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!
Abigail says
Hi there, so excited to make this recipe this week but I wanted to clarify- do you measure out the flour and corn starch by weight and then sift? Or sift flour and cornstarch until desired weight? Thank you!
Nicole Hunn says
It won’t matter when you sift, Abigail, as sifting doesn’t affect the weight, only the volume. Hope that helps!
Maria says
This cake is unbelievable!!
Patricia McCallum says
What flour did you use?
Nicole Hunn says
Please follow the link in the recipe card that takes you to the page on the blog that explains everything about the all purpose gluten free flour blends I use and recommend.
Kylee G says
When using cup 4 cup is it 12 tablespoons corn starch??
Nicole Hunn says
No, Kylee, Cup4cup is a high starch blend, so instead of using that ingredient, you’ll replace with 6 tablespoons additional Cup4Cup for a total of 2 cups + 6 tablespoons Cup4Cup (334 grams total).
Bobbijo says
If I am using cup for cup do I need 12 tablespoons of corn starch? That step had me a little confused
Nicole Hunn says
Cup4cup is a high starch blend, so instead of using that ingredient, you’ll replace with 6 tablespoons additional Cup4Cup for a total of 2 cups + 6 tablespoons Cup4Cup (334 grams total). I’m afraid I’m not sure what your reference is to 12 tablespoons of cornstarch.
Heather P says
Hello, I’m about to try your recipe but need some clarification. I’m using the better batter flour which has the xanthan gum in it already. Do I still need to add it? Also, I do need to add the cornstarch as well, correct?
I’m sorry for asking questions that are probably obvious, but I just don’t want to waste any of the better batter flour… it’s crazy expensive!!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Heather, you’re understanding it correctly: since Better Batter has xanthan gum already in it, you don’t add more. And yes, you add the cornstarch, as it’s a separate ingredient. This is a very specific recipe that must be followed precisely, so I recommend reading the text of the post fully, and then the recipe itself before you begin.
Heather P says
Thank you for replying! I took a chance and made it yesterday and it was awesome! I do not have dietary restrictions, but the girl I’m making these for does… therefore I had no idea what to expect. It honestly just tasted like a regular cake. I only needed 3 egg whites to equal the weight indicated, so I went with the weight measurement and not the number of eggs. Also, the only addition I made was I scraped a vanilla bean in it… really amped up the flavor!! Thanks for this recipe!!
Rachel says
Using Cup4Cup flour, do I still need to add in xanthan gum? I see that Cup4Cup’s ingredients include xanthan gum, but is that sufficient or should I add in the 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum?
Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Rachel, nope, you don’t add any. There’s no real way of knowing precisely how much xanthan gum is in Cup4Cup, but it’s certainly enough for this recipe.
Fiona Anderson says
This has become my go-to cake recipe for our family. Our niece has celiac, so I have tried MANY gluten free cake recipes over the years. This is the best so far, and the only one that truly rivals regular cakes. It is not grainy and does not taste of beans. It’s just a nice vanilla cake. Definitely worth its fussiness. Make the flour as directed — it’s worth it! Thank you!!
Nicole Hunn says
Thank you for sharing your experience, Fiona. It is definitely a fussy recipe, and I’m grateful when people take the time to do it right. Reviews like this that show it’s worth the time and trouble say it way better than I ever could!
Roxanne Cayer says
Wow wow! I’ve just baked that cake. So tasty, fluffy and light. My first time I’ve made a GF cake. This cake has almost the same ingredients as my vanilla gluten cake. The taste is very similar. I weighed all the ingredients that I could. I baked it in a 7 inch 3 pans. The flour that I used was a French brand, l’Angelique (made in Quebec, Canada). My cakes just look like yours. My friend will be happy! It’s her birthday cake. Thank you for your recipe!
Nicole Hunn says
Happy birthday to your friend, Roxanne! I’m so glad you were able to find a local gluten free flour blend that worked well for you.
Stephanie Irons says
I have trialed and errored almost every gluten free cake recipe. This is the most delicious, moist and soft cake I have ever made and eaten! You can’t go wrong with this recipe! Thank you so much 😊
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so glad you loved it, Stephanie. We do too!
Nini says
Hi
I’m from Germany and I bought Bob‘s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour. Do you know if it will work for this recipe? It’s the first time I want to try the flour. Before I used only German gluten free flours. But they are not 100% good. Greetings from Germany ☺️ Nini
Nicole Hunn says
Hi, Nini, no, you cannot make this recipe with that flour blend. Please read the text of the post for a thorough explanation.
Donna Lane says
I made your recipe and it’s cooling out of pan now and looks like yours on bottom with polka dots. I want to freeze until next weekend for my son’s b baby shower. Do I frost first? or do I freeze and then thaw and frost? The mother to be is gluten and dairy free so I’m thinking I should wait to frost until the day before. Donna
Nicole Hunn says
Please see the section of the post titled “Storing your gluten free vanilla cake”
Margaret says
Can I use erythretol instead of sugar
Nicole Hunn says
No, you can’t use erythritol in this recipe and have it turn out with the proper texture at all. It’s simply too drying and would make a denser cake that is not tender.
Michelle says
Thanks for this recipe, I really love it.
I would like to try to use freeze dry fruit to make a cherry cake with this recipe. Have you ever tried it? Do you have any suggestions?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid I don’t recommend that, no, Michelle. Freeze dried fruit will not function as a flour, so you can’t substitute any of the blend to use with it, and you can’t just add it and still have a balanced recipe. I have a number of cakes with fruit as an ingredient, though. Just use the search function to find them.
Malerie says
Hi! How should I adjust baking time for 6 inch round pans?
Nicole Hunn says
I’m afraid I haven’t tried that, but if you Google that question generally, you’ll get some suggestions. There’s nothing unique about gluten free baking that should affect it, but I can’t tell you for sure what will work since I haven’t tried!
Julie says
Any success with the 6 inch rounds?
Robin says
I have King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. Will this work?
Nicole Hunn says
That isn’t one of my recommended blends, Robin, no. Some others in the comments on this post have said that they have used it with success here, but it doesn’t meet my standards, I’m afraid, so I can’t promise results. Please see the all purpose gluten free flour blends page that is linked in the recipe for full information on recommended blends.
Ellie says
I made this for a holiday dinner that included a gluten avoidant teenage niece. I frosted it with a delicious Swiss meringue topped with toasted coconut. It was one of the best cakes I’ve ever served and every crumb was eaten— except for the slice my niece squirreled away for later. It’s not easy to impress a teen and this cake did it. I appreciate the precise instructions. Thanks!
Nicole Hunn says
That’s so awesome, Ellie. It’s definitely an every-last-crumb sort of cake. So glad everyone loved it. Well done—and thank you for appreciating the detailed instructions!