This Gluten Free Lemon Loaf cake is a velvety, citrusy explosion, and I imagine it's just as good, if not better, than the original!
UPDATE: This recipe was originally posted on January 20, 2023 and has been completely revised with an entirely new recipe, new pictures, new video, and new copy.
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I've always wanted to try Starbuck's lemon loaf, but they've never offered it gluten free. And I have my doubts they ever will (although things could change in the future). Until then, I decided to give it a go myself. I'm not sure if this tastes exactly like it, but it doesn't matter because this is the most incredible lemon pound cake ever! Little known fact, the Starbuck's lemon loaf is actually a pound cake, which is very different from a usual lemon loaf cake. It has a more velvety and dense texture to it, just like any other pound cake would.
what you'll need
- Kim's gluten free all purpose flour blend -- a store bought blend may be substituted, but hasn't been tested.
- Butter - all good pound cakes begin with butter, and a good deal of it too.
- Lemon zest - to get the most lemon flavor, use the zest of lemons. The oils from the zest
- Cream cheese - this is what makes the pound cake so moist and velvety.
Sugar and lemon juice in equal parts make the perfect lemon syrup for brushing on the cake after it has baked.
How to Make Lemon Pound Cake
Add lemon zest to sugar in bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer). Blend on low for a minute or two until the zest is finely ground into the sugar.
Add cream cheese and butter to lemon sugar and beat on medium for 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly add in flour, beating just until well combined.
This is an optional step, but it helps to control where the cake cracks (I found this idea on cloudykitchen.com). Pipe a small amount of softened butter in a line down the center of the batter once it's been added to the loaf pan. Bake cake at 325 degrees F for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
While cake is baking, make lemon simple syrup (optional, but it adds a lot of extra lemon flavor). Whisk lemon juice and sugar in small saucepan until boiling. Boil for 1-2 minutes, or until sugar is fully dissolved. Immediately upon removing cake from oven, brush syrup over top of cake.
After cake has cooled completely, stir powdered sugar and lemon juice in small bowl until thick and smooth. Drip glaze over top and down sides of loaf cake. Let set before serving.
Lemon Loaf Frequently Asked Questions
I would not advise using lemon extract because of the artificial taste that it imparts. There is plenty of fresh lemon flavor in this cake, but if it's still not enough for your tastes, add double the amount of lemon zest in with the sugar.
Yes, you absolutely can bake lemon loaf cake in a Bundt pan! I LOVE this recipe in a Bundt, and it works fantastically. Reduce the temperature to 300 degrees and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until skewer comes out clean.
Gluten free lemon loaf is a great recipe for make ahead! You can bake it, slice it, and keep individual pieces in the freezer for 3-4 months (well wrapped). It will also keep at room temperature, well covered, for 4-5 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
more gluten free lemon recipes
- Lemon meringue pie
- Amazing grilled lemon butter shrimp
- Perfect lemon bars
- Violet lemonade (a Disney copycat recipe)
- Lemon Pie
- Lemon drop cupcakes
- Basil potato salad
It's citrus season, so there's no better time to make this Gluten Free Lemon Loaf. Cut yourself a slice of this tangy citrusy loaf to brighten your day!
Gluten Free Lemon Loaf (A Starbuck's Copycat Recipe)
Ingredients
- 300 grams granulated sugar (1½ cups)
- 3 tablespoon lemon zest (from 4-5 lemons)
- 113 grams cream cheese, softened (4 ounces)
- 170 grams butter, at room temperature (¾ cup or 1½ sticks)
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 201 grams Kim's gluten free all purpose flour blend (roughly 1½ cups minus 1 tbsp)
Lemon Simple Syrup
- 50 grams granulated sugar (¼ cup)
- 50 grams fresh lemon juice (about 2¾ tbsp)
Lemon Glaze
- 125 grams powdered sugar (1 cup)
- 15 grams freshly squeezed lemon juice (or more) (about 1 tbsp)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease an 8½ by 4-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, overhanging on opposite sides (for easy removal).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer), combine granulated sugar and lemon zest and beat on low for 1-2 minutes, or until zest is rubbed throughout the sugar and is very fragrant.
- Add softened cream cheese and butter and increase speed to medium, beating for 5 minutes until very fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- On low speed, add eggs, one at a time, allowing to fully incorporate between each. After all eggs have been added, increase speed to medium and beat for 1-2 minutes. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
- Slowly add flour on low speed until all flour has been added. Continue mixing on low for about 30 seconds.
- Scoop batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick or long skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Make Simple Syrup
- Pour granulated sugar and lemon juice in a small (1 quart) saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Boil for 1-2 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. Brush syrup over top and, if desired, over sides and bottom of cake. Let cake cool completely.
Make Glaze
- Combine powdered sugar and lemon juice, one tablespoon first, in a small bowl. Stir until thickened and smooth. You may need more than one tablespoon, but add just a teaspoon more at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Spoon the thick glaze over the top of the cooled cake, allowing it to run down the sides.
Lindsay Shaffer says
It turned out great and I impressed my family! Thank you for this recipe!! Easy enough for me, it’s easy enough for anyone!
Rochelle B says
Made it last night, measured all all ingredients ....Came out perfect !!!
Sarah H says
I came here to say the exact same thing 😉
Jennifer says
This is soooo good! I made 12 mini loaves in the pampered chef mini loaf pan. They do dip in the middle but taste and texture are not affected and with that icing they look amazing! Be sure to beat the cream cheese and butter for the full 5 minutes! This is the trick!
Bonnie says
This was VERY tasty. I’ve made a lot of your recipes, and this was excellent. I don’t mind the fact that it sunk a little, because even Starbuck’s does in real life. I wish we had 10 stars, because I would give it 8 out of 10. Next time I might try adding poppy seeds, because I want to make it again and try to find what would give it the extra boost to make it 5 stars. It went really well with black coffee, though.
Em Bee says
Loaf tastes great however it is so dense and it completely caved/ sunk in the middle after removing from the oven. I weighed all the ingredients and followed the recipe to a T. Thankfully, it tastes good but the crumb is terrible. I suspect the cream cheese is the culprit. Maybe an addition of baking powder and sour cream instead would be beneficial.
Pam says
I too failed… this cake sunk and was a mushy mess. I tried to cut off all but 1 inch to at least taste it. The bottom inch was very yummy.
I had made the glaze but decided not to add more moisture to this already wet cake!
I can’t help think that if I hadn’t put on the simple syrup and just let it cool and just do the glaze only when cool, then maybe it would have been salvageable 🤷🏼♀️
Please find out what went wrong and let us know.
Melanie says
I read some of the reviews and Kim I have to say it was by Far one of the best Lemon loaf I have made I added xtra tbsp of Lemon zest 😋 I brought it to a BBQ today, let's say I'm glad I saved myself a piece at home 😊 because it was all Gone I used Xtra 1.5 tbsp of Lemon juice for the glaze😊nobody ever knew it was Gluten-free 😊They all loved it ❤️
Kim says
That's awesome, Melanie! So glad you liked it 😊
Kathy Schild says
Hi Kim
I have made many many of your recipes with great results. I wish I would have read the reviews before baking. So many ingredients and it was a flop. Completely sunk in the middle. I followed the recipe exact with weighing ingredients and mixing using a timer for each addition. Planned to surprise my DIL tomorrow as lemon pound cake is a favorite. Very disappointed.
Lydia says
I wish I’d read the comments before making this! Mine also completely caved in but also never baked all the way through. The outside browned but the inside is uncooked. Tried baking for a longer time. It was supposed to be dessert for a dinner party tonight. I’m contemplating cutting it into pieces and re-baking the unbaked bits. And drown it all in vanilla ice cream.
Kim says
Hmmm. I reconfigured the recipe so that wouldn't happen anymore and I thought I had it right, but maybe I need to go back and check it again. I apologize.
Alex says
I have made many other recipes from here that turn out amazing. However this one, after two tries following the recipe exactly, have both totally failed. My loaves have like a layer of crystallized sugar on them but are oily on top,. After baking for over an hour, they completely fall in like there is zero structure. I’ve considered baking longer, but the sugary layer will be totally burnt! And I’m not sure how much longer it would taking since they’re falling so much. The tiny bit of baked cake does taste lovely.
Kim says
Oh no! I'm so sorry it didn't work for you. It almost sounds like they weren't mixed long enough. Did you cream the butter and sugar for 2 minutes and add the eggs in one by one?
Alex says
I did! I even made sure to check my clock and the butter/shortening and sugar was nicely creamed and as fluffy as that really gets. And then one egg at a time and mixing at least 30 seconds after each one. It was nice and fluffy after the eggs too. And that’s the same directions as an older recipe for the rainbow cake which I’ve made multiple times with amazing success, so I’m decently confident I’m mixing it correctly. And I weigh everything except the eggs. I’m probably going to take the lemony of this recipe and make one of the normally vanilla cakes lemon. It’ll solve my desire for a lemon cake.
Kim says
Let me see if I can troubleshoot the problems you're having and get back to you. I would love for you to experience this cake the way it was meant to be without having to try to recreate something yourself 😊
chris h says
I have the same problem. Tried twice and both times the middle juts caved in. Seems like an issue for multiple people. If you have any thoughts, please let me know. Love your recipes !
Kim says
I'm so sorry, y'all! I will try to test the recipe again and see what I've left out.
I appreciate y'all sticking with me as I try to fix this problem 😍
Corina says
Hi Kim. Have you been able to troubleshoot the issue with the cakes sinking in? I made this today and mine also sunk. I stuck to the recipe exactly as written. The cake was delicious, it just looked like a boat, lol. I dont mind it for myself but I was hoping to make some for my friends and would like it to look a little prettier.
Thank you.
Kim says
I'm so sorry, Corina! I'm still working on it. For some reason, I'm getting the same results and I think what might have happened is I left out an ingredient from the original or measured incorrectly. I apologize for it taking so long, but I'm hopeful that I'll have a new recipe very soon!
SLane says
Your recipe needs some kind of leavening agent. Maybe you forgot to add that when you typed out the recipe. All pound cake, gluten free or not, needs either baking soda or baking powder.
Kim says
You are incorrect. I've been making Southern Living's cream cheese pound cake for over 20 years and it does not use a leavening agent, other than eggs. This recipe has been rewritten using my original cream cheese pound cake. Please read through the blog post and recipe and not just the comments.
P. Bulmer says
Followed to a 'T', using your AP Gluten free flour blend. Both loaves completely sunk in the middle, almost to the bottom of the loaf pan. Very disappointed.
Kim says
I'm so sorry you had this problem! I'm not sure why this would happen other than you didn't bake the loaves long enough. That's the only thing I can think of.
cecilia says
hi.
i made the cake and it was a lot of oil when the cake was in the oven , was like frying, The butter and shortening is right the measurement?
Cynthia McClure Ellenburg says
Kim, Love your recipes!!!! I have made this three times and absolutely loved it every time. However, I have made in a tube pan and every time, it caves in. I even had a technician to come out and check my oven to make sure it was heating correctly. Any thoughts there? Don't misunderstand, not one crumb went to waste. We loved it fallen. Almost concerned we won't like as much it hasn't fallen. LOL! But anything worth doing is worth doing right! Guidance oh great one! ALSO! A lot of your recipes call for butter, which I am all for. However, I am assuming this unsalted butter. Would that be correct? All this baking is new to me. HELP!
Kim says
Hi, Cynthia! That's actually kinda normal if it falls a little in the center. Mine does, too, especially when I bake it in a loaf pan. I get a center "line" where it dips and it doesn't change the consistency of the cake or anything. But if you want to try baking it a teeny bit longer, you might be able to prevent that. However, if you go too far you'll end up with a dry cake. I know most cooks and chefs use unsalted butter, but I prefer to use salted. It's never too salty for me personally and no one I've ever made anything for has no problems with it either.
Cynthia McClure Ellenburg says
Thank you!!!! That makes me feel so much better! It is good to know I not a total flop at baking these. LOL! But they are sooooo good! Thank you for sharing your gift. I so appreciate it!!!!
Ry says
Really good. For some reason mine came out with a 3 inch rise which deflated after I poked it with a toothpick. It added a crunch to the top which is very desirable to me since I didn't plan on glazing. I also accidentally put 6 tbsp of zest and I will do that every time!
Dan Faillo says
I had an issue with the oven not to temperature of 325F, left in longer and testing with toothpick. Took out of oven when touching the loaf cake when it was spongy and toothpick came out clean. My question- is a separation of loaf cake from sides of bunt pan normal with sides of bunt pan have a coating of the loaf cake? There isn’t any browning (crust) on the loaf cake taking it out of the pan, it’s yellow! New baker! As it turned out, it tastes great, just don't know why it separated from sides.
Thanks
Dan
Judi Forman says
This was *so* delicous!! I served it to friends for dessert at a dinner party. Everybody raved and went back for seconds. You could absolutely not tell that it was gluten-free - all you can say for certain is that it's delicious! Thanks Kim!!
Dan Faillo says
I had an issue with the oven not to temperature of 325F, left in longer and testing with toothpick. Took out of oven when touching the loaf cake when it was spongy and toothpick came out clean. My question- is a separation of loaf cake from sides of bunt pan normal with sides of bunt pan have a coating of the loaf cake? There isn’t any browning (crust) on the loaf cake taking it out of the pan, it’s yellow! New baker! Thanks
Mary says
Amazing! Halved the recipe because my waistline didn’t need two loaves. Used Bob’s Redmill 1to1 flour and doubled the amount of zest for extra lemon flavor.
*It did take an hour to finish baking.
Thank you for another great recipe, Kim!
Milly says
Followed the recipe to a tee. Cake did fall a bit in the middle which made the frosting part tricky, but still tasted delicious
Vanessa says
This is DELISH! I did it in a Bundt pan and cooked it 70 min at 325, it was a tiny bit under, I’d say it could have baked 5 more min to get to that perfectly crumbly consistency, but I didn’t want to burn it and did not want it to be dry. 70 min got it to a spongy consistency that is so yummy!
Minca says
Hi Kim,
What can I use as a substitution for vegetable shortening? You use crisco which we don't have here. Could I use margarine? Thanks.
Pam says
Ooh, I want to know this too!
Kim says
Yes, you should be able to use margarine or any vegan style butter without issue 😊
Vanessa Marshall says
In step 3 it mentions adding sugar and cream - but there’s no cream in the cake ingredients list. Is there an ingredient missing? I only see heavy cream for the glaze.
I’d love to make this tomorrow so hope to hear back!
Thanks 🙂
Kim says
Oh, haha! No, I'm sorry. What I meant here is to "cream" as a verb, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. I apologize for not being more clear.
Vanessa Marshall says
Thank you! That makes sense now 🙂