5 from 14 reviews

Lofty Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

Name: Lofty Gluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup (150 g) organic granulated sugar*; zest of 2 large lemons ((Meyer or regular)); 2 large eggs; 6 tablespoons neutral oil ((grape seed, sunflower, or mild olive oil)); 2 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice; ½ cup (115 g) sour cream, crème fraiche, or Greek yogurt*; ½ cup (78 g) sweet rice flour* ((Mochiko)); ½ cup (65 g) millet flour* ((Bob's Red Mill)); ½ cup (50 g) GF oat flour* ((Bob's Red Mill)); 2 tablespoons (14 g) tapioca flour* ((Bob's Red Mill)); 2 teaspoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; 2 tablespoons poppy seeds; 1 recipe less-sweet cream cheese frosting*

By Alanna Taylor-Tobin on Jan 14, 2023 (updated Feb 15, 2025) / 32 Comments Jump to Recipe

Pillowy, moist, tender, and effortless to make in under an hour! Top this one-bowl gluten-free lemon poppy seed cake with silky less-sweet cream cheese frosting for a bright and balanced dessert.

There's a reason lemon and poppy seeds are a classic combination. Lemon's bright citrus notes complement poppy seeds' nutty, floral flavor. And when the two meet in moist and tender cake batter, magic happens.

This gluten-free lemon poppy seed cake could hardly be easier to make. The batter gets whisked up in a single bowl and baked in a pan in under an hour. It's a casual cake that's quick to whip up on a weeknight. It makes enough to share with a small gathering or family but it doubles easily to feed a crowd.

As with all of my recipes, I use a blend of gluten-free flours to add big flavor and create the perfect fluffy & tender texture without the use of any gums. You can find more info about baking with alternative grains and flours in my cookbook.

I like topping this cake with my less-sweet cream cheese frosting as shown here, but you can browse my library of frosting recipes for more topping inspo.

Now let's make cake!

Cake ingredients are arranged prettily on a gray plaster surface. — INGREDIENTS: lemon zest & juice, sugar, sour cream, poppy seeds, oil, GF flours (sweet rice, millet, oat, tapioca), baking powder, baking soda, salt, eggs

Key Ingredients & Substitution Suggestions

Gluten-Free Flours

A blend of flours gives this lemon poppy seed cake a lofty texture and plush, tender crumb. I've included substitution suggestions; it's always best to sub by weight when it comes to gluten-free flours! This is the kitchen scale I use.

Sweet rice flour makes the cake lofty and cohesive.
- sub GF AP blend (such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1)
Millet flour adds buttery flavor and softness.
- sub sorghum flour
Oat flour adds tenderness and a bit of earthy flavor.
- sub sorghum flour
Tapioca flour makes the cake bake up light and fluffy!
- sub arrowroot flour

Other Ingredients

Lemon zest and juice add bright citrus notes. I love using Meyer lemons for their sunny, floral flavor but regular lemons are lovely here too. Or use half lemons and half tangerines for Meyer lemon-ish flavor!
Sugar sweetens the cake and adds moisture. I used organic granulated sugar here. For refined sugar-free, sub by weight maple sugar or coconut sugar (the cake will be darker if you use coconut sugar).
Oil adds moisture and keeps the cake soft and tender even when chilled. I used grape seed oil here, but sunflower or mild olive oil work well too.
Sour cream adds richness, tanginess, and the acidity affects the texture of the cake too. You can use crème fraîche, Greek yogurt (the cake will be slightly less rich/moist), or for dairy-free use rich coconut yogurt or non-dairy sour cream.
Poppy seeds add a bit of crunch and a beguiling nutty/floral flavor. You can leave them off for a simple GF lemon cake!

See the recipe card below for full measurements and baking instructions.

Lemon cake has been decorated with lemon wheels and poppy seeds and cut into 9 squares for the nomming. — Moist, tender, and topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting.

Method

This cake uses just 1 bowl and a whisk or spatula. The recipe takes about 10 minutes of prep and 35 minutes to bake, meaning it can be in and out of the oven in under an hour.

This recipe makes enough batter for one 8-inch square cake which can be cut into 9 squares or 12 smaller slices. The batter can also be baked in a loaf pan, a 9-inch round pan (or 8-inch round for a thicker cake), or in 10-ish muffin tins for cupcakes.

To feed a crowd, double the batter and bake it in a 9x12-inch pan, multiple layers, or a bundt pan.

Vibrant lemon zest sits atop a bowl of sugar — Use a microplane to zest the lemons directly into the sugar.

A hand is rubbing the sugar and lemon zest together — Rub with your fingertips until the sugar feels moist and clumpy to distribute the lemon oils. This makes the cake extra flavorful.

The eggs and lemon sugar are side by side in a bowl — Combine the lemon sugar with the eggs in a large bowl.

The eggs and lemon sugar have been whisked together in a bowl — Whisk to combine

Oil is being poured into the bowl. — Whisk in the oil, sour cream, and lemon juice until combined.

cake batter is being stirred with a hand — Sift in the flours. leavening, and salt, and stir or whisk to combine.

poppyseeds are being whisked into the batter with a sexy swirl — Whisk in the poppy seeds.

closeup of the baked cake showing its airy crumb — Spread the batter into an 8-inch square pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.

icing is starting to be spread over the cake. — Let cool completely, then remove from the pan.

A hand is spreading creamy frosting over the cake in a satisfying swirl — Spread with cream cheese frosting deliciousness.

side view of a slice of moist gluten-free lemon poppy seed cake — Decorate with poppy seeds, cut into squares, and serve!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake for Everyone

Whether you need to avoid gluten, dairy, refined sugar, or all of the above, this cake is for you! It's lovely alongside a cup of tea or coffee for a dessert or afternoon snack.

One time I doubled the recipe and divided it between three 8-inch round pans. I brushed each baked layer with limoncello liqueur and layered the cake with cream cheese frosting. It made a festive layer cake for my father-in-law's birthday party. The cake was a huge hit and nobody could believe it was gluten-free!

Whether you make this gluten-free lemon poppy seed cake to share at a gathering or just for yourself, I hope you love it as much as we do!

A square slice of cake has been cut into with a fork showing off its moist crumb

Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, or Pinterest, purchase my award-winning gluten-free baking cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.

two slices of lemon cake are on a gray plate on their side showing off their sexy layers of cake and icing — Lemon poppy seed goodness!

5 from 14 reviews