Gluten-Free Lemon Yogurt Crumb Cake with Almond Streusel
Crumb Cake
Moist lemon-yogurt crumb cake with almond streusel—gluten-free and balanced for every occasion.
This crumb cake is one of my favorite weekend bakes — bright lemon and creamy yogurt keep the crumb tender while an almond-oat streusel adds crunchy texture. It’s deliberately balanced: not too sweet, with protein from yogurt and a satisfying mix of whole ingredients so a slice feels like a treat, not an overindulgence.
I wrote this recipe with home bakers in mind: simple technique, forgiving gluten-free flour blend, and a streusel you can make ahead. Serve it for brunch, afternoon coffee, or a light dessert — it’s the kind of cake friends ask for again and again.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x9-inch square pan (or a 9-inch round) with parchment, leaving an overhang for lifting.
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2
Make the streusel: pulse the rolled oats briefly in a food processor to break them up (leave some texture). In a bowl, combine pulsed oats, 1/2 cup almond flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp salt. Cut in the cold cubed butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture holds in clumps. Refrigerate while you make the batter.
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3
Whisk together flour blend, 1/2 cup almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt in a medium bowl.
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4
In a large bowl, whisk granulated sugar and eggs until blended. Add yogurt, milk, melted butter, lemon zest, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) and whisk until smooth.
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5
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined; do not overmix. The batter will be thick but spreadable.
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6
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Break up the chilled streusel into crumbs and scatter it evenly over the batter. Press a few sliced almonds on top if using.
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7
Bake 35–45 minutes, rotating halfway, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs but no raw batter. If the streusel browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
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8
Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and cool another 15–20 minutes before slicing. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (with xanthan gum):1 3/4 cups
- Almond flour:1/2 cup
- Baking powder:2 tsp
- Baking soda:1/2 tsp
- Salt:1/2 tsp
- Granulated sugar:3/4 cup
- Large egg:2 pieces
- Plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2%):1/2 cup
- Whole milk:1/2 cup
- Unsalted butter, melted:6 tbsp
- Lemon zest (about 2 lemons):1 tbsp
- Vanilla extract:1 tsp
- Almond extract (optional):1/4 tsp
- For the streusel: gluten-free rolled oats (lightly pulsed):1/2 cup
- Almond flour (streusel):1/2 cup
- Brown sugar (packed, streusel):1/3 cup
- Ground cinnamon (streusel):1 tsp
- Salt (streusel):1/8 tsp
- Unsalted butter, cold (cubed for streusel):6 tbsp
- Sliced almonds (optional, for topping):2 tbsp
Tips & Notes
- Use a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose blend that includes xanthan gum for best texture; if it lacks xanthan gum, add 1/4 tsp.
- Make the streusel ahead and keep chilled — it will hold its crumbly texture and bake crunchy on top.
- If you prefer a brighter lemon flavor, stir 1–2 tbsp fresh lemon juice into the batter (reduce milk by the same amount).
- Store tightly covered at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; warm slices briefly in a 300°F oven or toaster oven before serving.
