Gluten Free Lemon & Poppy Seed Cake

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recipe
  • Cake
  • Gluten free, Oat free, Yeast free
  • Medium

Decadently moreish, and bursting full of citrus flavours, this three-tiered showstopper is the perfect summer addition to any garden party.  

Fancy a trip to tang town? Then pack your bags. This cake is full to the brim of sharp lemon curd, sandwiched between layers of delicate citrus sponge and coated in sweet and salty buttercream.

If hearing the words 'eye wateringly zingy curd' sends a chill down your spine, then panic not. Using salted butter to decorate the three-tiers of light sponge cuts straight through the sharpness and sooths the palette ready for your next slab of cake.

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FREE FROM

This recipe is naturally gluten, oat, nut and booze free. It can be easily made dairy free with a few simple ingredient swaps.

Gluten: Always
Oats: Always
Alcohol: Always
Eggs: No
Dairy: No. Swap butter for a non-dairy alternative 1:1.
Nuts: Yes

INGREDIENTS

  • Gluten free self-raising flour: I use my favourite Freee From gluten free self-raising flour.
  • Baking powder
  • Xanthan gum
  • Margarine (or non-dairy alternative)
  • Caster sugar
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla
  • Lemon zest
  • Poppy seeds
  • Salted butter (or non-dairy alternative): This is to cut through the sweetness of the buttecream. I use Lurpak to ensure a nice light and white buttercream.
  • Icing sugar
  • Lemon curd: I use my very own Lulu's Free From recipe.

EQUIPTMENT

  • Weighing scales: Remember baking is a science (particularly when it’s gluten free!), no skipping the accurate measurements.
  • Electric whisk: If you fancy a workout, a handheld whisk and a lot of elbow grease will work but an electric whisk will speed your efforts up and create a fluffy and pale mix of butter and sugar.
  • 20cm cake tin x 3: Greased and lined ready for your batter.
  • Baking paper: To ensure your batter doesn’t bake with funky edges, trace your cake tins on the baking paper and cut out to shape. Fold your baking paper in half three times until you have a triangular shape. Make a tasselled edge by cutting into the baking paper on the outside of the shape. Unfold and place in the cake tin with the tasselled edges sitting on the sides of the cake tin.
  • Piping bags: Not essential, but this will help your precision in the amount and placement of the cream for a neat and tidy bake.
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HOW TO MAKE INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Prepare the lemon curd, following Lulu's Free From recipe.
  2. To prepare the sponges, cream the sugars with softened butter. Add the eggs, one at a time followed by the vanilla and lemon zest, while continuously whisking until smooth.
  3. Fold in the dry ingredients, along with the poppy seeds, until all flour is incorporated and pour the batter into three lined 20cm cake tins. Bake for 25 minutes.
  4. Prepare the poppy seed buttercream by mixing softened butter and icing sugar together, further whisking with the poppy seeds. Place into piping bags ready to ice.
  5. Assemble the three-tiered cake with a crumb layer, sandwiching each layer with lemon curd.
  6. Add the final layer of buttercream, decorating the cake with slices of lemon.

TIPS & TRICKS

  • Don’t skip the weighing scales or measuring spoons. The combination of baking powder and xanthan gum need to work their magic here to enable our sponge to be as light as possible.
  • Don’t have piping bags? Use an angle spatula or large spoon to spread your cream.

STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS

This cake will need to be eaten within two-three days. Something I have never found to be a problem. To avoid your cake from drying out, keep it under a cake cloche or large airtight container.

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Did you try this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Want more free from bakes? Join me on Instagram for more free from recipe ideas.

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Gluten Free Lemon & Poppy Seed Cake
Author:Lucy May
Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Ready in: 75 mins
Serves: 10
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INGREDIENTS

Cake

  • 225g gluten free self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ xanthan gum
  • 225g margarine (or non-dairy alternative)
  • 225g caster sugar
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 lemon zest
  • 30g poppy seeds

 

Lemon Curd

 

Poppy Seed Buttercream

  • 180g salted butter (Lurpak is used here to give a light colour)
  • 340g icing sugar
  • 20g poppy seeds

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the lemon curd, following Lulu's Free From recipe.

To prepare the sponges, heat the oven to 160c fan/gas mark 3. Cream the sugar with softened butter. Add the eggs, one at a time followed by the vanilla and lemon zest, while continuously whisking until smooth.

Fold in the dry ingredients, and poppy seeds, until all flour is incorporated and pour the batter into three lined 20cm cake tins. Bake for 25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

While the sponges cool, prepare the poppy seed buttercream. Mix softened butter and icing sugar together, further whisking with poppy seeds. Place into piping bags ready to ice.

Assemble the three-tiered cake by piping a thin layer of buttercream on the sponge, adding a thick layer around the edge and filling the middle with lemon curd. Repeat this stage again and place the third and and final sponge on top. Add the cream layer of buttercream to the cake before placing in the fridge to set.

Add the final layer of buttercream, adding thin slices of lemon for decoration.

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ABOUT ME

In 2017 I joined the coeliac club and I knew that if I wanted to enjoy all the carby goodness I had been indulging in for 21 years, I needed to up my culinary game.

I created Lulu’s Free From to share recipes so, you too, can eat delicious food that doesn’t compromise on taste or texture and delivers on your dietary needs.

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