Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cake

We're getting ready for spring with this citrus berry mash-up. Every forkful of this gluten-free lemon blueberry cake is soft and tender, with a vibrant lemon crumb and sweet blueberries bursting throughout. Make it as a show-stopping layer cake or swirl frosting on each layer to create two simple single-layer cakes! You can even bake it in a 9x13 baking pan for a quick potluck sheet cake. This cake is ready for any occasion.

And any type of cake eater. 

Both of my kids agreed this is one of the best cakes I've ever made. My 5-year-old ate his slice in less than 30 seconds with two enormous bites. Not a single crumb was left behind. My 8-year-old savored her slice for about 30 minutes, first licking off the frosting, then picking out and eating each blueberry, and finally, the cake, bit by bit. Both methods are truly a sight to be seen. 

My friend Daisy was just going to have a bite and save the rest for her morning coffee but ended up just having another bite until it was all gone. She then declared it was the best cake she's ever eaten (!!).

There you have it: rave reviews all around.

Why you'll love this gluten-free lemon blueberry cake

• This cake celebrates spring with vibrant zesty lemon flavor and juicy blueberries studded throughout
• It bakes up with a soft tender crumb that's perfectly moist
• It's topped with a thin layer of tart lemon cream cheese frosting that balances each bite

Ingredients for Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cake

Here are all the ingredients you need to bake this delicious springtime cake!

Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cake:

• Blueberries
• Bob’s Red Mill sorghum flour
• Sweet rice flour
• Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
• Bob's Red Mill millet flour
• Xanthan gum
• Baking powder, baking soda, and salt
• Eggs
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Lemon zest and juice
• Vanilla extract
• Whole milk
• Sour cream

Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting:

• Unsalted butter
• Cream cheese
• Lemon zest
• Powdered sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Salt

Flour Substitutions in Gluten-Free Lemon Blueberry Cake: 

Based on my gluten-free vanilla cake and gluten-free funfetti cake recipes, this gluten-free lemon blueberry cake uses a combination of sorghum flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, and millet flour to create a super fluffy and tender gluten-free crumb. Each of these flours adds a unique texture component to the cake, but I've also listed my substitution recommendations below. Please note that I have not tested this specific recipe with these substitutions, but they are based on my years of baking gluten-free cakes. 

If you'd prefer to use a pre-made blend, you can sub out all the flours by weight (358g) with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, but your result may not be as light and fluffy as the one posted here. 

• Bob’s Red Mill sorghum flour: Sorghum flour is a wholesome whole-grain flour. With slightly sweet notes, sorghum flour adds flavor depth and helps create a very moist crumb.
  • Sub in by weight: you can substitute gluten-free oat flour or Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. 
• Sweet rice flour: Also called "mochiko,"  sweet rice flour is distinctively different than white rice or brown rice flour. Sweet rice flour is the same flour used to make mochi, and as such, its stickiness helps to bind the cake together, creating chewiness like a classic cake recipe. I prefer Koda Farms Mochiko for cake, but also use Bob's Red Mill Sweet Rice Flour.
  • I don't recommend substituting the sweet rice flour as I find it's essential to the recipe, but you might have success replacing it by weight with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.
• Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour: Tapioca flour adds chewiness and helps mimic the fluffiness of a classic cake. It adds just a bit more softness and loftiness to the crumb.
  • Sub in by weight: If you need to sub it out, I would recommend arrowroot starch, potato starch, Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend, or using equal parts more sorghum flour and sweet rice flour, by weight.
• Bob's Red Mill millet flour: Millet flour is a neutral flour here to balance the others out so the cake isn't too moist or gummy.
  • You can substitute the millet flour with 21g more each of sorghum flour, sweet rice flour, and tapioca flour. This version is a suitable substitute (though I prefer the version with millet). You could also try subbing in light chestnut flour, brown or white rice flour, or Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.

Lemon cream cheese frosting for lemon cake

The tanginess of lemon cream cheese frosting is the perfect complement to this fluffy lemon blueberry cake. 

This lemon cream cheese frosting uses a higher ratio of butter to cream cheese than my typical cream cheese frosting recipes to make it thicker. This will make the layer cake more stable when slicing. The result is a lightly tangy, very bright lemony frosting that creates a beautiful naked layer cake.

Infusing lemon into the cream cheese frosting with lemon zest rather than lemon juice also helps keep the frosting stable and thick. 

FAQ

Can I skip the xanthan gum?

In this cake, xanthan gum is not optional. For some of my cake recipes,  xanthan gum is not required but may help with a lighter fluffier crumb (like my gluten-free chocolate cupcakes and gluten-free vanilla cupcakes). This gluten-free lemon blueberry cake, however, relies on the xanthan gum. Without it, the cake will bake up dense and the blueberries will sink to the bottom.

If you’re just starting out with gluten-free baking, xanthan gum may seem expensive. However, a bag stretches a very long way. Each recipe typically only calls for ½-1 teaspoon. I keep it in my fridge and a bag lasts me almost 2 years, so if you plan on getting more serious about gluten-free baking, know that it lasts a long time and you'll get a lot of cakes out of a single bag.

Can I use frozen blueberries?

If fresh blueberries aren't in season, you can use frozen blueberries. Do NOT defrost the frozen blueberries before adding them to the batter. Toss them in sorghum flour and keep them in the freezer until ready to fold them into the batter.

Frozen blueberries are a bit more likely to tint your batter as you mix them in, but the resulting cake won't taste any less delicious!

Can I skip the blueberries?

Yes! This recipe will work great with or without the blueberries. Without the blueberries, the cake will have a bit less moisture, and thus will need less baking time. Bake for only 28-32 minutes, or until the center springs back when gently touched. 

Can I make cupcakes with this recipe?

I have not tested this recipe as cupcakes yet. If you do, please let me know how it works! I'll update this recipe when I test it with cupcakes. 

If you're looking for lemon cupcakes, I recommend using my gluten-free lemon cupcake recipe.

How to store gluten-free lemon blueberry cake

Store any cake leftovers in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Because this is a butter cake, it's best served at room temperature. It's also more prone to drying out when it sits uncovered or when stored in the fridge. 

You can also store the cake for longer periods in the freezer!

FREEZING UNFROSTED

You can bake and cool the gluten-free lemon blueberry cake layers in advance and freeze them until you're ready to frost and serve. Once cool, wrap each layer in plastic wrap before freezing them. For short-term storage, plastic wrap is sufficient, but for longer storage, place the wrapped layers in freezer bags to prevent freezer burn. 

When it's time to frost the cake, place the frozen layers on a cooling rack at room temperature for 1- 1.5 hours to defrost before frosting. Frost the cake as normal! Alternatively, you can frost the cake while it's still frozen then let it cool at room temperature for 1.5-2 hours before slicing. The frosting will firm up quickly from the cold cake. This makes it super easy to get a smooth frosting look!

FREEZING FROSTED

You can also freeze the gluten-free lemon blueberry cake once it's been frosted. If your freezer has sufficient space, you may freeze the entire cake whole for up to 4 days. Place the cake in the freezer for 1 hour until the frosting is completely firm, then tightly wrap it in plastic wrap. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 3 hours before slicing and serving. 

Alternatively, store any leftover slices in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 months. let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating. 

MORE GLUTEN-FREE LEMON RECIPES

• Gluten-Free Lemon Rolls
• Vegan Gluten-Free Lemon Bars
• Gluten-Free Lemon Drizzle Cake
• Chewy Gluten-Free Lemon Cookies
• Gluten-Free Lemon Cupcakes
• Lemon Cream PavlovaGluten-Free Lemon Meringue S'mores