in another small loaf pan or ramekin.
The edges of the cake will become lightly browned as well.
The bake time will depend in part on whether your pan is dark metal, light metal, glass or stoneware, so begin testing at 50 minutes so as not to overcook the cake.
Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs -- approximately 65-75 minutes for a large/deep pan. The edges of the cake will become lightly browned as well. If also baking a small loaf pan, bake only about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the loaf springs back to a light touch.
Remove baked cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Go around the inside of the pan with a butter knife to help release the cake, then gently turn the cake out onto your palm then back to the wire rack once removed from the pan. When completely cooled, glaze following the directions below.
Lemon Glaze
Notes
*1 cup Nada Flour weighs 110 grams, so 2 1/2 cups Nada Flour = 275 grams
Pin for later!
My batter was not liquid at all. It was more just moist and almost doughy. Is it supposed to be like that? It doesn’t seem like it. I followed the instructions besides I used coconut gluten free flour instead of yours. No one else seemed to have this problem…HELP!
Hi Kelly, substituting coconut flour for my gfJules blend is the problem (don’t worry – it’s not you, it’s the flour!). Here’s an article talking more about GF flour substitutions, but a good rule of thumb in GF baking is you can’t just use one GF flour to replace wheat flour or a blend of flours. Particularly when using something like coconut flour which requires lots of extra liquid in a recipe, it’s not a good idea to substitute for a flour blend by using just coconut flour. This article on gluten-free baking tips will also give you some more information.
I encourage you to try my gfJules All Purpose Gluten Free Flour blend – it makes life so much easier when you can just add one pre-mixed flour that you know will work great in all your recipes!
~jules
Thank you!! I LOVE your flour! We had my niece’s bridal shower this weekend and I made your pound cake. As we already had lemon squares, I subbed orange for the lemon. WOW! I was the only GF person there, and no one else noticed. I received rave reviews. Thank you, Jules. Your flour tops my list on favorite GF product!
Oh Wendy, that is wonderful to hear! And how smart to sub the orange for lemon! I’m going to have to try that sometime. So glad you were able to bring something delicious and have confidence that everyone would love it and never be the wiser! 😉
~jules
I just made this gem the other day for an Easter dinner. I was skeptical because I’ve never curdled milk before and it sounded weird. But it came out amaaaaaazing!!
I had also left my vanilla in Pennsylvania (insert expletives) so I took it in a different direction and used a tablespoon of St. Germain’s for a slightly floral underflavor in place of the vanilla and it was pretty fantastic. I think next time I might use the elderflower in the glaze too, just to see how it all melds.
One other thing, I baked them in a pan of 6 individual-or-double-portion-bundts in a 350 static oven. They were done in about 25 minutes, which saved me from showing up late with an amazing dessert to being on time with an amazing dessert, haha. I also shoved some lemon curd in the centers. Highly recommend!
YAY!!! So glad you tried it (despite the absence of vanilla)! I love the St. Germain’s idea … and elderflower too —mmmmmmmmm! Happy you loved the recipe and were able to bake it off in time to share. Thanks for sharing your review and your modifications. Happy baking!!!
~jules
I ordered a regular 12 cup bundt pan and just noticed the recipe calls for small to medium. Should I double the recipe for a regular size pan?
Hi Rachel, you could try it as written first, expecting that it will just not be as tall a cake as the bundt pan; or you could double it and just keep watch to make sure it cooks all the way through. Bundts are great because it cooks the the middle and the outside at the same time. Let me know how it goes!
~jules
This cake is SLAMMIN’. I have been looking forever an easy GF recipe that tastes like regular cake. This is totally it. I made it in a regular cake pan, but I was thinking this would make great cupcakes with cream cheese frost. LEMON cream cheese frosting.
I am a Diabetic and need to wheat free option. Is this cake wheat-free.
Thanks
Hi Linda, everything I make is wheat-free and gluten-free. Hope that helps!
~jules
Hello – I’ve recently found your recipes and they all look wonderful. However, I live in Mexico and am not able to buy your flour. Will you recipes work with any other easily found flour ?
Hi Linda, check this article for some tips on what kinds of flour blends work best and how to make your own. I hope that helps! Enjoy the recipes and happy baking!
~jules
Do you ever use banana flour? I make thst flour and havr been testing it on some recipe two days ago made banana bread and was very please. Today making pumpkin banana bread. Next week will try plain bread when I get my order of chia to use to bind the flour
I have played with banana flour, Christina. It’s not one you can use exclusively in place of a flour blend, though. When I’ve used it, it’s in combination with my gfJules blend and it has offered an interesting texture and flavor that would certainly be better in some recipes than in others.
~jules
I live in Mexico too, have you found anywhere to get potatoe starch? Or a substitute? Also a coeliac friendly corn starch?
Can this be adapted to a bread machine with gf settings instead of baking in the oven?
Hi Diane, does your bread machine have a quick bread or cake setting? That would be more like what would be needed here instead of a GF bread setting which is designed for yeast. I hope that helps!
~jules
Just want to say that I have been using your Nearly Normal gf flour since 2008. I recently ordered your gf all-purpose flour and tried it on your biscuit recipe. I must say that I like the results of the Nearly Normal gf flour. I go by the ingredients for the NNF and make a large batch. I use it in all my gf baking. I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1998. It has been a long and disappointing road until I read your article in The Health and Wellness issue of March/April 2008. Thank you for caring.
Hi Dora, I’m so happy that you’re enjoying the results with my flour! You and I were diagnosed with celiac disease around the same time — how fortuitous that you saw my article way back in 2008! Thanks for writing in – I’m always here if you need anything. Happy baking!
~jules
I have been trying for a long time to find a gluten free recipe that does not end up as a door stop in my home. I have literally tried so many recipes that I have filled our green organic cart with the wasted baking items. To find this loaf was the highlight of my day. I got up early and started baking it before the heat of the day hit and OMGosh, what a great surprise when it came out of the even doubled in size. It was meant to go with me to a tea party, but never made it outside of my kitchen. BEST pound cake I have ever had. Better go and start another one for the party, LOL!!
Oh Shelley, that makes me so happy to hear — you have no idea! Thank you so much for taking the time to come and let me know! I hope your tea party friends were able to eventually enjoy a slice … but I totally understand keeping the first one to yourself! 😉
~jules
Just baked this cake for a group of friends today! YUMMMMMM! Everyone loved it! No one could believe it was gluten free! This has already been added to my favorites recipe box! Thanks Jules!
That’s fantastic, NutritionPassion! I love to hear that! Happy to share a great recipe addition to your favorite recipes box!
~jules
Thanks jules I love this cake it’s super moist and of course I’m not a chocolate fan but I love lemon so this became a favorite of mine it’s sweet but not too sweet and I also love powdered sugar thanks again for making me happy with a wonderful dessert
Hi Jules,
I want to slice this and freeze the slices to make ice cream sandwiches…will it fall apart?
Hi Laura, this cake really is very poundcake-ish in its density, so I don’t think you’ll have problems with it falling apart. Sounds like a yummy idea!
~jules
This was absolutely amazing! Just an encouraging tip for anyone like me…I accidentally used granulated sugar instead of confectioner’s (powdered) sugar for the cake (I have no excuse other than I was in a hurry to try this) and it turned out fantastic anyway! My daughter and I just shared the last slice today and she said, “Mom, you have to make this again. Like, today!” This time I’ll try the right sugar, although I can’t imagine this tasting any better that it did with my goof!
So glad you and your daughter loved this recipe, Shelly! I use granulated sugar in the cake and confenctioner’s sugar for the icing, so I can see how it would be easy to mix up which is which – so glad it turned out amazing anyway!
~jules
Okay, that’s embarrassing! I just pulled this recipe out to make today and I realized I did have it right the first time. Oh well, never mind, lol! But the kudos still stand – the kids have been asking for this almost daily – bravo!
Fantastic, Shelly! Whatever works, right?!? 😉
~jules
My batter came out very thick. It didn’t cook in the lower part of of end of the cake. Not sure what I did wrong but it was still delicious!
I’m so glad it was still delicious, Maria! What kind of pan did you use? Did you bake on convection or regular static setting? Did you cook for 70 minutes? Let me know and I’ll try to help figure out what might have caused part of it to not cook.
~jules
what is the weight of the 2 – 1/2 cups gfjules flour?
Hi Char, one cup of my flour is 135grams, so 2.5 cups would equal 337.5 grams.
~jules
This is beautiful! I’ll be featuring it later today over at Savoring Saturdays linky party. Hope you’ll join us again.
I made this for a church luncheon last weekend, but I used peach schnapps instead, since I had no limoncello (horrors!). I just used the schnapps in place of the lemon liqueur and lemon juice, for a total of 3 tablespoons. I also used peach schnapps in the glaze (but I kept that good stuff in the kitchen for “the help”!). For the cake, I just dusted it with 10X. I baked it in the swirly Bundt pan for 60 minutes, and it was gorgeous. None left…I didn’t even get to taste it! The person with celiac disease at the luncheon cut herself a sizable chunk right away to ensure that she got hers! She loved it. Thanks for the recipe; it will definitely make a re-appearance!
Ooooooh peach schnapps! That sounds delightful! I love that idea — I just might have to dive back into the kitchen this weekend to try your twist, Julie! How thoughtful of you to bring it to the luncheon to share with others, including someone with celiac. It’s truly priceless to have delicious, safe options at group functions like this. You surely made her day!
~jules
This looks so amazing I am featuring it tomorrow on Savoring Saturdays. Can’t wait to see what you share this week!
Thanks so much, Elle! It’s one of our favorites!!!
~jules
I made this as is, but failed to adjust for high altitude baking, therefore, about 1/4 of the batter boiled out of the glass bread loaf pan. Was able to save the rest, but need adjustments for this recipe at 8000 ft elevation, please!
Thanks, Susie
Hi Susie, I’m sorry you lost any of that yummy precious cake batter! But so glad you were able to bake off most of it and enjoy it! For high altitude baking tips, check my article. In this recipe, I’d suggest baking in a bundt pan (see intro) or a pan larger than your glass bread loaf. I’m not sure about yours, but my glass loaf pan is slightly smaller than a 9×5 pan, so it wouldn’t be sufficient for this recipe anyway. In cases like that if I’m set on using my glass pan, I’ll pour some batter off into a ramekin or two and bake along side. I hope that helps!
~jules
Looks delish! You can be sure I will try this. ?
Would love more recipes sent to my e-mail address.