Lemon Drizzle Cake (Gluten Free option)
A recipe for a simple lemon and almond cake drizzled with a lemon glaze
Equipment
- 1 9 inch cake tin, springform
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
Ingredients
Lemon Almond Cake
- 250 g unsalted butter, very soft
- 250 g caster sugar
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- 5 eggs medium-large
- 175 g ground almonds
- 50 g all purpose flour (gluten-free all purpose flour for the gluten-free option)
- 2 lemons, finely zested and juiced
Lemon Drizzle Glaze
- 250 g icing sugar cornstarch-free
- 50 ml fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Lemon Almond Cake
- Preheat your oven to 150℃ fan.
- Line the base and sides of a 9 inch (cm) springform cake tin with baking paper. Grease and lightly flour.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened butter and cream until very light (almost white) and fluffy - approximately 3 minutes.
- Add the sugar, salt, vanilla and almond extracts. Beat for a further 3-5 minutes until incorporated.
- In a separate bowl or small jug, whisk the eggs lightly until the whites and yolks have combined.
- With the mixer on medium speed, slowly pour in the egg mixture 1-2 tbsp at a time. Allow the eggs to incorporate completely with the creamed butter mixture and scrape down the sides of the bowl well between each addition. If the eggs are added too quickly, the batter may curdle.
- Add the ground almonds and mix on low speed until incorporated.
- Add the lemon zest (chop into a finer zest if needed) and mix to combine. Slowly add the lemon juice 1 tbsp at a time with your mixer on medium-low speed.
- Lastly, add the flour and mix on low speed until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure an even mixture.
- Pour into prepared cake pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Bake for 75 minutes, or until the middle bounces back when gently pressed.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
- Once cooled, gently tip the cake out of the tin and remove the baking paper.
- If the top of the cake is domed, trim off with a serrated knife. Turn the cake upside-down to ensure a straight and even top. Ensure the cake is completely cool before icing.
Lemon Drizzle Glaze
- In a medium sized bowl, sift in the icing sugar.
- Add half of the lemon juice and mix into a paste.
- Slowly add the rest of the lemon juice until the glaze has reached your desired consistency. A thinner glaze will cover the cake in an almost transparent coat, whilst a thicker glaze will result in a thicker layer of icing which slowly drips down the edges (as pictured).
- To check the consistency of your glaze: Use a small knife to draw a line in the icing in the bowl and time how long it takes the line to disappear (in seconds). For a thicker glaze the line will disappear after 20 seconds. For a thin glaze, aim for 10 seconds.
- Pour the icing onto the centre of the cake and gently spread to just reach the edges of the cake using a spoon or offset spatula. Dip the spatula in lemon juice to smooth over, if needed. The icing should drip down the sides of the cake on its own whilst standing.
- For a clean-edged slice, wait a few hours until the icing has hardened before slicing it. Serve with a cup of tea and enjoy :)
Notes
This recipe contains measurements in grams vs cups. A bakers's number one tool in the kitchen is a digital scale, they are inexpensive (compared to most baking equipment) and extremely easy to use. In recipes where accuracy is key, always weigh your ingredients as opposed to measuring out cup equivalents.
This cake will keep well for a few days (I left mine for five and it was still heavenly). Keep in an airtight container at room temperature.