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 looks like a lovely cake
I have a couple of questions: My apologies if I missed this in your post, if I use a 9×13 glass pan for how long do I bake it? Have you ever used Cup4Cup gf flour in this recipe? Thank you!
Hi Stacey, you’ll want to add about 5-10 minutes to the bake time for a 9×13 pan. We recommend using Bob’s Red Mill for best results, but you are welcome to use other measure for measure gf flours. Happy baking!
Hello, I’d like to make this as a 3 layer 6 inch cake, what is the bake time?
Hi Ahlem, the batter will be deeper in the 6-inch pans so you will most likely need to add a few minutes to the bake time. When adjusting bake times for different size pans than what the recipe calls for, it is always best to keep a close eye on the bake and use a toothpick to test doneness. We hope you enjoy the vanilla cake!
Hi, can I use lactose free Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Looking forward to trying this recipe!
Sandy
Hi Sandy, we haven’t tried Greek yogurt with this recipe ourselves so we can’t say for sure. The fat content from the sour cream makes the cake really delicious. You could also try a dairy-free sour cream if you need to avoid lactose. We’d love to hear how it goes!
I also plan to do 6 inch cakes for my grandson’s birthday, so please post how long you baked them.
Hi Patty, the batter will be deeper in the 6-inch pans so you will most likely need to add a few minutes to the bake time. The surest way to get the right bake when using a different size pans is to keep a close eye on the bake and use a toothpick to test doneness. We hope you enjoy the vanilla cake!
Can this work in a 12” round? I have to make a large cake and don’t know how to measure amount of batter!
Hi Claire, since this recipe makes enough batter for two 8″ round pans, it should be enough for one 12″ round pan. Just make sure to leave room for the cake to rise. We hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hi Marty, thank you for the feedback! We’re glad you liked the instructions and cake. We hope you find the amount of baking powder that works best for you. Happy baking!
Do you think any adjustments need to be made at high altitude? Thank you!
Hi Christy, our recipes were designed at sea level so typically adjustments for high altitude will need to be taken if baking at an elevation of 3,000 ft or higher. Typically for cakes that means increasing the oven temperature and decreasing the bake time, but sometimes measurements for ingredients need to be adjusted too. To start, try increasing the oven temperature by 15-25 degrees and reducing the bake time by 5-8 minutes for every 30 minutes of baking. A toothpick is a great way to assess doneness when adjusting the baking time. We hope this helps!
If I were to store in the refrigerator, how long would it keep?
We recommend storing this cake at room temperature. It will keep for 2 days if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Thanks for your question, Rigina!
I subbed out the sour cream with mayo and used oat milk to make it dairy free. I also flipped the amounts of lemon and vanilla extracts to make a lemon cake. It turned out amazing. I Filled it with strawberry plum jam and used a lemon frosting. So good. My hubby lived it and he hates GF.
We love the creativity, Summer! Thanks for sharing your tips! We’re so happy to hear that you and your husband loved it!
If I were to add blueberries to the batter, do you think I would need to sub out ingredients?
Hi Nikki, that sounds like a fun addition. We haven’t tried it ourselves to say for certain, but if you decide to experiment, we would suggest: blotting excess moisture off of the berries with a paper towel, lightly coating them with flour, and then adding them to the mixture last to avoid them all sinking to the bottom and causing a soggy cake. This addition may impact the cake’s texture/consistency as it is a light, fluffy cake without the fruit and may not handle the added blueberries well. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
Can I use something else instead of sour cream?
Hi Jackie, while we haven’t tried it, other readers have shared some sour cream substitution ideas. One reader said they subbed mayo for the sour cream and it worked well. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
In your ingredients list do you use real lemon or bottle lemon juice. Also can canola oil be used in place of vegetable oil?
In your ingredients list, do you used a real lemon or bottle lemon juice. Also can canola oil be used in place of the vegetable oil?
Hi Phyllis, the bottle lemon juice should work for this recipe! While our preference is vegetable oil, you can definitely substitute canola oil, if you’d like. Hope you enjoy the vanilla cake!
Can this cake be made ahead of time and frozen? Thanks!
Hi Kiki, yes you can make the cake in advance and freeze it! Just make sure you wrap it up well.
I just found you and we LOVE your recipes for my daughter with Celiac AND the rest of us! Your coconut cake was the hit of our Easter dinner! I was wondering if you know how long you would bake this cake to turn it into a 9 x 11 cake so that I have plenty of room for decorating it for my daughter’s birthday?
Hi Jessamy, the recipe’s bake time works for a 9×13 pan. If you are interested in an 11×7 then you would need to increase the bake time a little to account for the deeper fill. Using a toothpick to test doneness is a huge help when adjusting the bake time. We hope this helps!
Used this recipe to make a wedding cake (4 tiers) and everyone raved about it. No one knew it was gluten free until I told them. Definitely a keeper!
Can you freeze this cake?
Absolutely, Aerian! Just make sure you wrap it up well before freezing. Thanks for your question!
I am trying to make this cake for a wedding as well and it keeps deflating! Did you have this problem at all? The cake is delicious but it buckles all around the edge for me and flattens out.
That’s a bummer, Julie! We’re sorry you had that experience. Did you use Bob’s Red Mill GF 1:1 flour? We’ve had the best experience using this gf flour blend with this recipe. Otherwise, things like overmixing, opening the oven door too soon, and underbaking can lead to deflating. We hope this helps!
Love this cake!
This is now my go to cake recipe. Everyone loves it and no one knows it’s gluten-free unless I tell them. I always follow the recipe exactly and it comes out perfect every time.
Have you ever tried these as a cupcake? If so, what variation in baking time?
Hi Kat, here is our gf vanilla cupcake recipe. They are delicious and definitely worth a try! we’d love to hear your thoughts if you decide to give the cupcake recipe a try! Thanks for your question.