Gluten-Free Pound Cake

This gluten-free pound cake is so buttery and moist! It's dense like a classic pound cake with a buttery and moist crumb. Serve it with a dollop of whipped cream, or coconut whipped cream, and fresh berries for a delicious dessert any time of year!

Gluten Free Pound Cake Ingredients

• Gluten-free measure for measure flour blend. I used Bob's Red Mill's 1-to-1 baking flour for this recipe.
• Almond flour. Almond flour adds depth to the flavor as well as a tender crumb. Super fine almond flour will give you the best texture.
• Cornstarch. Cornstarch adds a bouncy texture to this gluten free loaf cake that makes it closer to the classic dessert.
• Salt. All desserts need a little salt to balance the flavors!
• Baking soda. Baking soda helps to make this pound cake rise by reacting with the vinegar.
• Baking powder. Baking powder is another leavener that helps this gf pound cake rise and add fluffiness.
• Butter. Can you even call it a pound cake without butter? I think not. Both dairy and vegan butter will work.
• Shortening. Combining butter and shortening gives this pound cake a delicious crust!
• Granulated sugar. Granulated sugar adds a clean sweetness to this cake. You can also use organic cane sugar, but it will affect the color of the pound cake.
• Eggs. Use large eggs for this recipe.
• Milk. Both dairy and non-dairy milk work for this recipe. Just make sure you use unsweetened milk.
• Apple cider vinegar. You can also use white vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice if you like.
• Vanilla extract. Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste.

Working with gluten-free flour

Finding a good gluten-free flour can be tricky if you've never worked with it. Try to find a blend that's labeled "measure for measure", or "1-to-1". Look for a flour blend that includes sturdier flours like rice or oat flour, a starch like tapioca or potato starch, and xanthan gum.

I like using Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour, King Arthur gluten-free measure for measure flour and Cup4Cup wholesome flour. If you are sensitive to dairy, make sure to read through the ingredients carefully when shopping for gluten-free flour, as some blends contain milk powder.

How to measure gluten-free flour

The best way to measure gluten-free flour, as well as regular flour, is to use a kitchen scale. It is the most accurate way to measure flour that's going to give you the same results every time you bake. Place the bowl on a scale, turn the scale on so that it reads 0 ounces/grams, and spoon in your flour.

If you don't own a kitchen scale, fluff the flour in the bag with a spoon, and scoop it into a measuring cup placed on the counter. Don't shake the measuring cup or press down on the flour to pack it in, as this will cause you to add more flour than necessary, causing your pound cake to be dry.

How to keep gluten-free flour fresh

Most packages will tell you to keep the flour in a cool dry place, like your pantry. That said, my favorite way to keep gluten-free flour fresh is to store it in the freezer.

Freezing flour extends the shelf life, and also ensures that no bugs will crawl into your flour and lay eggs.

When freezing flour, make sure to take it out of the original packaging if it's made of paper or if it's not resealable, and put it in an airtight container or freezer bag. When taking it out of the freezer, work quickly and put it back in the freezer as soon as possible. Letting the frozen flour sit out will cause condensation, which can lead to the flour spoiling.

Once you've measured your frozen flour, let the flour come to room temperature along with your other ingredients before using it in the recipe.

Substitutions

• Butter. You can use regular unsalted dairy butter or vegan butter.
• Shortening. You can use refined (flavorless) coconut oil, but it will result in a slightly denser pound cake.
• Milk. You can use whole milk or unsweetened non-dairy milk.

How to Make Gluten-Free Pound Cake

1. In a bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, almond flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
2. In a small bowl, add the milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the butter and shortening, and beat it on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the granulated sugar and beat for another 6 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula and beat for another minute.
4. Add one egg at a time, beating on medium speed and scraping the bowl after each addition.
5. Add a third of the flour mixture and beat it on medium speed. Once the flour is incorporated, scrape the bowl, add half of the milk mixture, and beat it again. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process, ending with the flour mixture.
6. Scrape the bowl to make sure there are no bits of flour hiding and the batter is smooth. Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.

7. While the batter is resting, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease and line an 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
8. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the surface. Bake it in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Tent the pan with foil if it's getting too brown to avoid burning the cake.
9. Let the pound cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes and take it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Pro-Tips

• Bring all ingredients to room temperature. It's important for the ingredients to be at the same temperature for them to mix properly. Both cold and melted butter won't cream properly, and cold eggs and cold milk will cause the batter to curdle.
• Cream the butter and sugar really well. We're beating them for a total of about 10 minutes, and it's a necessary step to incorporate air into the batter.
• If the batter curdles, turn up the speed of the stand mixer. If your eggs or milk were cold and it curdled the batter when you added them in, turn up the speed of the stand mixer to medium high to force your batter to become homogenous.
• Let the batter rest. It's important to rest the batter for 30 minutes to let the gluten-free flour properly hydrate and avoid a gritty pound cake.
• Use a metal loaf pan. Glass loaf pans are very common, but they take longer to heat up and the batter takes longer to bake, leaving you with a lower dome on the top of the pound cake. My recommendation is a light-colored metal pan, as the heat hits the center of the loaf faster, creating a domed pound cake.
• Score the surface of the batter. After you pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top, use a knife to score a vertical line down the center before baking. This encourages the pound cake to dome up and crack down the center of the loaf.
• Let the pound cake cool completely. As with all gluten-free baked goods, you have to let the pound cake cool completely before you slice it. The pound cake will continue to cook through while it's cooling down, so don't cut it while it's still warm!
• Add some mix-ins to switch things up. You can fold in chocolate chips or blueberries, or lemon zest to make gluten free lemon pound cake!

Serving Suggestions

The best thing about classic pound cake is that it's a blank canvas, so it pairs well with so many toppings!

• Whipped cream - You can use coconut whipped cream if you are dairy free.
• Fresh fruit - Grilled fruit works well too.
• Defrosted mixed berries - Defrost some mixed berries so they release their juices, and you've got an easy fruit sauce!
• Jam or fruit curd - Spread on some of your favorite fruit or lemon curd.
• Melted chocolate - Melted Nutella is also a good option.
• Caramel sauce - Add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to make it fancy.
• Glaze - Make a glaze with powdered sugar and lemon juice, and drizzle on top and let it harden before slicing the loaf.
• Ice cream - What doesn't ice cream go with?
• Powdered sugar - Dust the whole loaf with powdered sugar before slicing it.

You can also grill the slices of pound cake or use them in a trifle!

Storage Directions

If you're planning on eating the pound cake in a couple of days, store the pound cake in an airtight container. Try to only slice as much as you are serving. If you slice them all at once, the leftover slices are more likely to dry out.

This pound cake will keep at room temperature for about 3 days. If you plan on storing it for longer, I suggest storing it in the freezer.

Can pound cake be frozen?

Yes! Slice the pound cake and wrap each slice with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and put them in an airtight container or freezer bag. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes

• This gluten-free pineapple upside down cake is so moist and fluffy! I love a slice with some vanilla ice cream.
• Gluten-free pumpkin bread is a go-to every fall. Otherwise, my go-to loaf cake is my gluten-free banana bread. They're called "bread" but who are we kidding? It's cake.
• One of my all-time favorite recipes is this gluten-free lemon poppy seed cake. It's moist and bursting with lemon flavor!
• Gluten-free German chocolate cake is for all my fellow chocoholics. Moist, rich, decadent, and impressive even though it's super easy to decorate!
• My gluten-free coffee cake is a great choice for brunch!