Friends, meet the vanilla cake of your DREAMS! It’s super fluffy, perfectly moist, undetectably gluten-free (& dairy-free), and seriously…the BEST. It’s impressive enough for a birthday or even a wedding!
Bonus? It’s also SO easy to make, with simple methods, 1 bowl, and 9 ingredients. Preheat your oven. Let them eat cake!
This cake could not be easier to make! Simply whisk, pour, bake, and enjoy your cake, for goodness sake! 😉 Okay, that’s all the Dr. Seuss we’ve got in us, friends.
The secrets to this PERFECT gluten-free vanilla cake? Almond flour gives it a gorgeous crumb texture, potato starch keeps it light, and brown rice flour provides structure. Cane sugar ensures a neutral sweetness and classic vanilla cake flavor.
Then we finish it off with some cake classics: baking powder, salt, (dairy-free) milk, egg, and pure vanilla extract.
We’ve done a vegan (& gluten-free) vanilla cake before, but this version has egg, which makes for an extra fluffy result!
We can’t wait for you to try this vanilla cake! It’s:
Light & fluffy
Moist
Perfectly sweet
Easy to make
Gluten-free + dairy-free
& SO classic!
We love topping it with our Dairy-Free Buttercream Frosting and fresh berries, but any of our frosting recipes would be welcome. Its neutral flavor means you can get creative and experiment with different fillings and frostings (lemon + raspberry, anyone?)!
More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes
- Gluten-Free Zucchini Cake
- The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake (Vegan, 1 Bowl!)
- Gluten-Free German Chocolate Cake
- 1-Bowl Vegan Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
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, friends!
The BEST Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake (1 Bowl!)
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup almond flour*
- 1/3 heaping cup potato starch (1/3 heaping cup = 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp*)
- 1/4 cup brown rice flour
- 2/3 cup cane sugar (ensure organic for vegan-friendly)
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2/3 cup dairy-free milk (plain, unsweetened // we used almond // we don’t recommend canned coconut milk // if not dairy-free, dairy milk should also work)
- 1 large egg* (organic, pasture-raised when possible)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
FOR DECORATING optional
- Frosting recipes (we like vanilla buttercream for this cake)
- Coconut whipped cream
- Fresh berries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and grease an 8-inch cake pan* (we used avocado oil). Set aside.
- To a medium mixing bowl, add the almond flour, potato starch, brown rice flour, cane sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. Whisk well until fully incorporated. Next add the dairy-free milk, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk again until just combined.
- Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan and bake for 24-28 minutes, until the center springs back when touched or when a toothpick can be removed with only a few crumbs left behind.
- Let the cake cool in its pan for 10 minutes before flipping it onto a cooling rack to let cool completely (~2-3 hours). Frost with buttercream or whipped cream, garnish with berries, and serve!
- Best enjoyed within 2 days. To keep leftover cake moist, cover with plastic wrap, a cake cover, or a wide bowl flipped upside down. If using a frosting that melts at room temperature, wait to frost until just before serving (recommended), or refrigerate the frosted cake then set it out at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
Video
Notes
*Almond flour is key in this recipe for the right texture. The next best option is cashew flour. If nut-free, you could possibly add a neutral-flavored oil + a lesser amount of a gluten-free flour blend, but it would require some experimenting and we can’t guarantee success!
*This recipe also works well for making cupcakes (bake for 20-25 minutes)! Recipe as written makes 9 cupcakes.
*Looking for a vegan + gluten-free vanilla cake? Find our vegan version here.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
Joan says
Hi, can i subtitute almond flour with oat flour? Cause i couldn’t find almond one easily in my country and would like to make this recipe. Thank you!
Hi Joan, unfortunately oat flour and almond flour are not interchangeable in this recipe. Oat flour would yield a dense and gummy result. If you have access to raw almonds, you could try making almond flour. Hope that helps!
Kate says
Delicious! Ended up being a tiny bit crumbly, but I feel like that is the nature of gluten free cakes. Made this for my best friend for her birthday and she loved it! Thank you.
Aw, you’re a great friend! We’re so glad your bestie loved the cake. Thank you for sharing your experience, Kate! Baking for slightly less time should help it be less crumbly next time.
Kate says
Can I make this cake ahead of the date I’m going to use it?
Hi Kate, it’s best enjoyed within 2 days. If making further ahead than that, we’d suggest freezing it. Hope that helps!
Samantha says
If I wanted to do a sheet cake, do you know the temperature and cooking time? Thanks in advance!
Hi Samantha, we’d suggest doubling it for a sheet cake and baking at the same oven temperature, checking it around 22 minutes. Hope that helps!
Eva says
Can we replace brown rice flour – but NO Rice flour please.
Thanks,
Hi Eva, brown rice flour is our preferred choice for structure and a neutral flavor, but it’s possible oat, sorghum, buckwheat, or a lesser amount of cassava could work with varied results. Hope that helps!
Rachel Bennett says
This is seriously the best cake ever! I’ve made it vanilla, but I’ve also made it with a strawberry purée ( subbed for the dairy free milk) and a lemon zest version with great success.
Question : how many layers high do you think I could get away with stacking this cake? Do you think I could do 4 layers in 8” round pans? I’m worried about the weight of the layers and buttercream pushing down and cause for crumbling or collapse. This is for a wedding cake so it really has to be right!
Potentially adding even more pressure, I’m also considering a small 4” round cake, topper, for the couple to save for their one year anniversary. Do you think it could handle the extra weight from this?
I considered the use of wooden dowels, but I’m not sure how that works with the texture of gluten-free cakes. I am afraid that might cause for further crumbling?
Thank you for any tips for using this recipe to construct a bigger wedding cake!
Aw, thank you for letting us know, Rachel! We’re so glad you love this recipe and your lemon strawberry version sounds incredible! 3 layers should be safe, but we think 4 layers and the topper might be pushing it. We’re not sure if the dowels would help or not. It could be worth doing a test cake! Let us know how it turns out!
prashanthi atluri says
Great recipe, but it is not showing as oil free in the filters. Just wanted to tell you guys.
We appreciate you letting us know! We kept the oil-free filter off this one because there is a small amount of oil needed for greasing the pan.
ujwal meka says
I made this today and loved it! I made it vegan by subbing 1/4 cup mashed banana and 1/4 flax meal and omitted half the dairy free milk. I made Nutella frosting and they have incredible texture and taste.
Yum, that frosting sounds amazing with it! Thanks so much for sharing your experience, Ujwal! xo
ujwal meka says
Can I sub banana + flaxseed meal for the egg and make cupcakes? Thanks love your recipes!!
We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! You can definitely make cupcakes – see the notes section for recommendations on that. It might be crumbly and not as fluffy without the egg, but it could be worth a try. Let us know how it goes!
Merel says
Best glutenfree cake recipe EVER!
Whoop! We’re so glad you love the recipe, Merel. Thank you for sharing! xo
Janet says
I would like to know if this cake can be made as a Mango Vanilla Cake. Would I replace some of the milk with mango puree? Or can I just add some amount of mango puree without messing up the “wet ingredient to dry ingredient” ratios?
I made this using the basic recipe and I liked the result.
Thanks!
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Janet! Thank you for sharing! This one might be a little more tricky to get the mango flavor to come through, but it could be worth a try. We’d suggest 1/3 cup dairy-free milk and 1/3 cup mango purée. Let us know how it goes!
ujwal meka says
Hello, was wondering if this recipe could be made vegan because the other vanilla cake recipe requires cornstarch, tapioca, or arrowroot and for this recipe all I would have to sub out is the egg. Thank you
You could try applesauce, but it will likely be crumbly!
M says
Hello, I have a few questions related to this recipe.
1. What’s the alternative to almond flour? (Can you please recommend me some nut-free flour?)
2. What’s the alternative to almond milk alternative? (Can I try coconut milk?)
Hi, making this one nut-free is going to be challenging as the almond flour plays a key role in creating the cake crumb texture and neutral flavor. You could experiment with a mix of cassava flour, sunflower seed meal, gluten-free flour blend, and coconut flour, but the texture likely won’t be light and cakey and we can’t guarantee success without doing some experimentation ourselves. If you want to try it out, keep in mind you won’t need as much of these flours because they are more absorbent than almond flour. Coconut milk may actually work well with swapping out the almond flour as it will help replace some of the fat almond flour usually provides. Hope that helps!
prashanthi atluri says
Hi I was wondering if this exact recipe could be made vegan for I have all of the ingredients except the egg.
Hi Prashanthi, this one is best with an egg. For a vegan version, we’d suggest trying this recipe. Hope that helps!
Jonathan says
Excited to try this recipe! Could it be make in a 9×13 pan? Assuming the recipe would have to be doubled. Thanks!
Hi Jonathan, that should work to double it and bake in a 9 x 13 pan. You may need to bake it for longer. Let us know if you try it out!
Denise says
This cake is seriously the best cake ever. Can not believe how delicious this cake is! Made with the coconut whipped cream, it was devoured, and we’ve already planned other occasions when we can share it with others. Fantastic recipe!
Whoop! We’re so glad it was a hit, Denise. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Topher colin says
I’m curious why coconut milk isn’t recommended. it’s such an easy swap in so many recipes and imparts a nice flavor. Something to do with baking science, perhaps?
Hi Topher, it has a higher fat content which will impact the texture and make the cake more oily/crumbly.
Migdalia Colon says
I made this two-layer recipe for Mother’s Day, along with your Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe, and it was incredibly moist and delicious! Mine was not dairy-free as I used grass-fed butter. Adding fresh strawberries as a topping “took it to another level” as described by one family who had two pieces and wanted a third. He was so surprised that it is gluten-free and loved it. It is so wonderful to have a cake recipe that is beyond simple with a rewarding result. Thank you!
YAY! We’re so glad you and your family enjoyed it, Migdalia. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Maggie says
Delicious! Such a treat to find a gf cake recipe that is simple and tastes great. Mine stuck to the pan, not sure why – I used avocado oil to grease it. In any case, we still ate every bite, and totally enjoyed. Thank you!
We’re so glad you still enjoyed it, Maggie! It sounds like it may have needed to bake a little longer. Thank you for sharing your experience! xo
Rachel Bennett says
Would this work well as a cupcake?
Yes! See the notes section for recommendations.
Chelsea S says
What can I sub for the brown rice flour?
Hi Chelsea, brown rice flour is our preferred choice for structure and a neutral flavor, but it’s possible oat, sorghum, buckwheat, or a lesser amount of cassava could work with varied results. Hope that helps!
Paula says
Hi there I can’t wait to try this. What would you do to turn into a chocolate cake with chocolate icing? I have raw cacao I can try use but not sure how much? Also would you consider this buttercream not too sweet? I’m looking for a recipe that’s not too sweet or gritty. Thanks
Hi Paula, we’d suggest using our Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake recipe instead. The vanilla buttercream is on the sweeter side. If you’re looking for a less sweet buttercream, we’d suggest this one or trying one of our chocolate frostings (they are less sweet). Hope that helps!
Clarise says
Hi! This looks amazing. Do you have suggestions for cane sugar substitute?
Can’t wait to make this!
Hi Clarise, cane sugar is best for a neutral flavor and sweetness. The next best option would be coconut sugar, but results will vary! It will likely be darker, less sweet, and a little dense.
Jeanette Paisley says
How can this be dairy free when it includes an egg?
Hi, that’s a common confusion! Dairy products come from cows. Eggs come from chickens.
Kate Haworth says
I love the look & sound of this recipe. Is potato starch critical or can you substitute – with another starch? I have so many flours, starch’s I’m trying to minimize buying more. But if it’s the best starch will buy away. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes, you are one of my main go to recipe sites.
Thank you so much for your sweet words, Kate! We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes! We know it’s a pain to have so many gluten-free flours, but we would highly recommend buying potato starch for this recipe. It’s key for a light and fluffy texture in gluten-free baking, especially for cakes!
Holly Sale says
Can’t wait to make this. How do you think the leftovers (unfrosted) would freeze if wrapped tightly?
Hi Holly, we think it should freeze well. We hope you love the cake! xo
Karyn Kamitchis Seglin says
Can this be made vegan with flax eggs or something similar?
Hi Karyn, we’d recommend using this recipe for a vegan + gluten-free version.