Gluten-Free Lemon Cake

An easy recipe for Gluten-Free Lemon Cake. This gluten-free cake is full of lemon flavor and topped with a creamy lemon buttercream frosting. The lemon cakes can be frozen for up to one month. Simply defrost the cakes in the refrigerator overnight.

Ingredients:

• ⅔ cup butter, softened Dairy-free use Smart Balance butter.
• 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
• ½ teaspoon dried lemon peel
• ⅛ teaspoon gluten-free yellow gel food coloring (optional) I like gluten-free gel food colors.
• 2 ¼ cup all-purpose gluten-free flour with xanthan
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3 ½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
• 1 ½ cups milk Dairy-free use unsweetened almond milk.
• 5 large egg whites

Lemon Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup butter, softened Dairy-free use Smart Balance butter.
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon pure lemon extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon gluten-free yellow gel food coloring (optional) I like gluten-free gel food colors.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the parchment paper for the bottom of your two 9-inch cake pans and spray with gluten-free cooking spray. (I like gluten-free coconut oil cooking spray)
2. In a large bowl cream together the softened butter and the granulated sugar together with a mixer until fluffy.
3. Add the pure vanilla extract, lemon extract, dried lemon peel, food coloring (optional), gluten-free flour, salt, and gluten-free baking powder to the butter mixture and mix until combined.
4. Add the milk and mix until smooth.
5. Beat in the egg whites and mix on high for 2 minutes.
6. Pour half of the batter into the first 9-inch cake pan and then pour the rest of the batter into the second 9-inch cake pan.
7. Bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean and the sides of the cake is pulling away from the side of the pan.
8. Cool the cakes in the pans for about 10-15 minutes. Place the cakes on a cooling rack to completely cool before frosting.

Lemon Buttercream

1. In a large bowl beat the softened butter at medium speed, until smooth. Add the pyre vanilla and lemon extract and mix until fully combined. Add the powder sugar one cup at a time to the buttery spread mixture and mix until fully combined. Add gluten-free yellow food coloring for a brighter yellow frosting (optional).
2. Store leftovers in an air-tight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator.