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.
Olivia.M says
This cake is a staple. I’ve shared this recipe so many times because people ask for it every time. Also people don’t guess it’s GF. I find it the most delicious with a berry compote
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review, Olivia. So glad this is a reliable recipe for you!
Betty says
Hi, would your new GF cake flour mixture work well for this cake? Thank you!
Hi Betty, are you referring to our Gluten-Free Flour Blend? The almond flour and potato starch are key in this recipe, unfortunately! But our GF blend might work better in these cupcakes. Hope that helps!
Atara Dahan says
If I don’t have vanilla extract, will it taste ok without it? Is there something I can use instead?
Also, how do I do the oiling/flouring step?
Whenever I try to flour surfaces, they always end up with little piles of flour, not evenly spread, and then whatever I’m making sticks to the parts that don’t have flour and has big clumps of flour where the flour landed.
If I’m using coconut oil, how much would I use? I would need to melt it first, I assume?
Would this work in a disposable aluminum circle pan? Or it needs a real one?
Thanks
Vanilla extract is important in this one, but you could try vanilla bean powder! Use a paper towel to oil the pan and then add some flour and shake the pan around, distributing the flour up and around the sides of the pan, then shake out any excess that didn’t stick to the oil. We wouldn’t recommend melting the oil. It will spread more evenly when solid. We typically use ~1 tsp per pan. We haven’t used disposable aluminum pans, but can’t think of a reason it wouldn’t work.
Atara Dahan says
I don’t use baking powder, what adjustments would I make to just use baking soda?
(Maybe lemon juice+baking soda? how much of each?)
Is this as fluffy as a regular vanilla cake or more dense/heavy?
Hi Atara, it’s fluffy! Not quite as much as a traditional vanilla cake, but we wouldn’t describe it as dense/heavy. We haven’t experimented with using baking soda + lemon juice as a baking powder replacement, so could only offer the same advice you can find with a Google search, unfortunately!
Cindy says
Deliciously moist fluffy and perfect. I used yogurt and coconut sugar as alternatives to applesauce and cane sugar, respectively. Had to add a little more almond flour. Used 9X13 pan. Yum yum yum!
I really love this website for the “one bowl” desserts. The savory recipes are equally delish!!! Thank you for your site!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Cindy!
Neha says
Hello!
This vanilla cake is our most favourite and I want to make it for my daughter’s birthday this year. Again! 😁
Will adding sprinkles to the cake, in order to make it a funfetti cake change anything you think? Will it work?
Hi Neha! We’re so glad you and you family enjoy it! That should work!
Lindsey says
Looks like a great recipe. I’m curious if anyone has made the batter in to cupcakes before? Would this work? Thanks!
Yes! 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. Hope that helps!
LInds says
I have never made a vegan/gluten free dessert and made a test batch of cupcakes this evening…350 for 25 minutes. WOW! They came out perfect and so moist!! I was worried because my batter was a little more runny but just went with it…I also will pick up a finer almond flour before making them for real later this week. Thank you for this recipe!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Sara F says
Hi,
I am looking to make this for my daughters birthday this week! Has there been an update or any advice on using maple syrup in place of the cane sugar? If not, would this be a 1:1 sub for coconut sugar or maple sugar?
I am also going to try and do the coconut cream and just ordered the savoy brand. I normally use native forest guar free. (Thank you for sharing your recipe and brand preference for the coconut whipped cream!)
Hi Sara, we haven’t tried this recipe with maple syrup and we aren’t sure if it would work. Coconut sugar could possibly work, but we also haven’t tried that ourselves. Let us know how it goes if you try any subs!
Candy says
I tried it with 1 cup of coconut sugar and 1/3 cup of maple syrup. I haven’t tried more than a little bite as I’m serving it tomorrow. So far so good.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it so far, Candy. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Sophia says
I’ve made this cake about ten times lol. I always sub with maple syrup and still comes out amazing!
We’re so glad you’re enjoying it, Sophia! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Neha says
Hi Sara!
I’ve made this beautiful recipe zillions of time and always substitute the sugar with 1 cup of maple syrup and it works a charm. 👍
Antonia Sattler says
Potato starch alterative? And could I leave the sugar out?
Hi Antonia, unfortunately both the potato starch and sugar are important for the right texture. Sugar helps the cake rise and have some structure (since it is both vegan + gluten-free), while potato starch adds fluffiness. You could possibly try corn starch instead, but we haven’t tried it ourselves. Hope this helps!
Mey says
Can I use corn starch instead of potato starch ? If so how do I adjust the ratio? Thank you !
Hi Mey, This is a tricky one. Potato starch is unique because it helps bind the cake while giving it fluffiness… we think the best substitute might be a 50/50 mix of corn starch and arrowroot starch. We haven’t tried it but think it might be worth a try. Let us know how it goes!
Beth says
Hello,
I am looking for a dairy, egg and nut free recipe and would like to know if I need to substitute the almond flour in this recipe as almonds are nuts. Also do you have any suggestions for alternative flours?
Many thanks for your assistance.
Hi Beth, it’s tricky to make this recipe nut-free as almond flour is key to the right texture. Perhaps our funfetti cupcakes would be a better fit, leaving out the sprinkles for a vanilla cake?
Lauryn says
I tried this recipe and loved it! I actually used it a second time with some adjustments to make pumpkin bars! I used 15oz pumpkin (instead of applesauce), 1 cup almond milk, 1.5 tsp apple cider vinegar, 3/4 cup potato starch, 2 cup almond flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1tsp baking soda, 1.5 cup cane sugar, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 tsp cinnamon and baked in a glass 9×13 at 350 for 15 mins. Thanks for a new favorite recipe!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Lauryn!
Allison says
Is there any type of flour that could be substituted for the almond flour or is it essential? Thank you!
Hi Allison, the almond flour is pretty essential to the light fluffy texture in this recipe, however you could substitute cashew flour if you can eat it!
Jenn says
I have made this cake many times and LOVE it every time. Although it was ousted quite awhile ago and there are so many reviews I had to share that I entered it in a pie and cake contest. It was the only vegan gluten free cake there and the competition was fierce. I went in with the intention of opening a few minds to vegan/gf options. I/we won first place !!! It was the talk of the event! And I passed this recipe on to so many people! I made the buttercream frosting and added a simple raspberry compote filling. It was such a hit as I was taking my empty cake plate away someone came up to me to ask if this was the cake everyone was talking about. He had come late and missed it but asked if I wouldn’t mind to wait a moment a let him take the crumbs and leftover frosting remaining on the plate. I opened a lot of minds that day and I credit it all to you. Thanks for a great recipe and so many more- I just love your site- consistently impressive and always so doable. My teenage daughter has even started choosing recipes to do on her own. Such a treat every time!
We love this! Thanks so much for such a fun review, Jenn. We’re so glad this cake was enjoyed by so many!
Meg says
This recipe looks awesome and I am eager to try it! How far in advance could I make it? Do you think the cake layers would freeze well if I made them a week ahead of when I plan to serve?
Hi Meg, we haven’t tried freezing this before assembling, but we think it would work. If you’re making it for a special event we’d suggest doing a smaller test batch (if possible) to make sure the texture works well. Let us know how it goes!
Kathryn says
I thoroughly enjoyed this cake. I’m surprised at how ‘normal’ a cake crumb it has!! Thank you so much
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Kathryn. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Kamma says
My almost 4 yo son wants a coconut cake for his birthday next week, and I’m thinking it may work to use canned coconut milk and add shredded coconut in this recipe? Do you think I would need to eliminate some of the flour/starches? Thanks for any tips!
Hi Kamma, we haven’t made this recipe into a coconut cake, but that sounds delicious! Canned coconut milk could make it more dense/heavy. Light canned coconut milk might be a better option, or another idea would be sticking with a thinner milk and adding coconut extract. We’d suggest adding the shredded coconut to the outside of the frosting to keep the cake texture light and fluffy! Hope this helps, let us know how it goes!
Brienna says
INCREDIBLE!!! I also made this for my daughters first birthday as a smash cake. She had a hard time “smashing” but I’m so glad she did because all of the adults wanted a slice. Everyone RAVED about this cake. Such a simple and clean recipe, but easily the best tasting cake out there. I used the vegan buttercream recipe. The recipe yields enough for a generous amount in between layers! I will absolutely make this over and over again
Yay! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it, Brienna! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Neha says
OMG!! This recipe is sooooo good!! I made it as a smash cake for a 1 year old and substituted the cane sugar with 1 cup of maple syrup and it worked like a charm… super soft, moist and oh so delicious 😋
Thank you soo much for the absolutely amazing recipe…
Aw, YAY! We’re so glad it turned out well. Thank you for sharing, Neha! xo
Erin says
Hi there, can I use two 9-in round pans for this recipe?
Yes! The cakes will be a little thinner, but otherwise, it works.
Evelyn Medsker says
Can you substitute gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour ( blend of rice flour, whole grain brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca flour whole grain sorghum flour and xanthum gum) for almond flour, potato starch and corn starch? If so, what are the measurements for the dry ingredients?
Hi Evelyn we don’t think it would work, unfortunately. But let us know if you do some experimenting!
lyn says
Compliments !! this is a great cake. lyn
Thank you, Lyn! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! xo
Rebekah says
I made this cake for my sister’s wedding. It was a huge hit! My mom doesn’t like wedding cakes, but she tried this one and said it was the best wedding cake she has ever had! Thank you for such a delicious recipe!!
Julie says
Wow! This cake is the best I’ve made with no gluten or eggs or butter. The texture is perfect. I will definitely make it again.
We love to hear this! Thanks so much for the great review, Julie!
Jess says
Could I freeze this cake with the frosting? Or is it best to freeze cake, then thaw to apply frosting?
Hi Jess, yes! Either way works.
Olivia says
Yum! Eating grain free and vegan is not easy, but this recipe takes the cake (sorry, couldn’t help myself!). I didn’t have applesauce so used mayo, and subbed arrowroot for the corn. Added some extra sugar for my husband’s sweet tooth and vanilla paste for extra flavor. Turned out MOIST, smooth, and so, so yummy. Made the buttercream with DIY powdered sugar that I didn’t quite blend long enough. Next time I don’t think it needs the extra sugar since the icing is so sweet. Ate it with macerated strawberries, would have been good with just a dallop of non-dairy whipped topping and strawberries like a moister, sweeter strawberry shortcake, maybe even will try that in muffin tins for extra cuteness.
Love that idea! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Olivia!
Heidi Keating says
I love this recipe and decided to try using Allulose as the sweetener instead of sugar. It turned out terrific! And it didn’t raise my blood sugar at all!
Thanks for sharing! So glad that swap was a success for you, Heidi!
B baker b says
I made this and messed it up badly! Cooked at 175C for 45 mins in two 8inch round tins. The cake was still very wet/raw in the middle but crisp and tough on the outside. Made no recipe changes. I’ve had this problem before with vegan baking- what am I doing wrong? Should I use conventional or fan forced, should I cover with foil, should I bake lower for longer? Thank you :)
Oh no! Sorry to hear it didn’t turn out right. Is it possible your oven runs hot or you’re using convection? We’d recommend using conventional.
giulianna says
could i use honey ad a sugar replacement? i know i would probably have to use a little less
Hi Giulianna, we haven’t tried this recipe with honey and a sugar replacement, so it might work but we cannot guarantee results. We’d suggest subbing just the cane sugar for a 1:1 dry sugar replacement, since honey will add extra moisture that might affect the cake. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Sue S says
I have made this a few times now, and it is always a big hit. This time I used the suggested brand Wellbees and it made the cake moist and perfect. I did use a bit more apple as well. Thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe!
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Sue. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Nadine says
Hi,
I was looking for a lemon poppy seed cake recipe on your site but didn’t find one- Do you think it would work with this recipe and adding lemon zest/juice and poppy seeds to the mix?
Hi Nadine! We do have some lemon poppyseed muffins but they are not gluten-free. We think your idea might work well!
Sarah says
Absolutely delicious. I can’t believe it’s gf,df, etc. made this for an Easter cake and have since made twice more for other occasions. It is up there with best cakes I’ve ever made. I did use arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch to make it grain free, and I used half macadamia milk and half almond milk because that’s what I had in the fridge. This is definitely going to be a go-to! THANK YOU!
Woohoo! So happy to hear this cake has been a repeat recipe for you, Sarah. Thanks so much for the great review!
Holly B says
How much arrowroot did you use? I’m making this for a friends birthday and plan to do the same. Thanks
Sarah says
I used all arrowroot. Same quantity as the recipe stated for corn starch.
Shotybear says
I made this cake and it was a definite winner with my littles 2 & 4 and my husband! The only complaint from my husband and I was that it wasn’t moist. Do you have any recommendations for future reference???
Hi there! We’re so glad you all enjoyed this cake. Did you happen to make any modifications to the ingredients? This cake is usually pretty moist, but it’s possible a swap in the dry or wet ingredients might dry it out more? Also, how large of a pan did you use and how long did you bake?
Jenny says
Hi, thank you for this wonderful recipe! I made 1/2 of your cake recipe today, baked in an 8” square pan. It browned beautifully and the crumb is lovely. This is the best vegan gluten-free vanilla cake I’ve made, and I’ve tried many recipes from various sources. I followed the recipe exactly, EXCEPT I forgot the potato starch was a “scant” measurement. I think 1-2 T of any ingredient makes a big difference. Will you please tell me how many tablespoons, or weight, of potato starch should be used? I had a strange sensation of starch in my mouth when I took a bite of the finished, plain cake. I think I used too much potato starch and an I’m guessing an accurate measurement will correct this. Thank you!!!
Hi Jenny, we’re so glad you enjoyed it overall! You can find the weight measurement by clicking “metric” beneath the ingredients header. Hope that helps!
Erin says
Hi! Goodness I love this recipe! Do you think your frosting recipe will work for piping and decorating them?
Yes! We’d suggest Earth Balance over Miyokos for the vegan butter so it stays firm. And make sure to use enough powdered sugar for best texture =)
Beverly Purvis says
Is it possible to substitute all-purpose flour if we’re not “gluten free”?
Hi Beverly! That might work, but we haven’t tried it. You’d probably want to start with ~1/2 the amount of flour if you use all-purpose. Alternatively, you could make our vegan funfetti cupcakes (without sprinkles if you prefer) as it’s already written with all-purpose flour! Hope this helps!
Calicia Plunkett says
Good day. I made it with mango purees. Came out perfect. It was such a hit I was trying to make another today but realize I don’t have potato starch or arrowroot. Is there anything to substitute them? Or do you have a recipe made with similar ingredients like almond flour that I could make please?
Hi Calicia! The starches are pretty important for the right texture here (and in all of our gluten-free cakes). We haven’t tried this with corn starch or tapioca starch, but those are the next best options. Hope this helps!
Alda says
It looks beautiful, I really want to try it. If I wanted to double the amount and make it bigger, what size pans do you suggest?
Thank you 🙂x
Hi Alda, another reader mentioned success doubling the recipe and making into four 8-inch cakes. Three 9-inch pans would likely work too. You’ll just want to bake longer. Hope that helps!
Alda says
Brilliant, I will try that, thank you very much!
Stella Moyer says
I have made this cake several times and it is sooo delicious! I have noticed that after day 2 or 3 it tends to dry out quite a bit. Any suggestions for keeping this cake more moist? Would you recommend increasing the applesauce?? Thank you!
Hi Stella, that might work, but it could lead to the cake being more dense/gummy. After cooling, we’d suggest storing in a sealed bag to keep it fresh. If it’s not frosted, you can heat the cake slightly (until it’s no longer cold, but not warm) to help with moisture. Hope that helps!
Amy W says
Is there any way to make this a chocolate instead of vanilla cake? Maybe by adding cocoa powder? Would it still be vegan, GF, and dairy free?
Hi Amy, we haven’t tried that, but maybe! If you try it, we’d suggest adding cocoa powder and using less of the flours. We also have a GF/Vegan Chocolate Cake recipe here. Hope that helps!
Patience says
Hi! This recipe looks great, and I’m eager to try it! The instructions say to let the cake sit for at least 6 hours or overnight. Should I cover the cake with a cheese cloth and leave it out, or is it okay to place it in the fridge? Also, how do you prevent the cake from tasting stale or cold once left overnight? Thanks!
Hi Patience, we find it’s best to let it cool uncovered at room temperature until it’s no longer warm to the touch, then transfer to a plastic bag or sealed storage container. Hope that helps!
Louise says
OMG OMG OMG! This cake is absolutely delicious!!! Thank you , thank you , thank you. Finally a recipe my kids love ! I will use this for all future birthday cakes. I really cant believe it doesn’t contain gluten or dairy and tastes this good. I live in Australia, I used corn flour (not sure if its different) but I got the same result.
Moist, beautiful to slice and not too heavy!
Amazing! So happy to hear that it worked so well for you, Louise. Thanks so much for the wonderful review!
Cali says
Good day, is there anything I can substitute the applesauce for please?
Hi Cali, we’d suggest avocado oil or another fruit or veggie purée. Hope that helps!
Cali says
So do you think mango puree might work?
Thanks for responding.
Absolutely love this cake. I’ve made it so many times.
Ooo, it might! It’s hard to say without trying it ourselves.
Kim says
I made this cake for my vegan daughter’s birthday, also have a daughter who is gluten-free. Came out looking great! So, in order to keep everyone happy, I also made a “regular” cake. Wound up everyone enjoyed this cake more than the “regular”…thanks!
Whoop! We’re so glad this cake was a hit! Thank you for sharing, Kim! xo
Bhaktimala says
Hi
I was just wondering what I could use to substitute the cornflour? Thanks
Hi Bhaktimala, you could try additional potato starch, but we haven’t tested it that way and can’t guarantee it will be the same. Let us know if you try it!
Susan Tuffnell says
Hi
I live in the UK and apple sauce is not really a thing, unless it’s the stuff in jars I used to have with roast pork. If it is then great. If not, what can I use? I tried just adding extra oil to another cake that called for apple sauce and it just fell apart. Thanks
Hi Susan! We think what you’re describing would work well, the type of applesauce you want for this recipe is like this. If you can’t find it, we think yogurt (vegan or regular) would work well in its place? Hope this helps!
Calicia Plunkett says
Hello how much would use? I don’t have almond flour. I have peanuts or Brazil nuts or coconut flour and arrowroot flour. So I’m wondering if I can grind either the Brazil nuts or peanuts and substitute the almond flour or how would substitute the almond flour with coconut flour and arrowroot flour.
Hi Calicia, we wouldn’t suggest grinding brazil nuts for this recipe as a large amount can be toxic. Peanuts would likely contribute a peanut flavor. Without the almond flour, know the texture won’t be quite the same. The next best options would be a seed meal such as sunflower, or a combination of coconut flour and arrowroot.
Bhaktimala says
Could you triple the recipe and make it into a slab cake?
Hi Bhaktimala, we’re not sure on the size of the cake you’re referring to. 1 batch of this recipe would be enough to fit in a 9×13-inch dish. Hope that helps!
Kat Schiefner says
Hi I have a nut allergy . Can regular flour be substituted for the almond flour ?
Thank you
Kathy
Hi Kathy, 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/
Sarah says
I have just baked this as a trial for my daughters birthday cake. My cakes have turned out very thin. I used two 8inch cake tins. I did sub and used arrowroot and also maple syrup. I was a little concerned it didn’t look enough as I poured into tins. The cake does taste delicious just very thin! Any suggestions on what to do next time? Thank you.
Hi Sarah, we used three 6-inch cake tins which does make it a bit taller (see photos for reference). Hope you enjoy the taste!
Shonagh says
Hi ,I’m so excited to make this cake for my husbands birthday, could I substitute the sugar for xylitol? Do you think it would change the texture? Many thanks
Shonagh
Hi Shonagh, we don’t have experience using xylitol, but other readers have mentioned it worked. Let us know if you try it!
Mimi says
Hello!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe! I have made it successfully in different size pans and it came out perfect.
Unfortunately, today I had to sub tapioca starch/flour for the potato starch. It came out usable in the standard cake pans but for cupcakes and the dome cake pan – it sunk in the middle and was a bit undone in the large pan. Lesson learned. Double check the ingredients in my cubbard.
Still baking to get the cakes needed. Baking lesson are brutal.
Cheers!
Oh, bummer! So sorry your cake didn’t work out with that substitution, Mimi. So glad to hear you’ve enjoyed it before, though! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Robin says
Do you have any recommendations for subbing out the potato starch? We need to have it GF, Vegan, and potato free…yeesh :) thank you so much! we love your recipes!
Hi Robin! This is a tricky one. Potato starch is unique because it helps bind the cake while giving it fluffiness… we think the best substitute might be a 50/50 mix of corn starch and arrowroot starch. We haven’t tried it but think it might be worth a try. Let us know how it goes!
Sveta Bansi says
Hi, I’m so impressed with all the positive comments on this cake. We do a twice a month grain free fast called ekadasi. My daughter’s birthday falls on ekadasi this year. I’m wondering if I can leave out the baking powder as that has cornflour, but I’m a bit worried as that’s the raising agent? What do you suggest? Thank you!
Hi Sveta! Good question, we haven’t tried it but we think this cake might work with just baking soda, if you increase it to 2 tsp. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Lauren says
You can make your own baking powder to be grain free/ekadasi friendly. 2 tbs cream of tartar. 1 Tbs arrowroot powder. 1 tbs baking soda. Make that mix. Whisk it well and then scoop out the amount you need for the recipe. Can also buy it at the store. It’s called paleo baking powder (no cornstarch)
Shereen says
Hello,
I was curious if I could sub coconut flour for potato starch?
I can use the potato starch if needed… I just like the taste of coconut flour.
Lovely recipe btw, I have many dietary restrictions, so I was super grateful to find this.
Hi Shereen! We haven’t tried this recipe with any coconut flour and we would not suggest swapping it for the potato starch. We think it might be too dense, but you could try substituting some of the almond flour with coconut, though you’d want to start with less since it’s much more absorbent. Hope this helps!
Hana says
hi there, i was wondering what would be a good substitute for potato starch? it’s somehow sold out at every grocery store i go to :( thanks in advance!
Oh no! Sorry to hear that, Hana. Unfortunately it is a pretty essential ingredient in this recipe for the right texture (it makes the cake lighter and fluffier). We haven’t tried any substitutions so we don’t know of any that will definitely work, but corn starch might – no promises. Hope this helps!
Tammy says
Could you sub the flours for a Gluten Free flour? If so, would the amount change
Hi Tammy, if you mean sub the different flours for one gluten-free blend, we aren’t sure it would work. The almond flour and the starches in this recipe are what give this cake it’s classic texture and cakey crumb, and we haven’t tried it with a gluten-free blend. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Pam kaur says
Hi there. I made this cake today. Followed the recipe to the T. It’s the first vegan gluten free cake i baked today. I had a few issues. The cake had browned quite a lot at the 25th minute. It had risen well until then. So i opened the oven and placed a thin foil over it. Cut to 10 mins later i see that it has sunk. What do you think i did wrong? :( though the cake tastes awesome. The only addition i made was to add a little almond extract to it. The sides are a bit crunchy too. Not sure if it’s right to cream the crunch or get rid of it. Also when i took it out from the pan and inverted it i saw cracks in the middle. I cut it a few mins ago and it’s falling apart from the centre. Overall i love the recipe. Almond flour is quite expensive in India. So i will keep this recipe for special occasions. Will try it again soon. But do let me know where i went wrong. Thank you🤗❤
Pam kaur says
Also i halved the recipe. Subbed the sugar with sugar free. Also please guide what kind of cake tin is best suitable for the cake. Because i made it in a square aluminium tin.
Ah, it sounds like the sugar might have been the issue! Cane sugar is quite important for the right texture in this cake, it helps it rise and gives it added structure. A square tin should work!
Hi Pam, sorry this recipe didn’t turn out for you! The outside of this cake does get very golden, it’s possible that opening the oven to cover the cake caused it to sink. It could also be worth checking the freshness of your baking soda/powder? Did you happen to make any modifications to the dry ingredients?
Emily says
I have to start by saying I never leave reviews, but this one deserves the time for one. I came across this recipe a few years ago and have used it for every birthday and celebration that calls for a cake since. As a GF vegan, I’ve had a lot of baking fails, this one has been spectacular and I’ve even made adjustments as needed. I have halved this recipe successfully and substituted ingredients as well without problem.
For reference, I have used pure maple syrup for the cane sugar, I just use less, and have also tried coconut sugar for the cane sugar without problem as well it just gives it a darker color, I have always replaced the corn starch with additional potato starch I use the same recommended cup amount, used pumpkin with cinnamon and pumpkin spice in the fall in place of the applesauce, and always use lemon in place of the ACV. I highly recommend this recipe!
Aw, we LOVE this, Emily! Thank you so much for the lovely review and for sharing all your variations! xo
Heidi Keating says
Amazing cake! I used coconut sugar and subbed tapioca for the arrowroot/cornstarch as I normally do in recipes. I made in a 9×13 and convection baked for about 30 min. Sliced a piece when it was still slightly warm and had to stop myself from going back for a 3rd piece. Moist, flavorful and perfect as a snack cake, no icing needed.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Heidi! So glad you enjoyed!
Esther says
Sounds good, thanks so much for the feedback!
Esther says
If I use gluten free flour, do I still need to add potato starch? Thanks!
Hi Esther, We wouldn’t recommend subbing gluten-free flour blend for the almond flour as it won’t turn out right. A mix of almond flour and potato starch is key for the light and fluffy texture. Hope that helps!
Tiffoni S. says
What can I substitute for potato starch? My daughter has a potato intolerance.
Hi Tiffoni! We haven’t tried it, but other readers have had success with tapioca starch in place of potato. Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Tiffoni S. says
Thank you for your timely response & the tapioca starch suggestion.
Of course! Hope it goes well!
Joce says
Made this one and the strawberry one; family votes this one!
I used coconut sugar instead which gave it a slight caramel flavour YUM
Wondering though, mine came out slightly dry – any chance I can fix this if I added more apple sauce?
Hi Joce! So glad you all enjoyed! More applesauce might help, or perhaps baking a little bit less? Did you make any other modifications?
Stephanie says
Love this cake and love that it does not contain oil. Any way to make this exact cake recipe, but a chocolate version?
Hi Stephanie! We haven’t tried making this exact cake with cocoa powder, so we aren’t sure if it will work. We do have this vegan gluten-free chocolate cake that you will probably enjoy! It’s also oil-free!
Natalie says
Made this recipe today for a family birthday. I made 1/2 recipe as written and baked in a 8” pan. It was perfect! Very moist and tender. I will definitely make this again.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Natalie! So glad you enjoyed!
Adri says
Hello! I’m looking forward to making this for a family celebration in a few weeks! I can’t wait to try this :) It looks beautiful. Can you please tell me how to make the cake for 15 people? I currently have one 9 inch cake pan. Thank you
Hi Adri! A full batch of this cake will fill two 9 inch cake pans, so you can bake in two batches and make a two layer cake that can be cut into 15-16 slices of cake. Hope this helps! Let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
Adri says
Thank you so much for your reply! It helps a lot. I will give this a go and I’ll let you know how it turns out :D
Yay!
Nicola Gladwell says
Hi! I’d love to make this for my daughter’s birthday, and am curious if the batter is thick enough to work in a springform pan?
It should be, yes!
Adri says
Thanks for the reply! I can’t source vegan buttery sticks for the frosting here in Aus. Is it okay to use any vegan butter with the 2 other ingredients mentioned? :)
Yes!
That’s so great to hear, Adri! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! xoxo
Adri says
Hello!
I just wanted to kindly asked if you could please remove my most recent comment I made on the 16th? I just prefer this to be private if that’s okay… Thank you for the beautiful recipe and your help during the process!
Thanks again,
Adriana
No problem. We’ll get that removed.
D says
Hi thank you for the wonderful recipe! I have tried it in the past and it tastes great but it dint release well from my bundt pan. I guess due to lack of oil. How much oil do you recommend adding instead of the applesauce? Planning to bake it in sometime. I hope I can hear from you before that 🤞😊. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! We’d suggest 1/3 cup avocado oil. Let us know how it goes!
Seth Caplan says
New baker here–I have a 2.5″ x 9″ d and a 2″ x 8″ d cake pan. Any advice on adjusting baking times? I think I can use the larger one and then cut it in half to make three layers total and trim the edges?
Hi Seth, we assume you’re referring to round cake pans? If so, we’d suggest using both pans! The bake time should be similar (35-40 minutes), but it’s best to check with a toothpick. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges and surface appear golden brown. Hope that helps!
Sarah B says
This was SOOOO DELICIOUS! I haven’t made a vanilla cake before, and this one did not disappoint! Thanks Dana – your recipes always work out, and become household favourites. This cake is no excpetion! <3
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sarah! Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review! xoxo
Lisa says
Can you use corn starch instead of the potato starch?
Hi Lisa, we don’t think more cornstarch would work, but we haven’t tried it! We find potato starch is unique in its ability to make GF baked goods light and fluffy.
Cindy says
I have made this cake and it was absolutely beautiful! I substituted the apple sauce with baby food apples (sugar free), the potato starch with Tapioca starch and the cane sugar with stevia (as I was not able to purchase the required ingredients where I live). I made the cake the day before and iced it on the day. The cake was very moist and even those who are not vegan/gluten free loved it!! Thankyou so much for this recipe, it is the best one I have found for vegan/gluten free!!!!
Hooray! We love to hear this. Thank you so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Cindy!
Aluna says
I made this cake couple of times. It comes out rubbery and has no texture. I use a blender, not a mixer. What could be the problem?
That could be! Or are you making any modifications to the flours?
Aluna says
On 1st try, I followed the recipe as it is. It came out rubbery and had no texture. On 2nd time I added 1/8 olive oil and 1/8 GF flour to get some texture. It came out like a muffin and heavy. On both, I used a blender for about 5-8 min.
Hi Aluna! It does sound like you were blending the mixture for quite a long time, perhaps this broke down the flours too much and resulted in the more rubbery and heavy textures. Over mixing can often change your results in baking!
Muna says
Can you use King Arthur GF flour? We are allergic to nuts and oats and gluten and dairy and egg.
Hi Muna, Unfortunately this cake relies heavily on almond flour for the crumb texture, but it’s possible a gluten free flour blend could work okay mixed with a little coconut flour? If you try it, we’d suggest starting with less flour as GF blend is more absorbent than almond. Since we haven’t tried with these modifications, we can’t guarantee it will work!
Rosalba Pedroza says
Wow, so many great reviews, but I’ve made this twice and it hasn’t worked for me. I did read that some had the same experience in that it looked done, toothpick came out clean, but when it inverted after cooling it didn’t hold. The cooked part had a great taste.
We’re so sorry that’s been your experience, Rosalba! Did you make any changes to the flours? Or is it possible your baking powder is expired?
Marketa says
I’d love to make this for my little one’s first birthday, but he can’t have cornstarch or arrowroot. Do you think using extra potato starch in place of the cornstarch would work here?
We haven’t tried that so we’re not certain, but think it should work! Let us know how it goes!
Shelly says
I’m trying to make a peppermint white chocolate cake for the holidays.
Could I sub the vanilla extract for peppermint extract in the batter? Or should I use peppermint extract in addition to the vanilla?
Also, if I wanted to make a white chocolate buttercream, could I add 4 ounces to your frosting ingredients?
Yum! We think it might work best to do 1/2 and 1/2 peppermint and vanilla, as peppermint extract can be quite strong. For the frosting, we haven’t tried that but we think it would work. Let us know how it goes!
Brittany says
Can you make this without cane sugar and with agave instead? I’ve ordered a specialty vegan vanilla birthday cake with agave and loved the gentle sweetness to it, but wasn’t sure the measurements of agave as a substitute in your recipe – please help!
Hi Brittany, The sugar helps with texture in this recipe, so we aren’t sure that would work. If using a liquid sweetener, you’ll likely need to add more flour to compensate for the extra moisture. Hope that helps!
Kasia says
Hi, can you quantify 2 sticks vegan butter? I’m working from a container of Vegan butter.
Hi Kasia, Yes! 1 stick is 1/2 cup or 112 g. 2 sticks = 1 cup or 224 g. Hope that helps!
Margaret says
Hi. I have to use a different brand of vegan butter and I think it’s measured differently. How many ounces is 2 sticks?
Hi Margaret, 1 stick is 1/2 cup or 112 g. 2 sticks = 1 cup or 224 g. Hope that helps!
Victoria Holsclaw says
I make this cake ALL. THE. TIME! It’s the best. Thank you so much for it!!!
Do you think I can add freeze dried strawberries to the batter?
YUM! That sounds delicious! We think it could work. Or have you seen our strawberry cake recipe?
Jenn says
Contest winner right here-I just wanted to come back and put a little appreciation in here-I don’t normally write reviews but I do read through them before trying out a new recipe. MB has been a tried and true go to for me for years-thank you! Living with Celiac and being vegan can often seem very limiting but not armed with these recipes. And they have shown non restricted eaters or lifelong carnivores how great eating clean and healthy can be. This cake was no exception. In fact, it won the Pie and Cake contest I entered!! It was very competitive and it actually was sitting in the sun and had begun melting but still won and was raved about by everyone! I did a 2 layer 8 inch cake, used the buttercream frosting and made a simple raspberry filling. Personally, I feel like the sweetness was a bit much for me, although not one person said anything about that-perfection was said a few times ;) , and will try reducing the sugar next time(and there will be many next times) but wanted to do it as written.
Woah! We’re honored it won the contest! That raspberry filling sounds like an incredible addition. Thank you so much for your kind words and lovely review, Jenn! xoxo
Woan says
Can this be made into cupcakes? What modification is necessary?
Yes! 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. Hope that helps!
Britt says
How much AP flour should I use instead of the flours listed here? Thanks!
Hi Britt! We haven’t tried it but it might work to use ~2.5-3 cups AP flour! Let us know how it goes!
Tk Osborne says
So what I really need to how to change this recipe to be a pineapple upside down cake. I am curious if I can sub some Of the milk with pineapple juice to give it some flavor? How much change would still allow the cake to come out correctly?
Hi, we haven’t tried that, but it might work! Another idea would be to sub pineapple puree in place of the strawberry puree in our strawberry cake. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Tina Wallace says
This cake was easy to make and delicious. It was moist and had the crumb of a gluten cake. This is now my go to white cake recipe.
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Tina! Thank you for sharing! xo
Jen says
Love all your recipes but noticed so many of them use apple sauce. What can I use as an alternative to apple sauce? Olive oil? Or should I just leave it out completely?
Thanks
Hi Jen, we’d suggest avocado oil in this one. In other recipes, another fruit or veggie purée (beet, pumpkin, banana) might be a better fit. Hope that helps!
Maureen says
What size cake pans did you use?
6-inch round pans. Hope that helps!
Marianna says
Hi, I recently did this recipe (followed it almost step-by-step (substitute the cane sugar for coconut sugar and used half of the amount) using the metric measurements and the consistency of the dough was really condensed, it seemed even like a shortbread dough. It was definitely not pourable like you show in the video. Do you have any idea what could have affected so much the consistency? Flavour wise was delicious, strong flavour of the almond and the vanilla
Hi Marianna, sorry to hear it didn’t turn out quite right! Cane sugar is ideal here, so coconut sugar could partly be the issue. But it sounds like the dough was too thick – is it possible you were using potato flour instead of potato starch? Other readers have reported it works well with the metric measurements, but we do use cups and then convert to metrics, so you could try using cups to see if that makes a difference.
Rebecca says
Can I use this recipe to make a rainbow cake and add in the food colouring?
We haven’t tried that, but we think it would work! Let us know if you try it out!
Mesa says
I’d love to know if you were able to make this work? Hoping to do the same this weekend!
Annna says
Hi! This recipe says to dust the cake pans with gluten free flour but I don’t have any on hand. I just bought the potato starch and the almond flour for the recipe. Can I dust with a mix of those? Thank you!
Yes!
Dana says
Hi what can I use instead of potato starch?
Hi Dana, The potato starch is unique in its ability to make GF baked goods light and fluffy. If it’s possible to order it online, that would be best. Otherwise, cornstarch would probably be the next best option.
Chloe says
Hi there! Really want to try this recipe but can’t seem to find potato starch anywhere :/ It’s a little difficult to find gluten free products where I live. I was wondering whether it would be possible for me to substitute more cornstarch in place of the potato starch?
Thank you!
Hi Chloe, we don’t think more cornstarch would work, but we haven’t tried it! The potato starch is unique in its ability to make GF baked goods light and fluffy. If it’s possible to order it online, that would be best. If not, 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!
Sam says
Just wanted to pop some feedback here for the sub of 50/50 arrowroot & coconut flour in place of the potato starch. Unfortunately potato starch is not readily available where I am either so I tried this last night. The cake came out like a sticky (albeit tasty) brick, didn’t work for me at all.
I look forward to maybe trying this recipe in future if I can find potato starch but until then, just wanna save the waste of ingredients for any other readers!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Sam. Sorry to hear it didn’t turn out well with the arrowroot + coconut flour combo! Potato starch really is a special flour for GF baking, so if you can order it online, we’d highly recommend!
Debbie says
I have made this cake several times and it turned out great every time everybody always loved it. Getting ready to make it again for a friends birthday and she doesn’t do the cane sugar do you think it would really be OK do use the Monk fruit in place of the cane sugar.
Hi Debbie, we’re so glad you enjoy it! We haven’t tried it with monk fruit, but other readers have mentioned doing so with success. We would suggest a granulated form (vs. a liquid extract). Let us know how it turns out!
Jennifer says
Sooo good! This was a huge hit in my family and friends. I have struggled to a great vanilla cake and icing in the past but no longer!! Try it so worth it!! The first vanilla cake I’ve ever loved and wanted more of!.
Woohoo! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it, Jennifer. Thank you for sharing! xo
Dianne Sohi says
Followed recipe exactly and it turned out beautifully. Even put the berries on top like in the picture. My first time baking vegan and gluten free so I was skeptical. However, I would make it again without hesitation. Delicious!
Yay! We’re so glad it turned out well, Dianne. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Fatima says
If someone is allergic to nut what alternative can we use for the almond flour?
Hi Fatima, The almond flour is pretty key here, but if you were going to try something we’d say a seed meal such as sunflower or 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!
Ariel says
Absolutely delicious. I used almond meal, but blended with an immersion blender first (weird, but worked).
Ooo, creative! Thanks for the lovely review, Ariel! We’re so glad you enjoyed. xo
Chelsey Brown says
Hi! I am looking to make this cake for a birthday and needing to make it Nut Free. Could I use your GF Flour blend instead of the almond flour?
Hi Chelsey! Unfortunately this cake relies heavily on almond flour. It is possible that a gluten free flour blend could work, maybe mixed with coconut? But we aren’t sure and we haven’t tried it! xo
Holly says
Hello! How does this cake do with making ahead of time and freezing? Thank you!
Hi Holly, it’s best when fresh (due to the potato starch), but can be frozen.
Karen Hartman says
I made this using coconut flour and it baked up like gelatin. Tasted good. My grand-daughter is allergic to gluten, dairy, poultry and tree nuts. I would like to bake her a birthday cake. Each time I try a gluten free vegan recipe it comes out solid like firm jello. There must be a secrete, we buy her a special cake each year so I know it can be done. I followed recipe and measured but mine took much more milk and was still very thick.
Please help
Hi Karen, sorry to hear that happened! Coconut flour is definitely the issue. It’s very dry and absorbent. We’d suggest using the combination of flours mentioned for best results. You can learn more about gluten-free flours here. Hope that helps!
Anna D says
The first time I made this, the same thing happened to me. I had measured carefully but only by following the US Customary system. The second time I used a scale and metric system and it came out perfect! So that’s what I’d recommend (I just used almond flour tho so I dunno about coconut).
Megan says
I rarely write reviews but this cake was amazing! I made to for my mom’s birthday and everyone loved it. We all thought it tasted like “real” cake and none of us are actually vegans or gf. I followed the ingredients exactly and measured very carefully without a scale and it was perfect! The texture was spot-on, very moist, and it was just the right amount of sweet. I used two 9-inch baking pans and it didn’t need the full baking time. At about 22 minutes, the cakes were golden brown and passing the toothpick test so I pulled them early. I topped mine with store bought vegan icing and strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. This cake was magical. I highly recommend this recipe and will be making it again!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Megan! We are so glad to hear everyone enjoyed it! xoxo
Cheryl says
Hi! For the dairy free milk — would fully fat or light coconut milk be better? Does canned work? I usually drink/use almond, but seems like a creamy coconut would be better for this?
Looking forward to making this for a gender reveal party!
Hi Cheryl! We prefer boxed non-dairy milk here (almond would work perfectly!) as it helps keep the texture fluffier. Canned coconut milk would probably make the cake too dense. Let us know how it goes if you give the cake a try! xo
Jess says
Hi there, is there something we can use as a substitute for potato starch?
Hi Jess, 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!
Sara Larman says
Hi I made this twice in the last two days for a party and worked great without potato starch both times. I ended up using cornstarch in place of the potato starch and then I used the amount of arrowroot starch for the cornstarch. :) it was sooo good!
Brooke Kaoulekian says
Professional pastry chef here.
Made this cake for the first time tonight. I usually make vegan cakes but was in search of one that could also be Gluten-free and versatile to change the flavour of the base.
IT WAS INCREDIBLE!
I had no issues with the bake at all. the directions were so well explained but I can see where the few bad commenters have gone wrong.
1. The consistency of the batter is key in how the cake will bake.
I followed the ingredients and noticed before dividing amongst my pans that it was ever so slightly thinner. Give your bowl a good scrape down to make sure all ingredients are evenly mixed, I followed by adding approximately 20g extra Gf plain flour blend and was happy with the consistency.
2. Some said that this was closer to cornbread… NOT TRUE. This cake was like eating a cloud, light, delicate as lace and tender. This comes down to the quality of ingredients used. I only had almond meal on hand and as specified you must use Almond flour. I weighed all drys together and through into my food processor for 30 seconds until super fine. came out like a dream.
3. Helps to leave your vinegar and milk to sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken up.
4. REPLACEMENTS- I omitted the apple sauce as I like to use ingredients I always have on hand. I replaced the apple sauce with 42g neutral flavoured oil, in my case is was rice bran oil but you can use any neutral-tasting oil. ( this is half the metric requirement of the apple sauce taking into consideration swapping out a solid for liquid)
5. For goodness sake help yourselves and use grams/metric measurements when baking. baking is a science.. it is well proven to have better and far more consistent results. if something has gone wrong and there are many that swear by the recipe then the problem lies in human error. Give yourself the best chance for success by using grams.
THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this killer recipe Minimalist Baker! will definitely be adding this to my repertoire.
Brooke Kaoulekian says
Edit** forgot to add also..
I baked this in 3x 6inch round tins divided evenly using a scale. they took 30 minutes exactly and I checked them at 25minutes with a skewer test. Decided they needed 5 minutes extra and the skewer came out clean. they cooled completely in their tins.
I added 1/4 tsp xanthan gum to my dry ingredients also out of knowledge of gf products and what to ensure it wasn’t crumbly but i’m not sure if it was necessary, Although it came out fantastically.
Thank you so much for this incredibly helpful and kind review, Brooke! We really appreciate you sharing your experience! xoxo
Mari says
This was really good! The texture is between a cake and cornbread, but I liked it that way.
I didn’t have any applesauce so I used some cashew yogurt and uses about 1/4 cup coconut flour because I ran out of almond flour. I paired this with a (non-vegan) fresh strawberry Swiss meringue buttercream and it was delicious!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Mari! Thank you so much for sharing! xo
Vinnie says
This cake was delicious! At first I thought it was going to be more like a mud cake, but it’s so deceiving! It was so soft and fluffy. It had the appearance of being under cooked, but it wasn’t. It was perfect. I don’t think I made the butter cream properly as I found it too sweet. The cake however had the right amount of sweetness. This is going to be my go to cake. I’m going to try it with whipped coconut cream next time I make it. 😊❤️ Had I not made this cake, I would never have believed it was vegan and gluten free.
We are thrilled you enjoyed it, Vinnie! Thank you for the lovely review! Coconut whipped cream is the way to go if you prefer less sweetness =)
Rachel says
I’ve made this cake maybe 15 times. It hits every time. Key is using blanched almond flour. (Super fine). And I let the coconut milk and ACV sit for a while together. I bring it to work and every vegan non vegan GF non GF love it. Bless you
Amazing!! Thank you for sharing, Rachel! xo
nani says
I made this cake several times and always got good results. Love it!
I always use tapioca starch instead of cornstarch. I have tried plain yogurt instead of apple sauce giving good texture. Coconut sugar gives it a very good flavor and color too.
I always get a wet batter than I see in the video using grams to measure so I add 3 Tsp of Psyllium Husk, what could be causing this?
Hi Nani, we’re so glad you enjoy it! It’s possible the tapioca starch is making the difference. You can add more flour if it’s not cooking through all the way. Hope that helps!
nani says
Thank you!! I’m going to try with more flour
Kim says
This cake was AWESOME!!! I reduced the amount of sugar because I was making it for a diabetic, and I used your suggested swap of stevia. The amount was perfect. I served the cake with Cocowhip and fresh strawberries and blueberries. Thank you!
Yum! Thanks for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Kim! xo
Elisabeth says
Any chance you can convert quantities into UK measures- either ounces or grammes please? Im wondering if this is why the reviews are so diverse ( and some are plain rude!) In UK we can access cups but its hard becasue some are UK cups, some American and some Australian. Ounces or grammes would be sooooo helpful? Thank you
Hi Elisabeth, you can find those measurements by clicking “metric” beneath the ingredients header. Hope that helps!
Barbara Jackson says
Doh! Thank you, I didn’t see that!
Ewa says
Hi! I was baking a cake for a friend and was at first a bit on the fence after reading reviews, seems like for some people it didn’t bake well. I risked it…and it turned out perfect! Really tasty and people definitely couldn’t tell it was vegan and gf. Thank you :)
Wahoo! Thank you for the lovely review, Ewa. So glad it worked for you and was enjoyed by all!
Carrie says
Great recipe! The first time I made it all I had was two 9in round pans. So the layers were of course thin but delicious. Next I made cupcakes. Delicious! Next I made banana cupcakes. Switched for the applesauce. Delicious! Yesterday a 13×18 birthday cake. Made two 9×13, baked 35 minutes. A real birthday cake for an 8 year old. Thank you!
Woohoo! We’re so glad you’ve been enjoying it, Carrie. Love the banana idea. Thank you for sharing! xo
Carrie says
Can I make this in a 9×13 pan? What temperature, for how long?
Hi Carrie, that should work well without adjusting the recipe. After 35-40 minutes, insert a toothpick into the center to see if it comes out clean. If it doesn’t, try another 3-5 minutes at a time until it does. Hope that helps!
Sarah says
The WORST recipe ever. I followed it exactly and embarrassed myself at the baby shower. Do NOT use this recipe. Middle was so gooey and borderline raw but the outside was cooked and almost burned. The temperature of the oven was exact and the state that I live in was average temperature. Flavorless and too chewy don’t waste your time or money making this.
Hi Sarah, we’re so sorry to hear that happened. It definitely sounds like something went wrong and that it either needed to be baked longer or needed more flour(s). What size pan(s) did you use?