Moist Gluten-Free Lemon Almond Cake Recipe with Easy Cream Cheese Glaze
A moist and flavorful gluten-free lemon almond cake topped with a tangy cream cheese glaze, perfect for gatherings and quick dessert cravings.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups almond flour (about 280g), finely ground
- 1 ½ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup (85ml)
- Zest and juice of 2 fresh lemons
- ½ cup unsalted butter (115g), melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the cream cheese glaze:
- 4 ounces cream cheese (115g), softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g), sifted
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your 8 or 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, breaking up any lumps.
- In a separate medium bowl, beat eggs until frothy (1-2 minutes). Add honey or maple syrup, lemon zest and juice, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently fold together with a spatula until uniform. Do not overmix.
- Scrape batter into prepared cake pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then invert onto the rack and remove parchment. Let cool completely before glazing.
- To make the glaze, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth and spreadable.
- Spread the cream cheese glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Thin glaze with a few drops of milk or lemon juice if a drip effect is desired.
- Slice and serve at room temperature. Store leftovers refrigerated.
Notes
Use room temperature eggs and butter for better texture. Do not overmix the batter to avoid density. Let cake cool fully before glazing to prevent glaze melting. Pulse almond flour in a food processor if coarse. Check cake early to avoid overbaking. For dairy-free, substitute butter with coconut oil and use dairy-free cream cheese. For nut-free, use oat flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour but expect different texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cak
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 150
- Fat: 16
- Saturated Fat: 4.5
- Carbohydrates: 14
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
Keywords: gluten-free, lemon cake, almond flour, cream cheese glaze, dairy-free option, vegan option, easy dessert, moist cake