Lemon Caramel Cake (gluten-free)

Caramel being poured onto lemon caramel cake

Lemon Caramel Cake (gluten-free)

This Lemon Caramel Cake is a gorgeously tangy moist and tender lemon cake with a secret weapon – lashings and lashings of intoxicating golden lemon caramel.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Infusing Time30

Total Time2

Course: Cake

Cuisine: British

Servings: people

Calories: 429kcal

Author: Georgina Hartley

Ingredients

225 g unsalted butter
340 g caster sugar
2 lemons zest only
3 eggs medium
165 g sweet rice flour
145 g sorghum flour
45 g tapioca flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
175 g natural plain yoghurt

Lemon Caramel

300 g double cream
1 lemon
250 g caster sugar
40 g butter
¾ teaspoon salt

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 180°C /160°C fan / gas mark 4 and lightly grease a 10 cup / 2.4 litre bundt tin.
Beat the butter and sugar with the lemon zest for about 4-5 minutes on the medium setting of a food mixer. Scrape down every so often until they are light and fluffy.
Add the eggs in one at a time and mix in until thoroughly incorporated.
Whisk the flours together in a separate bowl along with the baking powder and salt.
Add the flours and yoghurt alternately into the rest of the cake batter. Start with the flour, then the yoghurt. The flour should be added in three additions, the yoghurt in two and mix well, scraping down the sides every so often.
Pour the batter into the bundt tin, smoothing the surface.
Bake for around 60 minutes or until an inserted cocktail stick comes out of the cake clean.
Remove the cake from the oven, leave to settle for five minutes then turn the tin upside down onto a cooling rack and remove.
Leave the cake to cool completely on the cooling rack before pouring the caramel over.

Lemon Caramel

Peel the zest off the lemon in long strips, making sure not to get too much pith.
Pour the double cream into a medium sized saucepan and add the lemon peel.
Bring up to a gentle heat and then remove from the heat just before it reaches a boil.
Pour the cream and peel into a jug and leave to infuse at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Strain out the lemon peel once infused and weigh out 300ml of the cream to use in this recipe.
Tip the caster sugar into a medium sized saucepan and heat on a gentle temperature as the sugar begins to melt.
Avoid moving the sugar around too much but you can encourage an even melting by gently shaking the actual saucepan around occasionally if you need to. Keep a careful eye on the sugar and do not leave at all.
As the sugar has melted it will turn a dark golden tan colour. Watch to make sure it doesn’t get too browned as this means it’s burning.
As soon as the sugar has melted and has turned that dark golden tan colour then pour in the strained cream and the butter. It will rise dramatically up the saucepan so stand back at first for safety.
Stir the cream and butter into the melted sugar and it will quickly form a thick silky caramel sauce.
Stir for a minute or two once the caramel has formed then you can turn off the heat and add the salt.
Pour the caramel into a jug and leave for 20 minutes for it to thicken to a pourable consistency. Stir briefly before using.

Video

Notes

This cake requires a 10 cup / 2.4litre bundt tin.

The bundt cake recipe was inspired by a non gf bundt cake I adored back in the day from Smitten Kitchen – her Triple Berry Summer Buttermilk Bundt. This Lemon Caramel Cake is obviously very heavily adapted.

For all the tips and advice on how to make the lemon caramel there is a separate post all about it >>> Homemade Lemon Caramel

Ingredient substitutions:

• Non-Gluten-Free - If gluten-free isn’t a priority for you then you can swap the sweet rice flour, sorghum flour and tapioca flour for 355g plain flour/regular flour.
• Sorghum Flour – It can be swapped for oat flour

Baking tips

Bundt Tin. The best way to grease a bundt tin is to use Cake Release Spray. Make sure to spray a light dusting from a distance so every crevice is covered but doesn’t gather in the corners.
Butter and Sugar. If you are using a food mixer set it to medium speed and beat
for 4-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Lemons. Use unwaxed lemons to achieve a pure lemon flavour without any bits of wax in the sponge.
Eggs. Break the eggs into a separate bowl before adding them to your cake mixture. It helps to pick out any shell you’ve broken by accident. Also, you never know when you’re going to get a bad egg and you don’t want it ruining your cake.
Flour & Yoghurt. You add these alternately as it ensures the cake mixture is really well mixed. Make sure you scrape down the sides well after each addition.
Mixing. Even if you are using a food mixer always remember to manually turn the cake mixture after each addition so you can really make sure it is evenly mixed.

Make ahead

Make up to 3 days ahead and store in an airtight container in a cool dark place.

Freeze

Yes, it is advised to freeze the Lemon Cake prior to adding the caramel drizzle as it’s easier to store. Wrap up well in cling film and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost thoroughly on a counter-top before unwrapping and covering in caramel.

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

Ingredient measurements

Please note when you see ‘grams’ listed as opposed to ‘millilitres,’ or any other term of measurement, that is not incorrect. I weigh all of my ingredients, including liquids, for accuracy.

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