Perfect Gluten-Free Pound Cake Recipe (Enjoy and Share) (2024)

For affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Today’srecipe for Perfect Gluten-Free Pound Cake is the third installment ofSSS … a Suite of Sweets for Sweethearts.When I was growing up, pound cake was afamily favorite. Bake a good pound cake and you were loved by all. Seriously.

There was no gift I could give my grandmother (my dad’s mom) that she would havepreferred over my pound cake. Grandma loved pound cake, and she saidmine were the best.

Perfect Gluten-Free Pound Cake

You see … before going gluten free, I made all kinds of pound cakes. There were classic pound cakes, orange pound cakes, lemon pound cakes, cream cheese pound cakes, chocolate pound cakes, and marble pound cakes … to name a few.

Some were baked in tube pans. Some were prettiest if cooked in Bundt pans. Some were 8-inches square. Others were baked in loaf pans.

Some were served plain. Some required a dusting of powdered sugar. Some needed a thin drizzle of icing. But, one thing they all had in common was how good they were.

Everyone in my family and circle of friends had their own personal favorite ofmy pound cakes. I’ve been gluten free for well over 6 years now. I have not baked a really good gluten-free pound cake in that time (although I’ve tried several).

Until …Now. Now I have the Perfect Gluten-Free Pound Cake for you!

This pound cake recipe is anothergfe recipethat uses olive oil as the shortening–in this case, light olive oil or extra light olive oil, and that’s an important distinction. (Extra virgin olive oil’s flavor is way too strong for this recipe in my opinion.) The original recipe is from the Filippo Berio site, which was also thesource of the Mediterranean Chocolate Cakerecipe that I converted to gluten free.

I made this cake dairy free by using full-fat canned coconut milk, although you can use dairy milk if you like. However, I’m pretty sold on themoisture and dense textureprovided by the coconut milk in this recipe. If you consistently eat dairy, this just might be one time you want to try eating dairy free.

I made this pound cake for my dad’s birthday. Good thing the recipe made two loaves. Son was home for the weekend and ended up eatingalmost one entireloaf by himself, and then more from the second loaf later.

He told me I should sell this cake in individual slices for $4 or $5 … “Mom, I’m serious. You could make a fortune.” And, he’s mentioned his love of this cake and his entrepreneurial ideas for meseveral times since.

Before he headed home, he asked me to slice the remaining part of theloaf into individual pieces asa “to-go package” for easy eating while on the road. Then, he offered to deliver the remaining pound cake loaf to my Dad when he stopped by to say hello on his way out of town.

Do I need to tell you what happened? He ate all ofhis to-go package before he arrived and then ate some more of Dad’s pound cake when it was offered. In case you need any more endorsem*nt than that,please know that this cake is very easy to make and delightfully moist.

All the previous gluten-free pound cakes I’ve made were dry the following day (if not later that same day), but that’snotthe case with thisone. Woohoo!

If you are a not a fan of pound cake as a dessert by itself, feel free to top a slice with some fresh fruit. Like strawberries and whipped cream for a strawberry shortcake-type dish. That’s exactly how gfe reader/friend Ginny creates here Strawberry Shortcake as you can see from her photo below. Or you could drizzle a slice with your favorite chocolate or fruit syrup.

Perfect Gluten-Free Pound Cake Recipe (Enjoy and Share) (2)

You can even make an elegantpot of chocolate fondue, cut this pound cake into squares, skewer with a toothpick, and dip intothat chocolate fondue. The results will be amazing!

Thankfully, easy, gluten-free chocolate fondue recipes abound.Here’san allergy-friendly one from Cook IT Allergy Free.(I am definitely craving fondue after looking at Kim’sphoto!)

I even found another allergy-friendly chocolate fonduerecipe at Go Dairy Free.I suspect itmight be easy to makea fondueusing the coconut milk left over from this pound cake recipe with some dairy-free chocolate.

Enjoying fondue is such a fun thing to do for Valentine’s Day. Iattended a party at Christmas where there was chocolate fondue.But, the fondue hadalready beencross-contaminated from folks dipping in hunks of gluten-containing pound cake, so it didn’t matter that there was fruitavailable for dipping.

Admittedly, I was a bit disappointed that I could not partake, soI thinkhaving a chocolate fondue party for twowould be something special for us to doon Valentine’s Day. I already know how special this Perfect Gluten-Free Pound Cake is!

Perfect Gluten-Free Pound Cake Recipe (Enjoy and Share) (3)

Don’t forget to check out the previous SSS entries … Surprise Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and Cinnamon-Sugar-Crusted Popovers.

Perfect Gluten-Free Pound Cake Recipe

Perfect Gluten-Free Pound Cake Recipe (Enjoy and Share) (4)

Yield:

Perfect Gluten-Free Pound Cake

Perfect Gluten-Free Pound Cake Recipe (Enjoy and Share) (5)

I don't use the word "perfect" too often, but this recipe really does yield perfect gluten-free pound cake! Honestly, even if you're not gluten free, you will find that this pound cake truly is perfect!

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (See notes for adjustment for high altitudes.) Grease two loaf pans or grease and flour (use gluten-free flour) a Bundt pan.
  2. Combine flour, xanthan gum, sea salt, and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
  3. Pour olive oil into large mixing bowl, and slowly mix in sugar, orange juice, and vanilla extract.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition.
  5. Add milk. Mix 2 minutes. Gradually add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mixing well.
  6. Pour batter into loaf pans or Bundt pan.
  7. Bake for 50 – 55 minutes.

Notes

Adapted from Filippio Berio.

Reader Wendy lives at a higher altitude---6600 ft---and she adjusted oven temperature to 375 degrees with successful results.

Coconut oil works fine in this recipe, but produces a cake that's lighter in flavor. I prefer the richer taste that the light olive oil provides. (Again, please do not use extra virgin olive oil in this recipe as the flavor is too strong.) Pans can be greased with whichever oil you use.

Two loaf pans are what the original recipe calls for and what I used. Don't worry too much over the size of the pans, although you may have to adjust cooking times. The original recipe called for 6 3/4" x 3 1/2" x 2" loaf pans. I (and one gfe reader) used 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" x 2 5/8" pans.

I don't taste either the coconut milk or orange juice in this recipe; perhaps they balance each other, but all I taste is "good."

Last, I love the crunchy edges of this pound cake recipe. The end pieces are my absolute favorite.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Originally published February 10, 2010; updated June 1, 2023.

Perfect Gluten-Free Pound Cake Recipe (Enjoy and Share) (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to baking with gluten-free flour? ›

Use xanthan gum or guar gum: Gluten-free flours lack the elasticity and structure that gluten provides, so adding a binder like xanthan or guar gum can help to hold the ingredients together and give your baked goods a better texture.

How do you keep gluten-free cake moist? ›

One of the most common gluten-free baking tips is “let your batter rest”. Letting the batter rest gives the gluten-free flours and starches more time to absorb the moisture. In theory, it will turn your dry, crumbly cakes into delicious, moist masterpieces.

Should I let my gluten-free cake batter rest before baking? ›

We recommend covering your batters and doughs and letting them rest for at least half an hour.

What helps gluten-free cakes rise? ›

Gluten-free flour blends don't have the same elasticity as flour containing gluten so often the cakes don't rise as much or will sink after rising. To combat the flat cake problem, I add ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda to the recipe even when using a self-raising gluten-free flour blend.

What is the closest gluten-free flour to all-purpose flour? ›

Brown rice flour is about as close to a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour as it gets since it provides structure and a “wheat-like” flavor.

What can I use instead of xanthan gum in gluten free baking? ›

Gluten free binding ingredients that are an alternative to xanthan gum
  • Eggs.
  • Mashed pumpkin or banana.
  • Psyllium husk or psyllium husk powder.
  • Chia seeds, flaxseeds or chia/flax meal.
  • Chocolate.
  • Yoghurt, cream or thick dairy products.
  • Starches like tapioca flour, potato starch and glutinous rice flour.
May 6, 2023

What to avoid for gluten free baking? ›

Some baking ingredients that contain gluten (and thus are not suitable for a gluten-free diet) include:
  • Wheat.
  • Semolina.
  • Spelt.
  • Durum.
  • Emmer.
  • Einkorn.
  • Rye, sometimes referred to as pumpernickel.
  • Barley.
Mar 29, 2021

Do gluten free cakes need more baking powder? ›

2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.

Why is my gluten-free cake sinking in the middle? ›

YOUR CAKE IS SINKING IN THE MIDDLE OR NOT RISING

You may not have used enough raising agents. I do recommend experimenting with double action baking powders. Otherwise try using 25 percent more chemical raising agents (baking soda or baking powder) if you're converting a recipe to gluten free.

Which gluten-free flour is best for cakes? ›

Sorghum flour: great for cakes

Because sorghum is often processed on shared equipment with wheat products, you need to be careful about finding a product that is certified gluten free. Sorghum flour is a great option for cookies and cakes, but it is best combined with other gluten free flours because it is so heavy.

How to tell when gluten-free cake is done? ›

Ultimately, the toothpick test is just one data source to rely upon: with the trio—toothpick, edges, & centre—you can reliably know your gluten-free baked goods are, well, baked! If your toothpick comes out with wet batter on it, your cake definitely needs more time.

Why did my gluten-free cake turn out gummy? ›

Gluten-free baked goods often benefit from extra liquid to hydrate the flour blends, eliminate grittiness, and achieve a less dense or dry texture. However, it's very important to drive off this extra moisture during baking, or you'll wind up with a gummy texture.

Does baking time change with gluten free flour? ›

Remember, baking times for gluten-free foods vary greatly, and it's important to keep a constant eye on your creation to monitor for the colors and textures that indicate doneness. These recipes often call for longer baking times at a lower temperature compared to traditional recipes.

How do you adjust gluten free flour? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

Does gluten free flour rise the same as regular flour? ›

One of the first rules of gluten-free baking is managing your expectations; traditional baked goods lean on gluten for their texture and rise. Replicating this is challenging and the results might not be identical, but it can get pretty close with the right flours.

How do you get gluten free flour to bind? ›

Xanthan Gum

Because gluten-free flours have less protein than wheat flours and are not capable of forming the same network required to stretch and surround starch granules, they need reinforcement. Xanthan gum strengthens these networks and also makes them more elastic.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Sen. Ignacio Ratke

Last Updated:

Views: 5999

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (56 voted)

Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Sen. Ignacio Ratke

Birthday: 1999-05-27

Address: Apt. 171 8116 Bailey Via, Roberthaven, GA 58289

Phone: +2585395768220

Job: Lead Liaison

Hobby: Lockpicking, LARPing, Lego building, Lapidary, Macrame, Book restoration, Bodybuilding

Introduction: My name is Sen. Ignacio Ratke, I am a adventurous, zealous, outstanding, agreeable, precious, excited, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.