Gluten Free Vanilla Cake
While I’m not gluten free myself, I get a lot of requests for gluten free recipes on social media. That’s why I’m sharing this gluten free vanilla cake recipe!!
I used to think that gluten free baking was super intimidating, but there are so many wonderful gluten free flour blends out there nowadays!!
They make gluten free baking so much more approachable.
If you didn’t tell me that this cake was gluten-free, I’d have no clue. The texture and taste are just like a regular vanilla cake!!
What’s In Gluten Free Flour??
There are a lot gluten-free flour blends out there. Each brand uses a unique mixture of wheat flour alternatives, like rice flour, brown rice flour, and even almond flour.
It can be difficult to get the texture of gluten free flour just right for baking. A lot of these alternative flours have a finer texture than all-purpose flour.
Some type of starch is usually added to help give the mixture better structure, and a bit of binding power. Tapioca and potato starch are the most commonly used starches.
One other ingredient in gluten free flour that might sound a little strange is xanthan gum. It’s a key ingredient in gluten free baking. Xanthan gum has a big impact on the texture of gluten free baked goods too.
Gluten adds elasticity and stickiness to doughs and batters. Xanthan gum emulates these characteristics in gluten free baking and helps lock in moisture.
Luckily for us, xanthan gum is included in almost all gluten free flour blends (including the below brands).
My Favorite Gluten Free Flour Blend to Bake With
I’ve tried this recipe with a few different brands of gluten free flour, and so far, each of them has worked great:
- King Arthur gluten free measure for measure flour
- Cup4Cup gluten free multipurpose flour blend
- Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour
My favorite brand of gluten free flour for this recipe was King Arthur. However, any brand of gluten free flour you can find at your grocery store should work.
My only word of caution is to be sure you use some sort of gluten free flour blend.
Using a single type of gluten free flour like almond flour or cassava flour in this recipe will not yield the same results!
Most grocery stores carry at least one blend of gluten free flour. Stores like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s also have lots of great options.
If all else fails, Amazon is another easy way to get your hands on a gluten free flour blend. I order a majority of my baking supplies on Amazon, including most of my specialty ingredients.
The Inspiration Behind This Gluten Free Cake Recipe
This gluten free vanilla cake recipe is actually based on my gluten free cupcake recipe. It had an amazing texture and flavor, and I kept getting asked if it could be used to make a cake.
So, one day I finally decided to test it! I doubled the amount of ingredients, followed all my gluten free baking tips listed below, and baked 3, 6-inch cake layers.
I had to play around with the bake time a bit since gluten free baked goods take a bit longer to bake than regular baked goods. But after testing a couple batches I got it just right!
I was so happy that these cake layers were just as delicious and fluffy as my gluten free cupcake recipe!!
Why This Gluten Free Cake Recipe Works with Gluten Free Flour
There are also a couple tricks I use to make sure my gluten free baked goods end up with that tender, fluffy texture we know and love.
Tip #1: Over-Mix the Cake Batter
While I strongly advise against over-mixing batter in other recipes, and even design my recipes to have as little mixing as possible, gluten free batter is different.
The whole reason you don’t want to over mix your batter is that it develops thick strands of gluten, which can lead to a dense, tough cake.
But when you’re using gluten free flour, this isn’t a problem.
In fact, over-mixing gluten free flour can actually give the cake better structure! This helps the cake layers rise better as they bake and gives the cake a more tender crumb.
The incremental structure helps prevent the cake layers from crumbling as they’re bitten into.
Tip #2 Let the Cake Batter Rest
Remember earlier when I said that gluten free flour blends can have a hard time absorbing moisture and fats?
If you let the batter sit for a bit before baking it, you give the flour more time to absorb all that goodness. This helps thicken the batter and prevents your cake from having a gritty texture.
I unintentionally did this as I was photographing and filming this gluten free vanilla cake batter. You’d be surprised how long it takes to get a perfect shot of pouring cake batter into a pan!
Letting the batter sit for about 30 minutes drastically improves the texture of these cake layers, so be sure you don’t skip this step!!
While the batter rests, you can figure out how you want to decorate your gluten free cake! I decided to keep things simple by piping some frosting squiggles up the side of the cake with a Wilton 1M frosting tip.
Why I Prefer Vanilla Bean Paste Over Vanilla Extract in This Recipe
It’s important to use good quality vanilla when it’s the only flavor in a baked good like this. I used vanilla bean paste in this recipe, and I think it makes a huge difference in taste!
I prefer vanilla bean paste to vanilla extract in this recipe for a couple reasons. The first reason is that I love the little flecks of vanilla bean in the buttercream frosting and cake layers.
They’re beautiful!! It’s like you can see that warm, delicious flavor swirled throughout the cake.
I also think that the vanilla bean paste adds a stronger, better flavor than vanilla extract. If you haven’t tried it before, I highly recommend giving it a try.
It’s not too expensive, and it really elevates the flavor of this cake!
If you don’t want to buy another ingredient or you prefer using vanilla extract, that’s ok too! Just be sure to use real vanilla extract. Imitation vanilla just doesn’t do it for me flavor-wise.
Tips for Making the Best Gluten Free Vanilla Cake
- Don’t be afraid to over-mix your batter! Vigorously whisk your batter for a few minutes once it’s made, to help give it structure
- Let your batter sit for about 30 minutes before baking to help the gluten free flour absorb more moisture from the batter
- Properly measure your gluten free flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients
- Ingredients at room temp mix together better, so be sure you set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- Use vanilla bean paste to give your cake an amazing flavor!
Making These Cake Layers in Advance & Storage Tips
Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!
If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.
Making This Gluten Free Vanilla Cake in Different Sizes
I used 3, 6″ cake pans to make this cake, but this recipe can be used to make different sized cakes. You can also half or double the ingredients to make a half or double batch!
You can make two 8″ cake layers with one batch of batter. Bake time will be the same as what the recipe card calls for.
One batch of batter can also be used to make one 8×8-inch sheet cake. Bake it at 350°F for 40-50 minutes and use flower nails or heating cores to help the cake bake evenly.
If you want to make gluten free vanilla cupcakes, I recommend using my gluten free vanilla cupcake recipe. It makes 12, delicious vanilla cupcakes.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try this gluten free vanilla cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.
Gluten Free Vanilla Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
Gluten Free Vanilla Cake
- 2 2/3 cup gluten-free flour 320g
- 2 cups granulated sugar 400g
- 1 Tbsp baking powder 12g
- 1 tsp fine salt 6g
- 1 cup water 240g
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature 255g
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil 112g
- 2 large eggs, room temperature 112g
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 12g
Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 452g or a 1 lb. box
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
- 1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
- 7 cups powdered sugar 904g or a 2 lb. bag
- 3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, room temperature 45g
Instructions
Gluten Free Vanilla Cake
- Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F/175°C and grease and line three 6-inch or 2 8-inch cake pans.
- Add 2 and 2/3 cups gluten-free flour, 2 cups sugar, 1 Tbsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt into a large bowl and gently combine with a whisk.
- Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and add 1 cup of water, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, and 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. Gently whisk the wet ingredients together until they start to combine. Then slowly begin to mix them into the dry ingredients.
- Mix the batter for a couple of minutes to help give the batter structure. You don't have to worry about over-mixing because there's no gluten in this batter!
- Cover and let the batter sit for about 30 minutes to give the gluten-free flour time to absorb more of the liquid in the batter. This helps prevent the cake from having a gritty texture.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 35-38 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs. I like to rotate my pans halfway through to help them bake more evenly.
- Let the cake layers cool in their pans for 10 minutes before flipping them onto wire racks to finish cooling.
Gluten Free Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- While the cake layers bake and cool, make the buttercream frosting.
- Beat 2 cups of butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a whisk or paddle attachment until smooth.
- Mix in 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp salt on a low speed.
- Gradually mix in 7 cups of powdered sugar and 3 Tbsp of heavy cream on a low speed.
- Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated and smooth. If the frosting seems too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time).
- Stack and frost the cake layers, then decorate as desired.
Video
Notes
Making This Recipe into a Gluten-Free Vanilla Sheet Cake
One batch will make 1, 9 x 13-inch cake layer that is about 1 inch tall once it’s baked. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350°F/175°C, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Bake time can vary a lot based on the type of pan you use, if you use heating cores, and your oven. I recommend using heating cores if you have them to help large cake layers like this bake more evenly and quickly.Making This Gluten Free Vanilla Cake in Advance and Storage Tips
I recommend making your cake layers in advance and freezing them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable. You can also make the frosting ahead of time or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again. A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious. If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.Nutrition
Other Gluten Free Recipes You Might Like:
could you use almond flower instead of gluten free flour?
Hi Natalie,
Sadly you can’t! The texture just isn’t right, and the cake comes out quite dense. I’m so sorry!
hello i am wondering why is my cake not rising
but is was still as good is it a big deal if it rises?
@akala, you probably didnt mix enough. but no matter what you do, it wont rise much more than 1 inch.
Hi, I have a pretty general question (not specific to this cake), when you are making the frosting, what attachment do you use on your kitchenaid stand mixer? Do you use the whisk/whip attachment or the paddle attachment?
Hi Faith,
I use the whisk attachment when making frosting for cupcakes, or making a fluffy frosting that requires it (like SMBC or russian buttercream). I use my paddle attachment when making frosting for a cake (to make it super smooth/air bubble free). Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi there!
I have made your gluten free chocolate cake, and it was amazing! I am curious, can you use Bob’s Red Mill grain free paleo baking flour for this cake? If so, is the measurement of flour, still 1 to 1? Thanks!
So happy to hear that Jessica! I have never tried that flour blend in my recipes, so sadly I’m not sure. If the package says it can be used cup for cup in place of regular flour then I’d assume it should though! Sorry I can’t be of more help <3
Could I make this an almond flavored cake by doing 1/2 tablespoon vanilla and 1/2 tablespoon almond extract?
Hi Dana,
You totally can! This cake would taste great with some almond extract 🙂
Is the gf flour plain or self raising
Hi Stephanie,
This is regular GF flour! Usually a recipe will specify otherwise 🙂
Stephanie: Is this too much batter for two six inch cake pans? That’s all I have and I’m making two GF cakes for a “twins reveal”! Also, can you use coconut cream in the icing instead of regular cream? Thank you Patricia
Hi Patricia,
I would recommend letting some of the batter sit and making 3, 6″ cake pans. Hope that helps, and that your reveal cake turns out great <3
-Chelsey
Do you have a recipe for a gluten free lemon pound cake using cup for cup gluten flour?
Hi Sondra,
Sadly I don’t! I’ve actually never made a lemon pound cake before, but it’s def on my list of things to bake soon <3
Hi Chelsea! Thanks for sharing your GF recipes, I’m so excited to try this one! (Your chocolate GF cake was to die for!). I’m curious, do you have any pointers on scaling cake recipes? I’d like to make this as a 3 layer 8 inch cake. Thanks!
Do you have a recipe for a GF wedding cake
Hi! how would you alter this recipe to let it fit 3 8″ cake pans?
@Deonna Jorgensen, I doubled the recipe.
Hi! Can you double or triple the recipe? I’d love to take this cake to work as we have several GF staff. Love you recipes ?
@Yvonne Khalil, I just doubled the recipe to make 4 8-inch layers :). Works great!
Baked it twice both times came out really underbaked….temp is correct…tried once in 2 8″ then second time in 3 6″……. any idea?
Hi Natalie,
So sorry to hear that!! It could vary based on the types of pans you use, or the brand of GF flour! I’d try leaving them in 3-5 minutes more next time if you plan to use the same pans and flour <3
Hi! So me and my brother love to bake, and especially love your recipes 😉 but sadly we don’t have enough King Arthur measure for measure left. But we have plenty of almond, and coconut flour. Could we substitute for one of those or do half measure for measure half of the other?
First time making GF cake!! Ok, so you suggest to let the batter rest for 30 mins before cooking, can it sit longer? Say like to bake 2 cakes then bake the rest of the batter for the 3rd after the first 2. Would that be to long sitting?? Thanks!:)
Hi there! I love your recipes! I recently tried this recipe and baked it an additional 15 mins at the correct temperature in a convection oven. It came out “gummy”…..is this from overbaking? Or not mixing/ allowing it to sit long enough? Thanks so much!
Can I use milk instead of water? Or does it need to be water?
Can you add Strawberries to this to make it a strawberry cake?
I made the cake, fallow the recipe to the tea, unfortunate i was not happy with it at all. Batter came too dense, I just realize why. Your recipe has two large eggs, but I notice just now your picture with all the ingredients in the bowl has THREE eggs. In baking you can’t make mistakes like that! And also for 2 2/3 flour I don’t think 1 teaspoon baking power is enough! Cake was horrible and I have been baking for my granddaughter that is celiac for many years!
The recipe calls for a tablespoon of baking powder, not a teaspoon. Easy to misread though….
I only have three 9 inch cake pans so how many 9 inch cake pans does one batch make
@Gianna,
I just asked this question and just noticed this comment asking the same question. Did you ever had the chance to try this recipe on a 9 inch? Since I see she rarely answered anyone’s -_-
The cake turned out great! I added 3 a ounce box of Strawberry Jello. I did use the mixer to mix it. My friend loved it, thanks.
I used this to make my youngest a smash cake. I cut the recipe in half and it made 2 16 ounce corning ware dishes and a dozen cupcakes. Perfect! The cake was so fluffy too! I was worried because the batter was very runny. But they all bajed up excellent. Thank you for this recipe.
Maria, I haven’t made this but I did notice that the recipe says a tablespoon of baking powder, not a teaspoon. Perhaps that is where you went wrong? The recipe also gives the weight of eggs.
Thank you for posting a gluten free cake recipe!
I am making a cake for a friend, and they are sensitive to eggs. Is there a good egg replacer I can use for this recipe?
How much mix for a two tier cake , 2 10 inch and 2 6 inch square
Excellent cake. Actually, i made cup cakes. Moist, dense, flavorful. Will make again!!! Thank you.
Hii…can you pls share eggless recipe for vanilla and chocolate cake???
I tested out this recipe for a cake. Oddly enough, I’ve never made a vanilla cake before. Haha. I made half the recipe for a 3 layer 4″ mini cake and had enough batter left for 5 cupcakes. The cake was moist, but a little chewy. It’s honestly a texture I’ve never come across before. I’ve been GF for 9 years (yay Celiac) and usually take “regular” recipes and convert them to GF. Regardless of the texture, I received positive feedback from my taste-testers. So, I decided to use the recipe for the 3 layer 8″ round cake. I doubled the batter so I’d have enough leftover for a dozen cupcakes. The texture is still the same as the first time, but I figured it would be good for stability with the cake. Fingers crossed they like it!
I should add, I used King Arthur gluten free measure-for-measure flour. It’s my go-to for just about every recipe. Many people swear by Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour, but it’s too gritty IMO. KA is my favorite. I bake almost every day, so when I say it’s a texture I haven’t come across – it’s not that I”m new to GF baking.
Hi, I’ve tried making this several times. Every time it come out and then sinks, but tastes good. I’ve left it in the oven longer with no change it still sinks, Can you help with where I maybe going wrong please? I’m trying to bake individual 1.5” layers, is it better in a taller tin?
@Robyn, was your batter weird and sour?
I used a 9×13 cake pan and it turned out wonderful!
can i half the recipe ?
Ruthie, do you remember how long you baked it for in the 9×13? I’m wanting to try exactly that tonight!
she gave the weight of eggs , most bakers go by weight
How hard would it be to change this cake from vanilla to lemon?
@Suzie, Check out the King Arthur site for the Lemon Bliss Cake. So good! I use lemon curd instead of the glaze before frosting. It is moist and delicious!
Hi there.
in this gluten free cake can I add gluten free oreos I the batter.
another question, can I turn this recipe to lemon blueberries gluten free cake?
Also do you have a gluten free suger cookies recipe that I can decorate? thank you.
I just want to say THANK YOU!!!!!??? I have made this cake several times now with different flavors and each time everyone is surprised it is GF!! The best recipe hands down, I have tried soo many recipes that ended up in the trash ? So thank you Chels and keep up the awesome work!!!
I had the same result.
Well, this is the FIRST of many gf cakes I’ve made that is off the charts! As you said, fluffy and moist. The tips you gave were really what sent this recipe straight to the top! Thank you so much!
Hi Chelsweet! I am getting ready to make a gluten free, dairy free cake for my daughter for her birthday, but I’m full of questions! I can only use olive oil, as my daughter has a sensitive belly and I know olive oil works for her. I am planning to use King Arthur’s Gluten free, measure for measure flour. I am having so much trouble finding the right recipe with all these requirements! Do you have any recipes that you would suggest considering the gluten free, dairy free requirements? Also the must use olive oil requirement! Help!! Claudia
PS I started with Betty Crocker gluten free mix but it fell flat like a pancake, twice!
I thought it was me ( even though I followed directions exactly) but the reviews on line all said the same thing! Flat as a pancake!! So discouraged!
How can I adapt this recipe into a key lime cake.
Can you make this cake lactose free by substituting the sour cream with lactose free sour cream?
Hi Can I use Buttermilk instead on sour Cream? & if so how much? Thanks,
We don’t like the taste of Dairy Free Sour cream/ Yogurt.
And I make my own Dairy Free Buttermilk.
Thanks,
Forgot to ask, can the batter be colored with Gel coloring? & also can Sprinkles be added (for a Funfetti cake)
Tanking you in advance,
What’s your vegan version of this recipe? Also could I use buttermilk if I wanted?
I made this as cupcakes and a single cake because I didn’t have cake pans, only an 8″ square Pyrex and muffin tin. I used pur vanilla extract, but next time I’m trying the bean paste. And I didn’t make the frosting. Let me tell you, this is delicious! My husband said it tasted like a twinkie, so if there frosting tastes like twinkie filling, you have to re-market this as a GF twinkie. Thank you!
I think the butter cream frosting was good but the cake it self was hard to bake and was to Liquidy personally I didn’t like it it was challenging to make and I am going to try another recipe
I use her recipes all the time and I’ve replaced one egg for 1/4c applesauce many times! So 1/4c per egg!
can you mix with mixer
Amazing!!! I do quite a bit of gluten free baking but this was my first time making cake. The recipe is perfect and also easily adaptable. For those that had issues, please note that its important to follow measurements by weight in gluten free baking. Different flours and blends measure differently. Even for my eggs, I had to use more as the 2 large eggs I had weighed less than 100g. I had to use part of a 3rd egg. I also subed 1/2 milk and 1/2 water for the water called for in the recipe. This made the cake a bit richer…slightly less fluffy, but still super moist. And lastly I used 1/2 almond extract and 1/2 vanilla…. taste (and smell) was heavenly. It was for my daughters birthday and my husband (who doesn’t eat cakes or desserts) devoured a few slices post party!
This is the most amazing vanilla gluten free cake ever! The crumb and texture is perfect and it couldn’t be any better. Hands down amazing and talented baker you are!
Hi there! This souds delicious! Could I use Gluten Free Oat flour? Or which brand of gf flour do yoy reccomend as i have had a hard time finding a good one besides the oat! Thank you!
Can I change the cake pan size to 2, 8 in layers instead of 3, 6 in ones? I’d probably want to lengthen the cook time a bit but other than that it would be about the same right?
@Lila Hartwig, Did you try with 2 8”? and if so how was it?
WOW! Just took my pans out of the oven, and they look and smell amazing! I had some extra batter so I made a little cupcake on the side to taste test, and WOW WOW WOW x1000! So delicious, moist, and fluffy! Followed everything exactly except I had to sub melted/cooled butter for the oil, and I’m so glad it all worked out! It’s everything you could want in a GF cake (and honestly a non-GF cake too!)!!
Also, I was making a 4inch cake and i took 2/3 of the recipe and it made a little more than 3 4-inch layers! Just FYI in case that’s helpful to anyone else :).
I have been asked to make a gluten-free cake with two tiers, 8”’and 10”… will this recipe bake larger cakes ok? I am doing a test tomorrow for tasting but just curious about baking larger layers.
Can I make this vegan?
Please read the whole recipe & follow every detail! Chelsweets has given us a perfect recipe! I used King Arthur’s Gluten Free Flour & Vanilla paste. Because I have never baked gluten free, I was a “doubter,” I made cupcakes so I could try one before giving for a birthday dessert! After allowing the batter to rest, which made a huge difference; I tasted the batter before & after to experience the difference! I filled each cupcake holder with 1/3 cup of batter & baked at 350 for 20 mins. (tested at 15 mins). I frosted them with cream cheese icing. Cream (at room temperature) 1/2 cup of butter, 8 ozs cream cheese, then add 1lb. Confectioners sugar & a tsp. of vanilla (not paste), if too thick add SMALL amounts of milk until desired consistency. OMG! Delicious! This recipe is a keeper! Thank you! ??
The cake looks absolutely fantastic! I’m wondering why the pictures show 3 eggs but the recipe says to use 2?
I love this cake. I did make a few changes as we cannot do too much dairy. I used coconut milk with 1 Tab of white vinegar in place of the sour cream. I used 1 teas of vanilla and 2 teas of coconut extract to make this a delicious coconut cake. I also only used 3/4 cup of water as that is what was called for if substituting coconut milk for the sour cream. (It was on another web site) My oven took a little longer to fully bake the cake, 42 minutes. The cake very fluffy and has a nice coconut taste. This is a keeper.
Thank you for this awesome recipe! I made it as directed in 3 8″ pans. The cake was moist spongey, and delicious.
Can you replace the vegetable oil with butter or vegan butter?
I just wanted to reach out and say this recipe turned out amazing, I did make a few modifications to it only because in our household we not only have a gluten intolerance we also have a dairy allergy and egg allergy as well. Cheers thank you so much for the recipe!
Hi Chels
When using 3 x 6″ round pans how tall is each layer?
Thanks x
Hey! If the flour I am using doesn’t have xanthan gum, can it be added to the recipe instead?
When I make regular cakes I often substitute applesauce for the oil but I was wondering if that would have a negative affect with a gluten-free cake?
I just pulled this cake from the oven and it smells delicious! They were beautifully domed while baking and as soon as I removed them to cool, they deflated into a wrinkly mess. I followed your recipe to the gram with the exception of eggs, which I just used to large ones. Do you or anyone else have any tips because I think this cake has a lot of potential.
What happened to the link for your gluten free chocolate cake? It was my go to recipe!
Could I use a 9 inch pan instead? And split it in to two 9 inch pans? For this recipe.
Hi! I made the cake and during the mixing it became like a thick sludge. Super gloopy and thick. It seemed to bake ok, but the cake after decorating became really dense. Can you think of what I might have messed up? I did mix a lot and I did let it rest. Only thing I think I might have done is mix wet ingredients completely separately and then poured in to dry ingredients. Thanks in advance! Everyone loved the flavor!
If i don’t have gluten free flour what can i use instead? Can i use all purpose flour?
Would I be able to make a bundt cake with this recipe?
Thank you
Hi! I’m looking for a gluten free recipe to make my son’s first birthday cake. I noticed you add sour cream to the batter, can this be substitued for dairy free sour cream or anything else dairy free?
Thoughts on subbing olive oil for vegetable oil?
I want to make an ombre cake with this recipe work well with food coloring?
Chelsey, I love this recipe (as in, I’ve read through it 3 times and know I’m going to love baking it) and can’t wait to make it next weekend. I’m planning to use it for a friend’s bridal shower cake in September. Random question! I need this cake and your lavender buttercream to yield for 60 people…would you recommend that I double (or triple) the recipes? And just thinking on this front, probably would need enough to yield a 4-layer, 10″ cake, right? Help is very much appreciated and welcome! 🙂 Thanks again!
@Vanessa C., Did you ever make this cake for the shower? How did it turn out? I made it for my son’s engagement party…3 12″ layers. We had 30 people but I’m sure it would have served close to 60. I tripled the recipe…one batch for each layer.
Excited to make this cake for my BF’s twin’s 21st BD. One is GF, the other is not, hopefully no one will have to sacrifice today!
Is there a non-dairy alternative for the sour cream? I want to make this cake, but the person I am serving is allergic to gluten AND dairy. Ideas?
This was horrible. Gummy and dense. I bake regularly and have been GF baking for 15 years. I tried this recipe because I didn’t have butter, but did have sourcream. I do not recommend.
@Marina, OMG same for me. It had a nice flavor but the texture was very gummy and wet. Cake was soggy actually.
Hi there! I have a request for a GF lemon cake. Wondering how I can make this lemon? Lemon extract, zest, juice? I’d love your input! Thank you.
I followed all the directions, letting batter rest, properly measuring ingredients, room temp ingredients and overmixing but cake doesn’t rise that much. Is it just me?
Can you use milk instead of water? Or will that change the cake.
Hi! What measurements would I need to make this into an 8″- 4 layer cake? I only have two pans, so would I need to separate the batter so each pan bakes one layer at a time? Or can it be bake all at once and the cake cut two of the cakes for a total of four layers? I hope this make sense! Thank you!
Can you make this in a 9 x 11 cake pan ? If so, what does that do to the baking time ?
I enjoyed this cake better than any other vanilla g-free cake I’ve made so far but I did find it a bit too wet and dense. I used Bob’s Redmill 1 to 1. As well, next time I will use baking strips on the sides and they cooked faster and the inside was still raw in parts even after the full baking time.
Can it be made vegan using your other recipe?
I only have 2 9 inch cake pans. would I have to double the batch? And ill be using the vanilla extract, so 8 grams of vanilla extract would be 1.8 tsp?
Would fresh strawberries be okay to fold through the batter before baking ?
Hi. Is it possible to use this recipe or the GF chocolate cake for a 3 tier cake? Thank you?
Can I make this in a 9X13 pan?
I’ve been asked to make a gluten-free, potato free vanilla cake. The 3 suggested 1-to-1 GF flour brands all have potato starch. Paleo all purpose flour is free of any potato product. Do you have experience using King Arthur’s Grain-Free Paleo Baking Flour in place of King Arthur’s GF all purpose flour? Would it be a 1-to-1 ratio as well? Your suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Hi!
So I’m making this cake for my sister’s birthday party but I only have 9 inch cake pans. There will be about 16 people there how can I alter this recipe and bake time to make it into a 9 inch cake? Or am I just better off buying 6 inch cake pans?
Thank you. You have just saved the day with this recipe ?
Hi! This cake looks so delicious. I need to make it in a rectangular baking pan (sheet pan?) so would your recipe work? Thanks in advance. Am desperate at the last minute of course.
This cake came out very dense and no flavor. I was not impressed with this cake.
I would specify in the recipe list the GF flour must be 1 for 1, there are blends that don’t have the xanthum. This could be why some people are saying it’s not turning out of they didn’t read everything else.
Made this today for a 5 tier 8” naked pastel cake! Came out great and the taste is amazing! So I did 21/2 times the recipe and weighed everything! I put 3 cups of batter in 5 different bowls and stirred in the food coloring! This took quite awhile so the batter hung out for a lot longer than 30 minutes. By the time I baked all the cakes it definitely was not gritty! I used King Arthur flour and vanilla bean paste, also I used half sour cream and half Greek yogurt and almond oil. Delicious recipe! Worth all the time!!!
Can I substitute whole milk greek yogurt or buttermilk for the sour cream?
This cake was amazing!!!! I have yet to find a moist gluten free cake like this. I do have one question:
I don’t have 6inch pans so I put it in two 8 inch pans- it worked out great but the cake was short. Would making 1 1/2 of this recipe work?
How many cups for this batter?
Can’t wait to try this recipe! I don’t have sour cream on hand – could I substitute it for butter?
Hi there! So excited to make this for my fiancé’s birthday. Is there any substitute for the vegetable oil? Would coconut oil work instead?
I am making this in a 12×12×3 in cake. How much time for baking?
Best gluten free cake I have ever made! My MIL said she wouldn’t have thought it was GF if I had not told her. Everyone loved it. I followed the recipe exactly and split it between two 9in pans.
aw i am so happy to hear that!!! thanks for sharing Alissa!!! 🙂
I made this cake for my son’s engagement party…it was a hit! I followed the recipe to a T but I used a 12 inch pan and made 3 batches for 3 layers. I did adjust the baking temp to 325* and baked for a full 60 min to accommodate for the larger pan. I baked the cake on Tuesday and then iced it right before the party on Saturday. It performed beautifully. I think it’s very important to follow the tips for beating the batter really well and then letting it rest before baking. I recommend this recipe 100% and can’t wait to bake it again!
So happy to hear that Margaret!! And such a good idea to lower the baking temp for big cake layers like that 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!
Made this for my son’s birthday. I have a daughter who eats GF and has dairy intolerance, so I substituted a container of Silk vanilla soy milk yogurt substitute for the sour cream. I had to add some oat milk (1/4 cup) to make up the difference, and the kids said the cake was delicious! I also added a couple tablespoons of cocoa powder to 1/3 of the batter for a chocolate layer. (The rest of the family, who don’t need GF, nearly finished the cake off, so it must have been good!) It had a wonderfully light texture! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that Kendra! Those sound like excellent substitutions, and I love that your family enjoyed it 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Can I substitute lemon juice for the water? I’d like to make a lemon cake
Hi Chantale,
Great question! Lemon juice can actually cause cake layers to bake up dense and tough, so I wouldn’t recommend making that swap! To make these gluten free cake layers lemon flavored, I’d suggest adding the zest of one large lemon into the batter and adding a 1-2 teaspoons of lemon extract.
Both of these can also be added to the frosting to make lemon buttercream, and you can swap the heavy cream for lemon juice in the buttercream recipe. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Amazing!! So glad I found your recipe and website. Turned out great for my aunt’s wedding with many gluten sensitive attendees. They were so excited they could actually partake in the cake at a wedding reception ????
Hi Tonya,
I’m so happy to hear that! That is so wonderful, I love that 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!
Hi Should l use gluten free self raising flour for this cake ?
Thanks
Hi Val,
I used regular gluten free flour in this recipe, but if you want to use self-rising GF flour, make sure you exclude the leavening agents and salt that this cake recipe calls for. Most self rising flour also includes salt, so I’m assuming the self rising GF you’re talking about does too. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Has anyone made this cake with Better Batter flour? It’s all I have and I hate to buy another kind. I also need a 12 x 18 sheet cake. Has anyone used this recipe for a cake that size?
Thank you!
Hi Karen,
Sadly I haven’t tested this recipe with better batter flour, but hopefully someone else has tried it and will be able to share!
I tried this cake and it was very dry and crumbly. Is that normal? If not, any recommendations?
Hi Tina,
Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that!! It definitely shouldn’t be dry and crumbly. What type of gluten free flour did you use? Did you let the batter sit a bit before baking the layers? Hopefully we’ll be able to figure it out together!
Hi my family really loved the cake i made thank you so much ?
Aw I’m so happy to hear that Chloe 🙂 Thank you for sharing!!
Hi there! If I need to make this cake dairy free as well, what could I substitute the sour cream with?
Thank you!
Hi Bon,
Great question! You can use alternative /dairy free milk or dairy yogurt, like almond milk, oat milk, soy yogurt, or coconut yogurt in place of the sour cream. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Hi I made this cake tonight and the batter was very runny. Is that right? I left it to rest for half an hour but it was still runny. After baking for 35 minutes the cake was doughy please can anyone help with why this was. Thank you xx
Hi Elaine,
This recipe is made with vegetable oil rather than butter, so the batter is on the thin side. In terms of the cake layers being doughy, do you mean they weren’t fully cooked through? Some ovens can vary in temperature and how they bake, your layers may have needed a few more minutes to bake! Did the centers sink as the layers cooled? Hopefully we’ll be able to figure out what happened!
Hi chels can i substitute the sour cream for almond milk instead?? Do i need to add vinegr to the milk??
Hi Ren,
Great question! You can totally substitute the sour cream for almond milk. The batter will be a bit thinner but should still bake up great. You don’t need to add in any vinegar to the milk. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Just came upon your cake recipe – IT IS AMAZING!!! I used King Arthur one-for-one, and used butter instead of oil, which I love for cakes. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Kristy,
So happy to hear that!! Yay 🙂 Thank YOU for sharing!!!
My son is DF. What can I use instead of sour cream? I’ve made lactose free buttermilk with lactaid and lemon juice. Can I just sub that for the sour cream?
Hi Megan,
Great question! That would be a wonderful substitution for the sour cream. Hope they turn out amazing!!
How can I make this GF/DF with the sour cream? What adjustments would you make?
Hi Megan,
I’d recommend using a dairy free yogurt! That should work great in place of the sour cream. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Why does this recipe call for 1tsp of salt and the others call for 1/2 tsp
Hi Alexa,
I like to use 1 tsp of salt based on the amount of sugar in this recipe. I think it balances out the sweetness nicely. Cake recipes can vary a ton from the ingredients, to quantities, to the size of cake they make. I can’t really speak to other recipes since I didn’t develop them, but I like the way this recipe tastes with 1 tsp. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I only have a 9×13 pan to work with. Would you adjust the baking time?
Hi Marie,
This recipe only makes about 7.5 cups of batter, so you’d end up with a very thin cake layer if you bake it in a 9×13 inch pan. I’d recommend making 1.5 batches of batter to bake a cake that size. Bake time will probably be a few minutes longer, and I’d test the cake with a toothpick in the center and make sure the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs or cleanly to make sure it’s fully baked. Hope that helps, happy baking!
This may sound weird, but I make this recipe all the time, for some things it is kind of too moist. The top crumb will come off when I handle it. It is delicious and doesn’t always matter much but sometimes I’d like it too be a tad drier for stability. I wonder if I should try baking it longer or using less fat? I’ve also changed altitudes, so I’m not sure if that would affect how moist it is though?
Hi Ana,
That is really interesting!! But I totally get that. You can either bake the layers a bit longer or add in a bit more GF flour (I’d say 2-4 Tbsp) to make the cake a bit drier. Hope that helps, happy baking!
I just want to make one suggestion about cakes not baking properly for some. The material of your pans matter. Whether your pans are light or dark matters. Heat distribution can be effected. She is using light colored aluminium pans. if you are not using something similar, it could cause an issue with your cakes. Your pans may be effecting your results!
I couldn’t agree more Tarah, such a good point!! Pans have such a huge impact on how cake layers bake up. Thank you for pointing this out!
Hi, could I ask what your sea level is? I’ve made this cake twice and it’s been delicious according to my husband but too moist, so wondering if I need to adjust for sea level differences.
Hi Becca,
Of course, and that’s super smart to consider when you’re baking! I’m located in Seattle, so I’m right at sea level. What is your elevation? That can definitely impact how this cake bakes up!
Can I make this cake in a 9 x 13 pan? What would the baking time be?
Hi Nancy,
Great question! One batch will make 1, 9 x 13-inch cake layer that is about 1 inch tall once it’s baked.
Bake for 40-45 mins at 350 F / 175 C, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Bake time can vary a lot based on the type of pan you use, if you use heating cores, and your oven.
I recommend using heating cores (like these: https://amzn.to/49ivvMc) if you have them to help large cake layers like this bake more evenly and quickly.
Hope that helps, happy baking!
I can’t find a way to search all the comments, but I’m wondering if I could make this into a half sheet if I doubled it? Thanks!
Hi Maria,
You absolutely can double this recipe to make a half sheet cake! That should work great, happy baking!
Hey! Made this and it was absolutely insanely amazing!! If I wanted to make a strawberry version, would I add freeze dried strawberries to the batter? Thanks!!
Yay, I’m so happy to hear that Sam!! Yes, you can swap out 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar for freeze dried strawberries or for a strawberry puree reduction. Then I’d add some strawberry jam between the layers to really pack it with strawberry flavor, and/or use a strawberry buttercream!! Hope that helps, happy baking!
Here’s my recipe for strawberry buttercream: https://chelsweets.com/strawberry-buttercream/
@Chelsweets, yay awesome thank you so much!!!! Appreciate you!!!
Do you have any sugar free recipes for cakes, Single Or Double? Thank you.
Hello, what can I use instead of sour cream in the white cake recipe for a dairy free option? Thankyou
Help! I have made this recipe 3 times. The first time was 3 6in pans. Cooked 35 minutes. Looked done but was severely underbaked. Second time was 2 8in pans cooked 55 minutes and still underbaked but slightly better. Decided to try my mom’s oven for the 3rd attempt 2 8 in pans. Cooked 40 minutes. Still underbaked even thought they looked done and toothpicks came out completely clean. I weighed every ingredient and followed the recipe to a T. The only change I made was I used a tbsp of lemon emulsion instead of vanilla bean. I’m using cup4cup gf flour. All ingredients were new. All ingredients were at room temperature. Batter rested about 50 minutes before going in the oven. I’m so frustrated with gf baking as every recipe I’ve tried has failed. I’ve been having trouble with my oven temp but have a thermometer in the oven but it still failed in a completely different oven. I’m ready to throw in the towel and just use box mixes. Thanks for any advice.
Lindsey
I am so sorry to hear that Lindsey! You are doing all the right things, and have done almost everything I would recommend doing! Gluten free baking can be finicky.
When you say they’re underbaked, are they like gooey in the center? Or sinking once they’re out of the oven? The one thing I would suggest if you haven’t already is testing the oven with an oven thermometer! My ovens have always been off by a bit, my last oven ran 60 DEGREES cool before I got it recalibrated!!!! Hopefully we’ll be able to figure it out together!
Hi there! I made your GF chocolate cake and it was perfect in every way and I loved it! I decided to make this one too but it did not turn out quite the same. I followed instructions exactly and used King Arthur GF flour blend. My cake layers were a much more dense and heavy texture than the chocolate cake. In fact I had to bake them longer than recommended bc they just wouldn’t get done in the middle. I’m wondering if you have any insight into why this cake wasn’t as light and fluffy as the chocolate or what could have went wrong? Thanks so much!
Hi Fredia,
This recipe does just have a different texture than the chocolate cake, despite both being gluten free they are not actually related. I sadly haven’t been able to recreate a vanilla version of my GF chocolate cake. But I’ve been trying over the years and maybe one of these days I will! Hope that helps, happy baking!
This is my FAVOURITE cake recipe! I made it once because I have a friend who is celiac, and now its my go to cake for both gluten free people and not. I LOVE that you have included grams measurements, it makes it fool proof (don’t get me started on cups for baking!)
I just used my grocery store home brand; Only goodness 1:1 gluten free flour. I just made sure it had xantham gum in it, works perfectly.
Thank you so much!
That is so wonderful to hear Hope, thank you for sharing 🙂 And omg yes, baking in grams is absolutely the way to go! So much easier and more accurate! AND less dishes!!!