Rich, buttery, and delightfully simple! A good pound cake is one of those desserts that can confidently stand alone. Once you try this pound cake recipe, you’ll never need any other!

Want a gluten free pound cake recipe that is full of flavor and has a tender crumb? This is it! Adding cream cheese for richness and a touch of lemon juice for tenderness is the trick to the best gluten-free pound cake.

A great pound cake is hard to beat, but a bad pound cake…well, to me, that’s easy to pass on.

Many gluten free pound cake recipes (and classic pound cake recipes) end up dry and bland, which is why I went on a mission to create the best gluten free pound cake!

This recipe is silky-smooth, rich, and moist—thanks to cream cheese whipped into the batter! I love the crumb of this pound cake so much that it even inspired my gluten-free marble loaf cake.

Since it doesn’t need frosting or any toppings, it’s great for cutting into thick slices and taking to a party or picnic. Just like with my gluten-free angel food cake, top this pound cake with fresh berries and cream, or serve it alone as a sophisticatedly simple dessert. It might just become one of your new favorite desserts!

Why You’ll Love this Gluten-Free Pound Cake Recipe

Buttery and moist
Rich flavor
Soft & smooth crumb
Not dry
Comes together quickly

Ingredient You’ll Need

The biggest trick to this gluten-free pound cake recipe is to use softened cream cheese to stabilize the crumb. It makes for the perfect texture and cake rise!

Here are a few more notes on the key ingredients. If you have any additional questions feel free to leave me a comment below!

Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour: This gluten-free cake turns out best when you use a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Look for a gluten free all purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum so the cake has the structure it needs. This is my favorite brand for this recipe.
Cream cheese: Cream cheese adds stability and richness to create moist crumbs. Make sure it’s softened for best results!
Lemon juice: Lemon juice adds a nice tang to the cake batter and helps to activate the baking powder, resulting in a lighter cake.
Baking Powder: I use a good amount in this recipe for the perfect rise.

How to Make Gluten Free Pound Cake

Pound cake dry ingredients in a bowl, and butter, eggs, and sugar in a second bowl

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 8 ½ by 4 ½-inch loaf pan and lightly coat the pan with flour. Tap out any excess flour.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the sugar, lemon juice, large eggs and room temperature cream cheese. Mix on medium speed for about 1-2 minute until well combined.

With the stand mixer or electric mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in the melted, unsalted butter. Continue to mix on low and add the dry ingredients a little at a time until fully incorporated and you have creamed butter. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix again until the batter is totally smooth.

Pound cake batter in a pan, and a baked pound cake in a pan

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 325F and continue baking for 35-40 minutes. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then run a knife down the sides of the pan and turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Let the cake cool for 2 hours before slicing. Enjoy!

Storage/Freezing Instructions

To store: Store your cake by covering the pan in plastic wrap, or by placing leftovers in an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to two days.
To freeze: Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap, then store in the freezer for up to a week.

Gluten-Free Pound Cake Variations

Add 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract for almond pound cake.
Add 1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract and the zest of 2 lemons for lemon pound cake.

Glaze Ideas

Simple glaze: 1 cup of powdered sugar + 1 tablespoon milk whisked together until smooth then poured over the cooled cake.
Lemon glaze: 1 cup of powdered sugar + 1 tablespoon lemon juice whisked together until smooth then poured over the cooled cake.

Pound cake slices stacked vertically on a table, with a hand picking up a piece

Expert Tips and Tricks

Lightly flour the pan for easy removal of the pound cake once it is baked!
Don’t forget to let the cream cheese soften to room temperature before adding it to the cake. This will make for a silky-smooth, stable pound cake recipe.
Pound cake can easily be eaten plain, but you can also top yours with whipped cream, berries, or even ice cream, if you’d like. You could also make a simple glaze with powdered sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, or almond extract.

A slice of cake on a plate, topped with strawberries and cream

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