This lemon layer cake is the ultimate dessert for anyone with a gluten-free diet. You may need to hit up a specialty shop or go online for some of the ingredients, but it’s well worth the effort. A brown-rice flour mix combined with the xanthan gum creates light, moist cake layers, while guar gum thickens the rich, silky curd. Generous amounts of lemon zest, juice, and extract infuse the layers, filling, and frosting, adding up to a full-on citrus celebration. Make this cake—or turn it into cupcakes—for birthdays, barbecues, or holidays.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
FOR CAKE LAYERS
FOR LEMON CURD
FOR LEMON FROSTING
Preparation
MAKE CAKE LAYERS
Step 1
Put the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush 2 (9-inch) round cake pans with canola oil. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or wax paper, then oil the paper.
Step 2
Whisk together the flour mix, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum until combined well. Stir together the milk, canola oil, vanilla, and zest in another bowl.
Step 3
Beat together the sugar and eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed just until combined, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour and milk mixtures alternately in batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and mixing until just combined.
Step 4
Divide the batter evenly between the cake pans, smoothing the tops, and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in the center of each cake layer comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
Step 5
Cool the cake layers in pans on racks 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge of one cake layer and invert rack over cake pan, then invert cake onto rack. Repeat with the second layer.
Step 6
Peel off the paper and cool layers completely.
MAKE CURD
Step 7
Whisk together the zest, lemon juice, sugar, yolks, a pinch of salt, and the guar gum in a 1-quart heavy saucepan. Add the butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking constantly, until the curd is thick enough to hold the marks of a whisk and the first bubbles appear on the surface, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the extract.
Step 8
Immediately pour the hot curd into a bowl, then cover the surface with wax paper and chill until cold, about 30 minutes.
MAKE FROSTING
Step 9
Beat the butter with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low and add the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, extract, and zest, then mix until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes.
FROST CAKE
Step 10
Halve each cake layer horizontally using a long serrated knife. Spread the bottom half of each cake layer with half of the lemon curd, then top with remaining cake layers to form two sandwiched cakes.
Step 11
Put one sandwiched cake on a cake stand or platter and spread a heaping 1/2 cup frosting over top, then cover with remaining sandwiched cake. Frost the top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.
DO AHEAD
Step 12
The CAKE LAYERS can be made (but not halved) 1 day ahead and cooled completely, then kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
Step 13
The CAKE can be completely assembled and frosted 4 hours ahead and kept at room temperature, or 1 day ahead and chilled, loosely covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Step 14
The LEMON CURD can be made and chilled up to 3 days.
