This fluffy and moist Almond Flour Lemon Cake recipe is flavored with fresh lemons and frosted with a creamy, dairy-free blend of coconut butter, honey, and lemons. It's a simple and classic dessert that's gluten free, grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, Paleo and SCD!
I've had the recipe for this almond flour lemon cake recipe tucked into my recipe notebook since last summer.
I worked on it and worked on it and then before I knew it, summer had given way to fall and I'd moved on to sharing with you all things pumpkin.
Well, last week my little girl turned three (excuse me while I dry my tears) and was adamant about wanting a lemon cake for her birthday.
It gave me the perfect excuse to dig this paleo lemon cake recipe back up and with just a few little tweaks...here we are!
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This lemon almond flour cake is moist and fluffy which can be difficult to achieve when baking with almond flour.
It also has a lovely, tart lemon flavor brought on by the use of fresh lemons that I absolutely love!
What ingredients are in the lemon almond flour cake?
- coconut oil
- honey
- eggs
- lemon zest
- fresh lemon juice
- vanilla extract
- blanched finely ground almond flour
- fine sea salt
- baking soda
When it comes to the honey, I suggest using a lighter honey such as clover.
It tends to be sweeter and the baked cake will be lighter in color than if a dark honey is used.
Feel free to swap the coconut oil for olive oil.
How to make the cake
Put the mixers and whisks away...for this recipe you'll be using a blender!
Add all of the wet ingredients into the blender and blend for about 15 seconds or until frothy.
Add the dry ingredients and blend until all the ingredients are well combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender jar as needed.
Pour the batter into a greased and lined 9 inch cake pan.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
Lemon almond flour cake tips:
- All ingredients must be at room temperature. This is very important because if any of the ingredients are cold, then the coconut oil will solidify and won't be evenly distributed in the cake.
- Submerge cold eggs in a bowl of warm water to quickly bring them up to room temperature.
- The coconut oil should be melted but NOT hot!
- The cake can also be baked in two 6 inch loaf pans or a muffin pan, although the bake time will need to be adjusted.
Ingredients for the lemon coconut frosting
- coconut butter
- fresh lemon juice
- honey
- coconut milk
My Homemade Coconut Butter is incredibly easy to make and is perfect for this recipe.
If you prefer store bought, then the Nutiva 
brand of coconut butter tends to give me the most consistent results.
If following the SCD or Paleo diets, I can't recommend the Native Forest Simple Coconut Milk
enough.
It has only two ingredients (water and coconut) and is a very creamy milk. Just make sure to shake the can before adding the milk to the frosting.
How to make the frosting
This frosting is incredibly easy to make!
Mix the coconut butter with a little lemon juice, honey, and canned coconut milk.
Taste and adjust the flavors to your liking. That's it!
Once the cake has cooled, spread the frosting on top.
Lemon coconut frosting tips:
- If the frosting is too firm, place in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds to help it soften.
- Serve the cake at room temperature for a soft, creamy frosting.
- Place the cake in the refrigerator for 60 minutes for a firm, shell-like frosting (which is my personal preference).
- I have to be perfectly honest with you, if I hadn't been making this for my daughters birthday I probably would have left the frosting off altogether, it's so good without it! But she reminded me that "a bibday cake needs fosting mama"! So the birthday girl got her frosting and I actually really love it on the cake! Moral of the story, if you decide NOT to make the frosting, the cake is still delicious and almost reminiscent of a lemon pound cake!
How do I store the cake?
Leftovers can be covered with plastic wrap or placed in an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
If you would like to freeze the cake, begin by slicing the cake into single servings.
Make sure the cake has been chilled in the refrigerator and the frosting is firm before wrapping each individual slice a few times with plastic wrap.
Then wap each slice with aluminum foil and store in a ziploc bag in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To thaw, simply unwrap the aluminum foil and all but one layer of plastic wrap from the cake and place in the refrigerator or on the kitchen counter until fully thawed.
More almond flour dessert recipes!
- Paleo Lemon Tart
- Almond Flour Strawberry Cake
- Almond Flour Vanilla Cake Pops
- Gluten-Free Coconut Cupcakes
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NOTE: If following the SCD diet, I suggest contacting the company to verify ingredients before using any prepackaged products.
Post was updated on 6/27/19 to refine directions and add additional recipe tips.
Recipe
Lemon Almond Flour Cake
Ingredients
Lemon Cake
- 2 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- ¾ cup honey
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons lemon zest about 1 large lemon
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups finely ground blanched almond flour
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Lemon Coconut Frosting
- ½ cup coconut butter, softened
- ¼ cup full fat canned coconut milk, shake the can well before using
- 3 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Optional:
- lemon slices and lemon zest for garnish
Instructions
Lemon Cake
- Preheat oven to 325F. Grease the sides and bottom of a 9 inch round cake pan with coconut oil. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Set aside. Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature before beginning.
- Place all wet ingredients; coconut oil, honey, eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract into a blender and blend for about 15 seconds. The mixture should be frothy.
- Add the dry ingredients and the lemon zest to the blender. Blend until all ingredients are well combined, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and bake on the middle rack for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. The top and sides of the cake should be a golden brown.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before turning out of the pan.
Lemon Coconut Frosting
- Place all ingredients for the frosting in a small bowl and mix using a spoon. If the frosting is too firm, place the bowl in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds until softened.
- Wait until the cake has cooled to frost. Garnish with lemon slices and lemon zest. Keep cake stored covered in the refrigerator.
- The frosting will firm up in the fridge. It can be served with the firm frosting (which is my preference) or take cake out to rest at room temperature 45 minutes before serving.
Notes
- All the ingredients for the cake must be at room temperature before beginning to bake or the coconut oil will harden and won't be evenly distributed in the batter.
- Make sure to use fresh lemon juice for the cake and frosting or the flavor will be "off".
- The post above has more tips and suggestions.
Bonnie F
I follow SCD however I am really trying to restrict ( Sibo) any and all sugars. I was wondering to what percentage could I reduce the honey? I was hoping by half but what would or could I substitute to create the correct percentage of liquid necessary to not alter or destroy the consistency of the cake?
I am guessing the best answer is to not alter the recipe and just enjoy smaller sized portions.😁
P.S.
I still look forward to trying this recipe and also wanted to mention the almond crackers have been a game changer for me. Perhaps you could point me in the direction of a cake or muffin utilizing almond flour that has a lot less honey in the recipe. TIA
Jennifer Brown
Hi Bonnie! You could try decreasing the honey to 1/3 cup and increasing the lemon juice to 2/3 cup. The batter will probably be a bit thicker but it should still bake well! I actually have a Smash Cake recipe that has no honey and uses one small banana as the sweetener. My Zucchini Carrot Muffins use just 1/3 cup of honey but you could decrease that to 1/4 cup without issue.
I'm really happy to hear that you enjoy the almond flour crackers, that's one of my favorite recipes!
Smash Cake - https://thehealthierbite.com/healthier-mini-smash-cake/
Zucchini Carrot Muffins - https://thehealthierbite.com/zucchini-carrot-muffins/
Guylaine O'Brien
Hi, I was wondering if maple syrup can be used instead of honey?
I'm always looking for gluten free recipes as my friend can't eat anything with gluten.
Can't wait to try this recipe!
Guylaine
Jennifer Brown
Yep, feel free to use maple syrup instead of honey!
Alishba
I made the frosting to top on a coconut cake and it was absolutely delicious. It was a liquid though but I added more coconut butter until it became former and it was really delicious! I’m just wondering, how many cups does the standard recipe for the frosting make?
Jennifer Brown
I'm glad you were able to make the frosting work for you! As written the frosting should yield about 3/4 cup.
Carol T
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I made it without the frosting and it was slightly burnt because I converted the temperature wrongly but the cake still tasted great! Most importantly, I think it is a healthier option!
Jennifer Brown
Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Misty
After carefully selecting the perfect lemons from our lemon tree, I followed the recipe directions with care. I used a food processor to mix everything, which worked really well. About 15 minutes after popping the cake into the oven, I realized that I had mistakenly put it in the wrong oven! I put it in the one set to ‘broil’ not 325 (I was trying to make garlic bread for the kids at the same time). It looked like I was baking a chocolate cake in the oven! Fortunately, I was able to pull the burnt crisp off the top and finished baking at 325. The sides were burnt but the inside was perfect. I spooned the good part of the cake into a bowl and added about 2/3 of the frosting mix. As if making cake pops, I mixed by hand and made about 12 balls. Next, I drizzled the remaining frosting on top and put it the fridge to cool. My mistake turned out not to be a mistake at all. This recipe was delicious! I may attempt to actually make cake pops next time. Possibly adding more coconut butter to the frosting to get a more shell-like coating on the outside. I will certainly use this recipe in the future for making a cake or little lemon balls that taste amazing.
Jennifer Brown
Misty, I absolutely LOVE that you were able to salvage the recipe and turn it into cake pops! Great idea (I just might have to make a lemon cake pop recipe now!)! I have a vanilla cake pop recipe here on the blog and you might want to take a look at what I used for that outer shell frosting! Thanks so much for the review! https://thehealthierbite.com/vanilla-cake-pops-recipe/
Lindzi
Hello!
I came across your recipe and was super excited to try it...I am currently on a Candida diet and can use xylitol. Would this substitute be okay instead of honey? If not, what would you recommend?
Jennifer
I wouldn't suggest using xylitol as a replacement since the decrease in liquids would significantly alter the final product. Unfortunately I don't have a substitution suggestion since honey is the only sweetener my restricted diet allows. A quick google search should give you some great baked good recipes that follow a candida diet.
Anusha Gandhi
This is a great cake! Made it as a birthday cake for my husband and the crowd loved it. Making it again today. For coconut butter... the one I bought has two layers and Im guessing I am supposed to mix it like you do with natural peanut butter. Any tips with working with coconut butter?
Jennifer
I'm so happy that your husband enjoyed his birthday cake! When using coconut butter it will harden into 2 distinct layers when left at room temperature or when chilled. It needs to be warmed slightly by either placing the glass jar in a warm water bath or placing the jar in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds at a time (it's easily burned in the microwave so be careful). Once softened it can be stirred (just like natural peanut butter) to combine the separated layers. Here's a link to my Homemade Coconut Butter recipe! https://thehealthierbite.com/homemade-coconut-butter/
Frankie
Hi there! I don’t hVe a big enough blender for this.. is there another way to make it that would work?
Jennifer
You can use a whisk, a stand mixer, or a handheld mixer.
N M
My children LOVED it. Thank you so much!
Jennifer
Yay! I'm always happy when kids like healthier recipes!
Angelica L
Made this morning and it’s delicious! Moist and fluffy - Thank you!
Jennifer
So glad you enjoyed it!!
Maria
Plan to make this for my mom’s birthday tomorrow. Could not find coconut milk, but found coconut cream. Will that work as a substitution?
Jennifer
The purpose of the coconut milk is to thin out the frosting, so coconut cream will be too thick. I would suggest just using water in place of the coconut milk. I hope that helps and happy birthday to your mom!
joanne
Hi, Can I substitute maple syrup for the honey in the cake? What's the best way to keep leftovers, and how long will it last? Thanks!
Jennifer
Yes, you can use maple syrup. The cake is best kept covered in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
Chelsea
I used an immersion hand blender (totally didn’t spell that right) instead of the other kind because I don’t have one. I did everything else as specified. Mine BLEW UP in my oven. Did I just make it to frothy? It didn’t seem to do that until I added the baking soda ??♀️
Jennifer
Eek Chelsea, I'm so sorry! I cringe at the mess that must have been in your oven. If you didn't accidentally add more than the called for 1 teaspoon of baking soda then I'm thinking yes, it might have been too frothy.
Holly H
Delicious cake! The frosting was kind of a flop for me ,used a cashew butter. Would definitely make this again
Angela
Easy. Tasty. I used agave instead of honey. Didn’t put the glaze. My family enjoyed my effort.
E Chavez
Very yummy. I omitted the frosting and sprinkled confectioners sugar instead.
Carol
I was wondering if it is possible to make this cake with egg substitutes, like aquafaba, or flax/chia "egg"?
Jennifer
I have dietary restrictions which prevent me from using aquafaba or flax/chia seeds, so I'm not entirely sure. If you decide to give it a try though I'd love to hear the results!
Vanessa
I made this cake and it was delicious but did sink quite a bit in the middle during cooking. I used 3 eggs instead of 2 and a egg yolk, could this be why?
Jennifer
Probably. That’s a lot of extra moisture.
Connie
Can I make the frosting 3-4 days ahead and store it in the fridge? Can I just put the frosting on the cake on the actual day itself? Do I need to take it out and let it come to room temp then frost? Need it by this Sunday, pls help! Thanks
Jennifer
I would suggest making the frosting the day you're planning to frost the cake. The frosting comes together quickly and it will yield a better consistency.
Another alternative is to make and frost the cake 1 to 2 days before your planning on serving. Just keep the whole thing covered in the fridge.
Michele
Would this cake come out correctly in a bundt pan?
Tiffany
Hi there,
This recipe sounds amazing and I would like to try it soon. I am wondering if the coconut milk used for the frosting is full-fat canned coconut milk or the thinner kind that you can buy in a carton?
Thanks so much!
Jennifer
Hi Tiffany, the recipe uses full fat canned coconut milk! Hope you enjoy!