Strawberry Lemon Cake (Gluten-Free)

gluten free strawberry lemon cake #WeekdaySupper

This lemon strawberry cake has the perfect rich crumb, with strawberry syrup and strawberry frosting to make it special. The amazing gluten free Cake Magic! mix bakes up beautifully!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Gluten Free Strawberry Lemon Cake

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 36

Total Time 1 6

Servings

Calories 193kcal

Author Isabel Laessig

Ingredients

Gluten-Free Cake Magic! Cake Mix

1 cup white rice flour see Notes
½ cup tapioca flour
⅓ cup coconut flour
⅔ cup millet flour
1½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt see Notes

For the cake

Unsalted butter at room temperature, for greasing the pans
All-purpose flour for dusting the pans
3½ cups dry Cake Magic! Cake Mix see above, whisked well before measuring
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¾ cup whole milk
1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled, or 1 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 large eggs at room temperature

For the Strawberry Syrup

½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon seedless strawberry preserves
1 tablespoon seedless strawberry jam
Pinch of salt

For the Caramelized Strawberry Jam

½ cup seedless strawberry jam or preserves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Strawberry Frosting

1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
¼ cup Caramelized Strawberry Jam see ingredients above
Pinch of salt
4 cups one 16-ounce box confectioners’ sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

To bake the cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and side of the pan(s). Dust with flour to coat, then invert and tap out any excess.
Whisk together the cake mix, lemon zest, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl.
Stir in the milk, butter, lemon juice, and eggs until moistened and no lumps remain (be careful not to over mix).
Divide the batter between the prepared pans.
Bake until the layers are evenly golden brown and a few moist crumbs cling to a skewer inserted in the center of the cake, 32 to 36 minutes.
(At this point, coat the layers with syrup as directed and let them cool completely in the pans.)

While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup:

Combine the sugar, water, jams, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Stir to dissolve the sugar, then stir in the vanilla and liqueur, if using.
Remove from the heat and set aside to steep, covered, for at least 20 minutes.
Strain the syrup. Use the syrup warm or at room temperature.

For the Caramelized Strawberry Jam:

Combine the jam and butter in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil, without stirring, 1 minute.
Remove from the heat, stir occasionally, and let the jam cool completely before using (it will thicken significantly as it cools.)
After removing the cake layers from the oven, pierce them (still in the pans) at 1-inch intervals with a skewer or paring knife.
Pour or brush the syrup over the layers, dividing it evenly.
Set the layers aside, in the pans, on a wire rack to cool completely. (The syrup will soak into the cakes.)

When the cakes are cool and no longer wet to the touch, 1 to 2 hours, make the frosting:

Combine the butter, cream cheese, jam, salt, and 2 cups of the sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until incorporated, about 1 minute.
Add the remaining sugar and beat on medium speed until the frosting is pale and no longer grainy, about 2 minutes.
Add the vanilla and beat until the frosting is very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes..
Run a knife, or an offset spatula, around the edge of one of the cake layers to loosen it.
(Turn the layers out of their pans 1 by 1, as you frost them.)
Place the layer on a cake plate with strips of waxed, or parchment, paper underneath; these will catch any drips and keep your cake plate clean.
Spread the layer with about a third of the frosting on top.
Frost the rest.
Run a knife, or an offset spatula, around the edge of the remaining cake layer. Invert it onto the frosted layer.
Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting.

Notes

This blend of alternative flours has been chosen to mimic the qualities of all-purpose flour. It is a carefully calculated balance of protein, fat, and starch that makes a cake that is both soft and sturdy. If the flours are swapped or substituted, the result will change significantly. You can find individual flours on the shelves of national health-food retailers, such as Whole Foods, or online.
Be sure to use table salt here—other kinds will eventually settle out of the mix.

Nutrition