Gluten Free Bundt Cake with Strawberries (Paleo)
Recipe Key
This moist and tender gluten free bundt cake is an impressive healthy dessert. Fresh juicy strawberries are mixed into a lemony, almond cake batter and topped with a simple lemon glaze. This summer treat is so delicate and flavorful you won’t believe it’s gluten free and paleo.
Strawberry Bundt Cake is the perfect way to celebrate the abundance of local strawberries available this time of year.
I had to make a few versions to get the right texture and sweetness. I tried ghee, coconut oil, vegan butter and palm shortening. What I discovered is ghee gave it the most tender texture that won’t dry out even after a few days. Vegan butter was also good, coconut oil was okay but a little crumbly, palm shortening was too dense.
Maple syrup or honey made the cake a bit soggy. Maple sugar gave it the best texture and sweetness. If you don’t have maple sugar (I know it can be hard to find) coconut sugar is also good, but the cake will be darker. If you like to bake, I recommend ordering maple sugar online to have on hand for making healthy desserts.
Why You’ll Love This Cake
This cake is soft, moist and every slice is packed full of fresh strawberries. The lemony almond cake creates a wonderful tangy balance to the sweet fruit. It’s gluten free and paleo and there is a simple dairy free option.
- Fluffy and moist
- Sweet and tangy
- Delicious vanilla-almond flavor
- Can easily be made diary free
- Great for a party
- Gluten free and paleo
Ingredients
- Almond Flour, Tapioca Flour, and Coconut Flour – this combination creates the perfect cake texture without using white flour. I recommend using all three.
- Maple Sugar or Coconut Sugar – makes the cake naturally sweetened. Maple sugar has a lighter color and taste. Coconut sugar will work but the cake will be a little darker. Honey or maple syrup are not recommended. You need the crystals to create air pockets.
- Pastured Eggs – the eggs give the cake moisture and make it nice and fluffy.
- Yogurt – makes this gluten free bundt cake super moist while adding in protein. Use unsweetened Greek yogurt or a thick vegan yogurt for dairy free.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder – to make the cake rise.
- Sea Salt – to balance the flavors.
- Ghee or Vegan Butter – to make the cake moist and tender. Must be at room temperature, not melted.
- Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest – you need both to get a good lemony flavor.
- Vanilla and Almond Extracts. If you don’t have almond extract, add another 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
- Strawberries – fresh diced strawberries are best, frozen will make the cake soggy. See my tip below for mixing in the fresh strawberries. Any fresh berries like raspberries or blueberries will be good.
- Lemon glaze – The lemon glaze is fabulous but the cake is also good without it. Organic powdered sugar tastes best but you can use powdered monk fruit sweetener if you don’t do sugar.
How To Make Gluten Free Bundt Cake
Here are the basic guidelines, the detailed instructions are in the recipe card.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 12 cup bundt pan generously and evenly with unrefined coconut oil. Get all your ingredients ready.
Step 2: Measure the maple sugar, mash with a fork to remove lumps.
Step 3: Sift together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sifting removes the lumps. Remove 1/4 cup to mix in with the strawberries.
Step 4: Dice the strawberries once everything is measured, right before you start mixing the batter. You don’t want them to sit and get soft.
Step 5: Using an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer, on medium speed, beat together the ghee or vegan butter with the maple sugar until evenly combined. About 3 minutes. It will still be a little grainy. Add the vanilla and almond extract. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes more.
Step 6: Beat in eggs one at a time, until smooth. Add the lemon zest, juice, and yogurt. Beat until smooth. The mixture may curdle a little but don’t worry about it.
Step 7: Add the flour mixture all at once (minus the 1/4 cup) and mix on low until almost completely combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape and fold any excess flour into the batter.
Step 8: Toss the strawberries with the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Gently mix them into the batter using a rubber spatula.
Step 9: Transfer all the batter to the greased bundt pan.
Step 10: Bake the cake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45-50 minutes (a few small crumbs are okay).
Step 11: Cool the cake for at least 20 minutes. Put a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Turn over the bundt pan onto the parchment paper with a little force to release the pan from the cake. Don’t worry if your cake isn’t perfect. The glaze will cover many mistakes. Transfer to a wire rack and continue to cool for another hour or until fully cooled.
Step 12: Once the cake has cooled, make the glaze. Mix together the powdered sugar with the lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle the glaze all over the cooled cake. Let the glaze cool. Serve alone or with berries on the side.
Ingrid’s Tips
- Grease the pan well, get all the nooks and crannies. The bundt cake can get stuck in the pan if it is not greased well.
- When removing from the pan turn over and bang with a little force to release the pan from the cake. Don’t worry too much if your cake isn’t perfect: The glaze will cover many mistakes.
- Sift the flours together to remove any lumps. It will mix into the batter more easily. You won’t overmix which can make the cake dense.
- Chop the strawberries after everything is measured, right before you start mixing the cake batter. You don’t want them to sit and get soft.
- Remember to save 1/4 cup of the flour mixture to combine with the strawberries. Do this right before you add them to the batter. This prevents the fruit from falling to the bottom of the cake.
- The outside of the bundt cake will be a bit darker, as it cooks more quickly on the exterior than the interior. Test to make sure the interior is done before you take it out of the oven.
- Sift the powdered sugar if lumpy for easy mixing.
- Cool the cake thoroughly before adding the glaze or else it will melt.
Storing and Freezing
Store cake covered at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This cake is freezer friendly. Wrap the cake well to protect it from freezer burn. Then thaw slowly at room temperature when you are ready to serve it. You can also freeze individually wrapped slices and thaw as desired. Make sure they are well wrapped.
Enjoy this Gluten Free Bundt cake with friends and family. It’s incredibly moist and tender with a strawberry, lemon, almond flavor. Everyone will love it even if they’re not gluten free.
If you like this cake you may also enjoy these other gluten free strawberry desserts:
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Gluten Free Bundt Cake with Strawberries (Paleo)
This cake has fresh juicy strawberries mixed into a lemony, almond cake batter and is topped with a simple lemon glaze. Everyone will love it!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Gluten Free, Paleo,
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour (280 grams)
- 3/4 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot (90 grams)
- 1/4 cup coconut flour (28 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/3 cup ghee, or vegan butter, (74 grams), at room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups pure maple sugar (240 grams) or coconut sugar (will make a darker cake)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 4 large pastured eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, from 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or diary free yogurt
Lemon Glaze
- 1 cup organic powdered sugar or powdered monk fruit sweetener, sifted to remove lumps
- 1–2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° F . and grease a 12 cup non-stick bundt pan with unrefined coconut oil. Be sure to grease the pan generously and evenly.
- Measure your sugar, mash with a fork if it’s lumpy. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, sift together the almond flour, tapioca, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Remove 1/4 cup of the flour mixture. Set aside.
- Dice the strawberries once everything is measured, right before you start mixing everything together. You don’t want them to sit and get soft.
- Using an electric stand mixer or a hand mixer, on medium speed, beat together the ghee or vegan butter with the maple sugar until evenly combined. About 3 minutes. It will still be a little grainy.
- Add vanilla and almond extract. Beat until smooth, about 3 minutes more.
- Beat in eggs one at a time, until smooth.
- Add the lemon zest, juice, and yogurt. Beat until smooth. The mixture may curdle a little but don’t worry about it.
- Add the flour mixture all at once (minus the 1/4 cup) and mix on low until almost completely combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape and fold any excess flour into the batter.
- Toss the strawberries with the remaining ¼ cup of flour. Gently mix them into the batter using a rubber spatula.
- Transfer all the batter to the greased bundt pan.
- Bake the cake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes (a few small crumbs are O.K.).
- Cool the cake for at least 20 minutes. Put a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Turn over the bundt pan onto the parchment paper with a little force to release the pan from the cake. Don’t worry if your cake isn’t perfect. The glaze will cover many mistakes. Transfer to a wire rack and continue to cool for another hour or until fully cooled.
- Once the cake has cooled, make the glaze. Mix together the powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice until smooth. You want it to be thick but pourable. Add more lemon juice if it’s too thick, more sugar if it’s to thin.
- Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake (you can glaze it on the parchment if you prefer to let the excess glaze drip off). If you like serving it with the drip, transfer the cake to a plate and then drizzle the glaze. Let it set for 10 minutes and if you want add another layer of glaze.
- Let sit 10 minutes until the glaze has firmed up.
- Store cake covered at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
