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This Gluten-Free Raspberry Linzer Cake is my favorite little taste of Austria! It starts with a buttery almond shortbread crust flavoured with a hint of orange zest, a sweet-tart layer of raspberry jam, and finishes with a lattice of shortbread on top, all dusted with a light sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar. Every slice is a mix of buttery, fruity, and just a little bit fancy, perfect for sharing… or sneaking a slice or two for yourself!
Layers of Deliciousness: How This Linzer Cake Comes Together
The Cake Layer The cake layer is the heart of this Raspberry Linzer Cake, soft, tender, and just crumbly enough to melt in your mouth. Almond flour gives it a little extra moisture and a gentle density that makes the dessert feel indulgent.
The Raspberry Jam Layer Next comes the jam—sweet, tangy, and perfectly jammy. It’s the layer that makes balances the soft cake with a burst of fruity goodness.
The Top Crust And then there’s the top crust, woven into a classic lattice and baked to a golden crust. It adds just the right crunch, making each slice a mix of textures that’s so good!
Your Guide to Making Gluten-Free Raspberry Linzer Cake
You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how easy this gluten-free Austrian dessert is to make—simpler than most gluten-free cakes! The shortbread crust comes together in just minutes, making it a breeze to prepare.
For the crust, I keep it simple with just two flours: almond flour and a gluten-free all-purpose blend, along with butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, and a touch of orange zest.
The orange zest really elevates the flavor and is an essential ingredient in this gluten-free shortbread crust. The only other thing you’ll need is a good-quality raspberry jam, or sometimes I use apricot jam.
Once the shortbread crust is prepared, spread 2/3 of the dough in a pan, chill the remaining dough, then roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper and cut into strips. These strips are used for the lattice pattern topping.
The strips don’t have to be perfect. This Austrian dessert should have a rustic look. What I love about this gluten-free shortbread dough, it is super easy to work with.
Adding The Raspberry Jam
The second layer of this Linzer Cake recipe is the raspberry jam. Using a spoon, spread the jam over the shortbread crust. How simple is that? Then, top with the shortbread strips and bake.
Once the Raspberry Linzer Cake is cooled, you can add a dusting of confectioners (powdered) sugar if you like. I add a pinch of cinnamon in my confectioner’s sugar for extra flavour.
Why This Raspberry Linzer Cake Gets Even Better Overnight
One of my favorite things about this Gluten-Free Raspberry Linzer Cake is that it somehow tastes even better the next day. The raspberry jam has time to settle in and gently soak into the buttery shortbread crust, creating a richer, softer, and more flavorful bite. By the next morning, the jam and crust come together beautifully, making each slice extra tender and delicious.
How to Store Gluten-Free Raspberry Linzer Cake for Maximum Freshness
It is important to wrap the cake well to prevent it from drying out and store it at room temperature. When stored correctly, the cake will keep for up to one week, maintaining its freshness and flavor.
Freeze Now, Enjoy Later
Freezing is a great way to extend the life of this delicious Austrian dessert. This gluten-free Linzer Cake freezes well either before or after baking, giving you plenty of flexibility.
If you prefer to freeze it before baking, consider making two batches—one to enjoy now and one to save for later. When you’re ready to bake, simply let the frozen cake sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before placing it in the oven. This quick thaw helps ensure even baking and the best possible texture.
Explore the Flavors of Austria with These Gluten-Free Recipes
Final Thoughts: Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Linzer Cake
This easy-to-make gluten-free dessert recipe brings a tasty gluten-free twist to a beloved Austrian classic, blending traditional flavors with a tender, buttery texture. It’s a dessert you can enjoy for any occasion and always a favorite.
Whisk together flours, cinnamon, baking soda and salt
2.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer, mix butter with sugar until fluffy, until the sugar has dissolved. Beat in eggs, vanilla and orange zest
3.
Add dry ingredients one third at a time, mixing each time with the butter mixture until combined. The dough will be sticky
4.
Line an 8 by an 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Spread approximately 2/3 of the batter on the bottom of the pan and pat it to make it even. Cover the remaining dough with plastic wrap and place the pan and the dough in the refrigerator for 40 minutes
5.
Preheat oven to 350 F
6.
Spread raspberry jam evenly over the dough in the pan
7.
Roll out the remaining dough between two sheets of parchment paper to 8 by 8-inch square. Cut into about 3/4 inch strips and lay across the top in a lattice pattern.
8.
Bake for 35 - 38 minutes until the pastry is lightly browned and the jam is bubbling
9.
Cool, and dust with powdered sugar if you wish. Just before serving, cut into 16 squares
Leave a Comment
Kristina
Try spreading them apart more Abby, I hope this helps.
Abby
It tasted divine and we loved it but the lattice on top spread so that you can hardly tell it is lattice. What can I do next tine (as I definitely plan to make it again) to make that lattice really show and not spread so much?
Kristina
you can, but the linzer cake will be dryer and more dense
Christina
Can you skip the almond flour and just use more gluten free flour?
Kristina
Hi Kara, I tested the link to the GF flour and it works for me, so strange. To answer your questions coconut flour is too absorbent and would make the cake too dry. However, you can try to use a 1 to 1 GF baking flour, and if it does not include xanthan gum, add as per recipe.
kara
Also, the link for the gf flour you us ees to be a dead link on my end, so would a blend of coconut flour and almond flour be ok or too dry ? I cannot do potatoes or corn due to their bulking properties. Any thoughts on that? No garbanzo or flax either. Had gallbladder out and can only tolerate certain ingredients when baking. Thanks!
Kristina
Hi Kara, I would use coconut butter, it should work.
kara
Can you use vegan butter to make this as well? I found no issues last time for an apple crmble, but the last recipe burned on me when it had not done so before. It said butter in the recipe, but can this be made paleo and vegan? Thanks! I can't use dairy since my gallbladder being gone will not tolerate it. Even a crepe, it's autoimmune now to any ingredients. Terrible. So yes, wanted to know if coconut butter or avocado based vegan would work in place of the recipe ingredient you have listed.
Kristina
sounds delicious Buffy, thanks for sharing.
Buffy Reed
made this yesterday, I used plum jam, the cake turned out perfect. Thank you!
Katarina
O M G
This is a recipe I am sentimentally thrilled to have
Kristina
Thank you
Lisa. R
Thank you for this recipe!!!! I just made it and the cake turned out perfect OMG so so good!
Kristina
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