Gluten Free Lemon Cakes

·         1 2/3 cups (200 g) plain gluten free flour blend (I have used a simple shop-bought.)

·         3/4 cup (65 g) almond flour

·         1/2 tsp xanthan gum

·         3 tsp baking powder

·         1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

·         pinch of salt

·         2 sticks (226 g) unsalted butter, softened

·         zest of 3 lemons

·         4 medium eggs, room temperature

·         1/2 cup (120 mL) milk, room temperature

·         1 tsp vanilla paste (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)

·         6 tbsp. lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

1.    Pre-heat the oven to 355 ºF (180 ºC) and line bread tin or grease proof moulds/muffin form pan.

2.    In a large bowl, sift together the gluten free flour, almond flour, xanthan gum and baking powder. Add the sugar and salt, and mix until combined.

3.    Add the softened butter and, using either a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer with the double beater attachments, work the butter into the dry ingredients until you get a texture resembling coarse breadcrumbs in size.

4.    Add the lemon zest. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, vanilla and lemon juice. Add the wet ingredients to the dry butter mixture, and whisk/mix well until no flour clumps remain and everything is evenly distributed.

5.    Transfer the cake batter into the prepared tin, smooth out the top, and bake in the pre-heated oven at 355 ºF (180 ºC) for about 1 hour or until risen, golden brown on top and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. (35min if using small moulds)

If the cake starts browning too quickly or too much, cover it with aluminium foil and continue baking until done.

6.    Allow to cool in tin for about 10 minutes, then remove from the tin, and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.

     Sift with icing sugar before serving.