How To Make A Gluten-Free Lemon That's Legitimately Good For You
We can’t get enough of this decadently rich My Maria Lemon Cake by Ben McLauchlin that’s also grain free, gluten free and legitimately good for you. This gorgeous layer cake is also the perfect finish for Mother’s Day brunch, or anytime you really want to treat yourself – and friends and family.
Ingredients
- For the cake
- 3 cups almond flour
- ½ cup unsweetened whey protein
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
- 1¼ cup Swerve, Granular
- 6 eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 4 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- For the lemon curd filling
- 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons Swerve, Confectioners
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (refrigerate lemon first to make grating easier)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- For the frosting
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup Swerve, Confectioners
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 325°F and butter/grease and line two round cake pans with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, protein powder, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, mix softened butter and Swerve until creamy. On medium speed, add eggs, vanilla extract, lemon extract and lemon juice. Mix until fluffy, about three minutes.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add buttermilk and heavy whipping cream and mix until combined. Fold in lemon zest. Pour the batter evenly into baking pans. Bake 25- 30 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out almost clean.
- Let cake cool in pan for at least 30 minutes. Remove from pan by gently placing baking rack on top of pan and flipping over. Tap on center of pan and cake will release.
- For the lemon curd filling:
- Beat butter, Swerve and salt in an electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Slowly add lemon juice to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Remove from mixer. Stir in zest. (Mixture will look curdled.)
- Transfer mixture to a heavy 4-quart saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, over medium low heat until mixture thickens (about 5-10 minutes depending on quality of your pot).
- Remove from heat and sprinkle with xanthan gum. Whisk in quickly and set aside and let cool for 20 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap directly onto curd (this ensures a skin doesn’t form while it cools). Chill in the refrigerator while cake bakes and cools.
- For the frosting:
- Beat together cream cheese, butter and sour cream until smooth.
- Add Swerve Confectioners and vanilla. Mix on low until just combined, then beat on medium high for 10 minutes making sure to scrape the sides of the bowl during the process.
- Assembly:
- Place one layer on a cake stand or platter. Spread 1/3 of the lemon curd filling across the surface. Add another layer and evenly spread another 1/3 cup of the lemon curd filling. Add another cake layer and spread the remaining lemon curd filling. Add the final cake layer and cover the cake all over with remaining frosting.
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