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 JUST FINISHED BAKING THE THE FLOURLESS WHOLE MYERS LEMON CAKE i’M ABSOLUTELY GOING TO USE MYERS LEMONS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE THANK YOU NOW, I’M TOTALLY SURPRISED THE ALMOND MEAL TASTES GOOD IN THIS CAKE BECAUSE I FELT AS I WAS MAKING IT I WAS GOING TO BE DISAPPOINTED. I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CONFECTIONER’S SUGAR. I HAD TO USE OVER TWO CUPS TO TRY AND THICKEN IT UP. I DIDN’T MEASURE THE JUICE AND THAT MAY BE THE PROBLEM. I DON’T LIKE THE TASTE OF THE SUGAR AND WON’T USE IT AGAIN. I’LL FIND AN ALTERNATIVE. HOWEVER, WHEN I FINALLY TOOK A BITE..I WAS REWARDED WITH AN OUTSTANDING TASTE THAT I COULDN’T HAVE IMAGINED. I JUST STOOD THEIR, AMAZED. THE MYERS LEMONS MADE IT ALL HAPPEN. i LOVE LEMONS AND i WAS HOPING FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL THE CAKE IS GREAT, I JUST HAVE TO FIND A BETTER FROSTING. THANK YOU
I’m glad it worked out so well for you Betty!
I have gotten soooo many compliments when I make this recipe! I have taken to adding a few lavender blossoms on top of the icing. It’s delicious either way,.i have also made it sugar free. Thank you so much for sharing this one.
This is so nice to hear Kelly, thanks. It’s funny that you used lavender because one of the recipe ideas I have for the near future is a lemon lavender shortbread, so it’s great to know the combo is a success!
Hi Kelly,
I’m so glad to have found your post as I was going to ask if anyone made it sugar free. I have powdered monkfruit extract also in confectioners form as well. What did you use ?
And SUE… the recipe came to my attention 2 weeks before passover … perfect timing! Can I freeze it before icing , as I was going to make ahead
AND I have a Meyer Lemon Tree!
And can I use almond pulp from making my own almond milk.. and should it be very dry?
Hi Heidi ~ yes, you can freeze the cake, just wrap well, and cool completely beforehand. I don’t think I would suggest using the leftover almond pulp, especially since you’re using your own gorgeous Meyer lemons, I could go for almond flour or meal.
OMG, made this today, off the charts amazing. Moist, flavorful, to die for. I found both the Meyer lemons and the Almond flour at Trader Joes and both worked out perfectly. My icing didn’t look as smooth and pretty as yours but tasted great. I used two of the left over Meyer lemons from the bag, didn’t want to waste them. New favorite.
Getting Meyer lemons isn’t easy and not available out here year round. Could one use ‘regular’ lemons with maybe more sugar? Thanks for this recipe, it’s just outstanding!
Thanks for the feedback Andrew ~ I’m actually considering remaking and re-shooting this cake because it’s been so popular and I think it deserves newer photos. Meyer lemons are becoming mainstream these days, it’s great, and I’m so glad TJs carries them. I think you could try it with a mix of Meyer and regular lemons, but I would definitely look for thin skinned lemons because the peels will be much more bitter.
I’m a pro photographer (in a previous life) and your photo’s are just fine IMHO. And your icing looks nicer than what I made so there you go. I think maybe the powered sugar just didn’t dissolve as smoothly as it should be as I said, it tasted great. Again, I did use the two left over Meyer lemons from the TJ’s bag, maybe that’s an issue? You could maybe clarify if your recipe should use ‘regular’ lemon’s in the icing or Meyers or if it doesn’t really matter. I used two in the icing as they were smaller than a ‘standard’ lemon. When Meyer’s are no longer available out here (we get em a few months out of the year), I’ll try non Meyer’s and report back.
New update to my experience with this totally awesome recipe. I made it exactly as instructed last week, it was again amazing.
I saw Meyer Lemons were getting more difficult to purchase here since they are seasonal and it appears if that season is nearly over. I went to two stores and bought them out of Meyer Lemons; five pounds! I processed all 5 pounds (boiling in a huge pot) all at once. One ‘batch’ was used to make the cake last Sunday and the rest of the lemons were prepared as instructed, divided up into 2 cup portions and placed into a vacuum packed freezing back. Today I made the recipe with one of the frozen pack’s after thawing, to see how it fared. No issues! Since I’m going a week back to back with fresh then frozen Meyer Lemons, I was able to get a better idea if using frozen puree produced any issues either taste or texture wise in the resulting cake. I can detect no issues with the frozen then thawed lemon puree.
What’s great about this new technique is I can conduct the most ‘labor intensive’ part of the recipe in bulk (boil, remove seeds, puree), and have plenty of processed Meyer Lemons around when they are not available. Making the cake by simply cutting open a thawed pack of puree and squeezing into the mixer means I can make this recipe in a snap. Just defrost the lemon’s a few hours before.
Oh, I did buy a Meyer Lemon tree too!
Oh wow is this great to know about Andrew, you’re a genius! You’re going to know this cake recipe better than I do for sure 🙂
Andrew, I used two regular lemons (pulp and juice) but only half the peel of one lemon and one whole orange (since it seems that Meyer lemons are a cross between lemons and mandarins) . It turned out very well.
Thanks so much for providing the weight of the lemons, 12 oz came out to exactly 1 cup! I’m using my mom’s lemons and some of them are closer to a Texas grapefruit size. It makes you lose perspective on what a “regular lemon” looks like.
haha, that’s so true, and the Meyer lemons can be tiny as eggs!
Hi Sue,
Just found your blog…..love love your recipes.
I live in Northern California and have a Meyer Lemon tree that is very prolific ( a little too prolific). The Meyer Lemon Cake is scrumptious.
I have a recipe for a Meyer Lemon Rhubarb Compote by way of Cake Fanny in Berkeley. I think it would be a perfect companion for this cake. Any interest?
Patt Larkin Alamo Ca
Do you even need to ask?? I’d love to check the recipe out, I just saw my first rhubarb at the supermarket today ~ and btw, how can a Meyer lemon tree EVER be too prolific 🙂
What’s the best way to send the recipe? Through this post or via another email.
My precious tree gives me lemons all year round. It’s at my cottage at the beach…… very old tree that loves where it lives. Honestly I do nothing but water it during summer. Organic as it gets.
You can leave anything in the comments here, except photos, unfortunately. But you can tag us on facebook or instagram. You’re truly blessed with that tree!
Hi there – can I put this into cupcake holders if I reduce the baking time please?
It’s a very moist cake, Janet, so I’m not sure it would fare well in cupcake form, but you could try. It would definitely stick to the wrappers a bit.
Could you use Mandarins?
Ii have a Flourless Tangerine Cake, Joel, here: https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/minimal-monday-flourless-whole-tangerine-cake-gluten-free/ and I haven’t tried that with mandarins, but it would be an interesting experiment. As long as the skins are not too thick it should work.
1st time with Almond flour…no lemons in Guatemala, only limes, worked well, would leave off more rind next time, use zest, a bit too bitter still, never been to Mediterranean!!
Good to know, Sharan, thanks! Limes are definitely much more bitter than lemons, so I never thought to use them in this cake.
Having made Lemoncello with the rinds of Meyer Lemons, we froze the rest of the lemon. I am wanting to give this a try…do you feel using the lemons without the rind will effect the recipe? Huge fan of Trader Joe’s…this is where we get the lemon’s for our Lemoncello. If this works it will give us a reason to buy more Meyer Lemons. They are the best of the best. They have such a short season here in Ohio. Maybe 2 months a year….Thanks!
I can’t be sure, Shirley, because I haven’t tried it that way. Let us know your results if you attempt it!
Meyers lemons are so amazing! And I love that this is made with almond flour. This is a keeper recipe for sure.
After reviewing the comments/suggestions, I made this with half the lemon peel (since I didn’t have Meyer lemons to use) and it turned out AMAZING! I love the flavor and the texture. Great recipe!
So glad it worked for you Shaz. Great tip about the lemon, because I’m sure lots of people can’t find Meyers.
This is the second time I’m making this cake. This time I’m trying it with just the juice and pulp of three lemons. The first one was a bit bitter and didn’t have quite the tangy lemon flavor I was expecting.
This is just what I’ve been looking for. I, too, am a citrus fanatic. Mostly lemon & lime. I make a flourless chocolate torte and this year got an order for twenty. But I haven’t found the other side of chocolate. This could be it! I’ll let you know. I’m trying this recipe this weekend.
Thanks much.
Good luck!
Made this tonight. Moist and satisfying. It was a tad bitter for me. If I just remove the rind before pureeing would that do the trick? Or add only half the rind? Love the consistency.
Yes Prem, I think if you reduce the rind it will taste less bitter to you. Different people have different tolerances for bitter tastes, so this will probably make it more appealing to you.
Try just using just the zest if the lemons instead of the whole rind.
OMG! it’s gone. all in one shot. it smells as good as it tastes: all warm and almondy and citrusy (are these words?). huge success. i had to promise (contractually!) to make more for the neighbors.
this goes in the secret box of recipes.
Haha, lucky neighbors!
Oh my goodness, YUM! A neighbor left a bag of Meyers on my porch, so this was the perfect way to use some up! I subbed coconut sugar and Ener-g for the cane sugar and eggs (because I can’t have those) and used vanilla extract because I didn’t have lemon. What a fantastic lightly sweetened cake!! The hearty texture makes it feel perfect for breakfast. 😉 Thank you for a wonderful recipe that I will make again and again!!
That’s great to know your substitutions worked and that you loved this Andrea 🙂