The Best Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Recipe (2024)

The BEST gluten-free vanilla cake you’ll ever make! This cake is fluffy and has a pillowy-soft crumb. Topped with a creamy vanilla buttercream, it’s worthy of any celebration.

I tested this recipe dozens of times to get it just right! The secret to delicious gluten-free cake is skipping the butter and using a combination of sour cream and oil instead. Whipping the batter also makes a light and fluffy cake!

This post has all the details and tricks you need to make a delicious gluten-free vanilla cake every time.

I’ve had this gluten-free vanilla cake recipe in the works for a few years now and I’m excited to finally be sharing it!

Like this gluten-free chocolate cake and this gluten-free carrot cake, I tested dozens of variations to get this recipe just right. It truly has the most amazing crumb of any gluten-free cake I’ve ever made!

Why this Gluten-Free Cake Recipe is the BEST!

• Soft and pillowy crumb
• Made with easy-to-find gluten-free ingredients
• Bakes up in under an hour
• Makes a stable and reliable cake
• Can be made as a layer cake or a 9×13 sheet cake
• Perfect for any special occasion!

VIDEO: How to Make Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake

Ingredients You’ll Need

The biggest trick to making a delicious gluten-free vanilla cake is to use a combination of sour cream and oil for richness instead of butter. This give the cake that wedding cake consistency!

I also use this trick in these gluten-free blueberry muffins. Butterfat causes gluten-free flour to clump up and make a denser crumb. Sour cream is also the key ingredient in this gluten-free coffee cake!

You also might like this full collection of gluten-free cake recipes.

Here are a few more notes on the key ingredients. If you have any additional questions feel free to leave me a comment below!

• Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour: This gluten-free cake turns out best when you use a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Look for a gluten free all purpose flour blend that contains xanthan gum so the cake has the structure it needs.This is my favorite brand for this recipe.
• Sour Cream/Oil: Adds richness and tenderness to the cake without weighing down the crumb.
• Lemon Juice: Lemon juice helps to tenderize the crumb. It’s the secret ingredient in my gluten-free pumpkin bread as well.
• Baking Powder: I use a good amount in this recipe for the perfect rise.
• Vanilla Extract: Use pure vanilla extract for the best results and that real vanilla flavor.

NOTE: I use and recommend Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour for this cake. I use King Arthur Flour for many of my recipes but I really like the consistency I get from the Bob’s flour for this recipe! You can also use it in these gluten-free vanilla cupcakes.

How to Make Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder and salt.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand mixer and a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and sugar. Whip on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
• With the mixer running on low, slowly drizzle in the oil. (You want to do this slowly so you don’t loose the air that you’ve mixed in. This will create a light gluten-free cake!)
• Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon juice.

• With the mixer on low, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix until incorporated.
• Add the sour cream to the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients and continue to mix.
• Add 1/2 of the milk followed by the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients.
• Add the remaining milk and stir until totally combined on medium speed.

Note: Adding the dry ingredients alternately with liquid ingredients ensures the flour absorbs into the batter. This prevents dry, grainy gluten-free vanilla cake.

Recommended Cake Pans

Once your batter is ready, pour it into your pan of choice and bake. I recommend making two 8-inch round cakes or one 9×13-inch cake with this gluten-free recipe.

These are my favorite 8-inch round cake pans. They are great quality for the price! For a 9×13-inch gluten-free cake I recommend this glass pan. Bake and then turn out onto a cooling rack.

Gluten-Free Cake + Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Once the gluten-free cake layers are cooled on a wire rack, you can make the frosting. I’ve included my favorite recipe for vanilla buttercream frosting in the recipe card.

The combination of the soft, tender crumb of the gluten-free vanilla cake and the whipped vanilla buttercream frosting is simply dreamy!

The main tricks to amazing vanilla buttercream are to whip the frosting throughly and add a pinch of salt to even out the sweetness of the powdered sugar. I add a pinch of salt to any frosting I make now!

Gluten-Free Cake FAQ

More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes

I hope I’ve set you up for success to make the best gluten-free vanilla cake you’ve ever tried! If you try this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. It helps me and others so much! Happy Baking!