Lofty Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cake Recipe
This Lofty Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cake is a moist, tender, and airy dessert bursting with bright lemon flavor and delightful poppy seed crunch. Made effortlessly in one bowl and baked to perfection in under an hour, it’s topped with a less-sweet cream cheese frosting that balances the citrus notes beautifully. Perfect for gluten-free bakers seeking a light, flavorful cake that’s easy to customize and impressively delicious.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup (150 g) organic granulated sugar
- Zest of 2 large lemons (Meyer or regular)
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoons neutral oil (grape seed, sunflower, or mild olive oil)
- 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream, crème fraiche, or Greek yogurt*
Dry Ingredients
- ½ cup (78 g) sweet rice flour (Mochiko)
- ½ cup (65 g) millet flour (Bob's Red Mill)
- ½ cup (50 g) gluten-free oat flour (Bob's Red Mill)
- 2 tablespoons (14 g) tapioca flour (Bob's Red Mill)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
For Serving
- 1 recipe less-sweet cream cheese frosting
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (175ºC). Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper on all sides to ensure easy cake removal.
- Infuse Sugar with Lemon Zest: In a large, deep bowl, rub the lemon zest into the organic granulated sugar until the sugar feels damp and fragrant, releasing the lemon oils for maximum citrus flavor.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Whisk in the eggs until well combined. Then whisk in the neutral oil, sour cream (or crème fraiche/Greek yogurt), and strained fresh lemon juice until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: Place a fine strainer over the bowl and sift in the sweet rice flour, millet flour, gluten-free oat flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. This ensures there are no clumps and the leavening agents are evenly distributed.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Poppy Seeds: Whisk the dry ingredients gently into the wet ingredients until just combined, then fold in the poppy seeds, making sure they are evenly dispersed throughout the batter.
- Pour and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool to room temperature in the pan for 1-2 hours. Once cooled, turn the cake out onto a serving platter or board, peel away the parchment paper carefully.
- Frost and Decorate: Spread the cake evenly with the less-sweet cream cheese frosting. Optionally, decorate the top with additional poppy seeds, lemon zest, or thin lemon slices for an attractive presentation. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Substitutions: Sugar can be replaced with maple sugar or coconut sugar (for a darker cake). Sour cream can be substituted with rich coconut yogurt or plant-based sour cream for a dairy-free option. Sweet rice flour can be replaced with a gluten-free all-purpose blend. Millet and oat flours can be substituted with sorghum flour. Frosting can be swapped with vegan or paleo cream cheese frosting.
- Make Ahead: The cake can be baked up to 2 days in advance and stored at cool room temperature or refrigerated. Frosting can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated until needed. Frosted cake keeps airtight for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Pan Sizes: Single recipe fits in an 8x8-inch pan, 9-inch round pan, 10 muffin cups, or 8x4 or 9x5-inch loaf pan. Doubling the recipe works for multiple pans such as three 8-inch pans, two 9-inch pans, a 9x12-inch pan, or a bundt pan.
- Lemon Poppy Seed Layer Cake Variation: Double the recipe and divide between three 8-inch round pans or two 9-inch pans. Shorten baking time accordingly. Brush layers with limoncello liqueur, then layer and decorate with double or triple the cream cheese frosting for an elegant layered cake.
