Gluten-Free Lemon Drizzle Cake (Starbucks Copycat)

gluten free lemon loaf topped with lemon glaze and lemon sliced with 4 slices cut

Gluten-Free Lemon Drizzle Cake (Starbucks Copycat)

The gluten-free lemon drizzle cake recipe is an easy everyday cake that is perfectly moist, soft, and absolutely delicious. Exploding with lovely lemon flavor and an easy drizzle topping, this cake is tasty enough for special occasions and easy enough for a weeknight! Complete with instructions to make a loaf cake or cupcakes.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 5

Total Time 1 15

Servings slices

Calories 342kcal

Author Mary Smith

Equipment

Hand Mixer or stand mixer. You can also mix by hand, if preferred, but the batter may not get as smooth!

Ingredients

1 cup vegan butter or regular. I used salted butter.
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1.5 tsp almond extract
⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
1 tbsp lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
2 ¼ cups gluten free 1:1 flour
2 tsp gluten free baking powder

Lemon Drizzle Topping

1 ⅔ cups organic powdered sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
1 tsp salted butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x5 bread pan then line with parchment paper.
Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and use an electric hand mixer to cream them together until smooth. Add the eggs and mix until creamy. Add the almond milk, almond extract, lemon zest and lemon juice and and mix to combine.
In a separate bowl, add the gluten free flour and baking powder. Mix, then add it to the wet ingredients. Mix to combine.
Add the mixture to the bread pan and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
During the last 10 minutes of baking time, make the lemon drizzle. Combine the lemon juice and powdered sugar in a microwave-safe bowl, and whisk together until smooth.
Add in the butter, then microwave the mixture for 40-50 seconds. Whisk again to combine until smooth. Add in the lemon zest and mix a final time.
Let the cake cool for 30 minutes once it comes out of the oven, then remove it to a plate or cutting board. Pour the drizzle over the cake. The drizzle will harden as it sits. Slice and enjoy!

Notes

Expert Tips

Lemon Glaze: You don’t need a piping bag for the lemon drizzle because it doesn’t need to be perfectly iced on the cake. It looks best when it’s a freehand drizzle!
Nut Free Option: If you need a nut free option, replace the almond extract with vanilla extract, swap the almond milk for oat milk, and make sure your gluten-free flour blend does not contain any almond flour or other nut flour.
Room Temperature: Make sure to let the cake or cupcakes cool to room temperature before adding the lemon drizzle. Otherwise, it will completely melt and not get the hardened, crunchy texture!
Regular Flour: If you aren’t gluten free, you can swap the gluten free flour blend for regular all purpose flour. Just keep in mind that you may need to adjust the baking times.

Serving Tips

Pour the lemon drizzle over the cooled cake, slice it, and serve as a snack, dessert, or even a sweet breakfast treat!
If you made cupcakes, drizzle them with the lemon icing, then serve them individually or bring them with you to any event!

Storage Tips

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Store in the fridge for even longer, up to 5 days.
To freeze, wrap the cooled loaf cake tightly in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight freezer-safe ziptop bag. Store for up to 3 months, thaw, and serve!

Nutrition