Before we get started into what is THE BEST GLUTEN FREE CAKE RECIPE … ever, let me just tell you that I know cake.
I come from a long line of cake lovers – and frosting lovers, truth be told – and it’s not exaggerating to say that it’s critical that we have awesome gluten free cake recipes at our fingertips.
I have developed a great gluten free pound cake recipe, gluten free angel food cake recipe, gluten free lemon cake recipe, gluten free s’mores cake recipe, gluten free pineapple upside down cake recipe, gluten free black bottom cupcakes recipe, gluten free King cake recipe, gluten free red velvet cake recipe, Chocolate Beer Cake recipe … so many more gluten free cake and cupcake recipes that I’m getting tired of typing recipes …. You get the idea.
Oh, and I have a great gluten free yellow/white cake recipe that I have always used for gluten free birthday cakes and gluten free wedding cakes, but I wanted one that was lighter and frankly, required fewer odd ingredients.
So I worked and worked, taste-tested and taste-tested (I’m wiping my brow over here), until I was sure that this was IT!
And in case the reviews on this recipe haven’t convinced you yet, let me assure you that this really is THE BEST GLUTEN FREE CAKE RECIPE!
It truly is.
Bear in mind that the ingredients given are all here for a reason; making substitutions will change the texture and taste of the cake, trust me. Including, and especially, the gluten free flour ingredient.
My gfJules™ Flour is unlike any other; using another blend will absolutely produce a different result.
So please don’t email me or leave a comment that the recipe didn’t turn out as pictured or as described if you use another gluten free flour blend. Gluten free flour blends are ALL quite different; even if you think the ingredients look similar or even the same.
For example, in my gfJules Gluten Free Flours, I use not one but TWO different gluten free modified starches.
Neither of these ingredients are available on store shelves, so there is no way anyone could ever fully replicate my blend because of those ingredients alone, not to mention all the others.
My award-winning gfJules Flour has taken me years to perfect and I modify and improve it periodically when a new ingredient becomes available, or to make it non-GMO, as I did in 2014. Using this blend will make all your gluten free baking better, but for the purposes of this discussion, it will definitely make the best gluten free cake (gluten free chocolate OR gluten free vanilla cake).
As with any recipe, I urge you to also follow the DIRECTIONS. You may be shocked to see the difference it makes just to bake a cake using the exact same ingredients but adding them in a different order!
I’m getting a bit tweaky here, but enough folks write in with questions and problems with baking that I like to cut off potential issues at the pass and show people what NOT to do before things go wrong, so take a look at what can happen with this lovely cake if you simply add the sugar at the end instead of with the dry ingredients at the beginning of the recipe, as specified:
That’s right, the INGREDIENTS matter and the DIRECTIONS matter!
So take a moment to gather the ingredients I recommend and take a moment to read the directions and follow them. You will be rewarded with … the Best Gluten Free Cake! It’s worth it!
And if you’re going to make layer upon layer of these delicious cakes (which I highly recommend), you’re going to need a super tall cake safe.
I love mine, pictured above, because it also collapses to save space! (Click here for the gluten-free sprinkles I used)
If you want sugar-free, I recommend either Swerve or Just Like Sugar. If you can tolerate unrefined coconut palm sugar, it works great in this recipe but makes the cake a darker color. But again, ingredient switches will always change the results.
For more on the differences in gluten free flours, hop here.
For more on converting your favorite recipes to gluten free, hop here.
If you need to replace the eggs in this recipe, check out my favorite egg replacers and recipes here.
And after experimenting for what felt like eons, I nailed this cake recipe and am so excited to share it with you. I now firmly believe it to be my most versatile, delicious, light, and EASY gluten free cake recipe yet!
I’ve given instructions on how to make this a white cake, yellow cake or chocolate cake, but don’t let that stop your imagination! I can’t wait to hear what kind of yummy chocolate swirl, mint, peanut butter, salted caramel or other delicious concoction you come up with using this new super easy cake recipe as your base.
Come back and share with us all when you try this recipe, and if you put any other delicious flavor spin on it!
Makes one 9- or 10-inch round cake or 12 cupcakes; double for 2 layer cake.
BTW — these pre-cut 9-inch round parchment rounds are my favorite way to line the cake pans and lift the cakes out easily!
The Best Gluten Free Cake Recipe
The Best Gluten Free Cake Recipe
After years (and years and years) of recipe testing, I can say with complete confidence that this is truly the BEST gluten free cake recipe! Light and airy, moist and flavorful, this cake takes the cake!
Ingredients
Note: double for two 8 or 9-inch round pans or 24 cupcakes or 9x13 sheet pan
- 1 ½ cups (202.5 grams) gfJules® All Purpose Gluten Free Flour
- 1 cup less 1 Tbs. granulated cane sugar (Monkfruit works as a sub)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/3 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
- 2 eggs or substitute (for white cake, use 4 egg whites)**
- 1/3 cup mild flavored vegetable oil of choice (safflower, non-GMO canola, avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil melted, etc.)
- 1 Tbs. white vinegar (lemon juice works as a sub but imparts lemon flavor)
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I like Rodelle®)
- ½ cup milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy; skim or fat-free not recommended)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325° F.
Line with parchment rounds or oil one 8 or 9-inch round cake pan or line 12 muffin cups with cupcake papers.
Bring all ingredients to room temperature. Sift the dry ingredients (including sugar) together in a bowl.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients except milk. If making white cake, first whip egg whites or aquafaba sub quickly to fluff, then add other liquids: oil; vinegar and vanilla (plus chocolate syrup, if using).
Slowly pour dry mix into the liquids and begin to stir, adding the milk while stirring to keep the flour from flying up and out of the bowl while mixing. Continue to beat at medium speed just until the lumps are gone and the batter is smooth and no longer lumpy -- no more than 1 minute.
Pour batter into prepared pan(s). Allow to rest in the pan before baking for 10 minutes (not required if pressed for time).
Bake times:
8" pans = 40+ minutes
9" pans = 40 minutes
(double recipe) 9x13 pan = 42 minutes
cupcakes = 20-25 minutes
Test with a toothpick before removing from the oven. When done, the toothpick should come out clean (not wet) or with a few crumbs attached when inserted into the center of the cake. Your oven may take longer to bake, and cake pan size matters.
Glass, metal and ceramic pans all alter the bake time, so check for done-ness before removing from the oven. Pressing gently onto the top of the cake, it should feel firm and bounce back.
Remove to cool on a wire rack. To remove the cake, gently invert the cake by flipping it upside down onto your hand, removing the pan, then returning the cake to the wire rack or a serving plate.
Frost with white or chocolate frosting. (There are plenty more frosting recipes where that came from - just search the "recipes" tab on my site!)
Notes
**To Replace 4 Egg Whites in White Cake:
1/2 cup aquafaba + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar, whipped until frothy
**To Replace 2 Eggs in Yellow or Chocolate Cake:
- 1/4 cup dairy or non-dairy yogurt (not Greek style, not fat-free) OR vegan mayo
PLUS
- 1 recipe of commercial gluten free egg replacer like Ener-G® Egg Replacer (total equivalent of 1 egg substituted)
*For 1 recipe Chocolate Cake (double for 2 cakes or 24 cupcakes) add:
- ¼ cup cocoa (Dutched)
- ¼ cup additional milk of choice
- 3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 76Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 6gCholesterol 32mgSodium 230mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 1g
Make your next birthday or wedding or anniversary or office party … even better! Make the Best Gluten Free Cake Recipe or use my gfJules Best Gluten Free Cake MIX!
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
Pin it for later!
Hi Jules,
My 4 years old was just diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis. I’m trying to figure out a cake I can make that tastes great for his birthday. He can’t have wheat, rice(so many of the gluten free flours are out for me) egg yolk and almond. Do you have any suggestions? I’ve been at a loss finding a good recipe. Thanks so much !
Try this cake recipe and sub the flour out with cassava flour. It is a really good recipe!
Thank you for the suggestion!
Hi Lara, take a look at this article/recipe for making a gluten free flour blend that will meet your family’s needs. Regarding egg yolks and this recipe, just use the egg white option and hopefully you can make a blend that will meet your needs and use it in this recipe. Also check out my friend Collette Martin and her site, LearningtoEatAllergyFree.com. She’s a great resource on gluten free AND EOE.
All the best,
~jules
Thank you so much!
Happy to help! I wish you lots of luck, and know that I’m here to help however I can!
~jules
Hi I live in Australia what do you recommend for GF flour here?
Hi Linda, check out this article on gluten free flours and how to make your own blend with what you can find there, so you can still use my recipes. Happy Baking!
~jules
Can I add fruit to the cake like cherries??
Hi Tonya, you could add some fruit but understand that fruit adds liquid too — especially something like cherries — it may also sink to the bottom of the cake and make it wetter there. Adding fewer would be better, and roll the fruit in more of my gfJules Flour before adding to help it not sink to the bottom. Here’s a link to my Blueberry Buckle Cake which shows you how to do that. Enjoy!
~jules
Hi there, I have a daughter who is gluten free and I have appreciated using your flour to make things for her. She loves yellow cake for her birthday, however, she can’t have cane sugar. Have you experimented with your recipe to use alternatives like Swerve, maple syrup or honey? Thanks for any help!
Hi Irene, I’m so glad you’re able to make delicious foods for your daughter using my gfJules Flour! I’ll tell you that I have used coconut palm sugar in this recipe as a direct replacement for cane sugar and it was delicious. The cake won’t be as yellow, of course, but the taste will be richer, almost like a graham cracker flavor, but in cake. I hope she loves it!
~jules
If I was to flavor this with passion fruit concentrate, how much should I add? Could I simply swap out the milk? Have you tried freezing this cake?
Hi Mary, I have heard from others that it freezes well, but it doesn’t seem to last in our house long enough! LOL – it’s a popular recipe!
As for flavoring it, since you’re using a concentrate, I wouldn’t think you would need that much to get a good flavor, but yes, you would use it in place of some amount of the milk — probably at leas 1/4 cup, but depends on the intensity of the concentrate. You may have to experiment a bit to get it to your liking, taste-wise. I bet the color will be beautiful!
~jules
Hi there! Baked this version of your white cake and it was all I have been hoping for! It was really white. Used refined coconut oil for the fat and this cake came out absolutely perfect. I also used an 8 inch round pan. It had a beautiful rise to it, unlike the dozen or so other white gluten free cakes I’ve tried from scratch. It is soooo moist and tender with a beautiful texture. I came across your flour in the health food store I shop at and wanted to try it, having read about it on several websites. So glad I did. One question tho, would it hurt the texture or the rise if I added maybe a half teaspoon of salt? Thank you for sharing your successes with us. Gluten free baking has made me crazy at times but I don’t thnk using your flour blend. It will happen much again. Thank you so much again for sharing this recipe.
Hi Charlene – I’m SO glad you found my flour and decided to try this recipe. After experimenting with zillions myself, I can honestly say this is THE BEST gluten free cake recipe! It’s so easy when you have my gfJules Flour! As for salt, I think you’ll be fine to add 1/2 tsp. without affecting anything. It may make the flavor even more perfect for you.
I’d love to know at what health food store you found my flour so I can thank them!
May all your baking be fun, from here on out!
~jules
Hi Jules, I found your flour at a health food store in Norman, Oklahoma. It’s called Dodson’s. They had your large bags of flour there, about 4 of them on the shelf and I’m going back to buy another one. And I’ll thank them as well for stocking your flour. Going to try a recipe for Indian fried bread with it this weekend. And just got your lemon bar recipe today and want to try that as well. Thanks so much for your answer to my salt question.
Absolutely, Charlene! And yes, Dodson’s has been carrying my flour for a long time – we love them and are grateful for their support and for sharing my products with their customers! Enjoy those lemon bars! I’ll be eager to hear more about the Indian fried bread, too!
~jules
Has anyone used raspberries in this recipe? My niece has asked me to make raspberry cupcakes for her wedding. I have to use frozen ones as we picked them in July, I am nervous as to how they will come out. I am sure I will need to adjust the liquid or use the juice for a substitute. Has anyone done this?!
Hi Holly, I have not tried raspberries in this recipe, but they’ll be easier to use than something even wetter like strawberries! Try rolling the berries in some more gfJules Flour before adding them to the batter at the very end so that they’ll not sink to the bottom, and I would give it a dry run before the wedding just in case any adjustments need to be made. Good luck!
~jules
Could you please tell me if the gfGlutenfree Flour has Potato Flour in the product? I am allergic to Potato flour. Thankyou.
Hi Yvonne, my gfJules Flour does contain potato starch. Check this article for some ideas that might work for you.
~jules
I love this recipe! I made the chocolate cake, used vanilla frosting, and then sprinkled crushed candy cane on top for a holiday cake. It was a hit!
I love that idea of chocolate and peppermint with this cake – brilliant! I’m thrilled that you loved the cake – thanks so much for sharing your new flavor combo!
~jules
I need to make a quarter sheet gluten free cake. Your recipe looks awesome and your reviews are great!! What proportions would I use for a chocolate cake? Thanks!
Hi Candace, I know you’ll love this recipe made with my gfJules Flour — it’s so light and moist! The recipe, as written, makes one 9 inch cake pan, so for a 13×9 you would double it. Enjoy!
~jules
i love my cake, it turned out soooooooo good!
Oh Zoe, that’s so fantastic to hear! I’m thrilled you made it and loved it – now you have a go-to gluten free cake recipe!
~jules
I’m thinking of doing a carrot cake for my moms birthday… do I just use the same amount of the gf Jules as I would regular flour?
Hi Rebecca, you should be able to do that, or you could just use my tried and true gluten free Carrot Cake Recipe! Here’s the link: https://gfjules.com/recipes/gluten-free-carrot-cake-2/ (happy birthday, mom!)
~jules
She loved it thanks!
YAY!!! Cake victory!!!
~jules
I cannot wait to try this recipe ! I am going to add pistachio pudding mix to the cake mix. Also, crushed walnuts, cinnamon and brown sugar to the base of a bundt pan and center as a rendition of a coffee cake. My mom made this back in the 70’s. I will keep you posted on my finished product.
Hi Ada – it sounds like my mother’s rum cake recipe! Check this out and let me know if it sounds similar!
~jules
I had a last minute request for a gluten free cake for my dad, so I made this recipe. Used Pamela’s GF AP flour, and it turned out really well. Baking at a mile high made the cake a bit more dense, but it tasted just fine. No grittiness.
I’m so glad it worked out! I can’t wait to hear if you like it even better at altitude with my gfJules Flour! Such a nice thing to do for your dad – baking is love!!!
~jules
I have never made a gluten-free cake before. Can I use my regular baking pans? Also, gluten is just in the flour? Does it turn out the same as making a regular cake with all purpose flour? Or cake flour?
This is a good one! I actually twist it up a little though!!! The grainy taste of gluten free can leave kids with a yuck on their face so I add 2 vanilla cups of pudding to the recipe And when making a chocolate cake I use one vanilla and one chocolate cup of pudding on the chocolate cake I add chocolate chip to the top after pouring in my baking pan and let those rest with the cake for 20 minutes… the kids can’t even tell it’s gluten free after throwing a mix in on it!!! Thanks!!!
Hi Aariel- thanks for sharing your tips! Just so you know for future reference, using my gfJules Flour means you don’t even have to worry because there’s no grainy taste or texture so no kid would ever know the difference! Even easier!!! 🙂
~jules
I’m really looking for a two layer gluten free vanilla poppyseed cake with almond flavor.
Can you substitute the milk for something dairy free?
Hi Dimple, not sure what you’re referring to. Every one of products and all of my recipes are dairy-free. Where milk is noted, it’s dairy-free but dairy may be used in its place if you prefer. I hope that helps!
~jules
I used this recipe for the second time to make a gf-tiramisu cake again and it didn’t disappoint. I used PG-gf Flax & Ancient Grains the second time around and it turned out great using this recipe. Thanks Jules!
Oh wow – what a great idea! I can’t wait to try tiramisu with this recipe too!
~jules