I started making this gluten-free lemon yogurt pound cake with my son, Camden, for two reasons. First, it can be made in one bowl. Second, since it’s gluten free, I don’t have to bother Camden about over-mixing the batter. Whenever we’re making anything with flour, I am constantly reminding him that dough can become “frustrated” when it’s overworked, causing it to be stiff and uptight. When we make galettes and cookies, I tell him we need to put the dough in the fridge to “cool down” and “relax”. He finds this mildly amusing.

But this cake can take a beating. The rice and almond flour combination can take the hits, tosses, and turns from an overly-enthusiastic young baker. The addition of velvety olive oil and thick creamy Greek yogurt results it an incredibly moist and dense bite. The brightness from the lemon-infused sugar balances the sweetness; nonetheless we reduce the sugar by 1/4 cup. Overall, this is one of the most delectable cakes I have ever tasted.

The recipe is from the newly released cookbook Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple by Aran Goyoaga. I ventured into the realm of gluten-free baking after a bout of gastro issues in our family that I thought was a celiac but ended up being lactose intolerance. Luckily there is lactose free everything out there, including lactose free Greek yogurt. You an also make this dairy free by using coconut yogurt. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that baking without flour doesn’t mean an inferior dessert. This is thanks to bakers like Aran – who is probably one of the most talented bakers of our modern day, with everything in her repertoire, including sourdough loaves!,being gluten free. She is impressive and I highly recommend her book.

In terms of getting your hands on uncommon pantry ingredients like brown rice flour and buckwheat flour, I just went to Bulk Bark. Everything you pretty much need for gluten free baking is there. I almost always get almond flour from Costco – I find it the most cost effective. Store it in your freezer to maximize freshness.

You can find a sweet video of me and Camden making this cake on my Instagram.

Sarah (and Camden)

Glazed Lemon, yogurt and olive oil pound cake

3/4 cups of sugar
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 cup of brown rice flour
1 cup of almond flour
3 eggs
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 tbsp of vanilla
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Lemon glaze
2 cups of powdered sugar
3 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste

Preheat your oven to 350F. Line the inside of an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2″ loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving extra over the edges.

In a large bowl, rub together the sugar and lemon zest in order to release the fragrant oil from the lemon. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and whisk until the batter is smooth. Pour into the pan and bake for 45 to 50 min until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake sit in the pan for 15 min, then carefully lift the cake out of the pan using the edges of parchment paper and let it cool completely before glazing. If the cake is not cooled before glazing, it will melt off.

While the cake is cooling make the glaze. Whisk 2 cups of powdered sugar with 3 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice. The glaze should be smooth but not too runny. Pour the glaze onto the cooled cake and top with finely chopped pistachios.