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 ⅔ cup dairy-free milk (we used boxed coconut milk // almond or rice would also work)
- 1 ½ tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 3 ¼ 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 ⅓ cup organic cane sugar*
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 ½ 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 ½-4 cups organic powdered sugar (sifted)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and lightly grease two standard 8-inch round cake pans, one 9×13-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.
- 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.
- 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 (see video). Add more almond flour if too wet or dairy-free milk if too thick.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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).
- Store cake covered at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Freeze up to 1 month.
- 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.
- 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.
- Use immediately or cover and store in the refrigerator up to 5 days. Let come to room temperature before frosting.
Video
Notes
*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.
Heena says
Can I use oat milk in this ?
Any vegan , soya free and nut free , coconut free butter you can recommend in UK ?
Thanks
Hi Heena, We think oat milk will work! Unfortunately we’re not familiar with brands in the UK, but Earth Balance and Miyokos are our favorites in the US.
Cynthia says
This is a GREAT recipe! I used it to make a wedding cake for a friend who has celiac, and everyone cleared their plates. So moist and yummy. This will be my go-to recipe for many cakes to come!
Aw, yay! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thank you so much for sharing, Cynthia! P.s. what a kind thing to do for your friend – we want to be your friend =)
Sandra Boyachek says
Did you freeze ahead or just make the wedding cake the day ahead? Keep cool or keep on counter? Thanks!
Brenda says
Would I be able to substitute sweet potato starch for the potato starch here? Or are they significantly different?
Hmm, we’ve never experimented with sweet potato starch, so we’re not sure. But russet potatoes have more resistant starch than sweet potatoes so it might not have the same effect. Let us know if you try it!
Julia Rabig says
I made this for my husband’s birthday party and everyone loved it. I find that GF and vegan treats often have more flavor and texture than conventional baked goods and this was no exception. The almond flour and the “butter” cream pair deliciously and we enjoyed leftover cake for breakfast the next day.
Alterations: I doubled the vanilla for more intense flavor. I also added some very strong coffee to the icing to give it some contrast to the vanilla in the cake.
Keep in mind: This cake does not rise very high, so the double or triple layer is going to make for a more attractive dessert than the sheet version. Next time I make it, I’ll try adding whole strawberries to the icing between the layers to give it some height.
Yay! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing your experience and tips, Julia! xo
Yana says
Complete disaster. These measurements don’t work for almond flour at all. I didn’t check how much I was supposed to use in grams and measured it by cups… with 3 cups I ended up using 500 g of flour! No wonder I got a cookie dough instead of a proper batter. I poured a whole box of almond milk to try to fix, but of course it doesn’t work like that. A whole bowl of batter landed in a garbage. What a waste of products and time…
So sorry this didn’t work out for you, Yana! Did you make any other modifications? We’d love to help troubleshoot if we can! xo
Pamela Cogan says
I found this cake to have a distinctive baking soda aftertaste. The ingredients were carefully measured.
I’ll try it again without the baking soda. Maybe I’m sensitive to this taste, as I’ve had this problem in the past with other recipes from different sources.
Oh no! Sorry this happened for you. It will affect the texture if you omit it completely, but let us know how it goes if you try it!
Lyric says
This vanilla cake is the best! I use a mix of sugar and sugar alternatives like monk fruit and xylitol and it comes out amazing every time, it’s so forgiving! I make cupcakes from this too, just cook them for a shorter time. Love this recipe so much!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Alani says
This cake didn’t turn out for me. It was really hard and crumbly and the flavor was more like a corn bread than a cake. I’ve made so many of your recipes so I had high hopes! I made it twice and both times it was the same.
Oh no! So sorry this recipe hasn’t worked out for you yet. It sounds like your batter might be too dry, different brands of almond flour can absorb liquid differently, so we’d suggest adding extra dairy-free milk 1 Tbsp at a time until you get a consistency like the batter in the recipe video. Let us know how it goes if you try again! xo
Pamela Cogan says
I agree with this comment. Not a cake texture. Very solid.
Bummer! Can you share more of your experience? We’d love to help troubleshoot if we can! xo
Sofie says
I have heard great things about this recipe. Before I bake, I wanted to ask a quick K question. I love the idea of a small, layered cake. I have one 6″ cake pan, so if I bake in batches will the layers come out differently due to wait time between baking?
That would be fine! They need to cool before frosting anyways, so it shouldn’t make a difference. To make the layers even, you can use a scale to measure the weight of the full amount of batter, then divide by how many layers you’re making.
Carmell Childs says
Why did you choose to leave out the aquafaba from the original recipe…. just curious if you can taste it in the finished cake? Wouldn’t it make the cake lighter once whipped?
Hi Carmell, we wanted to keep it a 1 bowl recipe and as easy and approachable as possible. We find it’s fluffy without it.
Carmell Childs says
Fabulous! Thank you!!! I can’t wait to try it!!
april says
I just made this cake. It was super delicious and moist. No one could tell it was Vegan and GF. I got lots of compliments. Thank you for such a delicious cake. I did make a few slight changes.
first. I did not have 1 scant cup potato starch (not flour) So I had to sub with 1 scant cup of arrowroot. I also used the 1/3 cup arrowroot starch like the recipe states. I noticed that the batter was very liquidy. I added about 1/4 cup of extra almond flour. I made this is a springform pan. I felt I only had enough for two layers for a 9in cake. I cooked it at 350 F for 25 minutes but I had to add a few minutes at the end when I noticed the middle wasn’t completely cooked. For the frosting I really messed up. I whipped it way too long. It came out flat and gritty looking. The taste was on point but the appearance was off. This was truly a great cake. My best critic husband said it was so moist like a cookie dough. But it was amazing. He asked for me to make it again. This is truly a winner. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, April. Thanks so much for sharing your experience! xo
Julie says
Hi. There! I only have one 8” round cake pan. How long do I need to bake it in this?
Hi Julie, we’d suggest making a half batch or baking in two rounds for best results. 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges and surface appear golden brown.
Krisztina says
I was wondering if this cake can be decorated with Royal Ice rather than frosting ice please? Thank you
Hmm, we haven’t tried that but if you do, let us know how it goes!
Sarah says
I made this recipe using a granulated monk fruit sweetener (1:1 substitute for the regular sugar), and it turned out wonderfully. Very moist, not too sweet, and the people who tried it couldn’t tell it was gluten or sugar free (and vegan to boot!). It was incredibly easy as well, so this is going to be my go-to recipe for gluten free cake!
Yay! We’re so glad it turned out well. Thanks for the update, Sarah! xo
Sarah says
For making this friendly for diabetics, could I replace all of the sugar with powdered stevia? According to your notes that’s only a little over 2 tsp. Is that correct? Also, would a granulated sweetener like monk fruit work as well?
Hi Sarah, a granulated sweetener like monk fruit would actually be best for texture. Let us know if you try it!
Sarah says
Would you suggest using the same amount of monk fruit as regular sugar then? Like gram for gram?
Hi Sarah, we’d suggest using the ratio on the brand of monk fruit you have. We haven’t experimented with it much, but think it’s usually 1:1.
Christina Moore says
Hi, I am making this for my mum who has a nut allergy. Would rice flour work in place of the almond flour? Thanks
Hi Christina, The almond flour is pretty key here, but if you were going to try something we’d say a blend of coconut flour (if not allergic) and arrowroot starch (or cassava flour) would be your best bet. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Dani says
Is it possible to make this with oat flour instead of almond flour?
Hi Dani, The almond flour is pretty key, but if you were going to try something we’d say a blend of coconut flour and arrowroot starch (or cassava flour) would be your best bet. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
HANNAH says
I love this cake so much! Can you make it into a chocolate cake though just by adding cocoa?
Hi Hannah, we haven’t tried that, but maybe! If you try it, we’d suggest reducing the flour. We also have a GF/Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe here.
Tiana says
Hi! Would I be able to use tapioca starch instead of potato starch?
Hi Tiana, we haven’t tried it, but a couple other readers have and mentioned it contributed to a gooey texture. Arrowroot would be the best alternative.
HANNAH says
I’ve used both – tapioca makes a very dense and “raw” feeling / tasting cake. Flavor is still delicious, but the texture was not popular
Dea says
Does this cake stay moist or does it get dry after a day or two? How do you keep gluten and dairy free cakes moist?
This one is actually surprisingly moist!
Anna says
Hi I love the cake! I’ve made it many times, but now I’m baking for someone with a tree nut allergy. She’s not gluten free, so we could use wheat flour but I thought I’d check here to see what you’d recommend subbing for best texture. Normal wheat flour or a blend of coconut flour and arrowroot starch?
Hi Anna, we think it would be too dry with wheat flour, unfortunately. Coconut flour and arrowroot starch are okay, but just know the texture is not going to be as good as the almond flour – it will be more dense/dry. We wonder if maybe this funfetti cupcake recipe (you can omit the sprinkles) would work better for a nut-free option? Other readers have mentioned making it in a cake pan. Hope that helps!
Ez says
Hi! I’m trying to this cake, so I followed the recipe precisely.6inch pans, didn’t alter any ingredients, used the stated oven temperature and time… after 40mins it looked sooooo good and gold, toothpick came out clean. So I let it cool for 15mins and then when removing the pan, the bottom half looks underdone or like cookiedough substance or something? So I tried to save it, lowering the temp so it could bake longer without burning but it didn’t do anything anymore… please help, because it do taste delicious! What could went wrong?
Hmm, did you slice into it? Was it in fact underdone? Sounds like the bottom may have just been a little crumbly. Is your oven evenly heated, or have you ever had issues with food being unevenly cooked?
Melinda Hoover says
I can’t have Almond flour. Would you mind suggesting an alternate flour I could use for this cake? Thank you
The best sub I think would be cashew flour, or a mix of coconut flour and arrowroot starch. Let us know what you try!
Ash says
How long should I bake if I wanted to make these into cupcakes instead? And is there something I could use instead of potato starch (we’re not gluten free)?
Hi Ash, We’d suggest baking at 350 F for ~25-30 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The potato starch is somewhat of a staple ingredient. But other readers have had success with a mix of arrowroot + coconut flour in place of the potato starch in our similar chocolate cake recipe. Let us know how it goes!
AnnaD says
I just made this recipe into (22) cupcakes. I used a metal cupcake pan, baked at 350° for 26 min. — they came out perfect! For frosting, I halved the recipe above and I had enough + a little left over.
Thank you! So yummy.
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Anna!!
Connie says
Made this cake for a family birthday, so good!! I followed the recipe instructions as written. Bob’s Red Mill super fine almond flour was used. The coconut whipped cream was my choice of frosting but I couldn’t find the brands recommended in the local grocery stores. So, I purchased two 9 oz cartons of CocoWhip(coconut whipped topping), in the freezer section at Natural Foods. It was enough to frost between 3 6″ layers and the outside with a bit left over. This cake was a hit with adults and kids at the birthday party!!
Amazing! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it. Thanks so much for sharing, Connie!
DK says
Hi, I want to bake this cake in a bundt pan. Can you please let me know what temperature and for how long I should bake it? I intend to add rose petal jam to the batter to give it that flavor. Please let me know the temp & timing for bundt pan. Thanks a ton 🙏
I’m thinking 350 for ~30-45 minutes? Let us know if you try!
DK says
This turned out very very delicious and perfect! I added rose petal jam and made 15 mini cupcakes (baked for 15mins) and a bundt cake. Bundt cake dint release well at all and it was the first time ever this happened to me with this pan. Nevertheless I salvaged it and made some cake rusks (crunchy biscotti types) with half and a huge cake pop with more jam with the rest. It was loved by everyone! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
Rose petal jam sounds amazing! Thanks so much for sharing! We wonder if this one being oil-free made it difficult to release?
DK says
My guess is the same. Perhaps being oil-free must be the reason it dint release well from the bundt pan. Any thoughts on how to make that work in the future?
You’d need a nonstick bundt pan I think. Otherwise lightly grease and flour to help it release!
Arielle Wellons says
I love this cake. I’ve made it twice, and both times it was delicious. The second time I didn’t have applesauce, so I substituted coconut oil. It turned out great! (The only challenge was that the oil solidified in the milk when I mixed them, so I had to warm it all up.)
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Arielle! Ah, yes, if using almond milk directly from the fridge, that can happen. We’d suggest leaving it out of the fridge for a bit to prevent that.
Pooja says
Hi Dana! Thank you for this recipe. I’m making this tomorrow for my birthday :) I have 2 six inch cake pans. Would the bake time vary if i put only 2 six inch cakes in the oven? Also, can i refrigerate the leftover batter to make a single layer cake a couple days later?
Thank you!!
Hi Pooja, the difference in bake time should be minimal – maybe a couple minutes? For refrigerating the batter a few days, we haven’t tried that, but it might be okay. Rehydrate with a little almond milk if it looks too dry. Let us know if you try it.
Kaylee says
I have made this cake 5 times. This cake is delicious!!! But the only thing is I am struggling getting the same consistency as the photo. The cake looks wet not fluffy. Is there any thoughts on what I am doing wrong. I have tired cooking the cake longer and it still has the same problem. I followed the recipe to a T.
Thanks!
Hmm, I’d say this is a more dense cake so it won’t be as fluffy as your average cake. Also, cut it with a serrated or cake knife for even fluffier texture!
AnnaD says
I’ve made this cake twice. The first time I just followed the US Customary portions sizes. It also came out not looking as great as these photos (seemingly a little wet). The second time I used a scale and followed the metric measurements and it came out perfect! That’s what I’d recommend doing.
Thanks for sharing, Anna!
Luciana Nevarez says
I wanna make this recipe for a dozen cupcakes, how do * adjust the oven temp and time?
Thank you!
Hi Luciana, We’d suggest baking at 350 F for ~25-30 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let us know how it goes!
Mary Ellen says
…this cake is our favorite – loved by all family members with or without food restrictions! I was drawn to this recipe because it didn’t require a “gluten free blend flour”…so many no-no’s in those pre-mixes for us.
I’ve made as written…and have made it many times over the last year. Thank you for sharing.
Amazing! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy it. Thanks for sharing, Mary Ellen!
Ela says
I’m so excited to try this cake! If I wanted to add almond extract in addition to the vanilla extract (to get that classic wedding cake flavor), how much should I add? Or will it mess up the recipe entirely?
Hi Ela, we haven’t tried with that modification, but we think it would be nice. Maybe 1/2 teaspoon? Let us know if you try it!
Ela says
I tried it adding 1/2 tsp almond extract to the batter and to the icing, and it was PERFECT! Thanks to this incredible recipe, I don’t have to miss out on one of my favorite desserts anymore!
Oh amazing! Thanks for sharing, Ela!
Kabria Pervoe says
Delicious cake I made for my best friends birthday. It was absolutely incredible, moist, flavorful and not overly sweet. I used 2 teaspoons of vanilla in the cake instead of one and the flavor was perfect. I also used arrowroot starch for grain free. My friend and her husband (who isn’t gluten free or vegan) both described it as cake crack. Tried a slice today nearly three days later and it was still as moist and delicious as day one. Definitely going to make it again. Feeling inspired for what’s possible in vegan and gluten free baking. Thank you, MB!
Aw, yay! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kabria!
Andrea says
I made this and it is marvelous. I had no applesauce but I had black currents in the freezer. I boiled the black currents and mashed them and used that instead. I replaced the sugar with xylitol. It worked. It’s moist and light and purple!
Sounds gorgeous and very creative! Thanks for sharing, Andrea!
Laura says
I loved this recipe! I’m newly gluten free for health reasons so this was my first birthday with a gluten free cake. I am happy to say the flavor was just the same (in my opinion better) than regular cake! The texture was more dense than/not as fluffy as normal cake but this is common with gluten free baking. Bonus that it made my whole house smell like yummy vanilla heaven! I only used 3 cups almond flour and 1 cup cane sugar and I used 1/2 cup arrowroot starch + 1/2 cup coconut flour in place of the potato starch. I did need to add 1 additional cup of unsweetened almond milk (added in 1/4 cup increments) as the batter was quite thick at first. I paired this with the date-sweetened chocolate frosting (AMAZING!). Overall, very pleased with how it turned out. Thanks, Dana!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Laura! Happy birthday and thank you so much for the lovely review! xo
Marcy says
This looks delicious. I plan to try it for my birthday coming up in February. I also wanted to try it as a base for a strawberry cake for my daughters’s birthday. Do you think I could replace the applesauce with a reduced strawberry purée? I’ve made a vegan strawberry cake that wasn’t gluten-free with the purée before. It tasted good, but it was oily, flat, and dense.
Hi Marcy, another reader mentioned swapping out all of the liquid with strawberry purée with success. Let us know if you try it!
nuri nusrat says
Hi! The taste of this cake was phenomenal and I love your recipes. But it had such a strange texture-like it felt like there was too much potato flour that made it not moist like a cake but felt kind of stiff. I want to say it was more breadlike but that’s not quite the word-it was just off texturally- starchy rather than cakey. Should I reduce the starch?
Hi Nuri, did you use potato flour or potato starch? They are quite different in terms of texture. For this recipe, we recommend potato starch which yields a light and fluffy texture.
Sophia says
For all those in the comments wondering if you can substitute with almond meal, you certainly can! I have made this recipe before with almond flour and it was delicious but I didn’t have any in my pantry this time and needed it for a birthday cake. I took the risk and just ground up raw almonds in my blender and the cake came out fluffy and I would say even more moist compared to with the almond flour. My husband also preferred this version (he’s very picky when it comes to healthy deserts haha). We made it with whipped coconut frosting with maple syrup and layered with strawberries. I also only used about 3/4 cup of sugar in the cake only because I didn’t want it too sweet. Yum yum yum all around! Love this recipe!!
Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing, Sophia!
Ann says
Can I put your cake batter to bake in a bundt pan?
I truly love your recipes! Thank you!
Hi Ann, we think it would work, though we haven’t tried it and aren’t certain! Let us know if you give it a try!
Raman Brar says
Your recipe is perfect.
Thank you 😊💓☺💗💛💖😊💓☺
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Raman. 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
Chloe says
I made this cake and loved it! Didn’t think a tasty gf/vegan cake would be possible, but this proved me very wrong. I had to make some significant changes to the flour content because I didn’t have enough in my pantry — ended up being 2.5 cups almond meal, 1.25 cups self raising gluten free AP flour, and 1 cup cornstarch. Everything else was exactly the same as the recipe as written. I was very skeptical, but it turned out great! For being both vegan and gluten free, it has a great crumb and flavor. It tastes even better the next day, as more of the almond flavor develops. Would certainly recommend!
Yay! We’re so glad it came out well! Thanks so much for sharing, Chloe.
Lindsey says
Help! My birthday’s tomorrow (sweet 16th!) and I bought 4 6-inch pans just for the occasion. They’re all 1 inch tall, however, about half the size of what I think normal pans are. What should I do! How much do I fill them? Should I make the full batch, fill some of them (3 or 4?), and then after they bake put the rest in? Should I half the batch and then do the same again? Any and all assistance would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so mich for all your incredible recipes :)
Hi Lindsey, first, happy birthday!! We’d suggest filling them about 3/4 full. If there’s any extra batter you can bake it for a shorter amount of time in cupcake tins. Hope that helps!
Riley Zuckerman says
Could I use oat flour instead of almond flour to make this nut free?
Hi Riley, The almond flour is pretty key, but if you were going to try something we’d say a blend of coconut flour and arrowroot starch (or cassava flour) would be your best bet. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Angela says
Hi! Can I substitute the potato starch for just more corn starch?
Hi Angela, we don’t think it would work, but we haven’t tried! The potato starch is somewhat of a staple ingredient. But other readers have had success with a mix of arrowroot + coconut flour in place of the potato starch in our similar chocolate cake recipe. Hope that helps!
Woan says
Do you think I could make a rainbow cake with this recipe by adding food colouring to the batter?
We’ve never tried that, but we don’t see why not. Let us know if you try it!
Jane Jackson says
can i use tapioca flour instead of cornflour? I cannot find gluten free cornflour.
Hi Jane, we haven’t tried it, but a couple other readers have and mentioned it contributed to a gooey texture. Arrowroot would be the best alternative.
Eryn March says
I made this cake for the first time this week, it turned out pretty well! The flavor is delicious and it is moist and tender. Unfortunately, it is not fluffy. Not dense, but definitely not fluffy. I did everything as written except the cornstarch, which I subbed with arrowroot as suggested. I don’t think this is a big deal but I used soy milk instead of almond milk, I never really have issues with that so I doubt that’s the problem.
I baked 25 minutes — my tester came out clean — but I could see as it was baking that the centers shrunk instead of fluffing up and staying flat like the ones in your video. I baked in two 8″ pans, greased and lightly floured.
Even though the layers were concave I frosted after cooling and it looked nice enough. But when I cut a slice I could see a dense line that looked a bit underdone at the bottom of each layer. But it wasn’t raw, just settled, I guess.
So to me, it appeared to be a problem with the rise. I put the layers straight into the oven after mixing so I don’t think it was a delay in baking once the baking powder and soda were activated.
What do you think? More starch? Different starch? A bit of xantham? A touch more of cider vinegar and/or baking powder? I hate deviating from a recipe then complaining it didn’t turn out but I can’t have cornstarch.
And again, it was delicious! I will definitely make it again but would like to figure out what happened appearance-wise if I can. I appreciate your suggestions, your recipes are amazing.
Hi Eryn, Thanks for sharing! We wonder if your baking powder was expired? But it does also sound like it may have needed to bake longer. Cornstarch does also provide structure, so that could be the issue. Hope that helps for next time!
Mandy Solomon says
So delicious! My first vegan, gluten-free cake and everyone loved it. Will be my new go-to vanilla cake recipe now that I can’t do dairy or gluten. Does not feel like you’re sacrificing an ounce of flavor.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Mandy. Thanks for the lovely review!
Mary says
Do you think it would be ok to add sprinkles to the batter (funfetti style), or could that mess it up? Thanks!
I think that should work! Let us know how it goes!
jiyoung.piao says
thanks for your wonderful recipe. but i have a question. How much butter is 2 sticks? i really want to this frosting.
Hi, 1 stick = 1/2 cup or 112 g. So 2 sticks = 1 cup or 224 g. Hope that helps!
Bindie says
Can I use all purpose flour instead of potato starch? Thanks!
It would likely make the cake super dry. I’d use a lesser quantity if I were you as it’s more absorbent. Let us know if you try!
Pratibha says
Can we use oil instead of applesauce? If so, what quantity?
Hi Pratibha, we haven’t tried it that way, but would suggest using 1/3 cup oil. Let us know how it goes!
Raman Brar says
Awesome recipe, so simple and delicious 😋
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Raman!
Nikki Kaur says
👋🏽 Hey
I have made this twice over the past week as everyone that has tried this absolutely LOVED it. I used metrics and baked for 30 mins and it was perfect!
Thank you 😊
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Nikki. We are so glad everyone has 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
lauren says
Hi. thank you for the lovely recipe. may I ask if you yourself use metric or us customary when you make this cake? I prefer weighing/metric but when I look at the conversions, they seem off. Are these the conversions you use yourself? or is this just an automatic converter that may be slightly off? For example one liquid cup is converted to 230 ml and I have always known 240 ml to equal one liquid cup. Also the amount of almond flour is more. Also can you please recommend how to convert the oven temperature and time when using the convection setting in the oven? thank you.
Hi Lauren! Yes, metrics can be all over the place. We’ve begun measuring ourselves, but even that can produce discrepancies. So we generally consult google, our packaging, and our scale, and use the average of the three. We’ll give this one another look!
Lauren says
Thank you! Can I ask if this recipe was written in US customary? I’m trying to understand if I should use the us customary version of this recipe or the metric. Bc they don’t match up. Which do you use? Thank you
It was written in customary (not metric).
Samantha G. says
This cake came out a disaster. Even after baking it for four hours now the batter is really moist and raw on the inside. When making the batter, it was thick like chocolate chip cookie batter. I followed the instructions to at milk so the batter is thick and pourable. This worked because the batter was so thick is stuck to the spoon when scooping it up, but if the spoon was held upside the batter slowly slipped off and “poured.” From the outside the cake looked baked and had a nice golden-brown appearance. However, that was just a “crust layer” no part of the cake on the inside or bottom was cooked. I adjusted the oven to 275 degrees and baked the cake for about two more hours, but it was still moist on the inside. Then I turned the oven back up to 350 degrees and moved the cake to the bottom rack so it wasn’t browning so fast at top. However, after another hour the cake was still moist, as if we never baked it. Watered ingredients, wasted time. If I had seen the future I would have just left the batter as a “cookie batter,” when we used the exact amounts of ingredients needed, and would have just tried to make cookies. Adding milk to make the “cookie batter” “pourable” was a fail!
Hi Samantha, we’re so sorry to hear that was your experience! We’ll definitely take another look at the instructions and see if we can add clarity. Based on your description of the batter before adding milk, it sounds like something went wrong. Did it resemble the texture in the video? Did you make any modifications to the flours (such as using coconut flour)?
Bhavana Subramanian says
I have made this cake many times and loved it always. Yesterday I made it for a friend who does not eat corn. I substituted arrowroot powder for corn starch and the cake was a disaster! Just like what you are describing. Batter was too thick. Added additional liquid to make it pourable. The cake started to look good in the oven, rose well, additional 10 mins to brown, but was runny under the crust, it never baked after lots of additional time. I think arrowroot powder substitution does not work!
We ended up making a break pudding out of it. :-)
Oh no! We’re sorry to hear it didn’t turn out well this time, Bhavana. Other readers have mentioned arrowroot worked as a sub for cornstarch for them, but we’ll be sure to take another look. Thanks for letting us know!
Audrey says
I made this cak with a chocolate buttercream frosting (per my son’s request) and it is divine! I’ve only ever made a gluten free cake with cake mix and it has come out so-so. We really enjoyed this recipe and I like that it is not overly sweet. I feel it didn’t need the full 35 minutes (probably just my oven) so next time I make this I will check it at the 30 min mark. Thank you for your wonderful recipes. :)
Amazing! Thanks for sharing, Audrey!
charlly says
Is there any substitutes for potato starch?
Potato starch can possibly be subbed for a blend of coconut flour and arrowroot, but we haven’t tried it! Let us know if you do!
Lee M says
This recipe sounds delicious. I have an almond allergy – can I sub for gluten-free flour?
You can try but we haven’t tested it that way. I might suggest a mixture of coconut flour and arrowroot? If you try a GF blend let us know!
Abby says
I tried subbing Gluten-free all purpose flour for the almond flour last year about this time. It was a disaster. Hard as a rock. Don’t do it! I think all of the other starches were what ruined it. Maybe if I had subbed all GF all purp flour for all of the starches since it already contains starch… but I’m not willing to try. The recipe is fabulous as written. Just one time I made it, it tasted a bit grainy like the almond flour wasn’t fine enough. That is why I made the sub. I have made it several times as written and it was really good. Lots of complements from non GF/vegan eaters. Also, the frosting made with Miyoko’s butter is the best!
So helpful! Thanks for sharing, Abby!
Laura says
This recipe is amazing! I was skeptical, but it really tastes like a traditional (gluten & dairy-full) baked good. I made this into a funfetti cake with sprinkles and used Miyoko’s cultured vegan butter and JOI organic almond milk. Ended up using more almond flour than the recipe called for as the batter was a bit runny. Turned out great!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Laura!
Lauren says
👋 hi thanks for the wonderful recipe. I just have a couple of questions. Do you bake for 35-40 mins at 350 with the convection setting or without? If not, how should I adjust the time and temperature for convection setting? Also I prefer to weigh my ingredients, but when I click the metric option… it seems a little off. For example, I have always known one liquid measuring cup to equal 240 ml,
But the metric conversion here converts one cup to around 230 ml. Other things are off too. Like when I measure out my almond flour with cups (doing proper spoon and level method)… it weighs much less than the metric conversion here. Have you done this conversion yourself? Or is it just an automatic app. That may be off a little? Do you use US customary yourself or metric? Thank you so much.
For convection you can keep the temp the same, but reduce the time by about 1/3. It bakes much faster.
With the metrics / standard. We measure in standard and convert to metric. We will revisit to ensure accuracy!
Perla says
I baked this just today and it turned ridiculously yummy!!! I used the recipe for cupcakes and they are so fluffy and the taste is amazing!! I have tried vegan gluten-free cupcakes recipes in the past and I always ended up throwing them away ‘cause they get very sticky, but this recipe is the best I have tried and I will stick with it from now on!!! I love it, thank thank you so much!!! Also, I used coconut sugar instead of the caster sugar and still delicious!!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Perla. We are so glad you enjoyed these! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Elise says
Hi! Do you think it would be ok to add spiced rum to the frosting? I could see how alcohol might de-stabilize the frosting.
I’d like to make this cake for the holidays and add spiced apple compote between the layers with a spiced rum frosting.
I’d stick to extracts vs. liquids like rum. I think it may dilute the frosting too much? But if you try it let us know!
Acallin says
Hello! I’m making this recipe for my son’s first birthday on Friday. This will be my third attempt and I plan to do it in the morning with the plan for us to eat it that night, so it’s fresh. I will be doing it in a 4 inch pan, approximately how long will that need to bake for? For the icing-would miyokos be a good butter substitute? We really love the flavor. So sorry for all the questions, hoping third time is the charm! Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes! My baby is allergic to everything, I’m so grateful he’ll be able to have a smash cake!
1. Myokos is fine! It just melts a little easier than Earth Balance so be aware that the cake doesn’t do well in hot temperatures (not sure where you live).
2. A 4 inch pan will cook faster so I’d check it around the 20-minute mark, and then every 5 minutes thereafter for doneness. It should be golden grown on top and a toothpick should come out mostly clean with maybe only a few crumbs.
3. Let us know how it goes!
Raman Brar says
I used cup for cup gf flour as I didn’t have almond flour. It turned out great. Check at 30 min it might be cooked already. Your Oil free recipe is soo good. 💖
Thanks for sharing, Raman!
Mary Ellen says
This cake was really excellent – happy faces from all (gluten free and non-gluten free). I made the recipe as written first time, which was perfect (and easy) and I’m making again today. Thank you for this recipe, it’s good to be able to make ONE great dessert to share and satisfy everyone.
Yay! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for the lovely review, Mary Ellen!
Liz says
Hi, I live in Australia and not familiar with your bands.
When you note Almond flour do you mean the white colour flour baking that’s like a powder or the Almond meal which has a grain feel to it. Similar to your cupcake recipe when you note Almond flour? Thanks 😊
Hi Liz, we recommend almond flour (made from blanched almonds), not almond meal (made from whole almonds including skin). Hope that helps!
James says
Hey, wondering if you have any thoughts on replacing corn starch with tapioca starch. Would like to avoid going to the store for, uh… reasons.
Hi James, we haven’t tried it, but a couple other readers have and mentioned it did not work. It contributed to a gooey texture inside.
Erika says
Hello Dana. I just made this cake exactly the same like the recipe except i changed the applesauce with mashed banana with the equal weight. My cake was done in 45 minutes. And it doesnt rise like your photo and kind of mushy. And i did exactly like the video shown. Do you know what went wrong? It actually smelled so good though.
The banana is more dense than apple sauce. Also, what brand of almond flour did you use, did you modify anything else, and were your leavening ingredients fresh?
Erika says
So, if I am going to use banana again, i should use less? Maybe half? My almond flour has no brand as im in Indonesia. Hello from Indonesia ❤️. My leavening ingredients were fresh. Please do give me suggestions, because i really would like to nail this cake.
Hi! I’m not sure – it may be that banana is too dense and won’t allow it to rise?
Deepa V says
Hi,
I made this for my daughter’s birthday and it was a huge hit. Loved this cake so much. I made a small variation though, I saw in one of the comments about adding lemon zest to the batter and frosting so tried that. As for the cake texture , it was really good compared to the other gluten free cakes I have tried over the years. This one is a keeper. Thank you so much! I’m going to try the Chocolate cake for my birthday next. :)
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Deepa. 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
Deepa V says
I did leave a 5 start rating with my review. Don’t know happened. Anyways let me try again.
M says
I made this for my nephew’s first birthday; he had a laundry list of food allergies that contains everything that goes in regular cake except for the sugar. I subbed arrowroot starch for corn starch and used a mix of baking soda + cream of tartar in place of baking powder. I made it twice, once with almond milk and once with coconut milk. The combination of almond flour and almond milk yielded an end product that was too almond-y for my taste, so I would recommend the coconut. The texture was a bit gummy and more resemblant of cornbread than cake, but I expected this going in. The only issue I had with the recipe was that the outside cooked very nicely but the inside sank and remained gummy and undercooked even when left in the oven long enough that the outer edges would burn if cooked longer. I did increase the amount of almond flour in the recipe, but I would decrease the amount of liquid ingredients if making it again. Overall, this is a pretty solid recipe and made it possible for a one year old to have cake for the first time
We’re so glad he was able to enjoy cake! We think the texture differences were likely from the arrowroot and baking powder subs.
Andrea says
I’m the biggest MB fan so, naturally, a good friend of mine made this for my birthday!! It was a hit!! Such an awesome recipe, thank you so much Dana! You never disappoint!
Aw, yay! Thanks so much for your kind words, Andrea! Happy (belated) birthday!
Jessie Losch says
Hi Minimalist Bakers!
My lovely friends are getting married and their food combos are: dairy and gluten free (got this, check, no problem) refined sugar free (okay, you’re giving me a great option with the maple syrup, still good) and…nut free. Help!!! Can I swap out the almond flour for rice flour?
Thanks for any advice!
Jessie
Hi Jessie, we aren’t sure that swap would work. The almond flour is pretty key, but if you were going to try something we’d say a blend of coconut and arrowroot (or cassava) would be your best bet. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Ashley says
Hello! I made the cake and didn’t quite let it sit long enough, but it was completely cooled. The first night it was delicious. We stuck it in the fridge overnight and the next day it was inedible…super super dry. Is this because of the fridge or does it just need to be eaten the same day?
Sorry to hear that, Ashley! Was it completely covered in the fridge? It is best when fresh, but shouldn’t dry out much.
Victoria says
Hi , I havent make this cake yet but Im planning to use this recipe to make cake for my mom on her upcoming birthday. However, the only cake pan that I have is the 9in cake pan . So if i use my cake pan , should I use just one for 2 cake pans for this recipe? Hope you’ll help me out :( Thanks!
Hi Victoria, we’d suggest two 9-inch pans (or a half batch in 1 pan).
Phoebe says
Hi, so I made the cake! This was actually my first time baking a cake from scratch without help:)) and I couldn’t have had more luck! My cake batter was perfect, and it tasted amazing. And when the cake came out, it was perfect! So evenly colored smooth. I tested with the toothpick and came out clean at 45 minutes. BUT, something went wrong:(( I was planning on leveling the cake tomorrow since you said we should wait six hours or overnight, but I cut off part of the dome, and it was raw! I am so disappointed and I’ll probably have to scrap it. But do you have any idea what went wrong? The substitutions I used were rice milk instead of coconut and all purpose instead of almond.
Hi Phoebe, sorry to hear that! It’s likely from the all purpose flour swap. We’d suggest using almond flour next time for best results.
Phoebe says
Ok, thanks
Brittnee says
Hi! Love this recipe, it looks great. My birthday falls during the time where I’m on a Low-Fodmap Elimination diet and I don’t need the cake to be be vegan but I can’t have applesauce… Is this something I could sub with eggs?
Hi Brittnee, we aren’t sure egg would be the best sub here since the applesauce is used as an oil substitute, not egg substitute. But perhaps a neutral oil? Or pumpkin puree if that amount is tolerated. Hope that helps!
J says
What an incredibly satisfying cake. You hit it out of the park again!
Recently, I had already started the cake and went to the cabinet and found that the children ate the last of the applesauce! I subbed enough egg to get to 1/3 cup. It turned out really well.
Aw, thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo
Leslie MacKeen says
Love this cake! I find it tastes a bit like a vanilla/almond cake – which is lovely! The second time I made it I added the zest of one lemon to the batter and added lemon zest to the icing and it was a delicious lemon cake!
Love the additions and we’re so glad you enjoy it, Leslie! Thanks so much for sharing! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Lydia says
Hi there,
For some reason I’m really struggling to find potato starch in Melbourne Australia at the moment, could I substitute with a gluten free flour blend?
TIA 🙂
Hi Lydia, that might work. But the potato starch is somewhat of a staple ingredient in this recipe. Other readers have had success with a mix of arrowroot + coconut flour in place of the potato starch in our similar chocolate cake recipe. Hope that helps!
Natalia says
Incredible recipe!
I can’t believe its softness and fluffiness even when it’s made without eggs and almond flour!
Some modifications I made:
I add 1 1/2 tbsp of liquid stevia instead of sugar, and add 1 cup of grated carrot. It came out delicious. Thanks!
I love your website.
Aw, thanks Natalia! We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe! xo
Della says
I have made this cake many times and it is amazing! I don’t like gluten free flour so I love how this uses almond flour. Wondering if I could add some cocoa powder to make it chocolate flavor? What would I need to take out? Thanks
Hi Della, we’d suggest this recipe for a chocolate version!
b says
I need a cake tonight! Only requirement is to be GF. Can I use whole milk and oil instead of applesauce and dairy free beverage? Thank you
Hi, we haven’t tried those subs, but they might work. Let us know if you tried it!
Annabel says
This looks so good!!! Can I add buttermilk instead of coconut milk/vinegar? I need to make an eggless GF cake (dairy is fine). Thanks!
That should work! Let us know how it goes, Annabel.
Helen Rodriguez says
Hello! If i want a more stable cake, should i add coconut oil in addition to the apple sauce?
It’s already quite stable!
Sparrow says
Would it be alright to swap out the cane sugar in the cake with maple syrup? and if so will I need to adjust the other ingredients?
Hi Sparrow, if using maple syrup, you’d likely need to add a bit more flour to compensate for the additional liquid. It might be better to use half cane or coconut sugar, half maple. Let us know if you try it!
Lisa says
I just came across this recipe and would love to make it for this evening but I am short on time. Is there any way around the 6 hour minimum required cooling time?
Hi Lisa, hmm, we’re not sure of a way. But if you don’t mind it being crumbly, you could skip it.
Corie says
I just baked this cake for a bridesmaids lunch tomorrow. Bought all the ingredients and crossed my fingers after following a new recipe and using new ingredients for the first time. This recipe was sadly a flop for me. I could see from the batter something wasn’t right but using these different ingredients, I didn’t know what to try except some extra almond milk to thin out the batter a bit. The cakes are like play dough after 40 minutes in the oven. Will have be a store bought cake for lunch tomorrow. :-(
Oh no! We’re so sorry to hear that, Corie! It definitely sounds like something went wrong since many other readers have had success with this one. Is it possible you used potato flour instead of potato starch? Or that the extra almond milk wasn’t necessary? Did you see the video to compare texture?
Amie says
Could you sub cassava or coconut flour instead of almond? Hoping to make it nut free
Hmm, the almond flour is kind of key but if you were going to try something I’d say a blend of coconut and arrowroot (or cassava) would be your best bet.
Renata J says
i haven’t made this cake yet, but very excited to do so.
can this cake be made one day ahead? and is it better to store it in a fridge or room temperature?
i noticed that gf cakes made a day before can dry out especially if left in the fridge ..
thank you!
Hi Renata, it’s best when fresh, but should be fine one day in advance (unfrosted for best results). Room temperature will help prevent it from drying it. Let us know how it goes!
Sadie says
Hello! Love your recipes.
Making this for a vegan who is not GF. Could I use regular- non GF flour (mostly because that’s all I have in my cupboard lol), and if so how much?
Hi Sadie, we’re 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! Otherwise, maybe check out these vanilla cupcakes: https://minimalistbaker.com/one-bowl-vegan-funfetti-cupcakes/
Ashleigh says
Hello! I’m in Canada and my sister has a nut allergy. Can I use oat flour instead of almond flour?
Hi Ashleigh, Hmm, we don’t think so. We think it will make it gummy and heavy. Let us know if you try though!
Nicol says
The best most versatile cake. I’ve made a chai version and my personal favourite lavender with lavender infused buttercream. A favourite for all! Will be making a lavender earl grey for an upcoming birthday 😋
Woah- LOVE your modifications, Nicol! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Karen says
I’m coming back because this cake is too too good. Not “good for a gf cake” but really really good. My husband said the texture reminded him of the spice cakes he has when he was a boy. So I’m adding spices next time with a vanilla frosting.
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe, Karen! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Tia says
What kind of oven mode is it fan or coventional? also my oven can only set 170 – 175 – 180 not 176 which one do you recommend?
Conventional – go for 175!
Karen says
Oh, my sweet goodness. This cake is ridiculous. I wasn’t surprised, because your recipes always are good. But my experience with gluten free cakes has been lackluster. It is so light and fluffy, and delicious! This cake was easy peasy to make. I prepared it as directed with one substitution of coconut sugar in place of cane sugar. I made a frosting with coconut butter, cacao, maple syrup, and vanilla. Thank you for this recipe. Yum yum yum.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Karen. 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
Mari says
I made this cake for my moms birthday (she is vegan and gluten free) and it was loved by all the vegans and non-vegans alike!! I was impressed with how easy it was too! I have made vegan/gluten free cakes before, this by far was the easiest recipe to follow.
I topped it with strawberries, blackberries, and “plumcots” (plum/apricot) with some mint leaves to make it extra pretty. It was just so so good.
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing, Mari!
hilary says
hi there!
is there another flour i can sub instead of almond that is still gluten-free?
thanks in advance!
Hi Hilary, we haven’t tried it, but maybe cashew flour? Let us know if you try it!
Nancy says
Tigernut flour can usually be swapped 1:1 with almond flour. Despite its name, it’s not actually a not, it’s a tuber, so allergen friendly. It’s slightly grittier than almond flour so make sure to sift flour a couple of times to get the clumps out…otherwise it’s like chewing on sand! Happy Baking!
So helpful! Thanks for sharing, Nancy!
Isabelle Brown Tesolin says
Hello. This cake looks delicious! My husband can’t eat any starches… any suggestions on what to replace the potato starch with?? Thanks!!
Hi Isabelle, hmm that might be tricky! The potato starch is somewhat of a staple ingredient in this recipe. Other readers have had success with a mix of arrowroot + coconut flour in place of the potato starch in our similar chocolate cake recipe. The next best alternative would be a GF blend? Hope that helps!
Nicole says
This cake is amazing super moist super delicious!!!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Nicole. 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
Jacqueline says
The cake was so good! I didn’t expect it to be as light as it was.
I substituted some of the almond meal with Hazelnut meal and made a Vegan chocolate Ganache for the centre. This was my first attempt at a Vegan Gluten free cake and it was great! Thank you so much :)
Woah- that ganache center sounds incredible! Thanks so much for sharing, Jacqueline! xo
Pavi says
What can we substitue for potato starch?
Hi Pavi, The potato starch is somewhat of a staple ingredient in this recipe so we aren’t certain how it will turn out without it. But other readers have had success with a mix of arrowroot + coconut flour in place of the potato starch in our similar chocolate cake recipe. Hope that helps!
Pavithra says
Hi can I use a gluten free flour instead of almond flour? And use regular buttermilk since I’m.not vegan
Hi Pavithra, we haven’t tried with buttermilk, but we think it would work. We don’t think a gluten free flour would work for the almond flour. But maybe another nut/seed meal?
Raman says
Very good recipe. Mine baked in 25 to 28 minutes. Last time i burned it at 35. It is perfectly golden and cooked. I used just the corn starch as I didn’t have the other one. Very good and yumm. The middle was a little sunk. Do you have any suggestions?
Hi Raman, is it possible your oven runs hot? Using both starches should help with sinking.
Erik says
Made this cake three times and love it. However, my buttercream always turns out grainy and won’t stick to the sides of the cake. Not enough sugar? Too much sugar? Definitely sifting it and very gradually incorporating it. Regardless, it’s delicious.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Erik! Make sure your butter is softened before whipping. It could also be the brand- we’ve had success with both Earth Balance and Miyokos. One other idea would be to try a different brand of powdered sugar. Hope that helps!
Tasha Homan says
Hi I’m in Australia, just moved from the states and I love your recipes! I’d like to make this cake for my daughters bday and can’t find potato starch over here… and they are telling me corn flour is actually corn starch, can you please advise? Thank you so much!
Hi Tasha, in the US, corn starch and corn flour are two different things. But it might be different in other countries? The potato starch is somewhat of a staple ingredient in this recipe so we aren’t certain how it will turn out without it. But other readers have had success with a mix of arrowroot + coconut flour in place of the potato starch in our similar chocolate cake recipe. Hope that helps!
Lindsay says
Hi! I am wanting to make this recipe into cupcakes. Has anyone tried that before and are any changes needed from the original recipe?
Hi Lindsay, that should work well! Just reduce the baking time to ~25-30 minutes maybe? Let us know how it goes!
dianna says
i give this cake maybe an 8/10. i’ve never baked a cake from scratch so it turned out just fine for my first time but it was a bit too dry. the flavor was good but something about it was a little overwhelming. i put coconut whip and berries on it which helped the dryness. i assume my oven was what made the cake dry, although i baked it for the recommended time. this cake is definitely worth a try though!
Hi Dianna, sorry to hear it didn’t turn out quite as expected. Did you make any modifications to the flours? That could also cause it to be dry.
dianna says
i used almond flour as the recipe is written. i forgot to mention that i used coconut sugar instead of cane sugar. not sure if that contributed to the texture!
Ah, perhaps that’s the issue? We haven’t tried this one with coconut sugar.
Melissa says
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday and he loved it! Initially he was skeptical about gluten free cakes but he LOVED IT! I followed the recipe and everything turned out exactly as it is!
Thank you
Whoop! We’re so glad to hear it! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Melissa!
jenn grant says
hello, do you think using 1/2 the amount of monk sugar in the buttercream frosting would work out? thank you! cake is in the oven… could drink the batter it’s so good.
Hmm, we aren’t sure it would thicken enough, unfortunately. Let us know if you try it!
Jenn Grant says
Haa… I tried it and it was not good! Grainy and mentholy. So I remade the icing and it was delicious and the cake was such a hit. So delicious and beautiful!! A keeper cake recipe. Thank you!
Sorry to hear that! But so glad you were able to remake and it turned out well =) Thanks for sharing!
Nieves Santos says
I love this recipe. I t is delicious and even my non gluten free friends love it. I have used the cashew buttercream frosting and decorated it with strawberries or other berries.
It’s perfect, and also looks fantastic.
I used lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar. Thank you for this amazing recipe, I am very grateful for this GF delicious vanilla cake.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Nieves! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Alexa R says
Hello! I plan to make this cake for a friend this weekend, and was wondering if I could use almond meal instead of almond flour? I know that they are technically the same thing, but I have also seen some recipes specifically say that you cannot substitite meal for flour, so I just wanted to make sure!
The almond flour is really ideal here for flavor and texture. Almond meal is more nutty and not as fluffy.
M says
You recommend Wellbee’s brand and that other brand did not work as well. However, cannot find Wellbee’s brand in stores in Fl. Can you recommend other brand?
We don’t have any other brand recommendations, unfortunately. We typically order Wellbees online, but if that’s not an option, we’d say just use whatever brand you have available.
Yuri says
Hi! Looking forward to trying out this recipe! What substitutions would you recommend if we are ok with gluten? Could I use all AP flour? What about the potato flour? Trying to use ingredients I already have or that I use regularly.
Hi Yuri, we’re 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! Otherwise, maybe check out these vanilla cupcakes: https://minimalistbaker.com/one-bowl-vegan-funfetti-cupcakes/