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!
Has anyone used this recipe and made it sugar free as well? Monk Fruit, stevia, any other alcohol sugar? If so, what quantity? Thanks in advance. Rhonda
Other readers have shared that an equal quantity of monkfruit for baking works well!
~jules
Tried this with the gf flour mix I can get in New Zealand. Turned out perfectly and I have already shared the recipe. Made again flavouring with coffee. Thanks for the recipe. You would never know that it is gluten free.
Wow – that is wonderful news, Tania! So happy to hear that! What mix is it? I’m sure that others from NZ would love to know what will work so well with this recipe!
~jules
When did you publish this recipe? I have looked all over this page and cannot find in order to cite.
Hi Carter, you need the date that I first shared the recipe?
Can I use another kind of gluten free flour? I can never find this brand and always forget to order it before last minute birthday cakes🤦🏻♀️ Would Cassava flour work?
Hi Brittanie, this recipe was developed with gfJules Flour and I can’t say how it will turn out with another blend, but I never recommend using just one gluten free flour in place of a blend (like cassava flour, as you mentioned), and I never recommend trying a recipe with a different flour for the first time on a birthday cake — they’re just too important!! Here’s an article on gluten free flours so you can understand a bit more about the differences. You can order and we deliver right to your door from our on-line store or we also sell on Amazon if that’s more convenient for you. The flour has an 18 month best-by date, so you can feel confident buying it and keeping it for more birthdays to come!
~jules
I’m sorry…I made a mistake! THIS is the recipe I used when my first cake did not turn out! This cake was delightfully light and delicious! I used a berry filling and a cream-cheese frosting, could not have been better! 👍
This cake was great!! After making a different recipe that totally flopped I tried yours. It was a night and day difference. I thank you for this recipe. I separated the batter and colored it rainbow for a little girls unicorn cake. I was told the cake was moist and delicious. Thank you for an outstanding recipe.
Oh yay! I’m so happy! And so happy you didn’t give up on gluten free cakes after your earlier experience! A unicorn cake sounds like such a perfect idea for this recipe!! Send me pics! 🙂
~jules
Hi, really like to try this but I use Pamelas, or Better Batter, is what I hv on hand will either of these work?
Like to make 30 Anniversary cake.
Thank you
Is vinegar a must it gives me bad headaches
Hmmmm. You could try lemon juice instead. Hope that’s something you can tolerate and that it works out for you!
~jules
I subbed lemon juice for the vinegar and actually did about 1.5 lemon juice and added some grated lemon rind and kind of made it a lemon cake instead of vanilla and it was soooooo good!!! Thanks so much for this recipe!
1.5 lemons lol my bad
OOOOOhhh that does sound amazing! Thanks for taking the time to leave the amounts you used, Rebekah!
~jules
This is the cake I will be making for my son’s wedding! His fiancee has coeliacs disease and this is a phenomenal recipe! I added lemon zest and it tastes fantastic. Thank you!
Oh yes, the lemon zest addition is fantastic! I know that everyone will love it! What a wonderful gift that the bride will be able to enjoy a delicious cake with all her guests!!!
~jules
Hi! Would this work with butter instead?
Hi Esther, I haven’t tried it with butter, but theoretically it would if the butter was melted. There may be some differences in the texture, but hopefully it will work out for you.
~jules
Another reader has since shared that melted butter worked great for her!
~jules
Did you allow the cakes to cool for a bit in the pan & then invert to the cooling racks?
Hi Lisa, I do, then invert to release from the pan and set out on the wire racks to finish cooling. I hope that helps!
~jules
From where do I purchase your flour?
Hi Lois, here’s the link to the shop page where you can order my gfJules Flour and baking mixes! Happy Baking!
~jules
Hi Jules
Is this recipe suitable for covering in fondant? Want to make sure it’s strong enough!
Thanks
Hi Rachel, it is strong enough for fondant, yes. And so pretty!
~jules
If I wanted to make it using 6 inch pans would you recommend changing anything? Like cooking time?
Hi Ellie, yes, you’ll need to check the cakes frequently with a toothpick. If you’re using tall 6 inch pans the cooktime may actually increase, since the thickness of the cake will increase. Just keep an eye on it and if the cakes start to pull away from the sides and/or brown around the edges, you’ll definitely want to test for doneness. Hope that helps!
~jules
Best GF cake ever. Kiddo asks for more!
So happy everyone loves it!!!
~jules
I have not tasted it yet – but I can smell it and it smells absolutely delicious! My granddaughter (3 yrs.) loved licking the mixing spoon and beaters! She said ‘the house smells so beautiful!’
I doubled the recipe
I used 2 cups white flour and 1 cup Coconut Flour
used 8 oz. of activia vanilla yogurt instead of milk (was worried because the batter was quite thick but figured the heat would take care of thinning it out and it did.
I used crisco solid vegetable oil to grease the pan and gluten free flour to dust the pan.
I used an over-sized cookie sheet 9x17x1 (inches)
Often birthday cakes for large gatherings get skipped over because of the other food filling people up. Kids think they want cake and ice cream and then you throw half of it away – making birthday cakes like this has less throw away and more melt away (melt in your mouth)
What a lovely cake baking memory to make with your granddaughter! Thanks for sharing, June!!
~jules
This was really good thanks. I used a different flour and I didn’t have baking soda so I used extra baking powder. That’s the only reason I’m giving it a 4 and not a 5 (because I adapted the recipe ever so slightly)
Thanks so much!
Hi Rentia, hopefully next time you’ll have my gfJules Flour and you can see how it turns out by comparison!
~jules
Jules I need to ask you a question unrelated to this specific recipe– Have you ever made a GF scratch cake (yellow) that was brown on the inside? Mostly on the lower half of the cake and like an hombre effect? I have baked a scratch cake that I have made many times before,but the last 3 times its’ brown when I cut into it? Do you have any idea what would cause this to happen? It is not overcooked and tastes delicious??? Thanks in advance !
You know, an hombre effect cake would be a great birthday cake for a teenager! LOL
Sounds like that’s not the look you were going for though, David! So glad it still tastes great. I wonder if you used a different pan? Dark metal pans can tend to make baked goods bake darker and hotter, but assuming you didn’t use a different pan, I’d suggest baking in a glass pan and/or line the pan with parchment and/or move the rack up a notch so it’s not as close to the heating element. If you have a convection setting, that might also help as well (bake 25 degrees cooler and watch the timing as convection usually means it won’t need to bake as long). Otherwise, try a different brand of sugar next time — go for refined white cane sugar, not beet sugar or organic. I hope one of those tips helps!
~jules
I was looking for a yellow cake recipe for my hubby’s pistachio cake for his birthday. The pistachio recipe calls for a boxed cake, which turned out too dense for me. I tried this, doubled it, added the pistachio pudding and a little extra milk (I’m also high altitude). It turned out amazing!!!! Light, perfect flavor, so good! I’m the only celiac in the house, but they all loved it! Didn’t have any of your flour, so had to try with Bob’s. Will definitely make again and again!!!!
Glad this recipe worked so well for you!!! Thanks for letting me know!
~jules
I’ve been using this recipe for the last year and love it! In the beginning I had trouble with the consistency. It was rather lumpy and I had to “smooth” it into the pan. I’ve seen one or two others report on this as well. I live in high altitude, and all I did was add more milk at the end and finished mixing by hand after the ingredients incorporated. It comes out like perfect cake batter, rises like it should and I’m happy to report that in a blind taste test all my friends chose this over a “regular” flour cupcake.
Lauren I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review and also what you do to make it work well for you at high altitude. Thank you so much! And of course, I’m thrilled to hear that your friends are loving this cake even more than “regular”! That’s a win for sure!!!
~jules
Hi how can I make this cake moist from inside
Hi Mary, have you tried my recipe with my flour? The cake is very moist as long as it’s not overcooked.
~jules