Gluten-free raspberry and lemon loaf cake recipe – It’s super easy to bake and you’d never know it was gf!
Gluten-free raspberry and lemon loaf cake recipe, anyone? Every bite is sharp, sweet, incredibly moist and packed with fresh raspberries. It’s also easily adaptable to be dairy-free, vegan or low FODMAP too.
If I had to say my all time favourite cake it would probably be a raspberry and lemon loaf cake. I absolutely adore the sharp lemon flavour.
If we’re talking desserts though, my favourite would have to be a warm slice of raspberry bakewell tart. It was one of my first really successful bakes in food technology at school and I’ve been a fan of making it (and eating it) ever since.
My thought process behind creating this gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake was basically just combining my love of two bakes and seeing how it turned out! I always find it a little nerve-racking the first time I attempt a new recipe, but I had fresh raspberries to use up so I couldn’t delay.
Why bake my gluten-free raspberry and lemon loaf cake recipe?
- You’d never know it was gluten-free – it’s not dry or crumbly AT ALL.
- It’s a great way to use fresh raspberries in baking – you’ll get them in every slice.
- The yoghurt keeps this cake super moist, with a lovely, soft crumb.
- It’s super easy to bake – just mix up the cake in one bowl, bake it and drizzle on your icing.
- Lemon and raspberry might just be one of the most underrated combos ever.
Because I wasn’t sure how my gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake was going to turn out, I didn’t have any plans for it besides Mark and I just devouring it at home.
However, as the bake went on (and especially by the point of icing it) I decided it just looked too delicious and inviting to keep it for ourselves. Adding a few fresh raspberries to the icing really elevated this cake up to be one of my most attractive bakes.
I can never be fully proud of a cake until it gets the seal of approval from the one person who taught me how to bake… my Mum! So of course my gluten free raspberry and lemon yoghurt loaf cake carefully got taken for a ride in the car to meet the parents. Needless to say, it didn’t last long!
Gluten-free raspberry and lemon loaf cake recipe: Ingredients
For the cake
- 270g gluten free plain flour
- 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 125g butter, softened (or dairy free alternative)
- 225g caster sugar
- 2 lemons, zested
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 115g yogurt (you can use plain or fruity flavoured yoghurt, dairy free yoghurt works well here too)
- 200g raspberries
For the icing
- 200g icing sugar
- lemon juice
- pink / red food colouring (optional)
- a handful of extra fresh raspberries
Looking for the full recipe, including the method? Keep scrolling down until you see the recipe card ??
So I thought I’d kick things off with a little frequently asked questions section – if you just want the recipe, then keep scrolling.
But I’ve thrown in some tips here that will be really helpful if this is your first time baking this, or you want to adapt it. So here they are!
Gluten-free raspberry and lemon loaf cake recipe: Frequently asked questions
Can I make this recipe gluten free? Is it suitable for Coeliacs?
It is gluten free, though nobody would know just by tasting it – trust me!
Bear in mind that minimising cross-contamination is hugely important if you’re Coeliac or making this for someone who is. Here’s some tips from Coeliac UK on minimising the risk of cross contamination.
Also, make sure that all ingredients used don’t have any gluten-containing ingredients. Then make that that they also don’t have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat, rye, barley, oats (which aren’t gf), spelt and khorasan wheat (aka Kamut).
Here’s some more info from Coeliac UK on identifying safe gluten free products.
Can I make your gluten raspberry and lemon loaf cake dairy free?
Of course you can! Firstly, use a hard margarine instead of butter – I use a block of Stork that’s been allowed to soften at room temp. OR you can use a dairy free margarine spread like this.
Then, simply use any kind of dairy-free yoghurt and you’re ready to bake.
Is your gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake nut free?
Yep, this is a nut-free recipe as far as ingredients go, BUT make sure you check the ingredients label on ALL the products you use to bake this cake just to be safe.
Even if the products don’t contain nuts, they may have a ‘may contain nuts’ warning due to being produced in a factory that handles nuts.
You can never be too careful so always read the labels on everything first!
Can I make this recipe vegan?
Yep! If you follow the instructions above to make this recipe dairy free, then all you’ve got left to contend with is the eggs.
Here’s a few ideas you can use as egg replacements, so each of these = 1 egg.
- 3 tablespoons of aquafaba – water from a can of chickpeas. Keep the chickpeas for a future dinner!
- Egg replacement powder – I’d recommend using Orgran as it’s gluten free.
- 1 tablespoon of chia/flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
- 3 tablespoons of applesauce.
I haven’t tested all of these egg alternatives so let me know how you get on in the comments below ??
Is this recipe low FODMAP?
If you use lactose-free yoghurt, one slice of my gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake is 100% low FODMAP and suitable for the elimination phase of the diet.
The low FODMAP portion size for raspberries is 60g according to Monash University and one slice of this cake will contain just 13g of raspberries.
Can I make your gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake in a food processor or standing mixer?
Of course you can, but you definitely don’t need to.
I don’t use a standing mixer or food processor to make the cake mixture personally, I use an electric whisk. Here’s a link to the electric whisk I use.
Can I make your gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake recipe by hand?
You can of course, bake this without any assistance from any appliance – just a good ol’ fashioned silicone spatula will do.
Just make sure you give it a lot of welly, otherwise your mixture won’t be consistent and might not bake properly.
Do I need any special equipment to bake your gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake?
Certainly not! You will need a good quality 2lb loaf tin though, so here’s a link to the one I use.
Can I bake this using the all-in-one method?
In case you didn’t already know, the all-in-one method involves bunging all your sponge ingredients into a bowl at once and mixing them together. That’s instead of adding them gradually.
This is one of those recipes that isn’t far off using an all-in-one method with one caveat: please make sure that you add the milk gradually!
There’s more ingredients in this bake than there is with a regular sponge cake. And as you might know already, the more ingredients, the more important that consistent mixing becomes.
You certainly don’t want lumpy cake batter, or any unmixed parts – gradually adding in the milk whilst mixing is a really easy way to avoid this.
Do I need weighing scales to bake your gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake?
In short… yes, yes and yes! And I wouldn’t advise attempting any my recipes without them.
A lot of work went into fine tuning ratios and quantities and for me, baking is all about consistency and precision. I want you to make this recipe and for it to turn out EXACTLY like mine did.
For example, adding too much flour can make things dry and crumbly, whereas not adding enough sugar means it’ll lose its crisp exterior. I don’t want you to be disappointed, so please weigh your ingredients!
I’d recommending using digital cooking scales like these so you know you’re getting an accurate measurement and replicating my recipe as accurately as poss.
Can I bake your gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake with less sugar?
I can understand the need to reduce sugar in our foods, but sugar is integral to the structure of this bake – it’s not just for adding a sweet taste!
You can of course enjoy this without the icing if you’re worried about sugar content.
Does this recipe need xanthan gum?
You’ll see xanthan gum in a lot of my recipes as it’s an essential ingredient in gluten free baking. And in this one, I’d advise adding it in if possible.
As we’re using gluten-free plain flour here (which has no xanthan gum in it already) there isn’t a lot of binding power, so the xanthan gum really helps.
Otherwise your bake can be a little crumbly. Of course, if you can’t tolerate xanthan gum, or you don’t have any, you can still make this – just bear that in mind!
Can I make this recipe using other gluten free flours like buckwheat flour or coconut flour?
There’s a big difference between ‘gluten free plain/self-raising flour’ and a *singular* type gluten free flour. When I say ‘gluten free plain or self-raising flour’ in a recipe, I mean a BLEND of gluten free flours, not just one, singular flour.
Most gluten free flour you buy in the supermarket typically contains a blend of rice flour, potato flour, maize flour, tapioca flour AND buckwheat flour. That’s a lot of different flours!
In gluten free self-raising flour, there’s usually even a little baking powder and xanthan gum in it too which always helps.
So to replace it with just one specific type of flour… that’s not going to cut it at all. Definitely go for a gluten free flour blend.
How long can I keep your gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake for?
I usually find that this cake lasts for around 3-5 days in an airtight container. It’s usually eaten by that point, but I wouldn’t recommend keeping it for longer than that.
If it’s any longer than that then I’d highly recommend reading the next question…
Can I freeze your gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake?
Of course! I’ve frozen it for up to a month and after allowing it to fully thaw, you’d never know it was frozen.
Just make sure that you slice it up before freezing though – possibly even separating them out into separate containers. That way, you don’t need to defrost the entire cake and waste any.
Plus, it’ll defrost much quicker that way! Simply leave a slice out at room temperature for 4-5 hours to defrost.
How can I tell when my gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake is done?
Grab a skewer and give it a poke in the centre. If it comes out clean, then it’s done! Just bear in mind that there’s gooey raspberries in there and you might hit one of those.
But if the skewer comes out moist and cake-like, it’s best to pop it back in for a bit longer.
Can I print your gluten free raspberry and lemon loaf cake recipe?
Yes! Just hit the print button located on the recipe below ?? (otherwise you might end up printing this entire post which would probably make your printer go into early retirement)
Gluten-free raspberry and lemon loaf cake recipe: Method
Ok, so here’s a printable version of my gluten-free raspberry and lemon loaf cake recipe. Please remember to give it 5 stars if you tried it and enjoyed it as it helps people know it’s worth trying too! ⭐️ Feel free to leave your written reviews in the comments below this post.
Gluten-free Raspberry and Lemon Loaf Cake Recipe (low FODMAP, dairy-free/vegan option)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cake
- 270 g gluten free plain flour
- 2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- 125 g butter softened (or dairy free alternative)
- 225 g caster sugar
- 2 lemons zested
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 eggs beaten
- 115 g yogurt you can use plain or fruity flavoured yoghurt, dairy free yoghurt works well here too
- 200 g raspberries
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
For the icing
- 200 g icing sugar
- lemon juice
- pink / red food colouring optional
- a handful of extra fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to about 160C Fan / 180C and line a 2lb loaf tin with non-stick baking paper.
- Cream together your butter and sugar until pale, light and fluffy.
- Gradually add the eggs a little at a time, beating thoroughly throughout - at this point also add your lemon zest and juice.
- Fold in your gluten free flour, xanthan gum and baking powder a little at a time. Alternate this with the yoghurt until both the yoghurt and gluten free flour are fully combined.
- Coat your raspberries for the cake in a little flour (no more than a tbsp is needed).
- Spoon in about a third of the cake mix into the loaf tin followed by half the raspberries.
- Spoon another third of the cake mix on top, followed by the rest of the raspberries. Then add your remaining cake mix.
- Bake for about 50-55 minutes (or up to 65 minutes sometimes), make sure you check it is fully cooked with a skewer as it sometimes take a little longer (I also like to cover the top with foil if the cake looks to be browning too quickly).
- Allow to cool in the loaf tin for about 15 minutes before leaving to completely cool on a cooling rack.
- Next up make your icing. Mix your icing sugar with lemon juice until silky smooth and little thick - not runny or watery! Start with a tbsp of lemon juice and then gradually add more as you feel necessary, until your get a fairly thick but smooth glace icing.
- Take a tbsp or two of the icing and place it in a separate bowl. Add a drop of pink or red food colouring to the small bowl to create a pink coloured icing.
- Place your white icing all over the cooled cake, it can dribble a little over the edges but it shouldn't be running off. It is does, or it goes see through, you have made it too thin and should've had less liquid (or added more icing sugar to thicken it).
- With a small spoon, add some of the pink icing on top of the white icing and using a skewer, feather it / swirl it around to create a pattern. Allow the icing to completely set.
- Finish with fresh raspberries on top.
- It's now ready to slice, enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
So there you have it – my gluten-free raspberry and lemon loaf cake recipe! If you make it, I’d love to see how it turned out so don’t forget to take a snap of your creations and tag me on Instagram!
Any questions about the recipe? Please do let me know by following me on Instagram and leaving me a comment on a recent photo!
Thanks for reading,
Becky xxx
Don’t forget to pin this for later!
