Lemon and Blueberry Drizzle Cake with Basil (gluten-free)

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Singing with citrusy aromatic flavour this Gluten-Free Lemon and Blueberry Drizzle Cake is a showstopper of an everyday teatime cake. Juicy bursts of blueberry make this cake so fruity and the gentle inclusion of peppery basil ensures this humble loaf cake is requested again and again.

this recipe

This Blueberry Drizzle Cake was one of the first gluten-free cakes I developed when I had my cake stall and was a firm favourite amongst my customers.

Boy, does this loaf cake pack a punch. It made total sense to me when I initially developed the recipe to add blueberries into a lemon drizzle. Blueberries provide such a delightful gentle counterbalance to the tang of citrus. But the cake is then taken stratospheric with the inclusion of peppery aromatic Basil. Lemons, fresh blueberries and basil are all added into the cake batter and then dredged over the top of the just baked cake to form the signature drizzle.

Why you'll love this cake

• Easy to make using your favourite gluten-free flour blend.
• No xanthan gum.
• Sharp and sweetly punchy flavour.
• Fruity bursts of blueberry.
• Basil!! It sounds like an unusual addition but I promise you it makes this cake taste even more incredible!
• Gorgeous moist texture.
• Even better the next day so great to make ahead.

Almond Paste

The key to this Lemon Blueberry Drizzle Cake is to use an almond paste which imbues the cake with an unbeatably moist texture. The taste of the almonds is barely noticeable, especially with the over-the-top citrus notes, the fragrance of the basil and the gentle pop of blueberries.

The beauty of using an almond paste here also means you don’t have to use very much flour as the ground almonds in the paste do a lot of the work for you. So with only a scant amount of flour in the recipe, an easy shop bought gluten-free flour is more than fit for purpose.

Gluten-free flour required

This cake has been made countless times with Doves Freee Plain White Gluten-Free Flour and it works really well without the need for any xanthan gum.

However, I have also made it with my Homemade Gluten-Free Flour Blend which I now use with all my cakes and it's a perfect fit too.

However, this Lemon Blueberry Drizzle Cake will work with your favourite gluten-free flour blend since it has a great support from the almond paste in the recipe which helps balance the gluten-free flour.

Ingredients needed

For the almond paste:

• Almonds. You can use blanched or unpeeled raw almonds. Or even pre-ground almonds.
• Caster sugar. It’s a fine white baking sugar. If you can only get hold of granulated sugar you can grind more finely in the food processor before you use it in the recipe.
• Golden syrup. This is a thick amber coloured inverted sugar syrup. You can substitute for corn syrup, although it won’t have quite the same flavour. Honey is also fine to substitute here.
• Vanilla extract. Use a good quality extract, I like Nilsen Massey.
• Egg white. Medium egg white or 30g egg white.

For the cake:

• Fresh basil leaves.
• Lemons. Make sure it is unwaxed and organic otherwise you need to scrub off the wax.
• Orange. As above, it needs to be unwaxed and organic.
• Caster sugar. As above.
• Butter. Unsalted is the best choice here.
• Eggs. This recipe uses medium size, about 60g each with shell (50g each without shell).
• Gluten-free plain flour. I use Doves Freee Plain White Gluten-Free Flour
• Salt. I like to use kosher salt in my baking as it has a round gentle flavour. Using salt in your baked goods lifts and sharpens all the other flavours.
• Baking powder.
• Blueberries. Fresh or frozen is fine for the cake.

For the drizzle:

• Blueberries. It’s better to use fresh blueberries here so they keep their shape.
• Fresh basil leaves.
• Lemons.
• Granulated sugar. You need the larger crystals of the granulated sugar here for the extra crunch.

How to make it

For full recipe instructions go to the recipe card at the end of this post. 

Almond paste

• Mix together the almonds, caster sugar, golden syrup, vanilla extract and egg white in a food processor to form a paste.

Cake mix

• Whisk basil leaves, lemon and orange zest with the sugar until fragrant.
• Add the butter, one cube at a time and beat on high until light and fluffy.
• Add the almond paste, followed by the eggs, one at a time.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt then beat it into the rest of the cake mixture.
• Coat the blueberries in flour then stir into the mix.
• Bake for 60 minutes in a 2lb loaf tin.

Drizzle

• Heat the blueberries with a splash of water until slightly softened but not so that they have burst. Leave to cool.
• Pour the blueberries into a medium sized bowl along with the lemon juice, basil leaves and granulated sugar. Mix together.
• Spoon the drizzle over the cake.

Expert tips for best results

Do follow the recipe precisely, mix the butter and sugar on a low-medium speed until light and fluffy which ensures a good rise and then when the cake is finally in the oven don’t open the door for at least the first 40 minutes. I do like to check on my cakes to make sure they are all nestled comfortably in the oven after the first 20 minutes but this cake has a tendency to fall like a sozzled sailor on a two day shore leave. Resist the temptation.

Other gluten-free drizzle cakes you'll love

• Gluten-Free Lemon Drizzle Cake with Sorghum Flour
• Lemon Blueberry Drizzle Traybake
• Whole Lemon Thyme Cake
• Gluten-Free Lime and Coconut Loaf Cake

HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment as well! I would love to hear about how your recipe turned out and your feedback also helps other readers.

Lemon and Blueberry Drizzle Cake with Basil (gluten-free)

Georgina Hartley

Lemon and Blueberry Drizzle Cake with Basil simply sings with citrusy aromatic flavour. Gorgeous fruity pop of blueberries and a lovely herby basil flavour.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course Cake

Cuisine British

Servings 12 slices

Calories 420 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

For the almond paste:

• ▢ 110 g almonds
• ▢ 110 g caster sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon golden syrup
• ▢ 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 egg white - 30g egg white

For the cake:

• ▢ 28 g basil - leaves removed and finely chopped
• ▢ zest of 2 lemons
• ▢ zest of 1 orange
• ▢ 210 g caster sugar
• ▢ 210 g unsalted butter - room temperature
• ▢ 5 eggs - medium
• ▢ 150 g gluten-free plain flour - *see notes
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 120 g blueberries

For the drizzle:

• ▢ 80 g blueberries
• ▢ 28 g basil - leaves removed and finely chopped
• ▢ juice of 2 lemons
• ▢ 175 g granulated sugar

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C fan / gas mark 4 and line and grease a 9 inch x 5 inch loaf tin.
• First make the almond paste by placing the almonds in a food processor and blitzing until finely ground. Add the caster sugar, golden syrup, vanilla extract and egg white and blitz again until a paste has formed. Set aside for a moment.
• Place the basil leaves, lemon zest and orange zest in a food mixer along with the sugar. Whisk for a few minutes together until fragrant.
• Add the butter, one cube at a time and beat on high until light and fluffy.
• Scrape the almond paste into the creamed butter and sugar and beat until combined.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
• In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt then beat it into the rest of the batter.
• Roll the blueberries around in the empty flour bowl so that they are gently coated with the remaining dusting of flour then stir into the batter.
• Pour into the cake tin, smoothing the top then bake for 60 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• To make the drizzle place the blueberries in a small saucepan with a dash of water and heat for about a couple of minutes until the blueberries are just beginning to soften but not so that they have burst. Leave to cool.
• Pour the blueberries into a medium sized bowl along with the lemon juice, basil leaves and granulated sugar. Mix together.
• Remove the cake from the tin onto a wire rack, making sure there is a baking tray underneath to catch the excess drizzle.
• Prick the cake all over with a cocktail stick and then spoon the drizzle over the cake.
• Leave to cool completely before serving.

Notes

• Oven setting. I find that due to the moistness of this cake that the fan setting helps set the cake a bit better. However, if you don’t have a fan setting on your oven then 180°C is fine for a conventional oven but do check after half an hour to make sure the top of the cake isn’t browning too much. If it is, then pop a piece of loose foil over the top of the cake.
• Eggs. The eggs used in this recipe are medium size, 60g with shell and 50g without shell. If you can't get hold of medium eggs I suggest you weigh the amount.
• Flour. This recipe has been tested with Doves Freee Plain White Gluten-Free Flour and also my Homemade Gluten-Free Flour Blend. However, you can use your favourite gluten-free flour blend.

US customary measurements

These US measurements for the ingredients provided are based on a conversion calculator. This recipe was tested with metric measurements and I recommend using a digital scale to weigh ingredients for the most accurate results. READ MORE >>> Why you should always weigh vs measuring with cups 

Nutrition information

Please note that the nutrition information provided below is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients you use. Please seek a professional nutritionist’s advice for further clarification.

The nutrition serving is for 1 slice of cake.

Nutrition

Calories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 55gProtein: 6gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 82mgPotassium: 154mgFiber: 3gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 792IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 67mgIron: 1mg

Have you tried this recipe?Head to the comment section and let me know what you think!