Not all gluten free cake recipes are created equal! Fluffy and moist gluten-free white cake is the best, easy, from scratch, vanilla cake recipe perfect birthdays and celebrations! If you have been looking for a homemade white cake to end all future searches, join the hundreds of gluten-free bakers who have made this cake with swoon-worthy success!
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Finally. Gluten-Free Cake Against All Odds
After many years experimenting with gluten free baking, I’ve had my fair share of successes and failures. (Oh, the failures. If you know, you know). Fortunately I can now rely on perfected staples, like a fudgy, moist gluten-free chocolate cake, pillow soft gluten-free bread that doesn’t crumble, and crisp GF sugar cookies that are actually easy to roll out!
Until now, though, I’ve continually struggled with a soft, fluffy gluten free white cake recipe. A lot of gluten free baking recipes simply adapt a traditional recipe, swapping out all purpose GF flour. You will bake something that resembles a homemade layer cake, but…
Still have to throw yourself a small pity party. 🥺 All the from-scratch vanilla cake recipes I tried were either dry, dense, or gritty. There’s a better way, friends! All these completely doable gluten-free cake tips don’t require baking expertise. I wouldn’t do you like that.
I relied on some tricks learned when developing my gluten free cookbook, such as a quality GF flour, a longer mix time, and most importantly the precise ratio of wet to dry ingredients. (Which is why swapping out all purpose GF flour in a “regular” recipe will only get you so far.)
I started with a well tested recipe, America’s Test Kitchen lemon layer cake, omitting the lemon flavor to make a vanilla cake.Then adapted it further to make an incredibly light, fluffy homemade white cake using gluten-free flour.
I found the original recipe baking time too long. Two layer cakes in a 9-inch round cake pans only required 23-25 minutes. But then I had to fix another problem. While it baked into a airy, spongy cake, it had a tendency to sink upon cooling.
That’s when adjustments to the wet and dry ingredients came in. That was after A. LOT. of test runs, tweaking baking powder and baking soda amounts. Those were some dark times, with some uncomfortable GF fury.
Let’s celebrate a happy ending, though! Never again will you have to rely on a gluten-free cake mix for an easy, quick layer or sheet cake. This tried and true white cake recipe mixes together in only five minutes to make that special birthday cake!
Hands down the best gluten-free cake recipe I’ve tried. Sticking to this one because it’s so good! I’m new to GF baking so the “no fail” scared me – easy to say but not always true. Been there before! But, this is exactly as advertised. I’ll make this one every time. Better than so-called regular cake by a mile!
—Ann
My husband and grown son and daughter have Celiac. I do not and still eat gluten away from home, so have not forgotten how delicious a cake made with wheat flour is compared to other gluten free cake recipes. This was absolutely moist and delicious, and I could not tell it is gluten free. Thank you for the perfect recipe!
—Jeanne
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Free Guide! 5 easy tips for baking like a gluten-free pro!
Simple hacks for fail-proof gluten-free dishes every time!
Let’s Make This Together!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
Gluten free flours don’t absorb fats as well as regular flour. So, instead of creaming softened butter and sugar, this homemade cake uses melted butter to blend with the starches. The fat and moisture stays coated on the starches, leaving a moist cake instead of dry and crumbly.
After reading comments about deflating cake issues, I retested the recipe reducing the amount of liquid. This was the key! Coupled with my eureka discovery of letting the cake batter rest for 15 minutes when developing my bonafide fluffy GF banana cake recipe, the no-fail, cake magic was solidified.
Whisk together wet ingredients
Room temperature ingredients incorporate better with the dry, so let the egg whites and milk sit out for at least 45 minutes before using. Once the melted butter has cooled, whisk it all together with the vanilla extract.
Combine dry ingredients
In a larger bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. I usually do this in my stand mixer using a paddle attachment. See, I told you this was easy?
Mix. Wait a tad. Bake.
Now pour almost all the wet ingredients into the dry, holding back about 1/2 cup. Beat to combine, then mix for 2 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add in the remaining liquid and beat it for 1 minute longer. Spread in greased baking pans and let it rest for 15 minutes while the oven preheats. This gives time for the liquids to full absorb so you can say goodbye to dense cake layers forever! Bake for 23 minutes, cool, and frost.
If you are making these for a birthday celebration, then I highly recommend stirring in a little fun! Check out my homemade gluten-free funfetti cake for amounts and suggestions on GF sprinkles.
GF Flour Recommendations
Gluten free flour blends have come a long way in the last fifteen years. Gluten free baking used to mean buying, storing, and measuring several different flours to make your own flour mix.
Fortunately there are several commercial brands that perform way better than any homemade mixes I’ve ever experimented with. These are the brands I find work the most consistently and have the best taste.
- Cup4Cup – This is the brand I primarily use because any gluten free taste or difference in texture is undetectable. However, it is also the most expensive, but I find it completely worth it to enjoy baked goods just as good as you remember them.
- King Arthur Measure-for-Measure – This is my runner up GF flour and what I recommend if you need a dairy-free, gluten-free cake recipe. It’s more affordable, but I do detect a slightly gritty flavor in baked goods.
- Bob’s Red Mill – Home bakers like this flour because it’s widely available at grocery stores and affordable. However, when testing it side by side with other brands, it has an off-putting after taste, but if you are going to use it, I only recommend Bob’s Red Mill for cakes. I don’t find it gives good results with breads, biscuits, or cookies.
Why Did My Cake Sink?
After re-testing the recipe numerous times and adjusting with the amount of liquid, this shouldn’t be an issue anymore. In general, GF cakes sink because they did not bake long enough or the ratio of wet to dry ingredients was off. Gluten free flours do not absorb moisture as well as regular flour.
Where traditional cakes need to be pulled immediately, or risk overbaking, gluten-free cake recipes bake a few minutes longer. For best results test with a toothpick inserted in the middle. Testing to see if top “springs back” usually isn’t a reliable method.
Another reason cakes fall is due to inaccurate oven temperatures. If your oven isn’t a true 350ºF, the baking powder could be activated too fast, which causes the cake to rise quickly. I use an inexpensive oven thermometer to verify settings and adjust accordingly.
To make cupcakes instead of a vanilla layer cake, follow this recipe for gluten-free vanilla cupcakes. The batter should be poured in two-thirds full. Cool completely before spreading or piping on your favorite frosting. Another option, try a fresh berry take with this moist and fluffy homemade GF strawberry cake.
Phenomenal Filling and Frosting Ideas
Whether making this recipe or using a cake mix, these are my favorite frostings and fillings that work great for white cakes. For fillings, try a creamy vanilla custard, a fresh fruit filling, or any flavor mousse filling. You can also fill the cake layers with softened ice cream, refreeze, and then cover it with whipped cream frosting.
My family’s number one requested filling? It has to be this homemade banana cream filling, and I’m never mad about it! We usually frost it with vanilla frosting.
Or, keep it classic and simple, old school birthday cake style. Smother a thick layer of the world’s fluffiest buttercream frosting all over, or, for chocolate lovers, opt for an airy chocolate buttercream. We’ve also done a lemon, coconut, and chocolate whipped cream frosting that’s stable enough to pipe.
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Did you make this recipe? I love hearing from you! Leave a star rating and comment below the recipe card. It helps others when searching for recipes and I appreciate feedback from our community. You will always hear back from me! -Melissa
Fluffy, Moist Gluten Free White Cake (No Fail!)
Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons (113) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ⅔ cup (163 g) whole milk, room temperature
- 4 (148 g) large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups (292 g) gluten free all purpose flour, I use and highly recommend Cup4Cup
- 1 ¼ cup (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1 TABLESPOON baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and set rack in middle position. Spray two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper and then grease parchment. Set aside.
- Melt the butter first so it has time to cool before blending in. Once it comes to room temperature whisk together cooled butter, milk, egg whites, and vanilla in a bowl.8 tablespoons unsalted butter, ⅔ cup whole milk, 4 large egg whites, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Add all but approximately ½ cup (just eyeball it) of the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients. Beat slow at first to moisten ingredients. Increase speed to medium for 2 minutes and mix until the batter becomes pale and fluffy. Pour in the remaining liquid and beat for 1 minute longer.2 cups gluten free all purpose flour, 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 TABLESPOON baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Divide the batter between prepared cake pans. Let it rest for 15 minutes for the liquids to full absorb so you have nice fluffy cake layers. Bake for 23-25 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. Cake is done when tops are golden and toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
- Allow the cake layers to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack, remove parchment, and cool completely before frosting with fluffy vanilla or chocolate buttercream.
Notes
Tips
- For a pure white cake use clear vanilla extract.
- Melt the butter before beginning the cake recipe so it has time to cool.
- Egg whites separate easier when they are cold. After the eggs have been separated, set them out with the measured milk to come to room temperature.
- The recipe calls for whole milk for best results. 2% may be substituted, but skim is not recommended. For the dairy free version, almond milk performed best.
Dairy-Free Adaptation
To make dairy-free, substitute Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks and use unsweetened almond milk for the milk. Reduce the amount of salt to 1/4 teaspoon.Sheet Cake
To make a sheet cake bake in a 9X13 inch pan. If you plan on removing the cake from the pan to decorate, line the bottom with parchment paper cut to size. Grease the top of the parchment with cooking spray. Bake at the same temperature as the layer cake directions. The baking time may need 4-5 minutes longer, but start checking around 24 minutes.Storing and Freezing
Gluten free cakes do not stay fresh as long as regular cakes. Therefore, if you don’t plan on freezing the cake, make it no more than 24 hours ahead of time. Frequently I bake the cake layers and freeze them until ready to assemble with a filling and frosting. Alternatively, the cake may be baked, frosted, and frozen whole. Freezing Cake Layers: Wrap each completely cooled layer securely in plastic wrap. Transfer wrapped layer to a gallon freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months. When ready to use, remove from freezer bag and thaw wrapped cake at room temperature for 1 hour. Freezing Frosted Cake: Assemble the cake with filling and frosting. Transfer whole cake to the freezer so frosting solidifies. After the frosting is frozen, wrap the cake securely with plastic wrap. Cover plastic wrap with foil and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw cake overnight in refrigerator. Carefully remove plastic wrap and foil. Continue to thaw at room temperature for 5-6 hours. Recipe adapted from America’s Test KitchenThis post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
Moist, light, good flavor. Easy to make. The recipe is not intimidating. Very pleased with this gluten free vanilla cake recipe. I had never found a gluten free cake box mix I liked. Thank you.
Thank you so much for sharing, Cynthia! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Best,
Melissa
I used Stevia, excellent cupcakes baked 16 minutes. I used almond milk.
Sounds great, Kristine! Thanks for sharing your adaptations.
Best,
Melissa
I’ve made this cake twice and while the texture is great, the flavor is lacking a bit – maybe it’s the extract I’m using – should I try using vanilla bean paste instead?
Hi Kelly,
Yes, that can certainly help. I do feel like some GF flours almost have a tastelessness to them. Did you happen to use a different brand than C4C? I would also try using salted butter instead of unsalted.
Best,
Melissa
I used Cup4Cup so I’ll try it with salted butter next time! Thanks for the tip
Could you use buttermilk?
Hi Fran,
Yes, that wouldn’t be a problem at all. Enjoy!
Best,
Melissa
I haven’t made this yet but reading the comments tells me it’s going to be delicious. I’ll make sure to let everyone know how it turned out….
Please do!
Would this cake be good for making a roll?
Hi Mary, you know I haven’t tried it. The recipe would have to be scaled, perhaps by half if spreading in a jelly roll pan. I’ve been working on GF cake rolls (a pumpkin one) and they are tricky!
Best,
Melissa
Thanks for the reply. I double checked the flour and it’s not KA bread flour. Definitely going to try again as all of your other recipes are spot on.
Oh, I appreciate that! Hopefully it was just a fluke. Let me know how it goes!
Best,
Melissa
I made using King Arthur measure for measure gf flour and followed recipe to a T.
The batter was thick and difficult to spread in the cake tins. The cake was thin, dense and heavy. I want to it one more try.
Hi Jenny,
Are you sure you didn’t use KA bread flour? I find KA batter to always be thinner then C4C because it doesn’t contain cornstarch. KA bread flour has psyllium and cornstarch, though, which would make doughs a lot thicker.
Best,
Melissa