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.
Can you just use egg whites? Will it make a difference? Thank you
This actually turns out great with all egg whites! I make it that way with my gluten-free pineapple upside down cake: https://meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-pineapple-upside-down-cake/
Wow! Just made last night for strawberry shortcake! Dang. Beautiful cake. It’s a keeper!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cake as strawberry shortcake! Thanks for the comment!
How far in advanced can I make this cake without it drying out? Can’t wait to try it for my friend who is newly diagnosed with Celiac’s disease!
For best results, I wouldn’t make this more than 24 hours in advance. I hope this helps!
Can I add sprinkles to the cake batter? Will it change the consistency of the cake?
I made this using 2 9″ pans and set cook time for 30 minutes, I split the layers and used buttercream frosting and raspberry filling. It was excellent and everyone was completely suprised that is was gluten free. I use the King Arthur brand 1:1 gf flour.
Raspberry filling sounds so delicious! I’m glad the cake turned out for you. Thanks for the helpful comment!
Hi. Can I double this recipe. Thanks.
Yes you can definitely double the recipe! However, you’ll want to use 2 additional round pans to bake the batter into 4 cakes.
Could I use this cake recipe in a Wilton kitty cake pan?
I think that should work great! Just be sure to grease the pan really well first.
Will this work with artificial sweeteners? I have to keep the carbs down as well.
Unfortunately sugar is important for the proper texture – so I don’t think so!
Fantastic crumb, not gummy and not crumbly! It was a little too sweet for my personal taste but I’m curious if I reduce the sugar is likely to throw off a delicate balance and leave me with a crumbly / gummy result instead?
Hi Sali! That’s a great question. The sugar is indeed important for the structure/crumb of the cake. I wouldn’t reduce it for best results!
I have just made this cake. And is the best vanilla cake recipe ! It came out so fluffy and light! I absolutely loved it.
The only thing I did different was to reduce the sugar to 300grams .
Great to know it worked well with reduced sugar. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I️ thought I️ had said goodbye to really good cake when I️ was found out I’m gluten intolerant!
I️ made this cake in 2 8×8 round pans and wow! I️ couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. Fluffy, light… not coarse at all and wonderful flavor!
Thank you so much for taking the time to come up with this wonderful recipe! I️ am delighted!
I’m so glad you were able to have a delicious cake again! Happy it turned out for you 🙂
This cake is everything it promises to be. I baked it for my husbands birthday and put sprinkles on top, he loved it. You wouldn’t know it’s gluten free. So delicious & easy to make. Will be saving the recipe. Thankyou!
I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed it! 🙂
I can’t wait to make this recipe for my daughters birthday party! Do you have any suggestions for the vegetable oil for a replacement? I was thinking of trying avocado oil, melted coconut oil or melted butter. Do you have any thoughts?
I would use melted coconut oil or avocado oil! Don’t use melted butter as it has different properties. I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you Erin!!
Hi Erin! I just wanted to confirm that the baking time is the same for the one 9×13 pan and the 2 round pans. That’s the way the instructions read to me, but I wanted to be sure before I bake! Thanks!
Yes the baking time will be the same! I hope it turns out well for you.
just love this receipe and i use a coconut sour cream base and oat milk for the cake i was told it tasted great, will this cake stay moist the next day?
That’s so great to know it works well with those dairy-free ingredients. Helpful for others to know so thanks for sharing! The cake is definitely best the day it’s made – but it should stay moist for another 1-2 days.
Would using lactose free sour cream and coconut milk work?
Yes that should work great! I would use boxed, refrigerated coconut milk instead of the canned kind though. Canned coconut milk is too thick for this recipe. I hope this helps!
I rarely leave reviews but my family and I were so impressed with this recipe. The texture and taste is so perfect that I wouldn’t even guess it’s gluten free. I followed each step carefully but used a hand mixer and still had amazing results.
I’m so glad to hear that! Glad it turned out for you 🙂 Thanks for the comment!
How many cupcakes do you get from this recipe? Is this a good recipe for cupcakes?
This recipe will make about 18 cupcakes!
I ended up getting 24 cupcakes. Thank you for this recipe!! I tried two others before this one and had to throw them both out because they were super greasy and gummy. The texture of this recipe is SO much better. I have used it for a layer cake and for cupcakes and they both turned out great. This will be my go-to recipe now for GF vanilla cake!
This is great to know the cake turned out well as cupcakes! Thanks for the helpful comment!
Beautiful cake, even better on day 2.
Thrilled with the result and advice re why oil instead of butter etc. Thank you.
I’m so glad it turned out for you! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Can you replace the sour cream with vegan butter for this recipe
Unfortunately that won’t work! Sorry!
I am going to make this cake for Valentine’s day. I do have an odd allergy and that is vanilla. So far when baking cookies I just leave it out all together, however this will be my first cake. Just curious if you have ever replaced vanilla with another alternative. Tia
Hi! Wondering if sour cream can be replaced with 0% plain Greek yogurt? Its all I have on hand, can’t wait to try this cake!
I haven’t tried this myself so I can’t say for sure! The fat from the sour cream makes the cake really delicious. Let me know if you try it!