I perfected a Gluten Free Lemon Cake Recipe where the cake stays tender, the lemon flavor shines, and the light and fluffy cream cheese frosting steals the show.

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This tender gluten free lemon cake is full of bright lemon flavor. Don’t skimp on the light and fluffy cream cheese frosting!

I made my Olive Garden copycat using a solid gluten free all purpose flour blend and a generous layer of cream cheese, softened for the frosting, and i can tell you it really sings. I probably overdid the frosting the first time, but that was the point, right.

If you’re hunting a Gf Lemon Cake that holds up at parties or want the Best Gluten Free Cake to bring to a potluck, this imperfect, citrus forward cake is the one I reach for.

Ingredients

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Gluten-free all-purpose flour blend: Provides the cake structure, mostly carbs, can be lower in fiber than wheat.
Unsalted butter: Adds richness and moisture, lots of fat, helps with tender crumb and flavor.
Eggs: Bind ingredients, add protein and lift, give structure but can dry if overbeaten.
Sour cream: Gives tang and moisture, adds fat for creaminess, keeps cake kinda tender.
Lemon zest and juice: Provide bright citrus flavor, mostly acid so sourness balances sweetness, very fresh.
Cream cheese (frosting): Makes frosting tangy and smooth, adds some protein, richer than butter alone.
Powdered sugar (frosting): Sweetens and thickens frosting quickly, mostly simple carbs, can be clumpy if not sifted.
Xanthan gum (optional): Helps replace gluten elasticity, a little goes a long way, avoids crumbly cake.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/2 cups (300 g) gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (for cake)

1 tsp xanthan gum (only if your blend doesnt already contain it)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder (for cake)

1/2 tsp baking soda (for cake)

1/2 tsp fine salt (for cake)

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened (for cake)

1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar (for cake)

4 large eggs, room temp (for cake)

1 cup (240 g) full fat sour cream (for cake)

1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk or buttermilk (for cake)

2 tbsp fresh lemon zest (about 2 lemons) (for cake)

1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice (for cake)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (for cake)

8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened (for frosting)

1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened (for frosting)

3 1/2 cups (420 g) powdered sugar, sifted (for frosting)

1 tsp pure vanilla extract (for frosting)

1 to 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (for frosting)

1 tsp lemon zest (for frosting)

Pinch fine salt (for frosting)

Thin lemon slices or candied lemon slices for garnish, optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch round pans with parchment, or spray well and flour with a little gluten free flour so the cake wont stick. Measure the flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off, that keeps the texture right.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups (300 g) gluten free all purpose flour, 1 tsp xanthan gum (only if your blend doesnt already contain it), 2 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp fine salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl or stand mixer beat 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened, with 1 3/4 cups (350 g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bowl once or twice.

4. Add 4 large eggs one at a time, beating just until combined after each egg. Stir in 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 2 tbsp fresh lemon zest and 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice. Try not to overbeat once the eggs are in.

5. With mixer on low add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with 1 cup (240 g) full fat sour cream and 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk or buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined; the batter should be thick but pourable. Scrape the bowl so nothing is left behind.

6. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smooth the tops and tap the pans gently on the counter to release big air bubbles. Bake at 350°F for about 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Ovens vary so start checking at 25 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

7. For the frosting beat 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened, with 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened, until smooth. Gradually add 3 1/2 cups (420 g) sifted powdered sugar on low then medium speed until combined. Add 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1 to 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (start with 1 tbsp and add more if you like it tangier), 1 tsp lemon zest and a pinch of fine salt. Beat until light and fluffy and adjust powdered sugar or lemon juice to get a spreadable consistency.

8. If the cake layers are domed level them with a serrated knife. Place one layer on your cake plate, spread about a third of the frosting, top with the second layer and finish frosting the top and sides. Chill 15 to 30 minutes if you want cleaner slices and firmer frosting.

9. Garnish with thin fresh lemon slices or candied lemon slices if you like. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days and bring to room temp about 30 minutes before serving for the best texture.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)

2. Two 9-inch round cake pans, plus parchment paper or nonstick spray and a little gluten free flour for dusting

3. Stand mixer or hand mixer with paddle/beaters

4. Mixing bowls, one large for the butter/sugar and one medium for the dry ingredients

5. Measuring cups, measuring spoons and a kitchen scale for accurate weights

6. Rubber spatula for scraping and a whisk for the dry mix

7. Microplane zester (for the lemons) and a small citrus juicer or reamer

8. Wire cooling rack and a serrated knife to level domed layers, plus an offset spatula or icing spatula for frosting

FAQ

Can I use regular all purpose flour instead of the gluten free blend?

Short answer, no. This cake was measured and balanced for a GF 1-to-1 blend. If you swap to regular flour you should leave out xanthan gum and expect a different texture and bake time, so its not a straight swap unless you rework the recipe.

My cake was dense or a bit gummy, what went wrong?

Most likely overmixing, too much flour, or underbaked. Weigh the flour, dont pack cups, and let the batter rest 10 to 20 minutes so the GF flour hydrates. Also check your baking powder is fresh and dont overbake. A toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

Can I replace the sour cream or whole milk for dietary reasons?

Yes. Full fat Greek yogurt works 1:1 for sour cream and keeps the texture. For milk use buttermilk or any full fat plant milk if you need dairy free but expect a slight change in crumb. For fully dairy free swap the butter and cream cheese for good quality vegan versions, but the cake will be a bit different.

How do I get a bright lemon flavor without making the frosting runny?

Use fresh lemon zest in the batter and frosting, thats where most flavor lives. Brush the baked layers with a quick lemon syrup (equal parts sugar and lemon juice warmed till sugar melts) to boost lemon punch. For frosting add lemon juice slowly, stop when you reach spreading consistency, chill to firm up if it gets soft.

Can I make this ahead or freeze it?

Yes. Unfrosted layers freeze best: cool, wrap tightly in plastic then foil, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting. Fully frosted cake can be frozen too but wrap carefully, and thaw in fridge to avoid weeping.

Want to make cupcakes instead, any changes?

Totally possible. Fill liners about two thirds full and bake at 350 F for roughly 18 to 22 minutes, check with a toothpick. Keep an eye on bake time cause GF batters can brown faster, and let cupcakes cool completely before frosting so the frosting wont melt.

Gluten Free Lemon Cake (Olive Garden Copycat) Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- Swap with another 1-to-1 GF blend that already has xanthan gum (use the same 2 1/2 cups). Works best, no fuss.
- Almond flour: you can use 2 1/2 cups but expect a denser cake, add 1 extra egg or 1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water for structure.
- Oat flour: replace up to half the flour with oat flour (so ~1 1/4 cups oat + 1 1/4 cups 1-to-1 GF blend), more than that and the texture gets gummy.
- DIY blend: mix white rice flour + tapioca starch + potato starch cup-for-cup, and add 1 tsp xanthan gum if your mixture has none.
Sour cream (1 cup)
- Plain full-fat Greek yogurt, 1:1. Same tang and thickness, works great.
- Crème fraîche, 1:1. A bit richer, use the same amount.
- Buttermilk + butter trick: 3/4 cup buttermilk + 1/4 cup melted butter to mimic the fat, or just 1 cup buttermilk and reduce other liquid slightly.
- Vegan swap: unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt 1:1, but you might need an extra binder cause texture changes.
Unsalted butter for cake (1 cup / 226 g)
- Salted butter, 1:1, just skip or cut the added salt in the recipe.
- Neutral oil (canola, vegetable): use 3/4 cup oil for 1 cup butter for a moist crumb, note cake will be a bit less airy since you lose creaming.
- Vegan stick butter, 1:1. Use same weight, results are similar.
- Coconut oil (melted), 3/4 cup, gives a faint coconut note, make sure it’s cooled before mixing.
Cream cheese for frosting (8 oz / 225 g)
- Mascarpone, 1:1. Smoother and richer, less tang but whips well.
- Neufchâtel, 1:1. Lower fat alternative, frosting may be a touch softer.
- Dairy-free: chilled coconut cream or vegan cream cheese 1:1, expect coconut or slightly different flavor.
- Buttercream option: replace cream cheese with 1 cup (226 g) butter plus extra powdered sugar and lemon to taste if you want a non-cream-cheese frosting.

Pro Tips

1) Weigh your flours. Spoon and level is ok but a scale is way more reliable, especially with gluten free blends. It keeps the crumb consistent so one bake doesnt come out dry and the next soggy.

2) Let the batter rest 15 to 30 minutes before baking so the gluten free flours can hydrate. Youll notice a smoother, less crumbly texture and fewer big air holes.

3) Keep everything at room temp and dont overbeat once the eggs are in. Cold ingredients or overmixing will make the batter seize or the cake turn gummy. Also add dry and wet in short alternations and mix on low.

4) For the frosting, make sure cream cheese and butter are truly soft and beat the cream cheese first until perfectly smooth before adding powdered sugar. Chill the frosted cake 15 to 30 minutes for cleaner slices and if the frosting seems too soft, add a bit more sifted sugar or chill rather than overbeating it.