The impossibly light, moist and tender crumb of this cake makes it (yes, really) the very best gluten free vanilla cake you've ever had.
This cake is so light and airy, it proves, once and for all, that gluten free baked goods can be just as good, if not better, than conventional gluten cakes.
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What makes this the best gluten free vanilla cake recipe?
It may be bold, but this cake isn't just the best gluten free vanilla cake. It's the cake that you serve to people who can eat as much gluten as they want, and they ask if they can make it at home with their conventional flour.
I tell them that they can have the recipe, since it's right here on the blog. But they can't make this cake without our gluten free all purpose flour. They have their recipes; leave us ours.
Please realize you must use one of my recommended all purpose gluten free flour blends for this recipe to work. Please click through for complete information on brands (usually, Better Batter or Cup4Cup), my “mock” recipes to make those blends yourself at home, and information on why they work and why others don't.
The secret to gluten free cake success
The secret to the very best vanilla cake recipe, gluten free, is in the balance of ingredients at the proper temperature—and in the method. Read the recipe through carefully first, follow it closely, and you'll know you can make a vanilla cake, gluten free, with an open crumb and tons of delicate flavor any time. If you'd like to save on time, combine the dry ingredients in step 2 in the recipe below in a sealed container for a sort of dry cake mix to make later.
The most important parts of the method are using one of my recommended gf flour blends, sifting it well, and beating the butter and sugar together until they're light and fluffy. And your ingredients must be at room temperature before you begin, or they won't combine properly no matter what you do.
For more general tips before you begin to assemble your ingredients for this amazing, tender gluten free cake, try reading our beginner's guide to gluten free baking. For a desserts overview, including a guide to the top 20 recipes on the blog, our gluten free desserts guide.
You may notice some negative reviews sprinkled in among the positive ones commenting on this recipe. They were left by people who used the wrong gf flour blend, didn't measure by weight, didn't sift, didn't combine the dry and wet ingredients separately first, beat the butter and sugar for long enough, etc.
In other words, they didn't follow the recipe as written! I wish it were as simple to make a perfect gluten free vanilla cake as it is to make, say, a one bowl gluten free banana bread.
I can only tell it like it is—and happily I can guide you through each step toward complete recipe success. It's all worth it!
Simple pantry ingredients for a yummy gluten free cake
This cake doesn't call for super specialized ingredients; instead you'll only need classic gluten free pantry ingredients. It's made with basic vanilla cake ingredients like butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk.
Unlike our one bowl gluten free chocolate cake, to get the best vanilla cake you’re going to have sift the dry ingredients. Yes, you really do have to if you want that super tender, non-grainy crumb.
Then, beat the heck out of the butter and sugar before you even think about adding anything else. A stand mixer is great, but a handheld mixer works just as well provided you’re willing to stand there, beating and beating for at least 3 minutes.
Choosing cake pans for this easy gluten free vanilla cake
I like to bake these cakes in 2 aluminum 8-inch round cake pans to make a layer cake They bake evenly in about 30 minutes at 350°F, and never dome even if my oven has some hot spots (which all ovens do).
If you'd rather bake the cake in 9-inch cake pans, just reduce the baking time accordingly. You'll have to watch it carefully after the initial 20 minutes. And your layer cake will be wider, and a bit less tall.
Don't bake in a dark colored pan or in a glass pan. They attract and conduct too much heat, so your cake may burn on the bottom or the edges before it's baked all the way through to the center.
If you'd like, you can also use 8-inch square pans. The baking time should be the same as with 8-inch round cake pans.
Choosing the right gluten free flour blend for a perfect vanilla cake
I'm partial to Better Batter gluten free flour's original blend for nearly all of my gluten free recipes. If you can't buy it online, you can always use my mock Better Batter blend recipe to make your own.
If you are using a higher starch all purpose gluten free flour blend like Cup4Cup (or my mock Cup4Cup), replace the cornstarch in this recipe with an additional 54 grams of your flour blend.
Do not try to make this recipe using one of the lower-quality flour blends that use gritty, poor quality rice flour. Bob's Red Mill is a particularly bad one, and your cake ingredients won't combine properly—and your cake will taste gritty.
I can't stress this enough. I want you to be successful! This cake may be a bit of a diva, but she's 100% worth it!
Deciding on a frosting for your gluten free vanilla cake
I usually frost this cake with a stiff vanilla buttercream frosting, especially when I make it into a layer cake. It holds its shape really well and protects the cake from drying out like a softer frosting but without wilting. If you'd really like to dive in, please see our full discussion of gluten free frosting recipes, tips, and FAQs.
The simplest way to a lovely, basic gf frosting is to just beat 10 to 12 tablespoons (140 to 168 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, until light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract and/or the seeds from the inside of a vanilla bean, and begin with 2 cups (230 grams) confectioners' sugar.
Beat until well-combined. Add more confectioners' sugar as necessary to make the frosting as stiff as you'd like it.
Test the consistency by running your finger through it, but only after beating the frosting really well. If it's stiff enough, it won't stick to your fingers very much.
Storing your gluten free vanilla cake
I like the look of a “naked cake,” which just means that it's frosted fully in between the layers and on top. The sides have a very thin crumb coat, and that's enough to keep in the moisture.
If you'd like to serve a few slices of this perfect vanilla layer cake and then store it at room temperature for a few hours, just after taking a slice, use leftover frosting to cover the missing area, extending the cake's life in the fridge.
Tips for making the best gluten free vanilla cake
Beat the room temp butter and sugar well for an airy crumb in your gf cake
The buttermilk in this recipe tenderizes the crumb so it has a tender mouthfeel. But the airy, open tenderness you can see clearly in the photos and the video comes from air being incorporated into the batter at the start.
Make sure your gluten free vanilla cake is cool before frosting
When you first remove them from the oven, let the cakes cool in the pan for 15 minutes. This allows them to firm up enough that they won't fall apart when you move them.
After 15 minutes, turn the cakes over onto a wire rack to cool 100% before you handle or frost them at all. If your cake has any residual heat at all, your frosting will melt.
FAQs
Yes, pure vanilla extract is gluten free because distilled alcohol is gluten free. See: Gluten Free Living Magazine.
If your cake baked and appeared done, but sunk as it cooled, it wasn't baked properly all the way in the center. That is usually due to a too-hot oven that bakes the outside of the cake until well done before the inside is done.
I don't recommend using this cake recipe to make cupcakes, since it's easier to make cupcake batter than it is cake batter. Use my recipe for the perfect gluten free vanilla cupcakes, which don't require any sifting, instead!
No, I don't recommend using this recipe to make a vanilla sheet cake. A sheet cake is a larger, rectangular cake that tends to burn on the bottom center.
Use our recipe for gluten free vanilla sheet cake instead. It's easy to make, easy to frost, and always makes for a great celebration!
Yes, you must use xanthan gum or an all purpose gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum, to make this cake. Without any xanthan gum, the cake won't hold together properly, and it will go stale much more quickly, too.
Yes! To freeze the cake whole, wrap it very tightly and defrost at room temperature before slicing and serving. To freeze slices, wrap them tightly and freeze individually, then defrost at room temperature. It's always best to freeze the cake before it's frosted, but if you're storing leftover and they're already frosted, defrost slices in the refrigerator overnight.
Ingredient substitutions
I’ve tried this cake every which way, and this is truly the best. If you need to modify the ingredients, of course the cake will be different.
Dairy free
For dairy-free, I recommend vegan butter like Miyoko's Kitchen or Melt brands in place of butter. Try 1:1 by weight. You can also try Spectrum brand nonhydrogenated butter-flavored vegetable shortening.
You'll need a buttermilk substitute. Try half unsweetened almond milk by volume and half nondairy plain yogurt in place of the buttermilk.
I really don't like a simple milk + acid like lemon juice or vinegar as a buttermilk replacement. That only replaces the acid, but not the thickness of buttermilk. The half milk half yogurt swap is the best.
Maybe you'd like to make a white cake, instead of this yellow cake. My recipe for gluten free white cake is perfect for adding food coloring for a special occasion. If you're looking for a super light white cake, you might prefer our gluten free angel food cake, made without any egg yolks (only whites) and even without any butter.
If you'd like to turn this cake into a two-layer homemade Funfetti cake, we have a gluten free birthday cake recipe. That recipe also has recipes for chocolate sour cream frosting for the center of the cake, and chocolate icing for on top. *chefskiss*
Egg free
I have not tried this cake with an egg substitute. But I'm afraid I just can't see working out very well since this cake is very egg-dependent.
My typical egg replacement suggestion is a “chia egg” (1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and allowed to gel). But this cake calls for mostly egg whites, and a chia egg is not an egg white substitute.
If you're feeling adventuresome, you can try replacing the whole egg with a chia egg and the egg whites with slightly whipped aquafaba. Aquafaba is simply the brine from a can of chickpeas.
I'm working on a true vegan gluten free vanilla cake recipe because I really prefer a cake that is designed to be made egg-free, rather than one with an egg replacer. But, in the meantime, here we are.
Corn free
In place of cornstarch, try arrowroot or even potato starch. Either should work fine. We're really using cornstarch to make our all purpose gluten free flour blend into more of a gluten free cake flour.
If you are using a higher starch all purpose gluten free flour blend like Cup4Cup (or my mock Cup4Cup), replace the cornstarch in this recipe with an additional 54 grams of your flour blend.
Gluten Free Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups (280 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; you must use one of my recommended blends, measure by weight, and sift or the recipe won't work)
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your blend already contains it
- 6 tablespoons (54 g) cornstarch replace with 6 tablespoons additional Cup4Cup if Cup4Cup is your all purpose gluten free flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 (100 g) egg whites at room temperature
- 1 egg (50 g (weighed out of shell)) at room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cups (10 ⅔ fluid ounces) buttermilk at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each with a round of parchment paper (trace the perimeter of the cake pan on the parchment, then cut out the circle). Set the pans aside.
- Into a medium-size bowl, sift (yes, you have to sift!) the gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum, and cornstarch. Add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine well. Set the dry ingredients aside.
- In a large measuring cup or medium-size bowl, place the egg whites and egg, buttermilk, and vanilla. Whisk to combine very well. Set the wet ingredients aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for at least 3 minutes, stopping at least once to scrape the entire mixture off the sides and bottom of the bowl, or until very light and fluffy.
- To the large bowl with the butter and sugar mixture, add the dry ingredients in 4 equal portions, alternating with the buttermilk and egg mixture in 3 parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and mixing to combine in between additions.
- The batter will sometimes look a bit curdled. That's normal and not a problem at all.
- Once all the ingredients have been added, beat for another minute on medium speed to ensure that everything is combined, then turn over the batter a few times by hand.
- The batter should be fluffy and relatively smooth, although a few lumps are fine. Do not overmix the batter in an attempt to make it perfectly smooth. It will be relatively thick.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared baking pans and smooth each into an even layer with an offset spatula. Bang the bottoms of the pans flat on the counter a few times to break any large air bubbles.
- Place the baking pans in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Rotate the pans, and continue to bake until the cakes are lightly golden brown all over, have begun to pull away from the sides of the pan and do not jiggle in the center at all (about another 10 minutes). These tests for doneness are more useful than the toothpick test. Do not overbake.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack (and removing the parchment paper liners) to cool completely before frosting and serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Sammy says
Hi Nicole.
I’ve been tasked with making a 30th birthday cake for my sister in law as a surprise. I’m going to be doing a Lambeth style cake, potentially 3 layers. Just wondered if this cake would stand up okay with all the weight of the extra buttercream?
Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
This cake is magic, Sammy. As long as you use one of my recommended flour blends, measure by weight, and follow the instructions faithfully, this cake will do whatever you ask of it!
Masha says
This cake came out excellent! I live in high altitude (7200 ft above sea level), so I was hesitant since the recipe said to follow it exactly, but I went ahead and made the usual changes I do for gluten baking, and the result was amazing. Due to the altitude, I reduce the baking soda to 1/4 tsp and the baking powder to 1 tsp since gases release more quickly. I also only used 270 g of sugar because it concentrates more quickly due to quicker evaporation. I did not increase flour or liquid for this recipe. I baked it at 365F, only 15 degrees above the normal temp so it would not lose too much moisture. You never know if things will need more time or less time to bake, so I baked it for 15 minutes and then checked it, and realized it needed the full 20 minutes. I turned the cake and baked for another 10, and it was perfect. Thank you so much for this recipe. The kids at the party did not even realize it was gluten free, and they gobbled it up.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake, Masha, and that no one knew it was GF. That’s always the goal! Thank you so much, too, for being so generous in sharing all the details about the high altitude changes you made. I have heard pretty consistently from readers over the years that they are generally successful adapting my recipes to high altitude using their “regular gluten baking” changes, and I’m so happy that was the case for you in this recipe, too. Your comment will definitely help others!
Amy Figueredo says
I made this but had to make some replacements due to my husband’s dairy allergy. I substituted canned coconut milk for buttermilk. Cake turned out wonderfully. I had intended to make 7 min icing and cover in co cocnut. I brushed coconut fat from the can onto the bare baked cake to reenforce coconut flavor. Southern recipe calls for piecing the cake with a sharp knife or skewer and pour Coconut milk on. I just buttered it with fat left in the can. I got this technique from a church lady recipe book. This cake is referred to as THE CAKE. Thank you so much for the gluten free recipe so I can eat also.
Nicole Hunn says
So glad your substitutions worked, Amy, and that you loved the cake. If you’re baking, you should be able to enjoy the cake, too!
Angela says
I tried this recipe using Cup4Cup and the batter came out sticky. It also spilled over in the oven causing a small fire (??) The only variation was that I added vanilla bean paste. Would that have caused this sort of reaction?? I ended up having to throw it out as I couldn’t finish baking it.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid I don’t know, Angela, other than guessing that your pan was too small/too shallow? Other possible ideas: did you measure your dry ingredients by weight, or volume? It’s very common to overmeasure when measuring by weight and that would create more batter than intended. Did you overmeasure your chemical leaveners? Did you use room temperature ingredients? If your oven runs hot (as most do), it could cause too much oven spring at first, like a muffing that domes quickly. I’m afraid there are just so many possibilities and since I’m not there with you I can’t say for sure!
Carina Duran says
I used Bob’s red Mill, all purpose gluten-free flour. Do I still have to use the cornstarch? I tasted my batter and it did not taste very good. It tasted like corn starch.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Carina, I’m afraid I have to recommend against using Bob’s Red Mill flour blends. They are gritty, poorly balanced, and don’t perform like an all purpose gluten free flour blend should. Yes, you would add the additional cornstarch, but again I have to recommend against the blend you have chosen.
Julie Stevens says
I made this recipe last night. It tasted GREAT! However it was very heavy. Could it be that.1. I did not add the 6 tbsp. More of cup for cup. 2. I mixed it too much? I’m going to play around with it today, I need a gf cake baked, decorated and ready to go for Saturday. Wish me Luck. Thank you for the recipe, this really is the Best gf cake I’ve ever tasted, and believe me I’ve tasted a lot.
Nicole Hunn says
Did you simply omit the cornstarch without replacing it with additional Cup4Cup, Julie? You can never just omit an ingredient, and that would make the wet ingredients way out of balance with dry.
Amanda says
This will be the first GF item I’ve ever made. A co-worker is GF and I’m making ‘back to school’ treats and want her to be included. With that said, please pardon what’s probably a basic question.
If I’m reading correctly, if I use Cup4Cup flour, I do not add the xantham gum or the corn starch. Is that correct? Buying one bag of Cup4Cup is more cost effective than GF flour, xantham gum and cornstarch.
Many thanks for your support while I try something new.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Amanda, correct, you’ll omit xanthan gum as an ingredient if you use Cup4Cup, since it already contains that ingredient. But you won’t omit cornstarch as an ingredient. Instead, you’ll replace it with an equal amount of additional Cup4Cup, by weight. Cup4Cup is a good blend, but in my opinion it already has an overabundance of cornstarch. Instead of adding more cornstarch, you’ll add more Cup4Cup. Hope that helps!
Colleen says
I’m so pleased with how this cake came out! Mine was done, however, after the first 20 minutes and it was perfect! I made it for my husband’s 60th birthday and everyone loved it ❤️
Poppy says
God I hate when every single blog recommends a specific brand for gf flour saying that it’s the only one that will work for their cake recipe. You’re not the only one, many do this. I wonder if brands pay them to do this? It’s extremely unhelpful when you’re not from the United States, or wherever the person that developed the recipe is from. I guess I’ll just have to try the different mixes I have available in my country to see which one works best for me.
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid that most of the brands of gluten free flour blends available on the market are not viable, and there’s nothing I can do to control that. I recommend 3 brands of all purpose gluten free flour blends, and did the painstaking work of developing “mock” versions of 2 of the commercially available blends that I recommend so that people outside the United States can still bake with the same quality of ingredients. The accusation of an undisclosed financial interest is inaccurate and unfair.
Nancy White says
I want to make GF strawberry cake. Is it possible to add some strawberry reduction to this recipe by reducing buttermilk?
Also can you substitute the buttermilk with coconut milk?
Thank you.
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Nancy, I don’t recommend that, no. I’m afraid that would take some serious trial and error to get right. I do have a recipe for strawberry cupcakes that you might like, made with a homemade strawberry syrup. And no, you can’t use coconut milk as buttermilk. Please see the ingredients and substitutions section of the text of the post for suggestion on how to make the cake dairy free.
Susan says
I am unclear about the cornstarch replacement. Is it a must to replace it or am I able to use it instead of the cup for cup. I feel unclear about this note.
Nicole Hunn says
If you are using Cup4Cup as your all purpose gluten free flour blend, you must replace the cornstarch as an ingredient, by weight, with more Cup4Cup, Susan. Cup4Cup already has an overabundance of cornstarch, so we don’t want to add more, but you can’t simply leave out an ingredient. You must replace it with additional Cup4Cup.
Meredith H says
Hi Nicole!!
I’m excited to try this recipe for our daughter’s bridal shower this weekend. I’d like to use the batter to make cupcakes instead. Have you ever done this? If so would you please share tips? Thank you!! Will definitely let you know how it turns out😊
Nicole Hunn says
I don’t recommend using this recipe to make cupcakes, no, Meredith. I recommend using my recipe for gluten free vanilla cupcakes, which is referenced in this post in the FAQ “Can I use this gf vanilla cake recipe to make cupcakes?” Since it’s for such a special occasion, I can’t stress enough that you must use one of my recommended gluten free flour blends and measure by weight so you’ll get the very best results!
Annie says
The texture of the cake is amazing! Absolute perfection. My only issue is that the rice flavor really stands out to me. Any suggestions to improve this? I did not make any substitutions.
Nicole Hunn says
I’ve never had anyone ever say that they tasted rice when they used one of my recommended flour blends. I would look to the flour blend you are using.
Nancy Bond says
Nicole, do you ever use Authentic Foods Multi Blend flour in your recipes? I have found that flour to be exceptionally great in baking recipes, but I rarely hear gluten free recipe posters recommend it as one of their preferred brands. I would love to hear your input about this brand. Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Nancy, I did try it years ago and I thought it was pretty good, not as good as the others I recommend. It’s not very available, though, so I never pursued it. If you like it, I can’t promise it will work in this recipe since I haven’t tried it, but I think it’s worth a shot?
Jody Gibson says
I’ve made this for a few gluten-free clients and it gets rave reviews! Just remember to let the batter sit and absorb the liquid. Also keep a close eye on it in the oven. I used Cup4Cup and it worked well. Thank you for a great recipe recipe!
K S says
I decided over the weekend to learn how to make the best gluteen free/ dairy free vanilla cake. I tried over 7 different recipes and this one was by far the best. Following your instructions I also swapped out the buttermilk for 50% almond milk + 50% almond yogurt with great results.
Nicole Hunn says
The yogurt/milk combo is a great buttermilk sub, KS! Thank you for sharing that dairy free swap, and I’m so glad that you enjoyed the cake. You really paid your dues before you got to this one!