While I’m not gluten free myself, I get a lot of requests for gluten free recipes on social media. That’s why I’m sharing this gluten free vanilla cake recipe!!

I used to think that gluten free baking was super intimidating, but there are so many wonderful gluten free flour blends out there nowadays!!

They make gluten free baking so much more approachable.

If you didn’t tell me that this cake was gluten free, I’d have no clue. The texture and taste are just like a regular vanilla cake!!

What’s In Gluten Free Flour??

There are a lot gluten free flour blends out there. Each brand uses a unique mixture of wheat flour alternatives, like rice flour, brown rice flour, and even almond flour.

It can be difficult to get the texture of gluten free flour just right for baking. A lot of these alternative flours have a finer texture than all-purpose flour.

Some type of starch is usually added to help give the mixture better structure, and a bit of binding power. Tapioca and potato starch are the most commonly used starches.

One other ingredient in gluten free flour that might sound a little strange is xanthan gum. It’s a key ingredient in gluten free baking. Xanthan gum has a big impact on the texture of gluten free baked goods too.

Gluten adds elasticity and stickiness to doughs and batters. Xanthan gum emulates these characteristics in gluten free baking and helps lock in moisture.

Luckily for us, xanthan gum is included in almost all gluten free flour blends (including the below brands).

My Favorite Gluten Free Flour Blend to Bake With

I’ve tried this recipe with a few different brands of gluten free flour, and so far, each of them has worked great:

• King Arthur gluten free measure for measure flour
• Cup4Cup gluten free multipurpose flour blend
• Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1-to-1 baking flour

My favorite brand of gluten free flour for this recipe was King Arthur. However, any brand of gluten free flour you can find at your grocery store should work.

My only word of caution is to be sure you use some sort of gluten free flour blend.

Using a single type of gluten free flour like almond flour or cassava flour in this recipe will not yield the same results!

Most grocery stores carry at least one blend of gluten free flour. Stores like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s also have lots of great options.

If all else fails, Amazon is another easy way to get your hands on a gluten free flour blend. I order a majority of my baking supplies on Amazon, including most of my specialty ingredients.

The Inspiration Behind This Gluten Free Cake Recipe

This gluten free vanilla cake recipe is actually based on my gluten free cupcake recipe. It had an amazing texture and flavor, and I kept getting asked if it could be used to make a cake.

So, one day I finally decided to test it! I doubled the amount of ingredients, followed all my gluten free baking tips listed below, and baked 3, 6-inch cake layers.

I had to play around with the bake time a bit since gluten free baked goods take a bit longer to bake than regular baked goods. But after testing a couple batches I got it just right!

I was so happy that these cake layers were just as delicious and fluffy as my gluten free cupcake recipe!!

Why This Gluten Free Cake Recipe Works with Gluten Free Flour

There are also a couple tricks I use to make sure my gluten free baked goods end up with that tender, fluffy texture we know and love.

Tip #1: Over-Mix the Cake Batter

While I strongly advise against over mixing batter in other recipes, and even design my recipes to have as little mixing as possible, gluten free batter is different.

The whole reason you don’t want to over mix your batter is that it develops thick strands of gluten, which can lead to dense, tough cake.

But when you’re using gluten free flour, this isn’t a problem.

In fact, over-mixing gluten free flour can actually give the cake better structure! This helps the cake layers rise better as they bake and gives the cake a more tender crumb.

The incremental structure helps prevent the cake layers from crumbling as they’re bitten into.

Tip #2 Let the Cake Batter Rest

Remember earlier when I said that gluten free flour blends can have a hard time absorbing moisture and fats?

If you let the batter sit for a bit before baking it, you give the flour more time to absorb all that goodness. This helps thicken the batter and prevents your cake from having a gritty texture.

I unintentionally did this as I was photographing and filming this gluten free vanilla cake batter. You’d be surprised how long it takes to get a perfect shot of pouring cake batter into a pan!

Letting the batter sit for about 30 minutes drastically improves the texture of these cake layers, so be sure you don’t skip this step!!

While the batter rests, you can figure out how you want to decorate your gluten free cake! I decided to keep things simple by piping some frosting squiggles up the side of the cake with a Wilton 1M frosting tip.

Why I Prefer Vanilla Bean Paste Over Vanilla Extract in This Recipe

It’s important to use good quality vanilla when it’s the only flavor in a baked good like this. I used vanilla bean paste in this recipe, and I think it makes a huge difference in taste!

I prefer vanilla bean paste to vanilla extract in this recipe for a couple reasons. The first reason is that I love the little flecks of vanilla bean in the buttercream frosting and cake layers.

They’re beautiful!! It’s like you can see that warm, delicious flavor swirled throughout the cake.

I also think that the vanilla bean paste adds a stronger, better flavor than vanilla extract. If you haven’t tried it before, I highly recommend giving it a try.

It’s not too expensive, and it really elevates the flavor of this cake!

If you don’t want to buy another ingredient or you prefer using vanilla extract, that’s ok too! Just be sure to use real vanilla extract. Imitation vanilla just doesn’t do it for me flavor-wise.

Tips for Making the Best Gluten Free Vanilla Cake

• Don’t be afraid to over-mix your batter! Vigorously whisk your batter for a few minutes once it’s made, to help give it structure
• Let your batter sit for about 30 minutes before baking to help the gluten free flour absorb more moisture from the batter
• Properly measure your gluten free flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients
• Ingredients at room temp mix together better, so be sure you set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Use vanilla bean paste to give your cake an amazing flavor!

Making These Cake Layers in Advance & Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to a month. The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious!

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Making This Gluten Free Vanilla Cake in Different Sizes

I used 3, 6″ cake pans to make this cake, but this recipe can be used to make different sized cakes. You can also half or double the ingredients to make a half or double batch!

You can make two 8″ cake layers with one batch of batter. Bake time will be the same as what the recipe card calls for.

One batch of batter can also be used to make one 8×8-inch sheet cake. Bake it at 350 F for 40-50 minutes and use flower nails or heating cores to help the cake bake evenly.

If you want to make gluten free vanilla cupcakes, I recommend using my gluten free vanilla cupcake recipe. It makes 12, delicious vanilla cupcakes.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this gluten free vanilla cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

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