Moist Almond Flour Lemon Cake (Gluten Free)

This moist almond flour lemon cake is tender and light with a fluffy texture and bright, tangy flavor. Easy to make with only 9 simple ingredients. The lemon glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness. It’s a delicious, beautiful dessert that’s grain-free, dairy-free, and paleo but tastes like you bought it in a bakery.

I love lemon desserts, especially in the spring. Some of my favorites are my Lemon Blueberry Cake and Raspberry Lemon Crumb Cake.

Paleo baking can be a bit tricky—the balance of flours, wet ingredients, and sweetener needs to be just right to create a moist almond flour lemon cake with a light, fluffy texture. Whipping the egg whites separately gives this gluten-free cake its airy lift. The combination of almond flour and tapioca flour creates a soft, tender crumb. I tested this almond flour lemon cake several times to get it just right—perfectly moist, fluffy, and full of bright lemon flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Almond Flour Lemon Cake

• Light, fluffy texture – Whipped egg whites give this cake an airy lift you don’t often get with almond flour.
• Moist and tender – Each bite is soft and velvety without being grainy.
• Bright, fresh lemon flavor – Fresh lemon zest creates a tangy citrus taste.
• Naturally sweetened – Made with honey for a gentle, wholesome sweetness.
• Simple ingredients – Just a handful of easy-to-find ingredients.
• Gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free & paleo – Made with nourishing whole food ingredients.
• Elegant – A beautiful cake you can serve for Easter or Mother’s Day.
• No complicated techniques – Just a few key steps for a bakery-quality result.
• Good for any occasion – Lovely for brunch, dessert, or an afternoon treat with tea.
• Easy lemon glaze – The thick lemon glaze makes the cake amazing but I provide other choices of toppings as well.

Ingredients

The ingredients for this cake are simple, with just 9 ingredients. This is what you need:

• Eggs – separated; yolks add richness, whites create lift. Separate the eggs when cold, then let them come to room temperature to get the best results.
• Honey – natural sweetness and moisture. Choose a local light honey for best flavor.
• Lemon zest – lots of it for a bright, fresh citrus flavor. Try and get organic lemons for zesting, as conventional lemons can be coated with a wax you don’t really want to eat.
• Vanilla extract – gives a warm, sweet flavor.
• Almond flour – this is the nutty base for a tender crumb. Use blanched almond flour.
• Tapioca flour – just a little to help create a lighter texture.
• Baking powder – gives the cake rise.
• Lemon juice – the acid allows the egg whites to hold more air bubbles, resulting in greater volume and a stiffer, more stable foam. You can also use cream of tartar.
• Sea salt – enhances the flavors

Lemon Glaze Ingredients

To make this lemon glaze recipe you’ll need two ingredients:

• Organic powdered confectioners sugar – It sweetens the glaze and helps it firm up on top of the cake.
• Fresh lemon juice – It makes the glaze smooth and adds bright lemon flavor.

How To Make Almond Flour Lemon Cake

You can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions & tips in the recipe card below.

The key to the success of this cake is whipping the egg whites until they are almost stiff. They make the cake light and fluffy. Make sure your bowl is absolutely clean. I recommend an electric mixer but it can be done by hand. Here are the steps:

• Separate egg yolks and whites. They are easier to separate when cold. Place into two separate, VERY clean bowls. Let them come to room temperature.
• Prep Your Pan. Line the bottom of a 8-inch spring form or cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. Preheat oven to 325° F.
• Mix the yolks. In a bowl mix the yolks with honey, lemon zest, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
• Mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together almond flour and baking powder.

• Combine yolks and dry ingredients. The batter will be quite thick.
• Whip egg whites. Using a hand mixer (or a whisk), whip egg whites on medium speed until just frothy. Pause and add a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Continue to whip, on high speed, until they reach the soft peaks stage. There should be no more liquid egg whites on the bottom of the bowl, and when the beaters are lifted out of the egg whites, the peaks should flop over slightly, (not so stiff that they stand straight up).

• Gradually fold in the egg whites. Adding a little bit at a time, use a spatula to gently fold the whipped egg whites into the cake batter. At first it may seem like the whites won’t combine, but just keep going, gently folding the mixture together (don’t stir, just fold or you’ll deflate the batter). Repeat with remaining whipped egg whites until all are incorporated into the batter. Batter will be lighter in color and very fluffy.

• Pour batter into your prepared pan.

• Bake at 325° F for 22-25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let cool before topping with the lemon glaze.

Make the Lemon Glaze

While the cake is baking and cooling make the easy lemon glaze.

• Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl.
• Add the lemon juice starting with 3 tablespoons, adding more as needed to get a thick glaze. Whisk until smooth. It should be quite thick, but still drip off the spoon.

Wait to glaze your cake until it has cooled down completely (roughly 30 minutes) and has come to room temperature – this way, you’ll be able to better control the drips and make them pretty!

Toppings For Lemon Cake

I love the thick lemon glaze. I garnish the cake with fresh mint leaves and edible flowers when available.

If you don’t want to make a glaze here a a few options:

• Dust with powdered sugar.
• Spread with whipped cream or coconut whipped cream and top with blueberries, black berries or sliced strawberries. Garnish with mint leaves.
• Serve plain with strawberry sauce or blueberry sauce.

Storing

Enjoy the cake right away, or store covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. 

I don’t recommend freezing it.

More Gluten Free Cake Recipes

• Best Gluten Free Carrot Cake
• Paleo Chocolate Cake
• Strawberry Bundt Cake
• Lemon Blueberry Cake

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