While I’m not gluten free myself, I get a lot of request 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 an elasticity and stickiness to dough and batter. 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
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 Background 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 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: Overmix Your 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 dense, tough cake. But when you’re using gluten free flour, this isn’t a problem.
In fact, overmixing 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 Your 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 overmix 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.
- Bang your cake pans on the counter before putting it in the oven, to bring any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface
- 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 make 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.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try this gluten free vanilla cake recipe, I’d love to hear what think of it! Please leave a rating, and let me know your thoughts in the comments section.
Other Gluten Free Recipes You Might Like:
- Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes
- Gluten Free Almond Cupcakes
- No Bake Energy Bites (GF)
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
Gluten Free Vanilla Cake
This gluten free vanilla cake recipe is insanely simple & equally delicious! It comes together in one bowl and incredibly moist and fluffy.
Ingredients
Gluten Free Vanilla Cake
- 2 2/3 cup gluten-free flour (320 grams)
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400 grams)
- 1 Tbsp baking powder (12 grams)
- 1 tsp salt (4 grams)
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature (255 grams)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil (112 grams)
- 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla (12 grams)
- 2 large eggs, room temp (114 grams)
- 1 cup water (237 grams)
Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature (454 grams)
- 7 cups powdered sugar (904 grams) - or a 2 lb bag
- 1 tsp salt (4 grams)
- 3 Tbsp heavy cream (or whipping cream) (15 grams)
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract (8 grams)
Instructions
Gluten Free Vanilla Cake
- Begin by preheating oven to 350°F, and grease and line three 6" inch cake pans.
- Add the gluten free flour, sugar, baking powder and salt to a large bowl, and gently combine with a whisk.
- Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients, and add the water, vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, sour cream, eggs and vegetable oil.
- Gently whisk together the wet ingredients together until the start to combine, then slowly begin to mix them together with the dry ingredients.
- Mix together for a couple minutes, to help give the batter structure. You don't have to worry about overmixing, because there's no gluten in this batter!
- Cover and let the batter sit for about 30 minutes, to give the gluten free flour tiem to absorb more of the liquid in the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the 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.
- Allow the cake layers to 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, prepare the frosting.
- Beat the butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a whisk or paddle attachment, until smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract and salt on a low speed.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Alternate with small splashes of cream.
- Beat on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated, and the desired consistency is reached.
- If the frosting is too thick, add in additional cream (1 Tablespoon at a time). If the frosting is too thin, add in more powdered sugar (quarter of a cup at a time).
Notes
Making This Gluten Free Vanilla Cake in Advance and Storage Tips:
- Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them: It breaks the process up and make 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.
Nutrition Information
Yield
16Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 632Total Fat 34gSaturated Fat 17gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 96mgSodium 401mgCarbohydrates 83gFiber 0gSugar 81gProtein 1g
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?
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?
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 ?
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
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?
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?
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!