For these gluten free lemon cake parfaits we are giving a huge shout out to Simply Delish for this recipe inspiration! Full disclosure – we joined the Simply Delish affiliate program which essentially entails them sending us a box of their gluten/dairy-free pudding and jel boxed mixes every few months, and us coming up with recipes that involve those boxed mixes as an ingredient every month, so you’ll see a few other Simply Delish-inspired recipes on here once in a while! This one uses their classic Vanilla Instant Pudding boxed mix and if you’re into it, use our specific link here to go check out their products, and use our 10% discount code SSGPUDDING to get 10% off of whatever you order!
When I think of gradually warming weather, I usually start thinking of brighter colors and light and fresh flavors. Lemon can be used year round, but I do prefer the flavor in the spring and summer months. These personal gluten free lemon cake parfaits are an easy dessert to make, whether you’re using some leftover cake or make it fresh. It consists of layers of cubed lemon pound cake with its soft and buttery lemon flavor and springy texture, and layers of vanilla pudding to add some creaminess to the dessert. For even more lemon zing, I like to also drizzle some lemon curd over each layer of pudding.
Other than chocolate, lemon has to be my favorite flavor when it comes to desserts. And I’m not talking the sweet Meyer lemons; I’m talking the pucker-your-mouth, drool-inducing, tangy, everyday lemons. Honestly, if I could drink lemonade everyday, I would. When it comes to something buttery and soft like a pound cake, lemon is a very complementary flavor. If you can be lazy like me, you don’t even have to cut up the cake into cubes and assemble the parfaits. You can just spoon your pudding on top of your cooled cake and spread it out like a frosting. One and done.
If you loved this lemony dessert and want more or want to try out some of our other SIMPLY DELISH recipes, check these out! Try our Spiced Mandarin Orange Pound Cake, or our Yuzu Tart with Swiss Meringue. For SIMPLY DELISH recipes, try our Ultra Blueberry Muffins!
Gluten Free Lemon Cake Parfaits
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- Loaf pan
Ingredients
For the Lemon Pound Cake:
- 1 Cup salted butter softened, room temperature
- 1 Cup white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 Tsp lemon extract
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 3/4 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum in it
- 1/2 Tsp salt
For the Pudding:
- 1 Box SIMPLY DELISH Vanilla Instant pudding
- 2 Cups milk
- lemon curd
Instructions
For the Pound Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit and generously grease a 9 inch loaf pan and set aside. Make your pound cake. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the room temp butter, with the sugar until lighter and fluffy (about two minutes). Add in the eggs, lemon extract, and lemon juice and zest, and continue to beat until fully combined. Then, using a spoon or spatula, mix in the flour and salt and stir until combined.
- Pour the batter into your prepped loaf pan and level out the top with a spatula. Place into your preheated oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before assembling with pudding.
For the Pudding & Assembly:
- Once your cake is cool, start making your pudding. In a medium bowl using an electric mixer, beat together your SIMPLY DELISH Vanilla Instant pudding and the milk (if you use a milk substitute use only 1 1/4 cups). Beat for 2 minutes until thickened.
- To assemble your parfait or trifle remove your cooled cake from the pan and cut it into cubes. Start by putting a layer of your cubed cake down in the bottom of your glass dish or small single serving dishes. Spoon a layer of your pudding over the cake. And then on top of that, for even more lemon flavor, I like to warm up some lemon curd in the microwave to make it more liquid and then drizzle that over the pudding layer. Continue building these layers of cake and pudding until your dish(es) are full. Put in the fridge to chill for 1 to 2 hours before eating!
Tag @sisterssansgluten on Instagram if you snap a photo of your parfaits!
Food photography and styling by Kendra Farber
