If you’re a lover of lemon cake like we are, this recipe is a must-try! It’s fluffy, perfectly sweet, and plenty tart thanks to lots of fresh lemon juice and zest!
I’ve been wanting to share a lemon cake recipe ever since I had a slice of lemon cake for my birthday many years ago. The pillowy, lemony cake layered with buttery citrus frosting never left my mind. I wanted to create a healthier alternative to enjoy at home.
And while this cake is vegan and gluten-free, you won’t be able to tell! It’s incredibly moist and tender, has a delicate crumb, and is perfectly tart-sweet. Plus, it comes together in just 1 bowl with simple ingredients you likely already have on hand. Let us show you how it’s done!
Gluten-Free Vegan Lemon Cake
It all starts with mixing the wet ingredients — lemon zest and juice, applesauce, avocado oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. The generous dose of lemon makes this cake scream of spring, while applesauce and avocado oil add moisture, maple syrup adds sweetness, and vanilla gives it a little something extra.
Next we add our new favorite flour combination for creating moist and fluffy gluten-free cakes: almond flour, potato starch, and cornstarch. It’s truly magical. And if you enjoy it (trust us, you will), you’ll also love our 1-Bowl Vegan Coffee Cake (GF, Oil-Free) and Easy Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes (Gluten-Free)!
Lastly, we add in baking powder to help it rise and sea salt to enhance all the flavors.
While the cake is baking, we prepare the perfectly sweet-tart lemon glaze by combining lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar.
Once cooled, it’s time to drizzle the cake with the glaze and prepare to hear some serious wows and yums from everyone who gets a slice!
We hope you LOVE this lemon loaf cake! It’s:
Perfectly sweet
Moist
Tender
Bright
Tart
& SO delicious!
It’s the perfect cake to celebrate the arrival of spring and take to baby showers, Mother’s Day celebrations, and beyond! It would also be incredibly beautiful topped with fresh berries or decorated with sprinkles.
More Vegan Cake Recipes
- 1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
- Gluten-Free Zucchini Cake
- 1-Bowl Apple Gingerbread Cake
- 1-Bowl Pumpkin Cake (Vegan + GF)
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Lemon Loaf Cake (Vegan/GF)
Ingredients
CAKE
- 3-4 Tbsp lemon zest (~3 ½ large lemons as original recipe is written)
- 4 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour
- 3/4 cup potato starch* (not potato flour)
- 1/3 cup cornstarch*
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp sea salt
GLAZE
- 1 ½ tsp lemon zest (zest from ~1/2 a large lemon as original recipe is written)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 ¼ cup organic powdered sugar, sifted (to reduce clumps)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a standard-size loaf pan with parchment paper.
- To a large mixing bowl, add lemon zest, lemon juice, applesauce, avocado oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and whisk to combine.
- Add almond flour, potato starch, cornstarch, baking powder, and sea salt and whisk again until well incorporated and no lumps remain. The texture should be thick and look similar to cornbread batter (see photo). If too thick, thin with a little bit of dairy-free milk. If too thin, add a little more almond flour.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly with a spatula. Transfer to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan — about 1 hour. Wash your mixing bowl to prepare glaze.
- While the cake cools, make the glaze in the clean mixing bowl. Zest lemon and set aside. Whisk together vanilla extract and lemon juice, then begin adding sifted powdered sugar 1/4 cup (28 g) at a time, mixing until no lumps remain. Once all the powdered sugar is added, add zest and mix once more. Set aside.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, remove from the pan and gently remove parchment paper. Place on a serving plate and, starting near one end of the cake, slowly pour glaze over the cake, letting it drizzle down the edges slightly.
- Enjoy immediately with a cup of tea or some dairy-free milk! Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to 2-3 days (we find it best within the first 1-2 days). Cake can be frozen for up to 1 month, ideally without glaze. Let thaw before slicing.
Video
Notes
*In place of cornstarch, arrowroot may work.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with all of the glaze.
*Prep time includes cooling.
Natalie says
Hi, I made this today, but added blueberries and made a crumb topping and turned it into muffins with a light lemon glaze. If I wanted to add plain protein powder, how would I change the recipe regarding the flours? Or would it be OK to just add powder? This was delicious. Thank you!
Natalie
Yum, blueberries and a crumb topping sound lovely! Thank you for sharing, Natalie! You could try adding a few tablespoons protein powder and reducing the almond flour slightly. Hope that helps!
Sam says
Hi there! I’m wondering how I can adjust the baking time/ temperature if using a glass loaf dish instead of a metal pan? Thanks in advance!
Hi Sam, a glass loaf pan should work, you may just need to bake a bit longer!
Melina says
Hello, good afternoon. I wanted to ask how I can replace the maple syrup?
Hi Melina, we think agave would work well or honey could work if not vegan. Hope that helps!
prashanthi atluri says
I made this morning really enjoyed. Much healthier compared to the Starbucks version. I recommend making a croissant recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Prashanthi. Thank you for sharing! xo
Naomi Kephart says
We really enjoyed this recipe, it was perfectly sweet for us with the glaze and I will make it again. We are at a 5000 ft elevation and it was done a few minutes sooner than expected. I will make this again!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing your experience, Naomi! xo
Angelica says
If I use regular flour (AP flour), is potato starch & corn starch still needed?
Hi Angelica, Keeping the almond flour and replacing the potato starch and corn starch 1-1 with all purpose flour should work beautifully. It might also work to replace the almond flour, but because all-purpose flour is more absorbent, the flavor/texture may change. If replacing both the almond flour and starches, we would recommend using ~1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour, or enough to make the batter resemble a typical cake batter consistency – thick and smooth but pourable. Hope that helps!
ujwal meka says
This cake looks delicious. I was wondering if this could be made oil- free!
Hi Ujwal, it will be more dense, but you could try dairy-free yogurt or more applesauce instead of oil. Let us know if you try it!
Kristen says
I made this, but unfortunately dried it out. I was trying to wait for the top to get golden brown like the instructions said, but I think I should have just gone off the time and toothpick test. The flavor was good though! I want to make it again and see how the texture is when you don’t leave it in the oven too long!
Sorry that happened, Kristen! We hope you have a better experience with it next time!
Bailey says
Can the almond flour be subbed for a gluten free flour blend (namaste brand)?
Thank you!
Hi Bailey, the almond flour is what gives it a cake-like crumb and flavor. A gluten-free blend will be more dense so we wouldn’t recommend it! If avoiding almonds, cashew flour would be the next best option. If you want to try with the gluten-free flour blend, keep in mind it’s more absorbent so you won’t need as much of it. Hope that helps!
Corelia says
TEXTURE IS PERFECT. Like absolutely perfect. Exactly like cake – chewy, crisp on the outside a little bit, with some crumb. I was weirded out the first time I made this (thought it was weirdly chewy, like a cheese ball or something) but now I love it! I half the maple syrup (to 1/4 cup) which is not the best idea because the loaf is hardly sweet at all, but it allows me to eat it nonstop and not feel bad about it lol! Great recipe. It’s not my favourite dessert (I am not usually partial to loaves) but it is for many of the people in my household!
Thank you for sharing, Corelia!
Contessa says
Hi there!! I am on a gluten free, dairy free(vegan), sugar free cleanse. I had to change the recipe a bit and it was still great! Not sure who this can help but, instead of syrup (because we cannot have added sugar) i used one scoop of powdered organic raw stevia, ten drops of organic raw liquid stevia (could probably do two scoops of powdered instead of both like i did), and 1/4 cup of monk fruit sweetener.
I also somehow couldn’t find our potato starch, and used cornstarch again instead.
For the icing I used monk fruit powdered sweetener. A very improvised version of this recipe, but it was delicious! The only thing I would do different next time is tweak the icing as it was a bit tangy, but maybe could just add a little more sugar to balance it for our preference. Beautiful recipe and beautiful lemon cake!
Thanks so much for sharing, Contessa! We’re so glad it turned out well with those modifications! xo
Jen says
Hey! Making this tomorrow for my Mamas birthday! I was wondering if I can sub the almond flour and potato starch if I already have an “almond flour blend” which contains potato starch, tapioca starch, and corn flour? Or if I should just stick to the basics? (Involves shopping ;)
Hi Jen, sorry we didn’t get to you before her birthday! We hope it was a great one! For the future, using the specific blend here will produce the best result as it may turn out gummy with the tapioca starch and corn flour.
Corelia says
My first thought was “what am i eating” but it’s actually pretty good. Weirdly chewy for some reason? And the outside is hard and kind of crusty. But I think it’s me, not the loaf, because I haven’t had cake in a looooong time so I’ve probably just forgotten the texture. Be aware though, friends: this is not bread, it’s a cake base. I was too busy to make the glaze, but I think it would make this a lot better.
Four stars because it’s as the recipe promises, just not exactly to my liking…
We’re glad you enjoyed it overall, Corelia. Its definitely a cake base!
Rose says
All I can say is deeeeicious!!! Im in love!!💛💛
YAY! We’re so glad you enjoyed this cake, Rose. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Lehava says
I love lemon cake and have been looking for a good vegan gluten free recipe. My only question is will this still be ood without the glaze? Or is there another way to make a glaze? I don’t use white sugar or powdered sugar.
Hi Lehava, the glaze does elevate it, but it is still tasty without it and you might prefer it that way if you like less sweet desserts! Some readers have mentioned using powdered coconut sugar in the glaze, but we haven’t tested it that way. We think it could also possibly be nice with our Cashew “Cream Cheese” Frosting. We’d love to hear what you end up trying and how it turns out!
Rachael says
Hi! I just made this cake, it’s actually still cooling :) I followed the recipe exactly, but the top is very cracked. This would be no issue at all, but I’m wondering why that might have happened in case I want to make it again and have a better presentation. Thank you!!!
Hi Rachael, some cracking is normal! Does it look similar to the video? If it’s more cracking than that, perhaps it needed a little more applesauce? Avoid adding too much though or the result may be dense/undercooked.
Tamara says
Such a disappointment. My load didn’t turn out at all despite following the directions carefully and subbing the applesauce for yogurt.
My loaf was so dense. Won’t try making this again. The ingredients are so expensive and literally had to throw the loaf away. Such a waste.
We’re so sorry you had a negative experience with the recipe, Tamara. It’s usually a reader favorite! Is there any change your baking powder was old/expired?
Caley T says
oh my word- had a ton of Meyer lemons from our kind neighbor and I decided to turn them into this lovely loaf! I didn’t have all of the listed ingredients so I used a mix of coconut flour and corn starch and I subbed pumpkin puree (was a little worried but was desperate to make this gem!) for applesauce. Everything came out DELISH! As always, I love your recipes ✌🏼😎
Amazing! We’re so glad it turned out well. Thank you for your kind words and lovely review, Caley! xo
Rachel Bifano says
Curious if anyone has tried making this in a standard cake pan? Wanting to double the recipe for two layers and wondering if this would be doable?
Hi Rachel, are you thinking an 8-inch round cake pan? We think it could work, but it might cook faster. Let us know if you try it!
Erin says
I made this today during an ice storm as I had a bunch of lemons I didn’t want to go to waste. I didn’t have applesauce so I used pear puree a friend had gifted me. I really enjoy how light the cake is. My husband gave it a thumbs up too. I used one cup of powdered sugar because I didn’t want it overly sweet and it worked just fine. Thanks for the recipe :)
Amazing! Way to turn lemons into lemonade…we mean CAKE! 😜 Thank you for the lovely review, Erin! xoxo
Maya says
Hi! What can I sub for applesauce? My boyfriend is OBSESSED with lemon desserts but is allergic to apples. Thank you!
Hi Maya, you could sub yogurt (dairy-free as needed). Hope that helps!
Lorie says
Wow wow! This is soooooo delicious. We are Neither vegan or gluten free but are health conscious and not interested in sugary, buttery desserts. The crumb texture was spot on and taste so indulgent. Making this again for my friends who are neither vegan or gluten free. It’s that good!
Amazing! We’re honored you enjoy it so much, Lorie. Thank you for sharing! xo
Cayla says
Hi! Could I sub more applesauce in place of the oil? Or do you have a rec for making this oil free? Thanks!
Hi Cayla, we haven’t tested it that way, but it might be okay (though more dense). Let us know if you try it!
Marilyn McCarthy says
Hi x
I make your Lemon Loaf Cake often
I substitute Arrowroot Starch for Potato Starch . Huge Improvement
I also have been adding Cranberries
Which has gone well except a little wet
Will take the suggestions to dust with Flour
Our oldest Son cannot do Almonds
What would be the best Flour if any that can be substituted?
I also need to keep this recipe GF for a daughter
I know you cannot meet every one’s dietary needs with one recipe but asking anyways ?!
Hi Marilyn! So glad you enjoy it! Cashew flour might work!
Sofia says
Could you sub the apple sauce for something els or take it out? I don’t really have apple sauce on hand.
Hi Sofia, you could sub yogurt (dairy-free to keep it vegan) or another fruit purée such as pear sauce. If not vegan, 2 eggs might work, but may be more drying.
Sarah says
Can you just add blueberries to the bread mix or do the other ingredients need to adjusted to add blueberries?
Hi Sarah, we think the blueberries might make it too wet, but perhaps if you tossed them in flour first? Let us know if you try it out!
Sarah says
I made this with 2 eggs instead of applesauce, arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch, and covered the blueberries in gluten free all purpose flour. I baked for extra 15 mins. It turned out DELICIOUS! Will definitely make again.
AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Jacquelyn says
Do you use blanched almond flour? Mine came out rather dry, but the texture was otherwise nice. I’m wondering if I’m using the wrong kind of almond flour.
Sorry to hear it was dry, Jacquelyn! We do use blanched almond flour. Is it possible it baked too long or that your oven runs hot? Did you try it the same day it was made or after that (things with potato starch can dry out a bit the next day)? And we assume you didn’t make any modifications?
Jacquelyn says
Thanks for your reply! I will try the blanched almond flour next time! I think that might be the reason it was dry. Also the almond flour I use has the skin it it, which I think detracts from the flavor. It’s possible I need to adjust my oven temp because I’m at high elevation. Will do some research on that for next time.
I love your website! I’m allergic to wheat and eggs, so I really appreciate the work that you do to make recipes that are accessible to people like me. I have missed baking so much since my diagnosis a few years ago. Your foccaccia recipe was so good, I almost cried!
Aw, we’re SO glad our recipes have been helpful, Jacquelyn! Thank you for letting us know! That makes total sense about the almond flour. We’ve noticed some brands call it “almond flour” with the peels on, but we’ve always known that to be “almond meal”. Almond flour is best when you’re looking for a light, fluffy texture!
Victoria says
I loved everything about this cake with the exception that it was a bit salty. I double checked to see that the recipe called for 1 whole tsp of sea salt. It seemed like a lot to me, but I followed it to a tee. Has anyone else ever had this issue with the saltiness?
I loved using all the lemon zest for a flavor explosion and applesauce for moisture.
I will make it again maybe with less salt or kosher salt.
Thanks for all the amazing recipes!
Hi Victoria, glad you enjoyed this overall but sorry you found it too salty! Thank you for sharing your experience!
Tracy says
Made it as a loaf and it is AMAZING (just like every other recipe you share)! Do you think you can make these as muffins instead of a loaf? :)
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Tracy. We haven’t tried this recipe as muffins but it could work! They’d probably need to bake for ~22-28 minutes.
Ginxaz says
I was very excited to make this, because I wanted a gluten-free option. I took it to work for my coworkers to taste, and across-the-board. They said that the texture was disagreeable while the flavor was fantastic. I was told it was very gritty. I did follow your recipe to the T; any ideas for improvement?
Hi Ginxaz, so sorry this was not what you expected. The cake shouldn’t be gritty as those flours are quite soft. Is it possible almond meal was used instead of almond flour!
Lindsay S. says
I made this *exactly* as recipe stated and Holy sweet lemon drizzle.. it is SOOOO dang Good! Springtime perfection. The texture is amazing – and mine rose even more than the video showed – it was perfectly moist and fluffy but held together better than many other almond flour baked goods. Now my only challenge is not eating the whole loaf ;)
Lindsay S. says
Ah! Forgot to say that I did use about half regular lemons and half MEYER lemons… for the zest and the juice – and I think that Meyer lemon fragrance (especially in the glaze) is extra alluring.
Ooo yum!!
Hooray! We love to hear this. Thanks so much for the wonderful review, Lindsay!
Barb says
What do you recommend as an alternative to the almond flour for a nut-free version? Thank you
Hi Barb, we haven’t tried this without almond flour, and unfortunately we don’t know if it will work. It’s possible that another flour such as sunflower meal could work, or maybe coconut flour if you can have it, but we would recommend starting with much less and we cannot guarantee results.
Migdalia says
This Lemon Loaf Cake is F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S! Wow! The adjectives you used to describe it are spot on. I have made it several times and everyone loves it (even those who are not GF/DF).
I did not alter it in any way and used all organic ingredients making certain to buy wonderful, big, and juicy lemons. I believe the quality of the lemons makes the recipe stand out.
Thank you for such an amazing recipe! 🍋
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Migdalia. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Felicia Raiti Motherway says
I just made this loaf for my vegan daughter. Should I refrigerate it ?
Thanks!
Hi Felicia, you can just store this loaf at room temperature covered!
Caylee O'Connor says
Is it possible to use regular flour instead of almond flour and potato starch to make a non-GF version of this? How would you suggest adapting the ingredients? Thanks!
Hi Caylee, We haven’t tried this with regular flour, but it should work. We’d recommend using ~1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour to make the batter a typical cake batter consistency, thick and smooth but pourable. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Noor says
This is divine. I made the lemon loaf cake and added blueberries and poppy seeds to this one, and made another one but substituted the lemon and blueberries with orange and raspberries, and poured orange juice over it as soon as it came out of the oven. I noticed that the cake becomes dense and hard when I store it in the fridge, is it becuase I used coconut oil instead of avocado? Avocado oil is not always available where I live.
Ooo both of those sound SO delish! The cake does get a bit more dry/dense as it sits, but the coconut oil + refrigerator would certainly contribute. Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Noor!
Megan says
This looks delicious, but I’m unfortunately mega allergic to nuts. Could you recommend an alternative to the almond flour please? Thanks!
Hi Megan, we haven’t tried this without almond flour, and unfortunately we don’t know if it will work. It’s possible that another flour such as sunflower meal could work, or maybe coconut flour if you can have it, but we would recommend starting with much less and we cannot guarantee results.
Beth says
Hi.
I don’t have any applesauce, and applesauce is pretty expensive nowadaze, so is there anything else (even not GF or vegan) I could use to substitute for it?
I LOVE your recipes!
Thank You!
Hi Beth! We think two eggs should work or even yogurt! Let us know if you try it. xo
Beth says
Thank you! Will let you know when I make it.
Meghan says
I made this loaf exactly as described and it turned out beautifully! I often have more fails in the kitchen than successes but this loaf turned out incredibly! So proud! It is very lemony, rose well and is a light fluffy loaf! Was relatively easy to make – zesting the lemons was the most time consuming, and really doesn’t take long. All in all, this is a recipe I’d highly recommend to anyone who loves lemon! Thanks for the great vegan recipes – love your site!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Meghan. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Lori says
I just made this and OMG!!! It was delicious. Made it exactly as the recipe says. Baked it for 40 min. It wasn’t dry. But everyone’s oven is different. Maybe that’s why others said it was dry. It was moist & delicious. Love it!!! Only problem I had was waiting for it to cool off as I couldn’t wait to eat it.
Thanks so much for the great review, Lori. So glad you enjoyed this loaf!
Kathy says
So good! I used tapioca starch instead of the cornstarch and the loaf was still perfect :) I agree with the baker who said the glaze recipe produced too much for one loaf. Next time I will half the recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kathy! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Rebecca M. says
This was fabulous. My husband’s grandmother makes a traditional version that I’ve been trying to mimic for him for years. This one got a five star review from everyone in the house, including kiddos. I didn’t have powdered sugar in the house. I ground coconut sugar in my vitamix to substitute. The color matched the cake, otherwise it tasted wonderful.
We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Rebecca. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Cedella Janczak says
I’m a terrible GF baker, in all honestly, but this loaf was a 10/10! Instead of potato starch, I used 3/4 cup of tapioca starch and it worked just fine! I read a comment that was talking about making the loaf into cupcakes, and I might have to do that!!!!
***if anyone has had the Starbucks Lemon Loaf, does it taste similar?***
Whoop! We’re so glad it turned out well, Cedella. Thank you for sharing! The Starbucks loaf is a bit sweeter, but similar.
Alaina says
Delicious! I made a minor sub and it worked out so well, I thought I’d share.
Instead of potato starch, I did about 1/3 C unbleached all-purpose flour and thinned as needed with unsweetened almond milk before baking. It took the full 40 minutes to bake, but the rise and texture were both great!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for sharing that modification, Alaina, so glad it worked!
Ham says
Made this today because had a lemon that needed be used up. I only had one large lemon and it came out just fine. I subbed maple syrup for honey and corn starch with arrowroot starch. I used a 8×8 pan and baked for 30 mins and turned out superb. It’s a good amount of sweetness, moist, and delicious. Awesome recipe!!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed this. Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications!
MaryKate says
I made this with my only sub being orange zest for lemon (because what I thought was frozen lemon zest was orange. Oops!). Overall the texture is really great — but even though my toothpick came out clean at the longer baking time, the center of my loaf collapsed and there’s a raw bit in it. I’ll definitely try baking it longer the next time, though, as it’s worth making. Also, FYI, orange zest with almond is also a nice mix.
Thank you for sharing your experience! Baking longer should help for next time. Love the orange zest almond combo!
Ashley says
Hi there! Wondering if the potato starch can be left out and substituted with more cornstarch. Would this work with texture? How about bake time? Thanks for all your help!
Hi Ashley! We haven’t tried this without the potato starch and we aren’t sure if it will work. The potato starch gives a lot of fluffiness and lift to the cake that other starches don’t often provide. Let us know how it goes if you give any subs a try!
Andie says
Hello! I would like to swirl in a raspberry compote (to make lemon raspberry pound cake). I’m curious if you have tried this and if the compote would change the overall baking and structure? I’m thinking maybe 1/2 cup.
Thanks so much!
Hi Andie, we haven’t tried that, but we think it might cause the loaf to not bake up fully in the center. Perhaps adding a little more of the flours to compensate for the excess moisture would help? Let us know if you try it!
Meg says
Hi I just made this loaf and it turned out fantastic!!!! I added a 1/2 tbsp of oil so it would be extra moist and boy was it good I ate the whole thing in 2 days! I skipped the icing it had all the flavor and sweetness without it. Thank you for your recipes!!! 😊
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Meg! Thank you for your kind words and lovely review! xo
Jayme says
This turned out well for me. I used arrowroot instead of cornstarch and didn’t have any real issues, it was moist and lemon-y. Not a lot of rise, but that’s okay. The only thing I would say is that you could easily cut the glaze measurements in half, I don’t think I used even a third of it before my loaf was drowning in it. So other than wasting ingredients, I’m happy with this and would make it again :)
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thank you for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Jayme! xo
Natasha says
Such an amazing recipe! I used arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch, and took it out at exactly 35 minutes. It was so nice and light, and surprisingly not too almond-y (which I was worried about). I might make these into cupcakes next!
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Natasha. So glad you enjoyed!
Leen says
Flavor was good. but a little too dry. also the cake crumbles easily. Is it supposed to crumble? As I try to pick up the slices it just crumbles in my fingers and I’m not trying to crush it or anything
Hi Leen, it sounds like it may have dried out too much (possibly baked too long?). Did you make any modifications to the flours?
Tracy says
I would love to try this recipe but we have nut allergies in our household. Can you suggest any substitutes for the almond flour please?
Hi Tracy, that’s tricky. What about trying to sub a seed meal, such as sunflower, plus a little coconut flour (or can you not have coconut?)?
Tracy says
Ooh, sunflower meal is a good suggestion. We can have coconut so coconut flour would work too. Do I replace the almond meal with sunflower meal 1:1 or do you recommend using almond meal + coconut flour?
We think sunflower meal would work 1:1!
Paula says
I used 3 lemons off my little Meyer lemon tree, the recipe was easy to make and came together quick in my kitchen! Love that! I baked it 40 minutes and it turned out dry. After reading the comments I should have not baked it as long. I will make again with a shorter baking time. We loved the flavor and it is definitely worth another bake! Love your recipes, thank you!
Thank you for sharing, Paula! Let us know how it goes next time!
Danielle M says
Very easy, great flavor and the baking time was perfect at 35 minutes. I wish it were just a little more moist, but still a winner for being vegan and GF.
We’re glad you enjoyed it, Danielle! You could bake a little less time or add more applesauce or oil to help it be more moist next time. Hope that helps!
Lona says
I made this last night and the taste is great, but the cake itself is almost too dry to chew and swallow. I didn’t even bake it the full time suggested. My only change to the recipe was that I added only 1 1/2 TB lemon zest due to lack of lemons. Should that have made such a difference?
I wondered if you have any insight?
Hm, so strange! You didn’t modify the flours at all? We wouldn’t think the lemon zest would make a difference. Our only other idea would be if it was over-baked?
Lona says
Thanks. I thought about the possibility that I’d over-baked it but I took the pan out of the oven with a minute to spare. Next time I think I’d remove it from the pan to cool; maybe the hot pan continued the baking.
That’s a possibility! We hope it goes better next time!
Andrea says
This is excellent. Thank you!
Woohoo! Thanks, Andrea!
Jennifer Yang says
I’m going to remake this again, because I believe it will be good like all the other minimalist baker recipes! But for some reason, it was quite salty, and the glaze was too liquidy even when I added extra powder sugar. When I poor it on the cold loaf, the glaze just soaked into the break instead of on top like the video. Should I reduce salt for the loaf, and add more sugar for the glaze?
Jennifer Yang says
Oh I did I followed the measurements
Oh, got it! Then yes, less salt could be a great thing to try!
Hmm, interesting! Those sound like the right changes, yes! Did you happen to make any modifications to the other ingredients?
Abi says
I needed this cake to lift my spirits in the depths of winter and to use up 5 lemons I have somehow ended up with. This cake is delicious! Most and so much flavour! The almond flour gives it a nice texture. I didn’t have potato starch so I ground up oats and they worked really well. The glaze is so yummy as well although I didn’t use all the sugar it asked for. I’m always looking for new gluten free recipes so this is definitely a keeper! Thanks for another great recipe!
We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed it, Abi! Thank you for sharing! xo
Iris says
This was a hit! I didn’t have potato starch so I used arrowroot flour and it turned out great. The only adjustment was that I needed to bake it closer to 50 minutes in my oven. It turned out chewy, moist and delicious. Will definitely make again!
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thank you for sharing your experience, Iris! xo
Ellie says
Wow. The flavor of this is wonderful. Not too bold, not too understated. I added some aging blueberries I had in the fridge, which I highly recommend. Otherwise stuck to the recipe. I’ll definitely make this many more times.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Ellie! Blueberries sound like a delish addition too =) Thank you for sharing! xo
Mariana says
Amazing recipe!! I used the 24g of lemon zest and arrowroot instead of cornstarch bc I didn’t have at home and added and extra spoon of lemon juice and it turned out amazing!! So delicious, tender, perfectly sweet and lemony!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the wonderful review, Mariana!
Kei says
Hi, I would like to make the recipe in a cake pan instead of a loaf pan. Do I need to make any adjustments? If so, what are they? Thank you.
Kei says
I should clarify….I would like to use just one cake pan, not two.
Hi Kei! We haven’t tried that but it should work… we think you may need to reduce the bake time by ~10-15 minutes so it doesn’t get over-baked, but we’re not sure. Everything else should be the same. Let us know how it goes!
Carmi says
This came our great! I baked it for 40-45 min, it came out moist not dry at all and sweet enough for me that there was no need for the glaze. I did spoon and level the almond flour, potato starch, corn starch. I also combined all the dry ingredients first and then added it to the wet ingredients. The batter consistency was not as thick as the video, but I was really happy with the outcome. Thank you for this recipe!!!
Wonderful! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Carmi! Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
M says
What is a good alternative for almond flour? Can’t do almonds.
Hi M! We haven’t tried this without almond flour, and we don’t know if it will work. It’s possible that another nut flour such as cashew or coconut could work, but we would recommend starting with much less. Let us know how it goes!
Barbara Morrison says
Has anyone tried this with oat flour subbed in for the almond flour?
Hi Barbara, we haven’t tried it with oat flour!
Katya says
Hi! I would love to cook this cake, but was wondering if I can replace almond flour with almond meal? I can’t find almond flour where I am. Thanks a lot!
Hi Katya! Almond meal is typically a bit more moist and dense than almond flour, so we would suggest using maybe ~1/2 cup less, but we think it will work! Let us know how it goes!