Gluten-Free Lemon Bundt Cake with Tangy Lemon Caramel

If you love a bright lemon cake and have a soft spot for salted caramel, this Lemon Bundt Cake will likely become a favourite. The cake itself is packed with sharp lemon flavour and a moist, tender crumb. A drizzle of rich, salty lemon caramel transforms it into something extraordinary.

Ingredients Needed

Homemade gluten-free flour blend

Three gluten-free flours create a balanced blend for good texture and flavour:

• Sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour) — gives a delicate flavour and springy texture; not the same as regular rice flour.
• Sorghum flour — adds a gentle sweet, earthy note.
• Tapioca flour — a starchy flour that lightens the mix and helps give a golden bake.

The rest of the ingredients

• Double cream — used for the lemon-infused caramel (heavy cream is a suitable substitute).
• Unsalted butter — room temperature so you can control the salt in the recipe.
• Caster sugar — a fine sugar; granulated sugar can be used if unavailable.
• Fresh lemons — use unwaxed or scrubbed fruit for best results.
• Eggs — recipe uses medium eggs (weigh if unsure).
• Baking powder — make sure it’s gluten-free.
• Salt — a pinch enhances all flavours; kosher salt works well.
• Natural plain yoghurt — full fat for moisture and tang.

Substitutions

If you need substitutions for the homemade flour components:

• Swap sweet rice flour for cassava flour.
• Swap sorghum flour for oat flour.
• Swap tapioca flour for potato starch.

If you prefer not to make the lemon caramel, a simple lemon glaze can be used: mix 200 g icing (powdered) sugar with the juice of ½–1 lemon until pourable.

How To Make A Gluten-Free Lemon Bundt Cake

For full recipe quantities and timing see the recipe card below.

1. Cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
3. Whisk the flours with baking powder and salt in a separate bowl.
4. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the yoghurt, mixing until just combined.
5. Pour the batter into a prepared bundt tin and smooth the surface.
6. Bake until golden and a skewer comes out clean; cool briefly in the tin before turning out to finish cooling.

Expert Tips

• Use a stand or hand mixer at medium speed to beat butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes until fluffy.
• Use unwaxed lemons for clean zest and flavour.
• Crack eggs into a separate bowl first to check for shells or a bad egg.
• Add the flour and yoghurt alternately and scrape the bowl after each addition for an even batter.
• Even with a mixer, fold and turn the batter by hand between additions to ensure even texture.
• Grease the bundt tin thoroughly so the cake releases cleanly; spray or brush evenly into all crevices.
• Position the bundt on the oven rack so it sits level for an even bake.
• To remove the cake, let it rest, invert the tin onto a cooling rack and lift the tin off carefully.

See the lemon caramel section in the recipe card for details on making the sauce used to finish the cake.

What bundt tin is best to use? A 10-cup (2.4 litre) bundt tin works well. A detailed design highlights the caramel as it drips into the channels, creating an attractive finish.

Can you make this cake in advance? Yes. The cake is best eaten within three days; store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place (not the fridge).

Can you freeze the cake? Yes. Freeze before adding the caramel for easier storage. Wrap well in cling film and freeze up to two months. Fully defrost on the counter before adding the caramel.

Can this be dairy-free or vegan? The cake has been tested with eggs and dairy. You can swap the butter for a vegan butter and use coconut yoghurt or dairy-free sour cream, but converting to fully vegan (replacing eggs) is not recommended without further testing. The caramel can be adapted to a dairy-free version as described in the lemon caramel notes.