Gluten-Free Bundt Cake with Walnut Cinnamon Swirl

This Gluten-Free Bundt Cake with Walnut Cinnamon Swirl is moist, tender, and swirled with a cinnamon-walnut mixture throughout. Buttermilk keeps the crumb extra soft while cutting back on butter, so it’s lighter than a typical coffee cake without losing any richness.

The walnut swirl gets its flavor from fresh lemon juice and cinnamon, which brightens up the toasty walnuts. Baked in a bundt pan, this cake is pretty enough for brunch and simple enough for a weekday snack. Drizzle it with vanilla sauce and it turns into a delicious dessert.

Why You’ll Love This Coffee Cake

Extra moist crumb, no butter — swapping in buttermilk for butter saves about 2,000 calories across the whole cake.

Naturally gluten-free, using a blend of rice, almond, and tapioca flours

Fresh, flavorful walnut swirl from lemon juice and cinnamon

Versatile — serve plain for breakfast or drizzled with vanilla sauce for dessert

Bundt pan presentation that looks special with minimal effort

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

• Coconut sugar — swap in brown sugar or granulated sugar
• Chopped walnuts — pecans work well as a substitute if you prefer their flavor
• Fresh lemon juice — or orange or pineapple juice
• Ground cinnamon — swap for ¼ tsp ginger and ¼ tsp nutmeg
• White rice flour — no substitute
• Almond flour — swap for sunflower seed flour if you need this cake nut-free (note: walnuts would need to be omitted or swapped too)
• Tapioca starch — or corn starch
• Potato flour — no substitute
• Buttermilk — swap in 1½ cups full-fat Greek yogurt, or use a dairy-free milk with 1 Tbsp lemon juice stirred in
• Extra virgin olive oil — or avocado oil
• Large eggs or egg replacer
• Pure vanilla extract — or 1 tsp pure maple extract

Gluten-Free Vanilla Sauce Recipe

1. 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2. 1/4 cup coconut sugar or sweetener of choice
3.  1/4 cup cream
4.  1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Whisking constantly, cook in a small saucepan for 3–5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Cool slightly and drizzle over the baked cake.

Tips & FAQs

Why buttermilk instead of just butter?

Buttermilk keeps the crumb extra moist while lowering the overall fat compared to an all-butter cake, without sacrificing flavor or texture.

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?

Fresh is best here — it has a brighter, more noticeable flavor that balances the sweetness of the walnut swirl. Bottled will work in a pinch but the flavor will be milder.

My cake stuck to the pan — what happened?

Make sure to grease every groove of the Bundt pan thoroughly, including the center tube. A non-stick Bundt pan makes this much easier and helps the cake release cleanly with its shape intact.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes — this cake actually keeps well and tastes great a day or two after baking, once the flavors have had time to settle.

If you like this recipe, you’ll also enjoy omy healthy gluten-free breakfast muffins or our Gluten-Free Mocha Pecan Bundt Cake.

For more brunch-worthy bakes, try my Gluten-Free Old-Fashioned Berry Coffee Cake for a fruitier twist, or my Gluten-Free Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake if you’re after something richer and more indulgent.

How to Serve Gluten-Free Bundt Cake with Walnut Cinnamon Swirl

Serve this coffee cake plain for breakfast or brunch, or dress it up as a dessert by drizzling it with a simple vanilla sauce.

Storing For Freshness

Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week. For longer storage, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature before serving.

If serving with vanilla sauce, store the sauce separately in the fridge and warm gently before drizzling.

Hi, I’m Kristina, a gluten-free recipe developer creating and testing recipes since 2012. Every recipe on this site is made in my kitchen and personally tested (with the help of my very honest family!).

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and a quick review below, it helps other gluten-free cooks discover recipes they can trust.

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