A gluten free Meyer lemon cake made in the rich Sicilian tradition using the whole fruit and sweet almond flour for a fabulously bold lemon dessert.
When life gives you Meyer lemons…
My Meyer lemon cake is an ingredient driven recipe, meaning you keep it in the back of your mind so that when you happen upon gorgeous Meyer lemons, you know exactly what to do. The Sicilians have been making this type of cake with whole lemons (peel and all) and almond flour for centuries so you can trust the method, even if it seems a bit unconventional!
My Flourless Tangerine Cake was the inspiration here. There is no wheat flour in the recipe, just almond flour, so it has a moist dense texture and is naturally gluten free. And the flavor? It’s the essence of ‘lemony-ness’.
Table of contents
What you’ll need for a Meyer lemon cake
- Meyer lemons, preferably organic
- Meyer lemons are a hybrid citrus fruit thought to be a cross between a citron and a mandarin/pomelo. They have thinner skin, are less acidic, and have a sweeter more floral flavor than regular lemons. Because we are using the whole fruit, peel and all, it makes sense to buy organic.
- almond flour
- almond flour comes in several different forms, I like fine almond flour for baking.
- large eggs
- sugar
- baking powder
- lemon paste or extract
- I use lemon paste by Neisen-Massey. It’s a thick flavoring paste made from lemon oil. Look for labels that specify “pure” or “natural” flavor extracts for authentic citrus taste. I find that a good quality lemon extract or paste does make a difference in this cake, but you can leave it out if you like.
Why do you need Meyer lemons for this recipe?
This recipe uses the whole fruit, peel and all, in the cake batter. Meyer lemons have thin peels, are sweeter in flavor and less acidic than regular lemons, so you can use the whole thing without ending up without any bitterness in your cake.
Where to buy Meyer lemons
Meyer lemons are in peak season from December to March, so look for them in larger supermarkets, Whole Foods, Costco, and Trader Joe’s, for starters. If you don’t see them, ask your friendly produce manager!
You can always order them online, too.
Whole lemon cake method
- Wash, cut and de-seed your Meyer lemons.
- Puree in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Beat eggs and sugar until pale and creamy.
- Blend in lemon puree, extract, and baking powder.
- Fold in almond flour.
- Bake.
Meyer lemon cake FAQs
Why do I need to buy organic lemons for this cake?
- We’re using the whole fruit, peel and all, so choosing organic lemons minimizes your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.
What’s the point of using whole lemons in this cake?
- Using the whole Meyer lemons gives a different, more intense lemon flavor to this cake. The thick fruit puree also creates a very moist dense texture that’s super appealing.
Why can’t I just use regular lemons for this cake?
- You could, especially if you choose thin skinned fruit and trim off the ends to reduce some of the excess peel. Regular lemons will give a more bitter flavor to this cake, so it depends on your preference. Bottom line: Meyer lemons make the best tasting cake.
How else can I garnish this cake?
- You can drizzle or frost with a simple lemon juice/powdered sugar glaze.
- You can also serve with whipped cream.
- It would be lovely topped with raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries.
- Use my easy lace stencil technique, here, to decorate the surface for a beautiful presentation.
What to expect from this cake
This moist and super lemony whole lemon cake is a tried and true recipe rooted in an Italian baking tradition that goes back generations. The lemon puree + almond flour give the cake a loose crumb texture that I love.
Using whole lemons with their peel gives the cake a slightly different flavor than you might be used to. If you’ve had marmalade you know the pleasant bitterness that citrus peel imparts.
Using sweet mellow Meyer lemons makes this cake bright and delicious, I highly recommend!
Featured comment:
“I made this and brought it to a dinner party and it was a huge hit! This will be my go to recipe when I want to impress people from now on. So delicious and pretty!” ~Meg
Meyer Lemon Cake
Equipment
- 9 inch springform pan
Ingredients
- 3-4 Meyer lemons, or approximately 12 oz, to yield 1 cup of whole lemon puree
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 cups almond flour. I use fine almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp lemon paste
topping
- confectioner's sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Butter your 9 inch springform pan and dust with almond flour.
- Wash and cut the lemons into quarters. Remove any seeds and discard.
- Once you have removed all the seeds, put everything into a high speed blender or food processor. Process until finely pureed. You may need to pulse the machine at first, and scrape down the sides as necessary to get everything smooth. Measure out 1 cup of puree for this recipe.
- Beat the eggs and the sugar until pale in color. Blend in the lemon puree, the lemon extract and the baking powder.
- Fold in the almond meal and mix until well combined.
- Turn the batter into your prepared pan. Smooth out the surface so it is even.
- Bake for about 45-50 minutes, just until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then gently release the sides of the pan and remove the cake.
- Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
Nutrition
I’ve made this recipe dozens of times over the years. It is outstanding. I see you’ve updated it such one doesn’t boil the lemons before finely pureeing in a food processor; I’ve made it the old way so many times with great success, and I am wondering what the new process does other than save a step. I usually buy a lot of Meyer lemons and make several batches, then freeze them in bags so all I have to do is thaw and make.
I also see the temp for oven was raised from 325f to 350F in updated recipe, want to make sure that’s the right temp now.
Yes, the recipe has been revamped. I love this new one, but if you’d like I can email you the original so you can have both.
Hi! We’ve been using the old recipe for years to make the most of my mom’s Meyer Lemon tree: LOVE this cake. In this updated version, can the puréed lemon still be frozen for future batches, or does it need the boil first for food safety? And how long was that boil? And is it still 1 cup of purée? It may be helpful to add the info for that technique version as a Note. Thank you!
I love this recipe! Always a hit. I’ve made it probably a dozen times in the last five years. This week I’m going to try making cupcakes out of it. Curious if anyone else has tried? Will report back!
Hi, has anyone made this with a nut free, gluten free flour? My husband is allergic to nuts.
I haven’t tried that so I can’t say Vikki, hopefully a reader can help.
Very bitter, with a bitter aftertaste. I’m guessing that the pith, even with a Meyer lemon, is the cause of the bitterness. If, a big if, I try this again I won’t use whole lemons, I’ll juice the lemons and add just the peel.
It’s somewhat a matter of taste, some people really taste the bitter where others find it pleasant. If you want to try again I suggest slicing off the ends of the lemon so you just get some of the peel. Do use Meyers, and possibly boil them for about 15 minutes, first.
The icing in the old recipe also really helped to balance.
I covered the lemons in cold water, brought to a boil. Once boiling, dumped the water and filled again with cold water and boiled for 45 mins. It makes the lemons pulpy and less bitter. They were also much easier to pulverize. Delish!
Almost did not make it due to some negative reviews. But decided to try, loved every single piece of this divine cake. Moist, lemony, mildly sweet. Adding to my favorite recipes collection.
Glad you loved it Svetlana. With baking recipes it’s common to get some negatives, as every little variation can change a recipe in unexpected ways.
This was super easy to make. Followed recipe to a T. Butter and almond floured the springform. I found it stuck somewhat to the sides and bottom. Carefully loosened. The only different I would do is add some more sugar for sweetness. Not quite sweet enough from me and very slightly bitter. But I do like it!
This was so disappointing. I was looking forward to trying this cake, but it is too dry and bitter. It needs oil or butter and more sugar. I followed the exact directions. Sorry
This is a great recipe, picked my 25 meyer lemons going to make cake today. Can I freeze the meyer lemon puree for future cakes?
Jealous…and yes, you can freeze. But I’ve got lots of other Meyer lemon recipes for you ~ you have to make curd!
What happens if you sub the almond flour for regular flour? Will it work similarly?
In some cakes it works and in others not. I haven’t tried with this one, but since there is quite a lot of almond flour in this recipe I think it’s risky unless you make other adjustments. Let us know if you try!
I love the recipe, moist, tender crumb and lovely taste, not too sweet. However, the cake sunk in the middle in the last 15 minutes of cooking. Any suggestions/ remedies, please?