Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you a perfectly fluffy, tender, sweet vanilla cake that’s vegan and gluten-free! Let’s bake!
This recipe is easy to make, requiring 1 bowl and 10 ingredients.
The base starts with vegan “buttermilk” made by mixing dairy-free milk and vinegar. Then add in applesauce for (oil-free!) moisture and natural sweetness and vanilla extract for that quintessential vanilla flavor. YUM.
For the dry ingredients, after much experimentation, we went with a mixture of almond flour, potato starch, and cornstarch. This combo totally nailed it! So stoked for that fluffy, crumbly texture.
Once your cake is baked, it’s time for frosting!
We included two options: one is coconut whipped cream and the other is classic vegan buttercream frosting. Both are delicious, but we were feeling classic vibes, so we went for the buttercream.
We hope you all LOVE this cake! It’s:
Fluffy
Tender
Perfectly sweet
Vanilla-infused
Easy to make
& SO delicious
This would make the perfect cake for holiday or special occasion celebrations. It’s delicious on its own but also pairs well with coconut whip, vegan buttercream (recipe below), or even chocolate frosting!
For more easy cakes, be sure to check out our Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Hazelnut Cake, Gluten-Free Birthday Cake, Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake, Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes, and The Best Vegan Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers and happy baking, friend!
1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
Ingredients
WET INGREDIENTS
- 1 2/3 cup dairy-free milk (we used boxed coconut milk // almond or rice would also work)
- 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 3 1/4 cups almond flour (not meal // we prefer Wellbee's brand)
- 1 scant cup potato starch (not flour)
- 1/3 cup cornstarch (or you can try subbing arrowroot starch for grain-free)
- 1 1/3 cup organic cane sugar*
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
VEGAN BUTTERCREAM FROSTING (optional)
- 2 sticks vegan butter, softened (we prefer Earth Balance soy-free buttery sticks)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 1/2-4 cups organic powdered sugar (sifted)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and lightly grease two standard 8-inch round cake pans, one 9x13-inch, or three 6-inch round pans* (with vegan butter or coconut oil) and dust with gluten-free flour. Shake out excess and set aside.
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In a liquid measuring cup, measure out dairy-free milk and add vinegar. Let set a few minutes. Then add applesauce and vanilla. Whisk/stir to combine.
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Add dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Then add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well incorporated and no large lumps remain. The batter should be thick but pourable. Add more almond flour if too wet or dairy-free milk if too thick.
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Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans and bake on a center rack for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges and surface appear golden brown.
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Let cool 15 minutes in the cake pans. To remove from pans, run a dull knife around the edge of the pans to loosen the cakes. Then place a plate or cooling rack on top and quickly invert. Let cool completely (preferably overnight or at least 6 hours on a wire rack) before frosting.
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Frost with coconut whipped cream and berries for a lighter application (see inspiration here), or frost generously with my 3-ingredient Vegan Buttercream Frosting (see below).
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Store cake covered at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freeze up to 1 month.
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FROSTING*: Add softened butter to a large mixing bowl and beat for 1 minute. Then add vanilla and mix once more. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and beat until a thick, spreadable frosting is formed. I found about 3 1/2 cups to be the appropriate amount per 1 full cake recipe.
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If too thick, the frosting will be too hard to spread (add 1/2 tsp almond milk at a time if too thick). If too thin, the frosting will slide off the cake. If too thin, continue adding powdered sugar until you get the right texture.
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Use immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Let come to room temperature before frosting.
Notes
*If altering batch size, please note that the number of pans and frosting instructions are based on how the original recipe is written. Adjust accordingly.
*To reduce sugar, each 1/4 cup of sugar be swapped with 1 packet (1/2 tsp) of powdered stevia. Or you could try subbing a mix of maple syrup and coconut sugar, but I haven’t tested it this way and can’t guarantee results.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with the salt and without frosting.
*Prep time does not include cooling the cake.
*Recipe inspiration from The Vegan 8.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 10 Slices)
- Calories: 326
- Fat: 12.1g
- Saturated fat: 0.9g
- Sodium: 345mg
- Carbohydrates: 50.1g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 27.4g
- Protein: 5.4g
I made this cake recipe for my first vegan birthday yesterday. Everyone loved it! Made the recipe exactly how it was written out and the best thing I can compare it to is a Starbucks birthday cake pop. I bought wholesome brand icing and used the bread portion of the recipe. I am definitely gonna be making this again! I’m not even gluten free just love MB recipes!! 🤗
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Nereida! SO glad you enjoyed it for your birthday! xo
Hi, can I make the cakes ahead of time and freeze them? Then defrost and frost at a later time. Thank you.
Yes, that should work well!
I just made this cake (divided amongst 5-6″ pans) and the cake sunk in the middle :( I’m in Denver and at a high altitude, so maybe that’s the reason? I bake quite a lot and have definitely experienced sunken cupcakes, but haven’t been able to figure out why. For some reason it’s usually with vanilla cake :/ I’m not an experienced gluten free baker, fyi.
Hi Patricia, we aren’t familiar with baking at a high altitude, so unfortunately no recommendations there! Our only other suggestion would be if your oven temperature was off?
Hello
I replaced the sugar with monk fruit Lakanto brand but it failed miserably. The cake from outside was overcooked but from inside it was not cooked at all and completely moist. I followed the ingredient step by step, other than replacing the white sugar with monk fruit, and I also replaced the corn starch with Arrowroot. I really do not know what went wrong with my cake :(
Hi Ragy, sorry to hear it didn’t work out as intended! Our guess is that the monk fruit caused this to happen, but it could also be the arrowroot. Next time, perhaps you could try using some sugar and some monk fruit, if possible. Hope that helps!
what can I substitute for white sugar? I cannot have processed sugar
Hi Vijaya, You could try subbing a mix of maple syrup and coconut sugar, but we haven’t tested it this way and can’t guarantee results. Hope that helps!
Baking soda and baking powder? Thats can’t be the same thing? Sometimes powder includes baking soda in it.
We recommend using both as they are a little different. You can sub one for the other with varying results. Hope that helps!
What is 4 sticks of butter ? How do I measure that?
Each stick is 1/2 cup. Hope that helps!
I am so happy I found this recipe! My cake turned out beautiful and delicious! I gave the frosting a lemon twist and it was delicious. Thank you so much!
Can’t wait to make this. Do I have to use cake pans?
No, you can use a different size pan! Just adjust the baking time accordingly. Hope that helps!
Could I use regular flour for this recipe? Thanks!
Hi Annie, not sure if this cake would be a good fit for all purpose flour (we haven’t tested it). But if you do give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Hi! I love the vegan funfetti cupcake recipe, but I’m hoping to make a whole cake. I’m wondering if you could sub AP flour for those who aren’t gluten free. Thanks so much!
We haven’t tried it, but think it would work! If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes!
Hi,
Can we sub alomond flour with coconut flour ?
Thanks :) !
Coconut flour is a lot more dense than almond flour, so we do not think that will work! In a pinch, you could sub almond meal. We haven’t tested it with any other alternative flours so we don’t have any other recommendations at this time.
I made this delicious cake today and just like all of your recipes it was a hit.. I used Tapioca instead of potato starch as that was all I had and was very happy with the result. I covered mine in a strawberry açai frosting that I made with fresh strawberries, açai powder and protein powder.. I’m having great success with your recipes. thank you. 💞
Cake came out super yummy! First time ever making a vegan cake and it was probably one of the best cakes I have made in a while. Thanks for sharing the recipe :)
Thanks so much for the kind review, Nikita. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
WOW!!! This is hands down the best gluten free cake I’ve ever had in fact it’s the best cake I’ve ever had! It is light, moist, perfect level of sweetness and doesn’t have that sandy texture of typical GF cakes. And it’s super easy to make. I am floored! Thank you so much!!!!
Do you think it would be safe to reduce the sugar to 1 cup or would it mess with the baking “chemistry” of the cake??
Hi Hanna, great question! We don’t think it would mess up the chemistry of the cake, but if the batter seems too wet after reducing the sugar, we would recommend adding a little almond flour to thicken it. If you tend to like sweeter things, you may also want to add a little stevia to compensate for the reduced sugar. If you give it a try, we would love to hear how it goes! Hope that helps!
Can I make this cake a day or two in advance and then frost it later? I was thinking of letting it cool, then wraping the layers in plastic till I’m ready to frost. Any experience doing this, or pointers?
Thanks!
Haha never mind— literally the comment before mine answered my question. Thank you!
Can I make this two days prior to an event? Will it stay fresh?
Hi Mallory, yes, that would work! We would recommend baking the cake, wrapping it in plastic wrap, and putting in the fridge. Then, the day of the event, frost and garnish it. Hope that helps!
I was looking to make 2 8” round cakes. Do you think it would be okay to freeze one to use for a week later? Making this for my sons 1st birthday smash cake and need one the weekend after for his photo shoot with a photographer. Thank you!
Hi Nikki, yes, we think that will work!
Currently making this cake :)
How many mls/tsps of butter would the two sticks of vegan butter equal too?
1 stick = about ~113g if that helps!
This looks great! I’m looking to make a lemon drizzle cake and adapting this recipe by adding lemon juice/zest. It’s surprisingly difficult to find vegan gf lemon drizzle cakes online! Any suggestions for adaptation?
Hmm we haven’t tried adding lemon to this recipe, but I think that should work just fine! Let us know how it goes if you experiment :D
Unreal!! This is a kick … s recipe!! So good! Brilliant texture and flavours .. I just made it for Valentine’s Day using some heart shaped cake pan … looking fab! My girlfriend loved so much.
Wish I could post a pic. So proud lol
If you have Instagram, post a pic using the hashtag #MinimalistBaker and we’ll keep our eye out for it! xoxo!
My parents visited this past week, and my mom made this for my birthday cake. Moist, delicious, and perfect in every way but one….you just want to keep eating it! This recipe is a keeper!
Whoop! We’re glad to hear that, Sara!
Can this same recipe be used to make a pound cake? If not, can you do a gluten free pound cake post PLEASE?
We’ll add it to the recipe request list, Charla! We haven’t tried making this into a pound cake and can’t say for sure, but if you experiment with it, report back on how it goes!
Just made this cake and it was delicious! I used a melted chocolate chip/tofu frosting and it was perfect. I made the recipe for 15 servings, and it made 4 layers of 8 inch circle pans. I used 1.5 cups white sugar and 1/2 cup coconut sugar – perfect sweetness. I only had a cup of potato starch, so I added a half cup of arrowroot. The almond flour kept it from rising too much, so each layer was flat and perfect for a layer cake. It was so easy to frost – no crumbs falling apart into the frosting! I made this for a birthday party and everyone raved about it, saying it was the best cake I’ve made yet (12 birthday parties and counting!) Thank you!
Best gluten free cake I’ve made and tasted. I made this for my sister’s wedding and she said it was the highlight of it :). I’ve been asked by a couple other people now to make it for birthday parties etc. soo good and so simple
I tried this recipe last night and used the ingredients listed in the stated quantities. The only two issues I had were 1. Even with greasing and flouring the pans beforehand, the cakes still stuck to the bottom. I am going to address this by putting parchment circles in the bottoms before I pour in the batter; and 2. The cake didn’t hold its shape very well and was extremely crumbly. Could I add some xanthum gum to the recipe to help it hold together a bit more?
Hmm using too much flour can make a cake turn out dry and that may have been what happened here. If you try adding xanthum gum, let us know how it turns out!
How would you reduce this recipe if making for just one person? Thank you in advance.
It would be tricky, seeing as though its a cake but you could change the serving size above the ingredients but the measurements are quite awkward amounts. I’d personally recommend making the full amount (a full cake) and then freezing what you don’t use..
Hi Dana! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes. Question, is there a plant-based sub for vegan butter? If so, are the ratios the same?
This was delicious! I made this into cupcakes with the buttercream icing. I’ve been searching for a good gluten free vanilla cake recipe for a while now and this far surpassed my expectations. No one could tell they were gluten free! Thanks so much for all you do Dana!
I’ve made this three times now in the 6” pans and have learned the toothpick test doesn’t really work for me, the first time the layers were still a little raw. I bake at least the full time stated and look for deep golden on top and pulling away from the sides- more so than with a traditional cake. The 6” layers are super cute and they bake up tall so I find all three too tall. Instead I split two of the layers and frost for a four-layer cake and then freeze the other layer for another time. This last time I subbed pumpkin purée for the applesauce and then added 2 tsp each of pumpkin spice and cinnamon and a shaving of fresh nutmeg. It was excellent! I use Trader Joe’s almond flour and sometimes I need to add a bit more of it to thicken my batter but it seems to work just fine. Thanks for the great recipe!
Made this for my wife’s birthday. It was really tasty, moist and simple to make.
I did “make it my own a bit.
Used Almond nogg instead, mashed banana instead of apple sauce, and tapioca starch.
The holiday nogg gave it a nice pretty taste.
could this be made into red velvet? (w. Cocoa & coloring)
I think so! Let us know if you give it a try.
This cake was great! I can’t have apples, so I pureed pears and used that instead of applesauce. I also wanted to have a lemon vanilla cake, so I added peel from 2 lemons into the batter and peel from 1 lemon into the frosting. It was the perfect balance of lemon and vanilla. I will definitely be making this cake again!
I made this and it came out really nicely. I’m not even good at baking! I did the option calling for one 9X13 pan, and just frosted the top and served it from the pan, so there was lots of frosting left over. Found all the ingredients at Whole Foods in DTLA. I will say it is a pricey cake to make but my GF friend and everyone else loved it. Everyone had 2-3 pieces!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Merris!
Hi,
I am about to embark on making this cake. The recipe looks easy to do & follow. I have a question….is it possible for me to swap out cane sugar for another type of sugar?
Thank you.
Hi Robin! You could try subbing a mix of maple syrup and coconut sugar, but I haven’t tested it this way and can’t guarantee results.
Im new to GF baking, and after several GF baking flops, I’m happy to say this one was a total success! I loved that the recipe was easy to follow, and accommodated all of my dietary restrictions (i’m on a low FODMAP diet).
The flavor (perfectly sweet) and texture (light and fluffy!) are pretty fantastic, but I’m looking forward to experimenting with some additions (Tiny vegan chocolate chips? Wondering if the cake would support them..). The cake really holds up and still tastes amazing a few days later! Already planning on making this again.
I made this cake and icing for our daughter’s birthday. It was a hit with omnivores and vegans! Everyone was stunned at how delicious and light this cake was. It even kept, without drying, in a sealed contained in the fridge for days after. Will do this one again soon.
I made this cake for my daughter’s first birthday and it was a crowd pleaser! I followed the recipe as is and the cake came out dense but moist and delicious. Definitely one of the best vegan gluten-free baked goods I’ve had!
I made this recipe as cupcakes tonight and it was incredible. It made 24 perfect sized cupcakes. I baked them about 15 min. I have never had a gluten free recipe be so amazing. I am not gluten intolerant but made them for family members who are and these are honestly better than my go to vanilla cupcake recipe. Just delightful. I used almond flour from Kirkland bran and it worked great. I followed the recipe using the metric measurements which I highly recommend. Added a tiny scoop more of almond flour at the end because it seemed a tad runny. Dana your recipes never disappoint. Big fan here.
I was wondering about subbing the coconut milk for coconut water…I am using this as a base for my grandma’s coconut cake (basically white cake with 7 minute frosting -vegan with aquafaba- and with fresh coconut). She would use the coconut water in the cake and then grate the fresh coconut on top…Can I use the coconut water for this or it is not dense/fatty enough?
Hi Sarah! Unfortunately you won’t get the same results using coconut water in place of coconut milk. I’d probably recommend another non-dairy in place of coconut milk. Hope this helps!
Vegan desserts are a dietary necessity in our household so I am always excited to try your recipes (and the best part is they’re 1-bowl!). This recipe turned out very moist. But I thought I’d finally ask a pro baker: why do all my baked goods always taste like baking soda?! Over the years of trying any recipe with baking soda, I encounter this problem with cakes, muffins, breads, cookies… Even if I’m using a new container of it. I’ve also tried storing the baking soda in the fridge. The container I buy is not the cardboard box kind– instead it has a plastic lid to keep it fresh. Any recommendations/tips are greatly appreciated!
We have a nut allergy. Which flour would be the best substitute for the almond flour? No bean flour please…the taste is too strong.
Hi Jo! Unfortunately, almond flour is a pretty key ingredient in this cake. But if you test other flours or meals, let us know how it goes!
Could this be turned into a lemon cake with lemon extract and/or lemon juice? How much?
I’d recommend using this recipe as inspiration, Allie!
I saw that one but I like how this one is gluten-free so was hoping to do something close to this recipe.
Can I replace Bob’s red mill Gf and vegan egg replace instead of the potato starch, corn flour/arrow root and baking soda? It’s kinda expensive to buy all those ingredients, and so I thought I could sub this instead, which has these three ingredients and a husk of some kind to act as a binder. I know I don’t know the ratio of these three ingredients in the egg replacer, and I couldn’t find it online, but I was hoping you might have some experience with it?
I made this for my friend’s birthday potluck, and everyone raved about! I doubled the recipe, baked it in a ceramic 9×13 casserole dish and baked it 1 hour and 20 minutes until the center was cooked through. Turned out perfect in my opinion! Lots of impressed people! Thank you
I ordered 6” cake pans on Amazon for this because the picture was so cute, I had to have that tiny cake! I pulled one layer early as it was brown on top and passed the toothpick test, however it ended up being underdone in the middle as others have reported. The other layers were better so I ended up only using two layers and the cake was still tall, beautiful and really tasty. Maybe it was the almond flour brand? I used Trader Joe’s but I will still probably just use that again and let bake a little longer. Thanks for the great recipe!
Yes, bake longer next time and it should be good!
How can I post a photo?
Hi Lucy! We love that you want to share a photo with us! While our site doesn’t currently allow photo sharing in the comments section, if you post the photo on Instagram and use the hashtag #MinimalistBaker, we’ll keep an eye out for it!
Awesome. Such a delicious recipe! Umm, we at the cake in one day. My son kept saying, “do you mind if I have another piece?” He ate three on his birthday . . . Thank you for sharing this special cake!
Yay! We are so glad to hear that, Lucy!
This was delicious and so easy to make. I made it early before work do that I could frost it and decorate after. So simple to do. I had more than enough frosting. I added chocolate shavings to the top and cocoa powder to the frosting, but I was afraid to add too much cocoa. I made this for my son’s birthday and will be making it for my husband’s in a few weeks. The fruit on top is delicious!!! Thank you!!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Lucy!
Hi,
What is a ‘stick’ of butter? I am baking from the UK and unsure if this is a US term.
Hello, your recipes are always perfect. I made the Carrot Cake for a birthday and it was delicious. I would like to make this recipe, but adding cocoa for a chocolate cake. How much cocoa? Thank you
We haven’t tried, but that should work! Another reader made a marble cake (vanilla and chocolate) and mentioned it in a comment above! You may also be interested in this chocolate cake recipe!
is it possible to substitute coconut oil (solid) for the butter?
If I double the recipe can I make 1/2 chocolate for layering the cake?
We haven’t tried using coconut oil in place of the vegan butter and can’t say for sure, but I don’t think it would work the same! As for a chocolate layer, that should work! You may also be interested in this chocolate cake recipe!
Hi Dana! Yet another exciting recipe I want to try!
I’d love to make this cake sugar free, suitable for diabetics…still vegan though.
Do you have any suggestions on sugar replacement in the Cake and the Frosting?
Aloha!! I have made this cake numerous times in the past and they came out perfectly but now for some reason the last 3 times I’ve made it each time they sink in the middle…Ive purchased new baking soda/powered and still same result…any ideas why this could be happening? Can I cook them at a lower oven temperature?
Hmm, did you change any of the other ingredients? Or is your oven off?
the only other thing I can think of that might be different is the type of applesauce…ran out of unsweetened applesauce and have used the to-go applesauce packets my daughter eats for snacks, they equal 1/3 cup….
I’m suspecting it’s my oven because things seem to be getting browner much quicker then before…until I can really test out my oven temp do you think if I dropped the temp to 340 it would be ok?
no matter what, this recipe is the BEST tasting vegan gluten free vanilla cake I’ve tried! I’ve made it at least 3 or 4 times prior to this and it’s always been a hit! That’s why I’m flabbergasted as to why it’s been giving me such a hard time lately hahaha….
I can’t wait to make this cake, but would about two layers in 9″ pans? Would you change the baking time?
It should be a similar baking time! I’d recommend cooking for 35 minutes and you’ll know they’re ready when an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean and the edges and surface appear golden brown.
Hi Dana,
As always your recipes are awesome. I made this last night and panicked when I realized I didn’t have the full amount of almond flour as needed according to the recipe.
I subbed about 85 grams with (freshly ground) sunflower seeds. Amazing! Perfect consistency! Dankjewel from Holland
Oh and I used soy milk and had no applesauce so I just blended 1 apple with a spalsh of water.
Smart! Thanks for sharing!
I tried to reply to your email with an update on the frosting. But it wasn’t delivered so am copying and pasting what I wrote here:
Well my wife liked it, and it was her birthday cake, so I think that’s all that matters!
I used the frosting for a lemon thyme cake I made that wasn’t too sweet, so it all worked out in the end!
Thanks for all that you do Dana, neither my wife or I are vegan or even vegetarian but I do lots of vegan cooking because it’s healthy, and with your recipes it tastes great.
Cheers,
Matt
We are glad to hear that you and your wife enjoyed this frosting, Matt! Thanks for sharing!
Hi! Could I substitute almond flour with coconut flour?
Have you worked with coconut flour at all? I know the conversion isn’t 1:1 and the coconut flour is super absorbent, would you recommend adding more of the wet indgredients?
Hi Florence! Coconut flour is particularly absorbent and sucks up a lot of moisture. When replacing coconut flour for almond flour, it requires that you adjust the amount of liquid and eggs added. Because of this, we wouldn’t recommend it, but if you experiment with this recipe, report back on how it goes!
Hi Dana, this cake is AMAZING! Thank you for the recipe. It was moist and delicious…perfection! I made a chocolate icing instead of vanilla, but other than that, I followed the recipe exactly! Will definitely make it again! have 2 cribs for sale and a 6 drawer dresser. All in nearly new condition. Clean, smoke free, pet free home.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Dana! I’m baking my cakes at the moment! Can’t wait to see how it turns out. Can you tell me the name of the cute little flower twigs you used to decorate the cake in the video? Thanks!
sorry – we’re not sure! Just some wild flowers!
I made this cake exactly as the recipe stated and it turned out fabulous! It is incredibly moist despite having no oil–the applesauce works wonders as an oil replacer. I served it with a medley of raspberries, strawberries and blueberries and folks were saying that this was the perfect complement to the cake. Thank you for another great recipe, Dana!
Whoop! We are so glad to hear that, Steph!
Hello! I gave this recipe a try today. I followed the instructions to a tee, except that I went with only 1 cup of the cane sugar.
I cooked it for 35 minutes because when I put the toothpick in it came out clean, however, mine does not look fully cooked like yours does in the photos. Did I go wrong somewhere or should I leave it in for 40 minutes next time? Thanks!
by “not fully cooked” I mean that it has a denser layer at the bottom of the cake…can someone explain how to fix this so that it doesn’t happen again when I make it for guests. This one was a test run.
Hi Ev! This should help for next time!
Just couldn’t believe this was GF! I halved the recipe and made 12 cupcakes, baked 23 mins, used oil instead of applesauce and arrowroot starch (instead of corn). They were so moist and fluffy, this is for keeps! Thanks so much!
This cake is truly fantastic: moist but not overly dense and it holds its shape well all while tasting A-MA-ZING! I served it at my kids’ birthday party and adults and kids alike gobbled it up like nothing else. It will be gracing our table again for birthdays to come!
We are a vegan and gf family due to some food sensitivities and while it is a challenge to find vegan, gf, coconut flour-free baking recipes that work, your recipes have NEVER failed me. Never. You are my go-to gal for all baking things gf and vegan. This cake, your cashew “cream cheese” frosting (the BEST!), carrot cake, strawberry shortcake, vegan biscuits (which work great gf, too!), vegan gf cinnamon rolls…the list goes on. You’re a rock star in my book – thank you, thank you!
We are glad you enjoyed this cake, Jessica!
Hi Dana! Could I substitute the Almond flour for coconut flour? Thanks!
Hi Debbie! Coconut flour is particularly absorbent and sucks up a lot of moisture. When replacing coconut flour for almond flour, it requires that you adjust the amount of liquid and eggs added. Because of this, we wouldn’t recommend it, but if you experiment with this recipe, report back on how it goes!
Wow!!! I made this cake and infused it and the buttercream with lavender. Best cake I have ever had. Not a crumb was left from guests 😌
Woot woot!
Hello,
I was wondering if I could make this recipe in one large bundt pan?
Thanks in advance!
Hmm, we aren’t sure but think that would work! Let us know if you give it a try!
hELLO! I am making this cake but I am able to use actual milk. Will that make a difference?
That shouldn’t make a difference, nope! Hope you enjoy the recipe, Angela :D
Can you sub in ethyritol or xylitol in place of the sugar?
We haven’t tried and can’t say for sure, but if you experiment with it, report back. Good luck!
I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out delicious!!
Is the frosting easy to spread? I am wanting to try making a vegan ombre cake and came across this recipe. It looks delicious!
Yes, it is quite spreadable! Let us know how it turns out!
Thank you! I made this as a birthday cake for my baby’s 1st Birthday. It was a hit with all including the non vegan, non gluten free people.
I had a bit of trouble getting the cakes out of the pans: 2 of 3 stuck and lost bits of their bottom edge. I was able to ‘glue’ them back together with the frosting so no harm, but wondered if anyone had any advice? I tried to follow the recipe faithfully but I used the almond milk option, and ended adding an extra 3/4 cup almond flour as my batter was originally very liquid. I think the problem might have been that I greased and floured the pan using corn starch? The recipe says gluten free flour but didn’t specify what kind.
Also, when the slices were cut you could see a denser layer towards the lower edge, not a uniform texture through each cake.
I’m pretty sure these are newbie errors, not problems with the recipe! Any suggestions welcome as i’d like to make this again – more Birthdays coming up! Thanks again for the yummy recipe!
I had this denser layer at the bottom as well…and I don’t know why! Any ideas would be appreciated!
I made this cake for my daughter’s birthday yesterday it turned out great the flavor was delicious it was a little sweet so we’ll cut back a little bit on the sugar next time but overall it was the perfect birthday cake for her. Thank you so much for this recipe
Hi! I’m going to make this tomorrow for my sons first birthday. Do you have any tips for cooking it in a gas oven? Do you think the sand timing would apply? I’m also going go try it with 3/4 cup coconut sugar instead of the caster sugar. Keeping my fingers & toes crossed that it works out!! Btw we love love love your site, my hubby is vegan & GF and I’m vego so your site is our go-to place for everything food related :) x
Hi Emily! Here are some tips you might find useful. Coconut sugar should be fine, but may also turn the cake darker and give it more of a “muffin” flavor and texture. Good luck!
Do you actually have any measurements in grams or oz for this cake. cup sizes vary all over rhe world and I dont want to guess. thanks
Yep! Select “metric” above the ingredients to toggle back and forth.
I made this for my birthday yesterday. I was a little hesitant because it was my first ever vegan cake, but it was awesome. I wound up using a nut flour blend (almond, walnut, pecan, and coconut) and it was so good. A little crumbly, but still very tasty. I also used tapioca starch for the second batch (my kids used the last of the potato without telling me) and couldn’t tell the difference.
What really did it though was the vegan buttercream. I hate homemade buttercream because it is so toothachingly sweet. I don’t know why this one wasn’t, even though it was essentially the same as my old go-to, but, with a little almond extract, it was some of the best frosting I have ever had. It was VERY stiff though and pulled at the cake, but a little almond milk did the trick.
Hi, I just made this and since I didn’t have potato starch I didn’t add it to the mixture which resulted in my cake breaking. Altho this happened, the taste was GREAT and I plan on finding the potato starch so I can make this for a birthday party.
find the potato starch in the ethnic section of your grocery or Whole foods. It is with Kosher or
Jewish cooking ptoducts
Do you think doubling this recipe would work? I would like to use it for my wedding cake but it would need to be larger. I think three 9″ round pans would be fine size wise.
Yes, you can absolutely double it!
what 6″ baking dishes did you use in the video? are they just ceramic?
Ceramic, yes!
This cake is truely beautiful! I was invited to a dinner party and asked to bring dessert. I knew I needed a dessert that was both dairy free and gluten free. This cake was perfect! A real crowd pleaser and show stopper. I baked the full recipe and put into 2 x 8 inch cake tins, but decided I wanted another layer so baked half the recipe to get my 3rd tier. The only sub I made was just standard caster sugar instead of organic cane sugar. I couldn’t find the unsweatened apple sauce so I just bought apple purée (with no added sugar) from the baby food section which was the perfect quantity in one jar. I decorated with the buttercream frosting, fresh berries, pistachios and mint. If I could upload a photo I would! Everyone loved the cake and I already received a request to bake it again for a birthday. Thanks for the amazing recipe! Proving vegan and GF can still be delicious and simple when done right.
We are so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Tia! If you’d like to share a photo, we’d love to see what you baked up! Use the hashtag #MinimalistBaker on Instagram and we’ll keep an eye out for it :D
I made this cake for my son’s 1st birthday. He has FPIES, a rare illness which makes him very sick when he ingests certain type of proteins. He doesn’t have a very long list of safe and I couldn’t convince myself to go for a cake made from fresh fruits.
Anyhow, it was a really simple cake to make. I used minute tapioca which I grinded for a few seconds instead of cornstarch since my son is allergic. I also only used 3/4 cup of coconut sugar instead of the 1 1/3 cup pure cane sugar. (You know, baby and sugar often make an explosive team hahah).
I got scared of making the whipped coconut cream, so I made the frosting and the whole result was a huge success!! Thank you so much for all those awesome recipes and helping make my life a little easier when there are fewer ingredients, it is easier for me to find substitutes my son can eat!
Thanks so much for sharing your recipe changes with us, Mary! We are so glad you were able to modify this recipe to meet your son’s dietary needs!
Wow this cake recipe is so good, thank you for sharing your blog
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it!
Hello,
To make the frosting i only have earth balance container no sticks. Can i have the amount what equals too please.
Yes you can! One stick is 113 grams (4 oz).
May be the best cake I’ve ever had, gluten-free or otherwise! We used regular dairy frosting since we’re only avoiding gluten and eggs. What a hit at the b’day party!
Thank you!
Yay! We’re so glad to hear that, Jina!
I need to make this in advance for this weekend and drive for 5 hours with it in the car. What would you suggest for a timeline? Make on Thursday, Frost on Friday and drive it on Saturday? Would it need to be refrigerated at any point? Or would you recommend frosting after transport (although I might not have time)? I’m thinking of making it with the cream cheese frosting recipe.
Hi Brooke! Hmm if at all possible, I recommend frosting upon arrival, otherwise try to frost it as close to your departure as possible. If you made it on Friday, drove Saturday and frosted it, that would be ideal but you know your schedule best! Good luck!
Could you use coconut sugar?
Hi Wendy! Coconut sugar should be fine, but may also turn the cake darker and give it more of a “muffin” flavor and texture. If you try it, let us know how it goes!
Can you include the weight of ingredients? I’ve made this recipe three times—now I’m making it a fourth time and I swear the first two times it had weights listed.
Weights are much easier for me, I follow them well and the recipes turn out great! It’s much more difficult for me to make gluten free, vegan food by measuring cup.
Thanks!
Hi Maya! We are currently updating all of our recipes with these features and will soon have them all complete. Stay tuned!
Hi, just wondering how many grams a stick of butter is? Our butter comes in blocks :)
Total weight for an Earth Balance box with four sticks is 454 grams (1lb). One stick is 113 grams (4 oz).
Fabulous recipe, it was loved by all, everyone had a second helping! Not easy finding a vegan gluten-free cake recipe that is this good, will save this one! Thank you so much for sharing!
I can’t find vegan butter sticks anywhere near me. Can I use the tub vegan butter and if so how much per one stick to measure.
Hi Sharon! Great question. You can use vegan butter from the tub. 1 stick = about ~113g if that helps!
This recipe was easy to follow, and the cake came out perfectly. I used lemon extract instead of vanilla, and lemon in the frosting, then topped with fresh raspberries. Even the non-gluten free adults at our party loved it. The flavor was a bit too “adult” for most of the kids, but that was probably the lemon. And we didn’t want to share anyway! Thank you for sharing this recipe, we’ve been struggling to find a decent moist, vanilla cake recipe that doesn’t have gluten, dairy or eggs, and this one is a keeper.
My 14 year old novice baker made this cake yesterday (so it’s pretty easy). I am vegan and GF and she wanted to make something I could eat, too. It is delicious! Maybe the best vanilla cake I’ve ever had (vegan or otherwise). She made it with the vegan buttercream frosting in a 9×13 pan. We will try it again with the coconut whipped cream. Thanks for the fantastic and easy recipe!
Yay! Glad you both enjoyed it, Sarah!
Thank you very much for this recipe! Since my 10 years old child has developed multiple allergies in the past 6 months your recipes are my guide in baking without egg, milk, wheat, corn, sunflower(oil) and some more. In this recipe I substituted the cornstarch for tapioca starch, and in the previous batch for arrowroot. Both worked out fine! Also I used soy milk, because that was in my fridge.
The first time I used vanilla extract, the kind that’s sold in the supermarkets in the Netherlands, but that was a bit too much artificial vanilla. So this time I used less and I put some bourbon vanilla in the mixture. It tastes delicious! Also I put some sour red berries in half of the cupcakes I baked from this recipe. That worked out very well!
We are so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for sharing the changes you made :D
May I ask why you chose this blend of flours and starches rather then just a normal flour??? And is US measurements different to Australian?? Our 1 cup = 250ml
Hi,
Can I make this cake with Pilsbury gluten free blend flour?
If so is there anything I need to add or should I just go for it?
Thanks,
Karen L.
Hmm we haven’t tried using it and can’t say for sure, Karen!
This is the best yellow cake I have ever eaten! It has wonderful flavor and texture and even my husband liked it, who doesn’t care all that much for gluten free/grain free desserts. I love that there are no eggs as my daughter-in-law isn’t doing them right now. I used the most amazing almond flour, the texture of real wheat flour, and used 3 cups but still had to add extra liquid–thanks so much for letting us know it needed to be thick but pourable, that was so helpful. Also, I used 3/4 cup erythritol/stevia mix instead of sugar and it was amazingly sweet. I could eat the batter!
We are glad you enjoyed it, Julia! Thanks for sharing your additions to the recipe!
I made the cake today. Exactly how its written here. Its amazing! Very tasty and different.
I used almond flour meal type of flour and i dont see why its not recommended here. I love the taste that turned out. I couldnt find another brand for this flour , thats the only one we have here. And it worked out amazingly. Thanj you so much.love your website and recipes!
Can this be made in a bundt pan? If so, any time adjustment necessary? Thank you.
Yes that should work, though we haven’t tried!
I made this cake for my mom who has a number of food allergies and it was a huge hit at her bday!! Not only was it delicious, moist and fluffy but it was super simple to make. Will be baking this again!
Hi there! Do you store this at room temp after frosting? As someone who wants to refrigerate everything this makes me wary! Thank you.
Hi Becky! We recommend you store in the refrigerator up to 5 days and let it come to room temperature before frosting.
This was a hit! I made them into cupcakes and used coconut cream to enhance the coconut/vanilla flavor. I baked the cupcakes for 20 min and they came out perfectly. The buttercream can be a bit sweet so just keep that in mind when frosting.
Thank you! Please keep the recipes coming. My husband loves anything that I make of yours.
Yay! We’re glad to hear it, Melissa!
Hi Dana,
I tried this recipe. I’m good at making baking but this one has failed me. The cake is moist but it is gooey feel not cakey and fluffy. What is the problem? I am so disappointed.
Hmm, not sure what happened without more details. Did you make any substitutions? Did you use Potato FLOUR instead of starch?
Made this yesterday for Father’s Day. Fantastic cake! Part of the party was vegan and part not and the non vegans had no idea. The cake was super moist and the butter cream frosting was so thick and fantastic. The only thing I changed was I used caster sugar as I wasn’t sure what kind of cane sugar the recipe called for. I also used bobs red mill almond flour as that is all we have in Bermuda, it worked perfectly as far as I could tell. Two tips I would give anyone making this would be, firstly 100% make sure you make this the night before you need it as it’s extremely fragile, and two leave it in the pans for a litttle longer after baking, just run your knife round the edges right away and then turn it out on to a plate lined with wax paper ( for ease of removal later). I put strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blue berries on top for decoration, with mint leaves and lemon zest. I may play around with the recipe and add lemon juice to both the cake and icing next time to add a little extra oomp to it. Best vegan, gluten free cake ever!!!
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Sorry forgot to rate!
Anybody tried any other flours to substitute the almond flour? I would love to bake this for my son’s 5th birthday but we have a guest who has a severe nut allergy.
I must admit I was skeptical about making a vegan, oil free, gluten free cake but my expectations were seriously blown out the water when I made this! It was that good! I put coconut cream between the layers then used the cashew buttercream frosting (recipe also by MB) but minus the oil & then I sprinkled shredded coconut all over and it was just absolutely divine! My mum loved it too and she isn’t even vegan or gluten free. Thank you for this recipe!
I made this for my boys’ 5th birthday party! It was a hit! And oh so delicious. I’m sad that it’s gone now. I used the arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch and I made the vegan buttercream frosting to go on top. I used 2 8-inch pans for the layer cake. I’m very happy I found this recipe and it tasted delicious. Thanks for sharing it!
I have to say that this recipe is the best! I had my son’s birthday party and was going crazy looking for something this delicious! I have to say is sooo easy to follow and I can’t believe that in less than 40 mnts I already had a cake! Increible! Thank you so much for your recipes! We became vegan since feb and your website is such a blessing for our family! Looking forward to many yummy recipes from you?.
Thanks, Aisha!! So glad you liked it.
It is so hard to find vegan and grain free cake (I used arrowroot powder) recipes and this absolutely knocked it out of the park. We have several food allergies to accommodate (dairy, eggs, gluten, rice, amongst others) and everyone loved this cake. I am so impressed that you were able to leverage the oiliness of the almond flour to make this with so few ingredients. This is a genius recipe. Thank you.
Hello,
I was wondering if you can pipe with this buttercream recipe. I’m making this cake for my daughters birthday, and wanted to pipe a pretty design for her unicorn cake.
Thank you so much.
Andie
I think that should work! Let us know if you give it a try, Andie!
Can you recommend temperature/cook time adjustments for making this in a 9×13 instead of 6” rounds?
Also- my weirdo BF loves jello cake (bake a boxed cake mix, then poke holes and pour liquid jello on top and chill). Is this cake light enough that it might be a good base for that, or is it dense/moist enough on its own that adding more moisture from the jello would be too much? I’ll certainly let you know how it goes if I try it, just curious about your opinion before I do.
Same temperature and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges and surface appear golden brown. I am not sure if the jello idea would work but if you give it a try, let us know!
Hi,
I would like to make your 1-BOWL VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE VANILLA CAKE and can’t eat almonds. Is there a substitute flour that would work.
Many thanks,
Suzen
Hi Suzen! I’m not sure about almond flour subs as it is a pretty key ingredient in this cake. But if you test other flours or meals, let us know how it goes! As for making it in one longer pan, that will work!
I substituted tapioca flour for the potato and it worked wonderfully! I had to add more cornstarch and tapioca flour mixed with a little All-Purpose GF flour to thicken it up a little more (I accidently added too much almond milk so I don’t think anyone else would have to adjust the dry ingredients; I’m blind without my glasses). This is an absolutely wonderful cake recipe and will definitely be making it again and again. My mom loved it for Mother’s Day, thank you so much Dana!!
I made this cake over the weekend, and topped it with chocolate frosting and berries. My daughter who needs to eat GF (Celiac) liked it, as did my son and I. The other grown-ups complained that it was too dense (I think from the almond flour) and not sweet enough. I actually liked it more because it wasn’t overly sweet. Not sure if I will make again because it didn’t have a huge fan base, but the leftovers will get eaten!
HI! I just made this exactly as directed but my cake fell in the center. Any ideas? I have a lot of GF/vegan baking experience, it’s not that! It’s still cooling so I haven’t tasted it yet. Thanks!
You are my go to every time I need to bake.
I’m a terrific cook but a horrendous baker. Like reeeally bad, seriously. cuz I tried to sub everything and for baking you need more science than heart lol.
Anyways you make it work EVERY. SINGLE.TIME
thank you for being the party saver one more time.
Yay! So glad to hear it, Nicole!
Can I substitute the cornstarch with arrowroot starch and the potato starch with tapioca starch?
Yes, we would suggest arrowroot in place of cornstarch. Tapioca may also work. As for subbing the potato starch, it’s a pretty key ingredient. But if you try something else let us know how it goes!
I made this for a vegan family, and they loved it, including the teenage boy. This was my first experience baking with almond flour. The batter was a little thin after mixing, so as you suggested, I added about an 1/8 cup more almond flour. Much more flavor than regular flour. The first time I may have over baked it slightly, so it was a bit hard and dry, but I corrected that the second time, and it was great.
hey there!
i couldn’t find potato starch anywhere here in egypt! what’s a good substitute??
Hi Dana,
Can you sub oat flour instead of almond flour? If not, what other flour would you recommend?
Also, can you make in one longer cake pan instead of layers?
Thank you,
vanessa
Hi Vanessa! I’m not sure about almond flour subs as it is a pretty key ingredient in this cake. But if you test other flours or meals, let us know how it goes! As for making it in one longer pan, that will work!
Absolutely wonderful cake!!!! I made this for my friends birthday (she is gluten free, I’m vegan) and it was incredible. Also incredibly simple and easy to make! Followed the recipe to a tea and everyone was wowed! Said it was the best cake I’ve ever made. Thank you Dana for all your wonderful recipes. I always enjoy. ?
I followed this recipe exactly. Sorry to say it was very dense and very dry. The almond meal makes it quite dark in color, doesn’t look vanilla and there was very little vanilla taste.
Janine, it seems like you used almond MEAL instead of almond FLOUR, which provide two completely different flavors, textures, and colors. Next time give almond flour a try and we think you’ll have better results!
This cake is delicious! Wonderful flavor and just the right amount of sweetness! My one question is in regards to the texture of the cake itself…mine turned out almost gooey on the inside and I am curious if this is just a really moist cake or if perhaps I did something incorrectly?! My toothpick came out clean and the tops were a nice golden brown so I was a bit surprised by the inside texture.
Hmm, sounds like maybe it wasn’t baked long enough. What size cake pans did you use? Did you alter any ingredients? Let us know!
Aha… just reading through all the comments and came across this one!
I used 2 x 8” pans for this recipe, and whilst it tasted soooo good it was moist and I too was afraid to cook this much longer as it was getting very brown. Day 2 and it got even wetter…. any tips greatly recieved as I am cooking this for a baby shower cake tomorrow… many thanks!!!
Hmm, sorry to hear that it is a little too moist. Our best guess is that the batter needed a little more almond flour or potato starch. Hope that helps!
I made this for my co-workers birthday. It was great! Thanks for the simple and beautiful recipe!
I’m excited to try this because I actually have a large container of potato starch that I got during Passover when the stores stocked it. My question is, will this recipe taste good if I added some spices to “spice up” the vanilla flavor like say cardamom and lemon juice?
Yes, I think that would work!
I am so excited to try this!! I am vegan (by choice) and GF (not by choice ): ) and I seriously dislike chocolate. Vanilla cake is SO hard to come by. SO THANK YOU! Now I’m even more excited for my birthday
I followed the recipe without substitutions. It makes 24 cupcakes, baked 16 minutes with a turn in the oven half way. They’re cooked perfectly and still moist!
I made this recipe as cupcakes for my girls’ soccer party and they came out wonderful! The coach asked for seconds they were so good! They tasted like real gluten filled vanilla cupcakes from my childhood! I substituted arrowroot for cornstarch to make them grain/corn free. I used coconut sugar instead of cane sugar. The recipe made 20 cupcakes. They baked for about 20-22 minutes and then I let them cool on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Then popped them in the freezer for 30 minutes to cool quickly so I could frost them because we were running late! They hold together perfectly with no egg, they are moist and delicious with the perfect cake crumb! I’ve made the Vegan8 version before and it is wonderful too, so I already had high hopes for this recipe since it was so similar. I like not needing aquafaba because I don’t always have it in stock. Thank you for the wonderful recipe, it is going in my “go-to recipes” binder and the search for vanilla cake is over! ^_^
I have been asked to make a lavender inspired cake for a friends bridal shower. I was thinking I could take a spin off of this one. I’m not sure if I should do lavender cake and vanilla frosting or vise versa.. What would be your suggestions on how to do that?
It all depends on how much you want the lavender flavor to come through! I think a vanilla cake with lavender frosting would be subtle but offer a really great balance of flavors. Share a photo of what you bake up on Instagram using the hashtag #MinimalistBaker and we’d love to see the final product!
Made this for my birthday and OMG, AMAZING CAKE!! Dense but moist and full of flavor. This one is definitely a keeper.
Yay! Happy Birthday, Lis :D
This cake is AMAZING!!! I made it and didn’t tell anyone (except) my wife that it was vegan/gluten free…my inlaws ate the whole cake! THEN I told them…they wouldn’t believe me until I showed them the recipe and they realized my wife was eating a slice (she’s vegan)…they already asked me to make it again and I’m making another one so my wife can take it to a Lularoe party tomorrow! Thank you so much for sharing such a great recipe…is definitely gonna try one of your chocolate ones next!!!
Yay! We’re so glad to hear this, Philip!
Omg Dana…this cake was SO GOOD! My friend and I made it and shared it with some friends who are very much not gluten-free/vegan and they thought it was delicious too! The icing was incredible (we ended up having to make more to cover it), the cake has such great vanilla flavor and the texture was perfect. We covered it in raspberries. Love.
Yum! Raspberries are a great addition, Sophie! We’re glad you enjoyed it :D
Just made it and it is absolutely delicious! My only change was almond flavoring in the frosting instead of vanilla flavoring. This is a keeper!
Any tips if making into cupcakes ? Thanks again!
Just reduce the cook time by about 1/3, and use a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Let us know how it goes!
Hi! I love all of your recipes. I have friend whose son also struggles with sugar, agave, maple syrup, and honey as sweeteners. His birthday is coming up and I’m hoping to find him a cake recipe (like this one) but one that I can substitute Stevia which he can eat without problems. Can I substitute stevia for sugar in a cake recipe? Thank you for any tips (or other recipes that might work!)
Hi Evan! To reduce sugar, each 1/4 cup of sugar be swapped with 1 packet (1/2 tsp) of powdered stevia. Or you could try subbing a mix of maple syrup and coconut sugar, but we haven’t tested it this way and can’t guarantee results. Good luck!
Thank you Dana so much for linking to my recipe, that is so kind of you! So honored to hear my Vanilla Cake inspired you. Isn’t the almond flour and potato starch combo the best?! I love your cake, it is just beautiful.
I have struggled to find the perfect vanilla cake, and this is it!! However,
I made lemon cupcakes with just a few subs & additions and they were phenomenal! First off 17mins was perfect for my oven! Made approx 20 cupcakes.
I used pacific brand original hemp milk and coconut vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar. I was slightly short on cane sugar and used ~1/8th cup coconut sugar. I also used Young Loving Lemon Vitality essential oil – 8 drops for cake – 10 drops in frosting.
Mind blowing! Thank you so much! You are a genius! ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Jaimie! :D If you wouldn’t mind leaving a rating, that would help us a ton!
I used the regular almond flour instead of the blanched one, so it looked more like carrot cake. The flavor was good though the frosting was a little dense. Overall good recipe and I will certainly try it again!
Thanks, Charleen!
Delicious cake! I made it last night and frosted it today. Absolutely spectacular! I put a little less sugar because my applesauce was the sweetened kind and I used lemon instead of vanilla because I can’t afford pure vanilla extract right now and the artificial kind isn’t my thing. I put the zest of one lemon (it could’ve used two) and squeezed a whole lemon into it which topped off the liquid from one can of coconut milk. It turned out perfectly moist. I topped it with lemon buttercream and thawed from frozen blackberries. Scrumptious! Thanks Dana!!!
Yay! Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Zoë! We’re glad you enjoyed it :D
Made this EASY cake for Easter! Everyone loved it- even non Gluten Free’ers and non Vegans! I did have to cut the baking time a bit (I was baking one pan at a time). Loved that the ingredients were easy to find, NO FLAX EGG (yay!), and it was one bowl! And don’t get me started on that dreamy ‘butter’cream!! Will definitely be making this again ASAP!
This cake is the bomb!! It’s day 2 and still moist. I like it better than white flour. The almond flour gives it depth and richness. Soooo good!!
This cake was fantastic!! Makes having a bazillion food allergies not so bad ;) I used plain unsweetened almond milk in the cake, and arrowroot instead of corn starch and Wegmans brand almond meal/flour (so not the super fine stuff). I added more flour than called for because she said the cake was supposed to be thick and mine was pretty loose, and baked in 3 6-inch pans. The cake came out super moist — the top was dark golden and I didn’t want to bake it too long and dry it out, but it still felt pretty soft to the touch in the middle (but not jiggly). Leaving it out on the counter to cool overnight helped firm it up a bit I think, because it wasn’t as “squishy?” in the morning yet still very moist and soft. I froze the layers to decorate a few days later. I used 3 sticks of the vegan butter and only 3 cups of powdered sugar + vanilla — I usually find frostings way too sweet. It was the perfect amount for us. And the berries on top just made it perfect!! Will definitely make this again (and again and again!) Soo Soo good!
Whoa, awesome! Thanks for sharing, Meg! Sounds like it turned out amazing.
I made this yesterday and frosted it today. It is delicious! I used Bob’ Red Mill Almond Flour, and almond milk. Next time, I’ll use the recommended almond flour. However, this time I used what I had in hand. I sifted the dry ingredients together after I whisked them, just to make sure it was as fluffy as possible.
When I frosted the cake, Little cake crumbs and frosting mixed together in an unattractive way, but it still tasted delicious. It was as if the cake was piling, like a sweater. Not sure how to fix that, I’m new to cake making. The cake was definitely cooled, as I’d made it the night before.
Everyone loved the cake. It makes a perfect Easter dessert.
Thank you!!!
You need to do a ‘crumb coat’ first. Put on a thin layer of frosting to trap the crumbs, then chill the cake for about 15 minutes, then try putting on your second layer. If it still picks up crumbs you may have to freeze the cake before doing the final coat of frosting.
Thank you!!!
Can I simply add cocoa powder to make this a gluten free chocolate cake?
We haven’t tried, but that should work! Another reader made a marble cake (vanilla and chocolate) and mentioned it in a comment above!
Just made this and the cake is super delish and surprisingly easy to make! I made a half batch and i would strongly recommend to follow the directions as the cooling period is very important for the setting of the cake. Thank you for this awesome recepie!
Thanks, Sandra!
Do you think it would be possible to split this cake into two 9 inch pans instead of three 6 inch?
Yes!
I baked this cake last night and it was excellent. I baked half the recipe after weighing out the full amount of dry ingredients and baked in a 6X9 glass pan. Today it is very moist (almost too much) but I think I could have baked for a bit longer and removed from the pan sooner. I’ve tried so many almond flour cake recipes which were inedible but this one isn’t greasy or heavy. Great job on this cake recipe :)
Hi! This cake idea looks superb! I love all of your recipes and have used so many over the years. I have three 9″ pans, should I double the batch in that case?
Thanks in advance!
-Sara
I forgot to mention, I am using this recipe for my husband’s birthday cake for a surprise party tomorrow. Any advice you have is greatly appreciated!
Yes, I would!
Hi,
I tried to make this cake last week and unfortunately I was not amused.
The cake was realy heavy, not fluffy at all. Due to all the baking powder and soda it had a chemical smell and flavour and the cake was overly sweet. Ingredients were crazy expensive, which wouldn’t have mattered if the cake was good. Bad recipe, too bad. :(
Hi Iris, I’m not sure what happened here. It shouldn’t have a chemical taste at all. Were your baking powder and soda fresh? This cake isn’t quite as fluffy as say a traditional white cake with eggs and white flour, but we certainly found it light in texture and delicious! If it was too sweet for you, perhaps scale back on sugar next time. Sorry it didn’t work out for you!
Disgusting! What a waste. 4 of us tried it and the flavour was awful. Icing was great. Threw out the whole thing.
We’re sorry that you did not enjoy this recipe, C. Thank you for taking the time to review, and better luck with the next one!
I am not gluten-free, vegan, or dairy free but my friends are and you won me over with this recipe! This cake was easy to make and come out deliciously! I didn’t have potatoe starch but I replaced it with equal parts gluten-free all purpose flour and it worked! Thanks Dana Your recipe was a hit!!!
We’re glad you enjoyed it, Angela! :D
so you still used the almond flour and cornstarch but just replaced the potato with gluten free flour?
Correct! And everyone loved it. It is a dense cake yet suprisingly moist and fluffy ??
Can I make this in a 9×13 pan instead? Thanks!
Yes!
I know, I was surprised myself. Your recipes are usually great. I’ve made the 1bowl chocolate cake and that’s wonderful.
Could it be it’s supposed to be almond meal and not flour? The recipe does seem to have too many dry ingredients and not enough liquid.
And, yes,I did use potato starch not flour.
I’m going to try to make it again and see. It looks so good in the picture. I’ll let you know what happens.
Thanks!
I made this for a friend’s birthday today and it was certainly tasty with a nice texture. It did crack rather a lot during transport though (it wasn’t iced at this point). Is this fragility why you suggest a 5 hour – overnight cooling period? I was only able to leave it cool about one hour before transporting it.
Yes, the longer cooling period helps the cake maintain form!
I think I gained a few pounds just by looking at these cakes. They look absolutely decadent but GLORIOUS! Haha, but in all seriousness, I think these cakes look incredible and perfect for any party. I would absolutely love to try this recipe once I get all the ingredients. I might add chocolate into the vegan buttercream frosting just for some flair one day!
Can you double this recipe and would it be sturdy enough to be used in a tiered cake?
I think so, yes!
great, loved it
This cake in unbelievable! We made it last night using 1/8 of the frosting and it was one of the best cakes any of us had ever had. We didn’t stack the layers as we didn’t want to use so much frosting so we lightly frosted the top of each of the three layers, sliced and served with berries. I think more frosting actually would have taken away from how delicious the cake is on its own. Making it again for our passover party this week. Thanks for a new family favorite!
How lovely, thanks for sharing! xo
I made this yesterday and it turned out pretty well. I used half corn starch half potato starch since I wasn’t sure if it was potato starch (said potato flour on package, but I found out later it was 100%starch). I halved the recipe and it made a thin 5/8. I cooked for 30 minutes with a convection oven. But it wasn’t done in middle. It still made a tastey cake.
So potato flour and potato starch are very different and you want to make sure it’s potato starch! Perhaps that was part of the issue?
Just made this. I haven’t had a decent gf/vg vanilla cake in years and this one is sooooo good. Thank you for coming up with awesome recipes that I can eat and that taste good!
Glad you enjoyed it, Caroline!
Just adding the 5 star rating since I forgot to do it along with my comment.
Thanks, Caroline!
Looks delicious! Is it possible to convert it to lemon cake by adding lemon zest and lemon juice to the frosting?
Yes, that should work. Report back on how it goes!
Do you think I could sub tigernut flour for the almond flour? We can’t do any nuts (or wheat). Cassava flour is safe, as is rice flour and quinoa flour – and I’m willing to trial tigernut. I am trying hard to find a way to make a safe birthday cake that my 2 and 4 year olds can eat!
Hi Karen! We’ve never used that flour before. And we haven’t tested this recipe with quinoa or rice. But if you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
YUM! I’m baking myself a cake today. Thank you for doing all the leg work!
For those that have asked I replaced the applesauce with oil and the cake was tasty. It was a very fragile cake but delicious.
Thanks for sharing, Trish!
Woohoo! Good to hear!
This looks fantastic. I’m making this on the weekend, looks so yummie. Thanks for the post.
Hi Dana,
Thank you for sharing all of your amazing recipes and inspiration for healthy cooking! Would this recipe work for cake pops baked in a cake pop oven? Is there anything you would alter?
Hi Bonnie, I’ve never tried that before. But I’d assume there wouldn’t be many modifications besides cooking time, which would need to be reduced? Let us know how it goes!
Hi, I‘d love to try the recipe but am failing at finding the best almond flour. Unfortunately the recommended brand is not available in Germany. There are Brands with 12-53grams of fat per 100g, which one would be the best, so the cake won‘t turn out too dry or to wet. Thank you.
The brand we love and use is Wellbee’s, which has 14 g of fat per 28 g (1/4 cup) serving. Somewhere close to that range would be best.
nice recipe i love to bake ..i will try this for sure
Beyond amazing!!!! Made this tonight and it was out of this world. The only modification I made is that I reserved a little bit of the batter at the end and added cocoa powder then poured over the vanilla batter (after I had poured the vanilla batter into the pans), so I basically turned it into a marble cake ;)
I had tried other recipes for Vegan vanilla cake but nothing compares to this one. I do think the combination of flours used makes a huge difference.
My mother in law makes a mean marble cake (non-vegan), I actually think this one turned out better!!!! Thanks a million Dana for yet another brilliant recipe…you are seriously the best!!!!!
Wow! That’s awesome! thanks for sharing. I love the swirl idea. So smart.
Also, next time would you mind leaving a rating? It’s superful helpful for us and other readers!
So sorry Dana, I thought I had added the rating. Just did now….5 stars of course! ;)
Hi Caroline and Dana,
I made this cake yesterday for a birthday and was sooo looking forward to it. I’ve made some of your other cakes before and I’m a pretty experienced cook.
The frosting turned out delicious! I added almond flavoring instead of vanilla and it was awesome. I did have to add, however 3 Tbsps. of almond milk because it was way too dry.
The cake, however, was hard as a rock. The flavor wasn’t bad but it wasn’t the best and I’m wondering what happened. I measured everything and did everything right, except I didn’t have the whole amount of corn starch but almost all. Do you think that could make such a BIG difference? Was there something you think I missed in the recipe?
Hmm, that’s very strange. this cake is very light and spongy in texture. Did you change anything else? And you’re sure you used potato starch and NOT potato flour?
Hello! This looks insanely good, but I’d love a non-nut based flour alternative recommendation, as my partner is sadly very allergic. Thank you!
You can see some of my recommendations above!
Hi Dana,
Have you tried making this cake with almond meals? That’s all I have is almond meals and I’m thinking of using this almond meals instead flour.
Thanks.
I wouldn’t recommend almond meal. Ir provides a completely flavor and texture. But if you try it let us know how it goes!
I think you are a Saint regarding how much people question you
Your recipes are awesome and I am very grateful for your kindness to offer them to us
ox
xo!
You are an 11 on my list of 1-10! Love this cake recipe and can’t wait to try it. Thanks for all that you do. My family and I love, love, love your website!
It looks really yummy Dana! Can’t wait to make it! My daughter’s birthday is coming up! Thanks!! ?
Thank you, this was exactly what I was looking for!!
Nikki
Big, big fan of all your cakes–they are the best! But, I also need an applesauce substitute. Google suggests using an oil, what are your thoughts? thanks :)
Hmm, that may work. Let us know how it goes!
Hi! This looks so delicious, but I’m allergic to apples. Is there a soy free and dairy free replacement for this ingredient?? Thank you!
Another fruit puree, perhaps?
It just occurred to me that this recipe is perfect to adapt for Passover, which starts next week. I think I’ll be baking a cake next Friday :)
Can I sub tapioca flour / starch for the potato starch?
I’m not sure, but if you try it let us know how it goes!
Could I use my GF 1 to 1 baking flour instead of all the other flours?
I wouldn’t recommend that.
I am honestly not a fan of baked goods, but your posts have been drawing me in!
This looks and sounds delicious!!!
Is there a substitute for potato starch? Unfortunately, I am allergic to potatoes.
Hmm, it’s a pretty key ingredient. You could try another starch like arrowroot? If you try it let us know how it goes.
Hi looks yummy…
can you freeze the cake with the frosting??
Yes! Freeze up to 1 month.
Hi! Is there any way to replace applesauce with something else? It’s not something that’s easily found in European stores… or would it work if I made it myself?
In other recipes here grated apples are used. I’ve used them as an applesauce substitute numerous times with great success. I was planning to use them since I don’t want to buy applesauce but often have that one, leftover, somewhat not-so-wonderful apple hanging around. Now, I just have to figure out if I should use my 9″ pans or make cupcakes. Oh, I hate buying 3 pans that I’ll likely not use much. Ugh!
Is there an ALDI anywhere near you? They have applesauce, both sweetened and unsweetened.
It’s easy to make your own applesauce. Just peel & core an apple, cut in small pieces and add a little water, about 2 tablespoons. Cook on med-low heat, covered. Stir occasionally and add a bit more water if it gets dry. When ready it’ll be fairly smooth.
Looks amazing! Is there any substitute for the potato starch? I don’t have any and I really want to make it :(
It’s a pretty key ingredient. But if you try something else let us know how it goes!
Where can we buy the cake pans you used?
I got mine at a local kitchen store, but they’re readily available on amazon! Just get a set of three, 6-inch round pans.
Great post. These just gets one hungry.
Can cassava flour be used ? Would I need to still add the starch? I’m vegan & trying to bake GF. Also would like to use the coconut sugar
Janette, I’m not sure. I assume you’re trying to leave out the almond flour? It’s a pretty key ingredient in this cake. I’d say keep the starch in that case. Coconut sugar should be fine, but may also turn the cake darker and give it more of a “muffin” flavor and texture. If you try it, let us know how it goes!
Looks great! What size cake pans did you use?
three, 6-inch round pans!
Would just potato starch be ok? It’s almost Passover, and aside from the corn starch this would be s great cake for the holiday!
You can actually get Lieber’s tapioca flour (which is the same as the starch as far as I can tell). I’m planning to make this as well.
I would suggest arrowroot in place of cornstarch. Tapioca may also work. Let us know how it goes!
Do you have a substitute for the almond flour? Tree nut allergy here!
I’ll be trying this out with sunflower seed flour! (I just blend some raw sunflower seeds up in the vitamix to make a sunflower seed meal/flour, then I sift along with all the other dry ingredients). I’ll let you know if it works out!
Susy and Lauren, as for almond flour subs, I’m not sure. It is a pretty key ingredient in this cake. But if you test other flours or meals, let us know how it goes!
I would like to give it a try but how do I one make one instead of 3? It’s too much for me! Thanks
Just cut the recipe in thirds and reduce the baking time by maybe 1/3. Check for doneness around that point.
Would this work for cupcakes? If so, about how many would it make? Thanks!
I would think so, yes. Just reduce the cook time by about 1/3, and use a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Let us know how it goes!
Made this last night. AWESOME! How many cupcakes do you think this would make? I am interested in making just a half dozen-dozen and would be curious on recipes adjustments
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Kelly! It should make two dozen cupcakes or so. Hope this helps!
Hi Dana,
This cake looks amazing! I’m not gluten-free, so can I use regular AP flour instead of the potato & corn starches? I love almond flour, so I’d still want to use that. Thanks!
Hi Jennifer, not sure if this cake would be a good fit for all purpose flour (we haven’t tested it). But if you do give it a try, let us know how it goes!