By / Last Modified On September 19, 2023
An easy gluten-free vanilla cake recipe that is tender and better than any bakery-style gluten-free cake. You guys have been asking for the best gluten-free vanilla cake recipe, and here it is!
You are going to love this gluten-free vanilla cake.
Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
This gluten-free dairy-free vanilla cake is a spin off my gluten-free vanilla cupcakes.
If you are more of a gluten-free chocolate person, you are going to want to check out my easy gluten-free chocolate cake.
In case you were wondering, this gluten-free vanilla cake has the best texture. It's light, tender, and it isn't dry like many gluten-free vanilla cake recipes.
Everyone agrees that this is the best gluten-free vanilla cake. No need to ever buy a gluten-free vanilla cake mix at the store.
Several of my readers have been asking for an easy gluten-free vanilla cake recipe. I've had my gluten-free vanilla cupcakes up for a while now, and they get raving reviews.
Please read through this entire post. It's full of tips for making the best gluten-free vanilla cake.
This gluten-free dairy-free vanilla cake recipe isn't vegan. It uses eggs.
If you require a vegan cake, you may use the equivalent of a flaxegg, but your cake texture will vary.
Is Vanilla Extract Gluten-Free?
Yes, pure vanilla extract is gluten-free. You'll want to always check labels, especially on imitation vanilla extracts, as additional ingredients may be added.
How to make gluten-free vanilla cake
There are a couple of tips and tricks to getting the right texture with this gluten-free vanilla cake recipe. First, you have to follow the recipe.
So many people comment on recipe posts saying that they made a ton of substitutions, and the recipe didn’t turn out. If you make a substitution, you are doing so on your own.
Other than the dairy substitute, I haven’t tried other substitutes in this recipe.
Second, you want to mix at the right time and not over-mix. When you are beating the oil, sugar, and eggs, you’ll want to beat it for the time listed.
This adds air which in turn helps the cake rise. Beating any longer will cause the batter to stiffen.
Steps to make a Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Cake
- Make sure to preheat your oven before you begin.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine oil and sugar.
- Add eggs and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for one minute. Add flour, salt, baking powder, dairy-free milk, and vanilla; beat at medium speed for one minute.
- Spoon batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the center springs back when touched and cakes are lightly browned.
- Let cool in the pan on a rack for five minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans onto rack and cool completely before frosting.
- Let cakes cool completely before frosting.
For the detailed instructions and ingredients for this gluten-free vanilla cake recipe, please see the complete recipe below.
Can I use dairy in this cake?
Yes, you can use regular dairy butter and dairy milk in this recipe. Just note that if you use butter instead of oil in the recipe, the cake will be a little heavier.
This isn't a bad thing; it's just a smidge more dense.
What causes a gluten-free cake to crack on top?
You might see cracks if your temperature is too high, or your cake is placed in the oven too high. The heat of baking activates the baking powder and causes it to release carbon dioxide, which forms bubbles and raises the cake.
If your oven is too hot, that process is sped up. Make sure to place your cake in the center, and regularly check your oven’s temperature.
Another reason is if you are at a high altitude. If you are baking this gluten-free vanilla cake at a high altitude, consider cutting the baking powder in half.
Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake Mixes
We've tried several gluten-free vanilla cake mixes. Here are a few that we enjoyed if you want to keep one on hand.
You can also mix the dry ingredients for this gluten-free vanilla cake and store them in a jar, essentially making your own mix.
- Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake Mix
- Extra White Gold Vanilla Cake Mix
- Simple Mills Almond Flour Vanilla Cupcake & Cake Mix
- Miss Jones Baking Organic Vanilla Yellow Cake and Cupcake Mix
Some of my favorite gluten-free cake recipes
Gluten Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Gluten-Free Chocolate Bundt Cake
My Gluten Free Angel Food Cake is also perfect.
If you are looking for cupcake recipes, just search cupcakes in the search bar on the right.
Why did my gluten-free vanilla cake sink?
There are several reasons why gluten-free cakes sink. One is from over-beating the batter and adding too much air.
Also, cakes often will sink when there is too much moisture. This is more common in humid climates where added moisture can collect naturally in ingredients such as flour.
When this occurs, the center of the gluten-free vanilla cake rises rapidly and then falls during baking.
In higher elevations, the leavening agent works twice as hard and may cause the batter to rise rapidly and sink before it’s had a chance to set up.
All these tips are relevant to most cake recipes, not just this gluten-free vanilla cake recipe.
Serve this with gluten-free ice cream for an extra special treat.
If you made this gluten-free vanilla cake recipe, I want to hear from you! Please leave a star rating and a comment below, letting me know what you thought.
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Easy Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
An easy gluten-free vanilla cake recipe that is tender and better than any bakery style gluten-free cake. You are going to love this gluten-free vanilla cake.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 cup (8 oz.) vegetable oil (or oil of choice)
- 1 ½ cups (300g.) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs (200g.), room temperature
- 3 cups (420g.) all purpose gluten-free flour blend (I used my flour blend or Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, NOT the Bob's All Purpose GF Flour)
- ½ teaspoon (3 g.) salt
- 3 teaspoons (12g.) baking powder (cut in half if at high altitude)
- 1 cup (8 oz.) dairy-free milk (or milk of choice)
- 3 teaspoons (8g.) gluten-free vanilla extract
For the frosting:
- ½ cup (115g) dairy-free butter (or regular butter)
- 1 ½ teaspoons (4g) gluten-free vanilla extract
- ½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 ½ cups (450g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (40-60g) dairy-free milk (or regular milk)
Instructions
- For the cakes: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Position rack in center of oven. Grease two 8" or 9" pans with oil; set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine oil and sugar.
- Add eggs and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for one minute. Add flour, salt, baking powder, dairy-free milk, and vanilla; beat at medium speed for one minute.
- Spoon batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the centers springs back when touched and cakes are lightly browned.
- Let cool in the pan on rack for five minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans onto rack and cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Add cocoa powder and beat until combined. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Slowly beat in milk. Beat in additional milk if needed, to obtain desired consistency.
- Let cakes cool completely before frosting.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
- This recipe works with my flour blend or Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. It DOES NOT work with the Bob's Red Mill all purose gluten free flour (which is different from their gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour).
- Using another flour blend other then what I've tested this recipe with may yeild different results. Readers have gotten poor results using the Namaste 1:1 Blend in this recipe.
- Room temperature eggs work best. To bring cold eggs to room temperature, run them under warm water for a couple of minutes.
- When working with or measuring gluten-free flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level. Do not scoop your measuring cup into the gluten-free flour. The best method really is to weight it but I don't have the ingredient weights for all my recipes yet.
- Dairy - you can use regular dairy milk and dairy butter in this gluten-free vanilla cake recipe.
- Let cakes cool completely before frosting.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 sliceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 562Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 81mgSodium: 292mgCarbohydrates: 72gFiber: 1gSugar: 49gProtein: 6g
Mishkah
Hi, would this recipe work if I use butter instead of vegetable oil in the cake?
chrystal
Yes, you can use melted and cooled butter. Just a note that the texture will be slightly different.
Best,
Chrystal
Nathaly
Hi !
Is it possible to do this cake in 1 pan and then cut the cake in half to have 2 layers?
I have only 1 pan and I would like to make this one for my son's birthday...
Lindsay
Hi Nathaly, a layer cake works best when you bake it as two separate cakes, but you could do as you're describing too. My only concern is that it's going to be too much batter to put in just one pan. It could overflow, or just not rise high enough. If I was in your situation, I think I would cut the recipe in half and make it twice. So, bake one layer, then mix and bake the second layer after you've removed the first one from the pan. Good luck! Come back and let us know how you did it.
Katie S.
How many cupcakes will this recipe yield?
chrystal
24 cupcakes.
Best,
Chrystal
Joan Nolan
I just made this cake and it turned out disappointing. The inside was what my Mum called “sad” not light and fluffy, but very dense and weighed a ton (not literally of course)
What did I do wrong? I would like to try again this week. I followed the ingredients except I did use EVOO not vegetable oil.
Thank you
Joan from Canada
chrystal
Hi Joan,
Can you tell me what flour blend you used and how you measured it? I will see if I can figure out what went wrong.
Best,
Chrystal
Joan
Hi Chrystal
I used BRM 1 to 1 and weighed it but my scales did not have 450g measurement and so I also used cups to check it and measured as you suggested. Not scooping it from the bag. I did use Lakanto sweetener with monk fruit instead of granulated sugar and as I said I used EVOO. I have every intention of making it again using granulated sugar in case that was the issue.
Thank you for your input Crystal
chrystal
Hi Joan,
I haven't personally used Lakanto in this recipe, but I have in another cupcake recipe and it didn't turn out.
Best,
Chrystal
Joan
Thank you Chrystal. I’ll try again with granulated sugar and a vegetable oil. I am determined to master at least one GF cake. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Thank again
Joan
Jamie Sullivan
I made your vanilla cake using Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 baking flour. The cake is delicious, however it was dense and a tad dry. I used refined coconut oil and Almond milk. I followed your instructions, not sure where I went wrong. Any ideas? Any input would be helpful. Thanks.
chrystal
Hi Jamie,
A couple of thoughts, how did you measure your flour? It's best to spoon it into the measuring cup and then level it, otherwise you'll end up with too much flour. Another thought, since some ovens run hot, is it possible it was baked a tad too much? You'll want to pull them out of the oven just as the center sets. The cake will continue to release steam and cook for a couple minutes after you pull it out of the oven.
I hope that helps.
Best,
Chrystal
Jamie Sullivan
Thank you for your quick response. I did use your suggested method of using a spoon and placing the flour into the measuring cup. Unfortunately, I do not have a scale. In reading your tips, possibly I should sift the flour before.
I will watch the time in the oven.
I sneaked a taste of the batter, (I know, I know) and it is delish!
Jamie
Julia
Hi,
Can regular all purpose flour be used cup for cup?
Thank you
Lindsay
I have not tested the recipe with regular flour at all. Sorry!
Jehrica
Thank you for this recipe 🙂 I chose avocado for the oil and turned out delicious, God bless you!
chrystal
I am so glad you liked it. Thank you for stopping back by to let me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Brittany
I was hoping to make a 3-layer cake with an ombre color effect (so I'd need to bake each layer separately). Do you think this recipe would work in 3 layers instead of 2? Would you just bake them each for less time?
chrystal
Hi Brittany,
Yes, this cake works as a 3 layer 6" cake. You'll want to reduce the bake time.
Best,
Chrystal
Lillian
Do you have a vegan version of this recipe?
chrystal
Hi Lillian,
I don't but you can use Bob's Red Mill egg replacer in this recipe.
Best,
Chrystal
Nata
My daughter is coeliac (8 years now) and I've been struggling to find a moist vanilla cake recipe. I think I've found it. I followed the recipe to the tee, I did not substitute with anything. It was amazing. I sifted all my dry ingredients and used free range eggs.
chrystal
I am so glad that you like. Thank you for taking the time to stop back by and let me know.
Best,
Chrystal
Tahirah
Will this recipe work for a 9x13” cake?
Lindsay
Hi Tahirah! you can bake it in a 13x9 pan. Start at 35 minutes and watch for doneness from there.
Carla
I wanted to make a 3 tier cake with this recipe.
My 3 round pans are 7 inch.
Should I make 1.5 recipe? What do you suggest?
Lindsay
Hi Carla! I think that math sounds about right. 7-inch pans should need about 3-4 cups of batter each.
Valerie Johnson
Have you heard of anyone using avocado oil? If not, I'll be the first guinea pig and give it a try. My son can't have corn, so the vegetable oils are out for us.
Lindsay
Hi Valerie! I think avocado oil would work fine. Definitely try it and come back and let us know!
Maggie
I have used avocado oil, and it turned out great!
Lee Mayhan
I made a single cake using Lactose Free Milk. The taste was delicious. I was looking for an easy way to make a cake to use in Strawberry Shortcake and I do not like to use shortening. The basic cake was quick and easy.
Lindsay
Hi Lee! That's great that you were able to use it for Strawberry Shortcake - great idea!
Shahar
Hi,
I want to make this cake for my son's birthday party as a 1 layer cake. I have a 16*11*2 inch pan. How much batter should I make?
I also was thinking of adding sprinkles to the batter, do you think it should work?
Lindsay
Hi Shahar, You should be able to double this recipe to fill that size pan. You may need to cook it for longer to get the center fully cooked. Feel free to add sprinkles! We do that in our Gluten Free Birthday cake recipe, so you can check that one out for more details.
Cindy
Can you freeze the cake?? Would like to prep ahead for a Thanksgiving birthday.
Thank you
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Cindy, you can. Helps ease up the pressure on Thanksgiving day.
Nina
You have two different cook times. 25 min in heading and 30-35 min in directions. 30-35 burns the bottom. Just a heads up.
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Nina, Thanks for taking the time to mention it. 25 minutes is what I recommend but oven temperatures vary and baking at altitude so with any recipe we give a range.
melissa
Hi
I am from NZ and I used Edmonds Gluten free plain flour. It contains starch from maize and tapioca, rice flour and vegetable gums. This recipe is a complete flop, I have two flat (I mean very flat) cakes. Not happy!'
Melissa
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Melissa,
I think it may be the flour, I am not familiar with it. I would suggest making your own flour blend. I hope you come right.
Thanks
Amber
Hi Wendy,
I made this cake for my son's 13th birthday party and used the Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Flour blend and I have baked with it for years. It is my go to gluten free flour. For some reason this cake turned out so dense and dry. I could feel how heavy it was when I pulled it out of the oven. I tried the following morning after it cooled to do a cake soak before I put on the buttercream frosting. I was hoping that would salvage the cake but it was the consistency of cornbread. I was looking forward to this cake after all the reviews for how fluffy, light and moist it was reviewed to be. I live in Southern California with zero altitude so I used the full 3 teaspoons of baking powder. The cake did have an after taste in addition to the dry texture. I would like to try again but need more guidance on what could have went wrong?
Thanks for your input.
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Amber,
I'm sorry to hear that the cake didn't turn out as expected for your son's birthday. Baking can sometimes be a bit tricky, especially when it comes to gluten-free recipes. Let's try to troubleshoot what might have gone wrong:
Measuring Flour - When using the 1-to-1 flour blend or any gluten-free flour, it's important to measure the flour correctly. Use the spoon and level method: spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level it off with a flat edge. Don't tap or shake the cup, as this can pack the flour and result in too much in the recipe.
Mixing Technique - Overmixing the batter can lead to a dense texture. When you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix until just incorporated. Overmixing can lead to excessive development of gluten-free flours and result in a tough texture.
Oven Temperature and Timing - Ensure that your oven is properly calibrated and preheated to the correct temperature. Baking time can vary depending on your specific oven, so use the toothpick test to determine doneness. Insert a toothpick into the center of the cake – if it comes out clean or with a few crumbs, the cake is done.
Taste and Aftertaste - The aftertaste might have been influenced by an ingredient in the recipe. Sometimes, the combination of certain gluten-free flours or other ingredients can result in an unusual taste. Ensuring that your ingredients are fresh and high quality can help with this.
Let us know how it goes, when you try it again. Happy 13th birthday to your son!
Lea
Follow this recipe as stated and it will turn out perfect! I used your recipe for the flour blend and I am so happy that I took the time to make it. This cake was moist, super fluffy, and rose beautifully. It didn’t have a grainy texture and was absolutely delicious. I used lemon extract instead of vanilla, and paired it with a lemon buttercream. This will now be my go to lemon cake recipe. Gluten free baking can be somewhat daunting, but this made it simple and stress free. Thank you for this recipe!
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Lea, so pleased this recipe made it stress free. With time you will learn the ins and outs and be a pro!
Jan Sessions
Can extra virgin olive oil be used in this recipe?
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Jan,
Yes, you can use your oil of choice.
Angie
Said to grease the pans with oil. I know NOT to but my roommate did not. So she followed the recipe and they burnt. You need to change that step. She wasted so much ingredients and money
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Angie, I am sorry to hear that. It depends on what baking pans you are using.
Natalie
So should you use oil to grease the pans or don't use it?
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Natalie,
It depends on the pans you have. Check the manufacturer's labels.
Caitlin
If I wanted to just make a 2 layer 6" cake, would I just halve the recipe?
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Caitlin,
Unfortunately, you can't halve a cake recipe, it is a process of adjusting the entire recipe. I would suggest you make the cake batter as is. Then use the leftover batter and make cupcakes. Here is an article on it https://www.bonappetit.com/story/how-to-cut-a-baking-recipe-in-half
Kelly
Best recipe ever. Love it. Thank you so much for sharing.
Wendy Stoltz
Thanks, Kelly!
Jan
Hi Wendy, I made your chocolate cake for my grandsons birthday back in January and it was great! Now I'm making a white cake for my daughter in laws 40th birthday. I read in comments that I can make ahead and freeze which is wonderful! I was wondering if you know how much batter this makes. I'm doing (4) 8" layers. My pans are 2 inches deep and recommended amount per pan is 4 cups. Thanks in advance!
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Jan,
I have worked it out to be approximately 5.5 cups. Let us know how it goes!
Jan
Hi Wendy, This proved to be more of a challenge than I had anticipated. I can't blame it on the cake mix. I'm pretty sure it was the volume of batter per pan. When I used your gluten free chocolate cake recipe, I wasn't using 2" deep pans and there was no guessing game on when it was done. With this white cake and the 2" pans, the guessing game was real! I eventually figured out that 60 minutes at 350 was about the best time. One I let go 55 minutes and it fell in the middle once I took it out. 2 others were borderline raw on the top half. I needed (4) 8 inch cakes and ended up making 6. I couldn't use the one that fell at all (although my husband is still enjoying it!). I had 3 that were done pretty perfect and was able to use the bottom halves of the 2 that were slightly undercooked on the top since I was torting all the layers. In the end, the cake tasted great! I got so many compliments on it! It's not a super sweet cake so that is perfect with a semi-sweet ganache filling and sweet icing. I will make this again and actually soon. This time into cupcakes for yet another birthday party!
Wendy Stoltz
Thanks, Jan. Well done on experimenting! Yes, it does take some trial and error.
Taylor
Hey there! I have both Bob’s Red Mill GF 1:1 Baking flour and a flour blend I made myself. I’d love to test my flour blend, but it does not contain xanthan gum. Do you think I should add it separately when following this recipe? Thank you so much! Can’t wait to make this recipe, as my past vanilla bakes have flopped with Bob’s!
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Taylor,
Yes, you need to add xanthan gum into your own blend. Enjoy!
STEPHANIE Graves
Can you use coconut oil?
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Stephanie,
I have not tried it, but it should work. Keep in mind that coconut oil has a distinct flavor that may slightly influence the taste of the cake, giving it a subtle coconut undertone. If you enjoy the flavor of coconut, this can be a delicious addition to the vanilla cake. However, if you prefer a more neutral flavor, you can use refined coconut oil, which has a milder taste compared to unrefined (virgin) coconut oil.
Jessica
I made your recipe using almond milk and coconut oil. I baked it in a 9x13 pan and topped it with a vanilla dairy free butter cream. It was so good! Even those who don't eat gluten free normally loved it. Thank you for your recipe!
Wendy Stoltz
You're very welcome, Jessica! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and that it turned out well with your modifications
Sarah
This cake was moist and delicious! I followed the recipe as written, using avocado oil, King Arthur GF Measure for Measure flour, Silk almond milk, and the high altitude quantity of baking powder since I am 5000 ft above sea level. The cakes were done at the longer end of baking time (35 min). Everyone besides me can eat gluten foods but they all proclaimed this cake as tasting as amazing as I thought it did. Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
Wendy Stoltz
Thank you, Sarah, for trying out the recipe and sharing your positive feedback. I'm delighted that it was a success and brought joy to you and your guests. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Happy baking!
Shelley
Hello! I made this with olive oil and full fat gluten free oatmilk. I baked it in a Bundt pan that I prepped with shortening and sugar. Total bake time was 45 minutes and I let sit for 5 min on a cooling rack then I inverted onto the rack and let it sit for another 5 minutes. I held with a hot mitt and banged around the sides with a large wooden spoon and it came out perfectly. Otherwise I followed the directions exactly. It was perfect. Thank you for this, I will be making it on a regular basis.
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Shelley,
I'm delighted that you enjoyed the recipe and plan to make it regularly. It's always a joy to find a recipe that becomes a go-to favorite. If you have any more questions or need assistance with future baking endeavors, feel free to ask. Happy baking!
Donna Anglin
Oh my gosh...this cake is delicious!! I used the Bob's Red Mill gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour as suggested and it came out great! Doesn't even taste gluten free! This will be my go to recipe for vanilla cake from now on! I made my sister a butterfly cake like our Mom used to make for her 60th birthday and everyone loved it! Thank you for another great recipe! 🙂
Wendy Stoltz
Hi Donna,
I'm thrilled to hear that the cake turned out so well and was a hit at the birthday celebration! It's wonderful that the cake brought back fond memories and delighted everyone. Your sister's butterfly cake must have been a special treat. Keep enjoying your baking adventures!