Gluten-Free Lemon Bliss Cake
Gluten-Free Lemon Bliss Cake

Gluten-Free Lemon Bliss Cake

With lemon zest in the cake itself and an intensely flavored lemon glaze, this cake is wonderfully flavorful. Our thanks to the late Maida Heatter, grande dame of delicious desserts, for the inspiration behind this recipe.

We know you’ll love this gluten-free version of our Lemon Bliss Cake recipe, a long-time favorite here on our site. Substituting Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour for the flour in that original yields a delicious, moist lemon cake that’s sure to be a hit with friends and family following a gluten-free diet. Enjoy!

Prep
20 mins
Bake
1 hr to 1 hr 5 mins
Total
1 hr 25 mins
Yield
one Bundt cake
Gluten-Free Lemon Bliss Cake
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Instructions

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  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

  2. To make the batter: Beat together the butter, sugar, and salt, first until combined, then until fluffy and lightened in color. For a visual of what this should look like, see our video, how to cream butter and sugar.

    Gluten-Free Lemon Bliss Cake – Step 2
  3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl once all the eggs have been added, and beat briefly to recombine any residue.

    Lemon Bliss Cake – Step 3
  4. Measure the flour by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Whisk the baking powder into the flour. Add the flour mixture to the batter in three parts alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the flour. The batter may look slightly curdled when you add the milk. That's OK; it'll smooth out as you add the flour. Mix until everything is well combined; the batter will look a bit rough, but shouldn't have any large lumps. Stir in the zest or lemon oil.

    Lemon Bliss Cake – Step 4
  5. Thoroughly grease a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan. For an extra layer of nutty flavor, sprinkle the inside of the pan with almond flour and turn the pan to coat evenly; shake out any excess. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread level with a spatula. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, leveling it and smoothing the top with a spatula.

    Lemon Bliss Cake – Step 5
  6. To bake the cake: Bake the cake for 60 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. A pan with a dark interior will bake cake more quickly; start checking at 50 minutes.

    Lemon Bliss Cake – Step 6
  7. To make the glaze: While the cake is baking, make the glaze by stirring together the lemon juice and sugar. Microwave or heat over a burner briefly, stirring to dissolve the sugar. You don’t want to cook the lemon juice, so microwave just until very warm, but not uncomfortably hot — less than 1 minute should do it. Set the glaze aside.

  8. Remove the cake from the oven, and carefully run a knife between cake and pan all around the edge. Place the pan upside down on a cooling rack. If the cake drops out of the pan onto the rack, remove the pan. If the cake doesn’t drop onto the rack, let it rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift the pan off the cake. If the cake still feels like it's sticking, give it another 5 minutes upside down, then very gently shake the pan back and forth to loosen and remove it.

    Lemon Bliss Cake – Step 8
  9. Brush the glaze all over the hot cake, both top and sides. Let it sink in, then brush on more glaze, continuing until all the glaze is used up.

    Lemon Bliss Cake – Step 9
  10. Allow the cake to cool completely before icing and serving.

  11. To ice the cake (optional): Mix the sugar and salt, then mix in 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice, adding just enough additional juice to create a thick glaze, one that's just barely pourable. Drizzle it artfully over the completely cool cake.

    Lemon Bliss Cake – Step 11
  12. Storage information: Store the cake, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.

Tips from our Bakers

  • Want to make this recipe into 20 standard-size cupcakes? Line 20 wells of a couple of muffin pans with papers; grease the papers. Scoop the batter into the wells, using a slightly heaping 1/4 cup for each. Bake the cupcakes in a preheated 350°F oven for about 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Put the glaze in a small bowl, and dip the top of each cake into the glaze repeatedly, until the glaze is used up. Add icing if desired.
  • Bundt pans that have an intricate design, or older pans that aren’t non-stick, need to be carefully greased in order to ensure your cake comes out of the pan intact. Melted vegetable shortening applied with a pastry brush is your best bet for a “challenging” pan.
  • For stronger lemon flavor, use the grated rind of 2 lemons + 1/2 teaspoon lemon oil.

  • Be aware: Some of your baking ingredients can be a hidden source of gluten. Learn more at our blog post: For gluten-free baking, think beyond just flour. For additional information on King Arthur-produced products, read the complete details of our allergen program, including our contact-prevention practices.