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Home Β» Baked Goods Β» Fluffy & Light Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Vanilla Cake

December 21, 2020 (last updated May 24, 2022)

Fluffy & Light Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Vanilla Cake

4.89 from 9 votes
Leave a Comment Jump to Recipe

This is the only gluten-free and dairy-free vanilla cake recipe you will ever need, trust me! It is rich in flavor, moist, fluffy, and so delicious. Perfect for birthdays and special celebrations, this versatile vanilla cake comes together in under an hour. Gluten-free baking tips included!

For a fun treat with vanilla cake, try these gluten-free cake pops or my gluten-free vanilla mug cake. For more gluten-free cakes, be sure to check out my gluten-free coconut cake recipe and gluten-free lemon cake recipe.

Gluten-Free Flour Blends

Flour can be a confusing subject if you’re new to a gluten-free diet. I answer several questions about flour here including “Is flour gluten-free?”

If you prefer a store bought blend, I like King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure Flour. It works well in many of my recipes and is widely available in grocery stores. Be sure to check out my collection of King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour recipes.

Gluten-free flours for baking are quite expensive compared to wheat flour. But King Arthur is the most affordable of the of all the ones I’ve tested. Pamela’s All Purpose Artisan blend is similar and works well in this recipe too. Cup4Cup is a another option but contains milk powder so I have not tested it in this recipe. All of these are certified gluten-free and contain binders like xanthan gum, guar gum and inulin. So no need to add extra if your flour blend contains it.

DIY Gluten-Free Flour

My custom gluten-free, rice-free flour blend of sorghum and millet is an amazing option. I prefer it for the taste and texture it creates in cakes and muffins. See the notes in the recipe for a super simple DIY gluten-free flour blend or my blog post which has several tips for baking with gluten-free flour.

2 layer gluten free vanilla cake with buttercream frosting and pink drizzle on white marble cake stand. Cake server pulling slice from cake. Plate with slice of cake in back left. White background.

How to Make a Gluten-Free Cake Light and Fluffy

Gluten-free cakes need a little help in the light and fluffy department. Creating that is a little different from cakes made with wheat flour. It’s not really about how you mix the batter, but more about the ingredients. Without gluten, gf cakes need the right balance of ingredients to create a structure that will hold the tiny air pockets.

You’ll find that gluten-free cakes have a little more baking powder than wheat filled cakes. Baking powder makes cakes rise by creating little pockets of air. To hold the air pockets, the gluten-free cake recipe might have an extra egg. The protein in the egg creates that structure that is needed to assure that the air pockets don’t get pushed out.

And finally a binder is needed. Gluten is what makes cakes hold together without crumbling. So gluten-free flour blends contain binders like xanthan gum and guar gum that takes over the job of keeping the cake fluffy, moist and light.

Ingredients

The ingredients in this cake are pretty simple. You should have most of them on hand.

Vanilla-Vanilla extract is pretty much the standard for getting vanilla flavor into baked goods. When I was looking for a way to get vanilla into frosting without tinting it a pale shade of beige, I discovered vanilla powder. It’s pale, it’s sweet and it has no alcohol. I highly recommend Cooks Vanilla Powder for this cake too.

Dairy-Free-Any unsweetened non-dairy milk substitute will work in this recipe. I have used hemp, coconut (beverage, not canned coconut milk), almond, macadamia, rice and soy “milks” all with great results.

Oil is my preferred way to make a cake moist. It does a much better job than butter znd hold up better after a day or two. Use avocado, sunflower, canola or any neutral tasting vegetable oil.

The remaining ingredients are just the basics – eggs, baking powder and salt.

Glass bowl with gluten free flour blend and metal measuring cup on burlap mat. Strainer on left, wood spoon on right and milk and eggs in background

Cake Variations

This recipe is so versatile. With some simple additions, it can be turned into a different cake flavor. Vanilla is a great flavor enhancer so it stays in the recipe regardless of the cake.

  • Add 3 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger for a cake with wonderful zing!
  • For a Gluten-Free Spice Cake, add 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 2 pinches each of nutmeg, ginger and ground clove.

More Layer Cake Recipes

For more layer cakes that are perfect for birthdays or special occasions try my gluten-free-spice cake and butternut squash cake. They are moist, fluffy and easily made dairy free.

2 layer gluten free dairy free vanilla cake with vanilla butter cream frosting and pink ganache drip on sides on white cake stand. Cake server pulling out a slice on left. Cake slices on white plates in foreground and background.

How to Stack a 2 Layer Cake

For a bakery style, flat topped cake that has 2 perfect looking layers, here is how to assemble the cake.

  • Use a long blade, serrated knife.
  • Hold it parallel to the counter top and shave off the domed part of the cake top. Do this for both layers.
  • Place one of the layers on a cake plate, cake board or cake turntable, bottom side down.
  • Coat just the top of this layer with frosting, using firm pressure.
  • Place the other layer on top of it, bottom side up. This will give you a nice flat, sharp edged top layer.
  • Now frost the outside of the cake

This gluten-free cake pops recipe is a perfect way to use the trimmings when using this method. You’ll need a little extra frosting and some cake pop sticks, but that’s it!

Cake Frosting Recipes

overhead view of whole 2 layer gluten-free dairy-free vanilla cake with buttercream frosting.

The recipe card below includes my recipe for vanilla buttercream frosting. This cake is also perfect frosted with my pipeable cream cheese frosting, vegan chocolate frosting, chocolate buttercream frosting, or creamy sweet potato frosting without powdered sugar (no cane sugar at all).

slice of 2 layer gluten free dairy free vanilla cake on white plate with fork. Whole cake on stand in background,
2 layer gluten free dairy free vanilla cake with vanilla butter cream frosting and pink ganache drip on sides on white cake stand. Cake server pulling out a slice on left. Cake slices on white plates in foreground and background.

Fluffy & Light Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Vanilla Cake

Author: Janet Harlow
Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American
Servings: 2 8″ or 9″ layers, 26 cupcakes
This is the only gluten-free and dairy-free vanilla cake recipe you will ever need, trust me! It is rich in flavor, moist, fluffy, and so delicious. Perfect for birthdays and special celebrations, this versatile vanilla cake comes together in under an hour!
4.89 from 9 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 50 mins

Recommended Products

  • Cooks Vanilla Powder
  • King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour

Ingredients
  

Vanilla Cake

  • 2 1/2 c gluten-free flour blend*
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp xanthan gum omit if your flour bend contains guar gum, inulin or xanthan gum
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 3/4 c sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 c oil neutral oil like sunflower or avocado
  • 1 c milk or non-dairy substitute
  • 2 tsp vanilla powder or extract

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • 4 sticks (2 cups) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 6 c powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 Tbsp milk or dairy-free milk sub
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract, powder or bean paste
  • ΒΌ tsp salt

Instructions
 

Make the Cake

  • Pre-heat the oven to 350Β°F. Line 2 cake pans with parchment and spray with oil.
  • Place the flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and vanilla, if in powder form, into a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
  • Beat the sugar with the eggs, milk, oil and (liquid) vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and foamy.
  • Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry and mix until the batter is smooth.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is set and a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Cool the layers or cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make the Frosting

  • Place the butter in a large mixing bowl or in a bowl of a stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment on a stand mixer.
  • Beat the butter on medium high speed until pale and creamy – about one minute.
  • Add the powdered sugar in 3 equal additions beating on low for 15 seconds after each third.
  • Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the milk, vanilla and salt.
  • Beat on medium high for about 15 seconds or until the frosting is creamy and smooth. Over beating will create air pockets.

Assemble the Cake

  • Use a long blade, serrated knife. Hold the knife parallel to the counter top and shave off the domed part of the cake top. Do this for both layers.
  • Place one of the layers on a cake plate, cake board or cake turntable, bottom side down. Coat just the top of this layer with frosting, using firm pressure.
  • Place the other layer on top of it, bottom side up. This will give you a nice flat, sharp edged top layer.
  • Now frost the outside of the cake.
  • Covered with a cake dome or in a cake carrier, this cake will stay fresh for 2-3 days.

Notes

This recipe was tested with King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour, Pamela’s All Purpose Artisan Blend and my DIY blends below.
Omit the xanthan gum in the recipe if your flour blend contains guar gum, inulin or xanthan gum.

This is the gluten-free flour blend I prefer for this cake:

These flours can all be found (certified gluten-free) at Vitacost.com
  • 1 c sweet white sorghum flour
  • 3/4 c millet flour
  • 1/4 c brown rice flour
  • 2/3 c potato starch
  • 1/3 c tapioca starch

This is an easy DIY gluten-free flour blend:

  • 2 c brown rice flour
  • 2/3 c potato starch
  • 1/3 cup tapioca starch

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 500kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 10gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 387mgFiber: 1gSugar: 34g
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how it was! Tag @chefjanetk on Instagram.
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Posted In: Baked Goods, Dessert · Tagged: cake, dairy-free, layer cake, vanilla

Comments

  1. Lisa Tames says

    July 7, 2021 at 10:26 am

    5 stars
    It is the best ever! You would never know it is gluten free!

    Reply
    • Janet Harlow says

      July 7, 2021 at 8:15 am

      I am so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

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