Paleo Lemon Cake Recipe

This paleo lemon cake is sweet, tart, and bursting with lemony flavor. It’s nutritious, easy to make, and perfect for dessert, breakfast, or as a snack. This moist, delicious cake is also gluten free, vegan, refined sugar free, and grain free.

What to serve with this paleo lemon cake

If you’re serving this cake at a party and would like another paleo diet-friendly dessert option for your guests to choose from, try these mouthwatering strawberry truffles. They’re easy to make, elegant, and delicious.

A loaf of paleo lemon cake with two thick slices cut.

Ingredients and substitutions

This paleo lemon cake gets its fresh, lemony flavor from the zest and juice of one lemon. I like to use a microplane zester to remove the lemon zest but any type of grater will work. A trick to getting the most juice out of a lemon is to use the palm of your hand to press down on the lemon firmly before cutting the lemon in half and squeezing out the juice.

I sweetened this cake with maple syrup, but you can substitute agave if you prefer.

This cake calls for coconut flour, a grain-free, paleo diet-friendly flour. Coconut flour is high in fiber, nutritious fats, and lower in carbohydrates than most flours. It works well in cakes, cookies, and muffins. Coconut flour is much more absorbent than most other flours, so I don’t recommend substituting other flours in this recipe.

Almond butter gives this cake a rich, soft texture. You can substitute other nut butters or seed butters if you prefer. Just be sure to use a smooth variety with no added sugar.

Ground flaxseed acts as a binder in this vegan lemon cake. You can buy it already ground, or grind it yourself using a food processor, blender, or spice grinder.

How to make it

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Next you’ll add the coconut flour, ground flaxseed, baking soda, and salt to a mixing bowl, then mix well.

Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, unsweetened applesauce, almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a second mixing bowl, then use a whisk to mix well.

Wet ingredients for lemon cake in a glass mixing bowl.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, then stir to combine (the batter will be very thick).

Thick lemon cake batter in a glass bowl.

Spoon the batter into a medium sized loaf pan lined with parchment paper (mine is 9.25 x 5.25 x 2.75 inches). Wet a spoon with cold water, then use the back of the spoon to smooth the batter into an even layer.

Raw lemon cake in a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool to room temperature before removing from the pan and serving.

A loaf of lemon cake in a metal pan lined with parchment paper.

Storage and freezing

Store this paleo lemon cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or freeze it for up to six months.

A vegan lemon loaf garnished with lemon slices.

More paleo recipes to try

A loaf of paleo lemon cake with two thick slices cut.
4.29 from 7 votes
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Paleo Lemon Cake Recipe

This paleo lemon cake is sweet, tart, and bursting with lemony flavor. This nutritious cake is gluten free, vegan, grain free and refined sugar free.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 210.3kcal

Equipment

  • Medium sized loaf pan
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients

  • The juice of one lemon
  • The zest of one lemon
  • 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup smooth almond butter
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Add the coconut flour, ground flaxseed, baking soda, and salt to a mixing bowl, then mix well.
  • Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, unsweetened applesauce, almond butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to a second mixing bowl, then use a whisk to mix well.
  • Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, then stir to combine (the batter will be very thick).
  • Spoon the batter into a medium sized loaf pan lined with parchment paper (mine is 9.25 x 5.25 x 2.75 inches).
  • Wet a spoon with cold water, then use the back of the spoon to smooth the batter into an even layer.
  • Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool to room temperature before removing from the pan and serving.

Notes

  • Store this paleo lemon cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days or freeze it for up to six months.
     

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 210.3kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.9g | Protein: 5.1g | Fat: 10.4g | Saturated Fat: 2.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.4g | Sodium: 172.6mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14.7g | Vitamin A: 11IU | Vitamin C: 2.2mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 1.2mg

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