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
The cake turned out well; moist, excellent texture. The bitterness was subtle, but I’m not a fan of marmalades for that reason. I like the recipe, though, so I’m going to try substituting applesauce and Meyer lemon juice and zest for the boiled lemon purée.
I’ll post how it turns out.
Is a springform pan a must or can it be done in a rectangular/square/round regular pan? I just don’t have a springform.
Thanks in advance!
You could do it in a regular pan, Donna, you just won’t be able to remove it easily. Maybe if you line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment that might help.
Hi there, I just came across your recipe and it looks amazing! Unfortunately I can not find Meyer lemons right now. Could I make this with any type of orange and would the rest if the ingredients need to be modified (due to swee
Yes you can Chelsea – I have another recipe that uses tangerines here:https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/minimal-monday-flourless-whole-tangerine-cake-gluten-free/
Absolutely love this recipe. I was skeptical about boiling the lemons but it all worked out perfectly. I think I’m going to make a couple batches of the boiled lemon purée to put in the freezer for future cakes. Can’t wait to try the tangerine cake recipe.
Making a couple batches of the purée to freeze is great…when I’m ready to make a cake, I can skip the first step and simply defrost. Easy and delicious! I love this recipe and have since started making it with Satsumas also.
I love this Kristin ~ that means you can take advantage of citrus season to enjoy later.
I did not have Meyer lemons, so I just used regular lemons. I love the texture of this cake but the after taste is just awful! I am thinking the Meyer lemons are a must. Any suggestions as to why the after taste turned out so horrible. I did also actually make this in a 9×13 and like I said the texture is awesome, I just cooked it for 25 minutes instead of 50.
Meyer lemons are very different from regular lemons, particularly when it comes to the skin. Meyers have a thin skin that is not very bitter, whereas regular lemons have thick skin which can be extremely bitter. I know meyer lemons can sometimes be tough to find, especially in summer. If you can wait till they are back in season, you’ll have better luck!
Hi! I want to make this for my brothers birthday but I really need to make it in advance. Does it keep well? How many days in advance can I make it and will it dry out? How do I store it?
Thanks!
If you want to make it ahead, I would wrap it well in plastic and keep in the fridge. Don’t frost it until you are ready to serve.
this recipe looks great, especially the frosting!!!, but I am going to try it with gluten free flour because I can’t have almonds. I plan on adding 1/2 cup or so of fat (butter, shortening, oil, I dunno which) to make up for the almonds. I’ve done this with other recipes that used almond flour and it has worked so hopefully it turns out ok with this.
let me know, Joseph!
This may be a longshot, but how did your cake turn out Joseph? I can’t have almonds either, and a friend was raving about this recipe. I’d love to know if the gluten free flour/added fat worked out. Thanks so much!
Have you tried a paleo version, maybe with a coconut milk based icing, and coconut sugar or raw honey for the sugar replacement in the cake? Thanks,
I haven’t tried that but I think it should work, you would just have an extra flavor in there from the coconut.
can you use regular flour with this recipe? Or even substitute half regular flour and half almond flout?
I’m pretty sure regular flour won’t work, Sharyn, sorry, I don’t think the texture would be as good.
I made this last Friday for Passover since it is flourless. My lemon extract had evaporated, so I used vanilla instead. It was yummy, but still a little bitter. But the bitterness completely dissipated by day 3 or 4. I think I will make this cake in advance from now on, but it will definitely be part of my Passover repertoire. Thanks so much for a new gluten free option.
Good to know, Sue. Hope you had a wonderful Passover!