Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Soft and fluffy with a pillowy crumb (not at all dense or gummy like other gluten-free cakes!)
Taste: Just the right amount of sweetness and vanilla
Ease: Very easy to make!
Top Tips: Skip the butter and use a combination of oil/sour cream! Oil has a lower melting point than butter and is a liquid at room temperature, so it more evenly coats the dry ingredients. This give the cake that wedding cake consistency! The sour cream gives the cake richness and flavor.
Recommended GF Flour: I have tested this recipe MANY times with different flour blends and it always turns out best using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour. For best results use this flour.
Would I make these again? Definitely! This is my go-to gluten-free cake recipe.It’s a great base recipe to use with many frostings/toppings. (Try turning it into strawberry shortcake with whipped cream and strawberries!)
Since publishing this gluten-free vanilla cake back in 2021, it’s received rave reviews. Some of you have even used it for wedding cakes which is such an honor!
June 2024: I’ve updated the method for mixing together the cake batter. I’ve found it turns out more reliably delicious using this new method! Also be sure your eggs and milk are at room temperature.
I also highly recommend using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour, 2% milk and vegetable oil for best results.
Featured Comment
From Elizabeth: “I have been gluten free for years, and have made many many delicious gluten free baked goods. I made this cake for my birthday and I honestly just kept saying, I think this is the best cake I’ve ever made. Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe!!”
Table of Contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on the key ingredients to make this gluten-free vanilla cake. You can find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour: I use and recommend Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour for this cake. I use King Arthur Flour for many of my recipes, but I really like the consistency I get from the Bob’s flour for this cake! You can also use it in these gluten-free vanilla cupcakes.
- Sour Cream: Skip the butter and use a combination of oil/sour cream! Oil has a lower melting point than butter and is a liquid at room temperature, so it more evenly coats the dry ingredients. This lends to the perfect crumb! The sour cream gives the cake richness and flavor. I also use this trick with my gluten-free blueberry muffins.
- Oil: I have tried making this cake with several neutral oils like grapeseed oil and avocdao oil, but think it turns out best made with vegetable oil. I recommend vegetable oil for best results!
- Milk: I recommend making this cake with 2% milk.
- Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract for the best results and that real vanilla flavor.
You also might like this full collection of gluten-free cake recipes.
How to Make Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
Here’s an overview of how to make this cake. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
- Dry ingredients: Whisk them all together.
- Beat the sugar/eggs/oil/vanilla: You can mix these ingredients together using a hand or stand mixer. Then mix in the sour cream. Note that you’ll add the milk later with the dry ingredients!
- Add dry ingredients: You’ll do this alternately with the milk, mixing inbetween to give the gluten-free flour time to hydrate. I usually like to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure I’ve gotten everything mixed in.
Recommended Cake Pans
Once your batter is ready, pour it into your pan of choice and bake. I recommend making two 8-inch round cakes or one 9×13-inch cake with this gluten-free recipe.
These are my favorite 8-inch round cake pans. They are great quality for the price! For a 9×13-inch gluten-free cake I recommend this glass pan. Bake and then turn out onto a cooling rack.
Gluten-Free Cake + Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Once the gluten-free cake layers are cooled on a wire rack, you can make the frosting. I’ve included my favorite recipe for vanilla buttercream frosting in the recipe card.
The combination of the soft, tender crumb of the gluten-free vanilla cake and the whipped vanilla buttercream frosting is simply dreamy!
The main tricks to amazing vanilla buttercream are to whip the frosting throughly and add a pinch of salt to even out the sweetness of the powdered sugar. I add a pinch of salt to any frosting I make now!
You might also like serving this cake with 7-minute frosting.
Storing/Freezing Instructions
- To Store: This gluten-free vanilla cake will stay moist and soft for up to 2 days. To store simply cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. This cake keeps much longer than other gluten-free cakes, which is another reason I love this recipe!
- To Freeze: To freeze two cake rounds, wrap each round tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Place the wrapped rounds in a resealable freezer bag, label with the date, and store them flat in the freezer for up to three months.
How do you make a gluten-free cake more moist?
The trick to making moist gluten-free cake is to use a combination of sour cream and oil for richness. Sour cream and oil work better than butter as butterfat causes gluten-free flour to clump up and make a denser crumb.
Can I make this gluten-free cake dairy-free?
You can make this cake dairy-free by using dairy-free sour cream and dairy-free milk. Opt for a dairy-free milk that has fewer ingredients like Elmhurst Cashew Milk for best results. Added gums and stabilizers in dairy-free milks will effect the texture of the cake.
Which gluten-free flour is best for cakes?
Gluten-free cake turns out best when you use a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Look for a blend that contains xanthan gum so the cake has the structure it needs. My personal favorite flour blend for gluten-free cakes is Bob’s Red Mill.
More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes
Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups (375g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour (I recommend Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Other
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream at room temperature
- 1¼ cups (300ml) 2% milk at room temperature
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup (226g) salted butter at room temperature
- 4-5 cups (480-600g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream or milk of choice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- June 2024: I've updated the method for mixing together the cake batter. I've found it turns out more reliably delicious using this new method! Also be sure your eggs and milk are at room temperature.I also highly recommend using Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour, 2% milk and vegetable oil for best results.
For the Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 8-inch round pans with cooking spray, line with parchment paper rounds, then spray the parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat together the sugar, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract until fully combined, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the sour cream and beat until well-combined.
- With the mixer running on low, add ½ of the dry ingredients, followed by ½ of the milk. Mix to combine. Add the remaining ½ dry ingredients and ½ milk, then mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and let cool in their pans for 15 minutes. Remove each cake from its pan and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 4 cups powdered sugar along with the cream/milk, vanilla and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and whip for a full 2 minutes.
- If the frosting is too thick, add a little more cream/milk. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar to get a spreadable consistency. Frost the cake as desired.
Notes
- To Store: This gluten-free vanilla cake will stay moist and soft for up to 2 days. To store simply cover the cake tightly with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. This cake keeps much longer than other gluten-free cakes, which is another reason I love this recipe!
- To Freeze: To freeze two cake rounds, wrap each round tightly in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Place the wrapped rounds in a resealable freezer bag, label with the date, and store them flat in the freezer for up to three months.
This cake surprised us! This cake is the closest we’ve had to tasting like a cake with gluten, lol. Very, very good.
Wow, thank you for such a kind review, Jen! We’re so glad you all enjoyed the cake!
Can I use this recipe for cupcakes??
Hi Kaohu, definitely! For cupcakes, you can keep everything the same and change the bake time to 18-20 minutes. Just keep an eye on them due to the varied bake time. For ease, we also have a gluten-free vanilla cupcake recipe that may interest you. Happy baking!
I made this for the first time and my cake came out dense. What is your recommendation for preventing this from happening again? Thanks
Hi Victoria, we’re sorry you had this experience! Did you use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 GF flour? Using different gf flour blends can impact texture and we find that Bob’s 1:1 works best with this recipe. Or did you use any ingredient substitutions? We’d love to help troubleshoot for next time so you can have a successful bake!
What can I substitute the sour cream with?
Little girl I’m making cake for is got allergy to dairy?
Hi Carolyn, to make this cake dairy-free you can use dairy-free sour cream and dairy-free milk. We recommend using a dairy-free milk that has fewer ingredients like Elmhurst Cashew Milk for best results. Added gums and stabilizers in dairy-free milks will effect the texture of the cake. We hope everyone enjoys the recipe!
Hi! Would adding sprinkles to this for a “funfetti” type change the consistency at all?
Thanks!
Hi Tina, you should be able to add some sprinkles for a funfetti look without changing the texture too much! Stick with nonpareils or jimmies since they’re smaller. Gently fold them in right before pouring the batter into the pan. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
I made this cake for the first time. I used my own gluten free flour mix. Made a 9 x 13 and baked it in a glass dish. Toothpick came out clean, and it looked great! Then it fell, and looks raw in the middle… .?
I usually make chocolate cakes and substitute my GF flour, works fine.
What did I do wrong
Hi Val, we’re sorry your cake didn’t turn out as hoped. We always recommend using high-quality gluten-free flour that contains xanthan gum and for this recipe we highly recommend using Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour. Did your flour mix contain xanthan gum? Also, depending on what types of gf flour are in your mix, the liquid levels also might have been off since different gluten-free flours absorb liquids differently. We hope these ideas help and your next bake goes better!
I made this for the first time for my father’s 91st birthday. He isn’t gluten free, but 2 of my sisters are. I topped it with lemon pie filling and a crumble made with crackers, brown sugar and some butter.
It was something our mother always did. It was a hit, everyone loved it.
For myself, is there a way to make it not gluten free? It was so moist, is love to do it again.
Thanks so much
Hi Karen, we’re so happy to hear it was such a hit! Thank you for taking the time to share your positive feedback with us. To make it not gluten-free, you can use regular all-purpose flour at a 1:1 ratio. Happy baking!
Hi, I make your GF muffins (endless mix ins) with goat milk and goat yoghurt and flax eggs and it works out perfectly. Do you think I could do goats yoghurt in here instead of sour cream? I’m making my daughter a unicorn cake for her birthday this weekend. Wish me luck x
Is Bob’s Red Mill Paleo baking 1to1 mix okay for this cake recipe? I have to do low carb and gluten free Thanks in advance
Hi there, good question! The Bob’s Red Mill paleo flour contains different flour types than the Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1:1 flour, plus it doesn’t contain xanthan gum. Using the paleo flour would most likely change the texture and rise of the cake. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
I wonder if Olive oil could be used instead of vegetable. I used it in a cake in the past and it came out so moist.
Hi Jacqueline, yes you can use olive oil in this recipe. We hope you enjoy the cake!
I’m in Australia and it’s hard to access good gluten free flour containing xantham gum. Any idea how much xantham I should add to this recipe? Excited to try!
Hi Kylie, the general guideline is to add 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum per 1 cup of flour in cakes. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Is there a way to adjust the recipe and bake time for 4 6″ round pans?
Hi Kendal, this recipe should work for four 6″ round pans with minimal adjustments. Start checking the cakes for doneness a little ahead of the recipe’s bake time and use a toothpick to test for doneness to make sure it’s baked through. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
I’ve been making your cake for the past year + for all family birthdays (lots of celiacs in the fam, including me) I’m on again today for yet another lovely baking session and noticed your updated mixing method. Stoked to try it! I wanted to let you know your last way turned out for me every single time! Was always amazing! Only changes I ever made is I use low-temp cream top whole milk, olive oil, King Arthurs 1:1, and all ingredients besides the flour are organic 🙂 Super grateful for your cake recipe/s!
Thank you for your kind words, Brooke! We’re so glad you love the recipe and hope you enjoy the new mixing method!
Hi,
Is the batter suppose to be runny?
Hi Theresa, yes the batter looks more runny/watery due to the high liquid content, but it makes for a fluffy, soft cake. We hope your batter had a nice turnout!
Hello Erin,
The nutritional info is for how much of the cake?
Thanks
Lorraine
Hi Lorraine, the nutritional information is for 1 serving if the cake is divided into 12 servings. We hope this helps!
This is the best gluten free vanilla cake I have found in 15 years. Finally a GF cake that even non-Celiac people enjoy eating! Thank you, Erin!
Thank you for your kind feedback, Shiona! We’re so glad you enjoyed the cake!
I made this cake in November for a friend’s birthday and then again for her daughter’s first birthday in December because she loved it so much! It worked perfect using a little of the batter to make a small smash cake to match the birthday cake.
I had written the recipe down, but came back to read the specific instructions before baking again. since it’s been a few months. I noticed the ingredient amounts are different from back in November. I see your note that you changed the mixing instructions, but did you also change the ingredients?
I was wondering why the changes were made before baking it again so I can make sure it’s just as delicious as before! (Previous recipe called for: 2 1/4 cup gluten free flour, 3 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1 3/4 cup sugar, 3 eggs, 1/2 vegetable oil, 1 Tbsp vanilla, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 cup milk)
Hi Amber, we’re so glad this cake has been such a hit for your family! This recipe went through slight edits to improve upon the recipe and make it as delicious and moist as possible. We love the results and hope you find it just as good or better than before! We’d love to hear how it goes!