Gluten-Free Lemon and Ginger Cake
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Lemon and Ginger Cake is a simple tea time cake which is also delicious served as a dessert with a glorious pouring of lemon custard. We use an easy flour blend including sorghum flour which pairs perfectly with the zealous lemon and spicy stem ginger flavour.
If you are looking for an easy gluten-free cake which doesn't disappoint on flavour then this Lemon Ginger Cake will be your new favourite. The sponge packs in the zing of fragrant citrus and the spicy warmth of ginger using both ground ginger and stem ginger.
Why You’ll Love Gluten-Free Lemon Ginger Cake
- The sponge is easy to come together.
- We use the zest of 3 lemons in the sponge for a sharp zesty taste.
- Gluten-free without xanthan gum. We're using the perfect blend of alternative flours to compliment the flavour of the sponge.
- We use 3 types of ginger for maximum effect - ground ginger and stem ginger with crystallised ginger to decorate.
- If you're after a dessert then please serve this cake with this amazing Lemon Custard Sauce - you won't be sorry!
Ingredients Needed
Unsalted butter. We need unsalted so we can control the salt content of the recipe. Make sure it is at room temperature.
Caster sugar. It’s a fine white baking sugar available in the UK. Regular white granulated sugar can be substituted.
Lemon. Make sure it is unwaxed and organic otherwise you need to scrub off the wax.
Eggs. This recipe uses medium size, about 60g each with shell (50g each without shell). These are often classified as large eggs in the US. I recommend weighing your eggs to ensure the correct amount.
Sorghum flour. The flavour of sorghum matches well here with the lemon and ginger. The earthiness of the sorghum appealingly contrasts to the fresh lemon but buddies up close with the rustic notes of the ginger.
Sweet rice flour. This starchy flour is also known as glutinous rice flour, even though it contains no xanthan gum. It binds really well and gives the cake a lovely bounce and great structure.
Almond flour. You are looking for blanched ground almonds. There is a bit of labelling confusion over almond flour which is sold as ‘ground almonds’ in most major UK supermarkets and found in the baking aisle. If you want to know what exactly you are looking for then check out this post >>>Is Almond Flour The Same As Ground Almonds.This cake can be made with finely ground almond meal too. The almonds add stability and moistness to the recipe. Nut allergy? If you are allergic then use my Homemade Flour Blend for the whole amount of the almond flour + the flour – but not any other gluten-free flour, my mix is specifically developed as a stable blend which doesn’t need xanthan gum.
Ginger. We use ground ginger for a little warm spiciness to the cake but also use stem ginger studded throughout the sponge which is like little chewy jewels in a lucky mouthful. You can also slice a little crystallised ginger over the top which looks very pretty.
Baking powder. A leavening agent which causes the cake to rise and become light and fluffy. Do check your baking powder is gluten-free before use.
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.
FAQS
This cake is delicious warm or at room temperature. If you want to serve as a dessert with the custard then you can either bake in a serving dish and serve straight from the dish or warm it up in the microwave later.
Yes, double wrap the cooled cake in cling film then tin foil to avoid freezer burn. Remove from the freezer and let defrost fully. Then you can re-warm in the microwave (or oven) if you like and serve with the custard.
The cake will keep up to 3 days in an airtight container, stored in a cool dark place (not the fridge). The custard should be kept in the fridge and will also keep for up to 3 days
Lemon Sultana Cake
For a variation you can replace the stem ginger with sultanas. This version is absolutely gorgeous too.
More Gluten-Free Lemon Cakes You'll Love
This Gluten-Free Lemon Curd Cake is a real special occasion cake with bright fresh citrus flavour. Homemade lemon curd is sandwiched between lemon and vanilla infused sponges which are covered with a cloudlike lemon curd swiss meringue buttercream.
A beautifully classic Gluten-Free Lemon Drizzle Cake made with sorghum flour, almond flour and no xanthan gum. Ultra moist and lemony loaf cake encrusted with an icy lemon drizzle which is incredibly quick and easy to make.
This Gluten-Free Lemon Bundt Cake is a gorgeously tangy moist and tender lemon cake made with an easy homemade blend of gluten-free flours and no xanthan gum. Then the secret weapon is lashings and lashings of intoxicating golden lemon caramel drizzled over the beautifully baked cake.
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Gluten-Free Lemon and Ginger Cake
Ingredients
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 200 g caster sugar
- 3 lemons
- 4 eggs - medium, see notes
- 90 g sorghum flour
- 75 g sweet rice flour - glutinous rice flour
- 35 g almond flour - ground almonds in UK
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 70 g stem ginger - finely chopped, about 4 balls
- 100 g crystallised ginger - sliced to decorate (optional)
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan assisted /gas mark 4 / 350°F.
- Line and grease a 20cm (8 inch) square baking tin.
- Cream the butter and sugar with the zest of the lemons for a few minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until thoroughly incorporated and stir in 2 tablespoons of the juice from the lemons.
- Sift together the flours, ground ginger, baking powder and salt then mix into the rest of the ingredients until just combined.
- Stir in the stem ginger.
- Pour the batter into the baking tin, smoothing the top and bake in the oven for around 30-35 minutes until the sponge has browned on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Remove from oven, rest for five minutes then carefully turn out onto a wire rack. Either leave the cake to cool completely or serve whilst still warm with the custard. Arrange the crystallised ginger over the top of the cake if using.
Notes
Ingredient substitutions
- 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.
- Sweet rice flour can be swapped for cassava flour.
- Sorghum flour can be swapped for oat flour or buckwheat flour.
- You can swap the full amount of sorghum flour, sweet rice flour and almond flour for my homemade gluten-free flour blend.
Ive noticed a lot of your recipes use almond flour. I've a friend who is gluten free, also allergic to nuts! What could I sub foraslmond flour in many of the recipes? Thx!
Hi Carol, it totally depends on the recipe. Sometimes you could sub out the total amount of flour for my homemade all-purpose blend. However, the reason I use almond flour a lot is because of its high protein content so you could swap for a flour with a similar amount of protein like chickpea flour, sunflower seed flour or soy flour. But it does depend on the recipe because sometimes I use the almond flour along with my all-purpose blend. If you are unsure for specific recipes then let me know. But rest assured there is usually an alternative to the almond flour.
Iced with light lemon glacé icing for tea and was totally delicious!
That's great to hear - thank you Janet!
oh this recipe looks great! I honestly love lemon related recipe, I made a lemon loaf the other day and it came out so good. I'm excited to give this recipe a try now too!
Great and thank you! Let me know if you do try it!