This Eggless Strawberry Cake is a soft, buttery gluten free vanilla cake with sugar coated strawberries on top of the cake itself. It is so delicious and the best part is, it’s gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily dairy free (vegan). Not only is this cake the perfect size for when a layer cake is just too much, but it’s super easy to make!
If that wasn’t enough, even though it’s gluten free and eggless, the vanilla cake is so moist it stays soft even the following day.
The strawberries on top of the cake create a lovely sweetness that isn’t overbearing. It’s a must try!
If you’re looking for more strawberry recipes, check out my strawberry red velvet cake, chocolate strawberry whoopie pies, and my vegan strawberry buttercream frosting.
Reasons To Love This Cake
- Allergy Friendly- This cake is gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan).
- Soft & Buttery- This cake is moist and soft even the next day!
- Fresh Sugar Coated Strawberries- They’re baked on top of the cake and get a beautiful sweetness to them.
- Maple Syrup- We use it in this cake which gives it this lovely sweetness.
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this one because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda- We need both to get that height and softness.
- Kosher Salt- Brings all the flavors out.
- Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- Use 6 tablespoons, softened. Don’t use melted; the cake will be too liquidy.
- Granulated Sugar- We need 1 cup plus an additional tablespoon for sprinkling.
- Cornstarch and Water- This is an eggless cake so this mixture helps bind everything together.
- Milk of Choice- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non dairy, use a non dairy milk of your choosing.
- White Vinegar- It helps everything rise.
- Maple Syrup- You can use pure or your favorite brand.
- Fresh Strawberries- 12 strawberries, halved and hulled
Expert Baking Tips
Make The Homemade Buttermilk
Measure out the ½ cup of the milk of choice.
Add in one ½ tablespoon of white vinegar and stir to combine.
Let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then stir again.
It will appear chunky and that’s normal.
Hulling the Strawberries
Cut the strawberry in half. Take your knife and carefully scoop out that core.
There are other ways to do it but this is my preferred method.
Smoothing the Batter
Many gluten free flour batters have a way of staying exactly as they are placed, when baked.
If you leave it misshapen, that’s how it will remain when baked.
When the batter is in the cake pan, gently smooth the top with a butter knife prior to placing the strawberries on top.
Bake Until Golden
When baked, this cake has a deep golden top.
The first day the top will be crispy. By day two, the top will be very soft.
Step by Step Instructions with Pictures
Here are the steps to make this cake!
Step 1: Beat the butter/vegan baking stick and sugar
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or vegan baking stick and the sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
Step 2: Make the homemade buttermilk
In a large measuring cup, measure out ½ cup of milk. Add in ½ tablespoon of the white vinegar and stir. This is your homemade buttermilk.
Step 3: Make the cornstarch water
In a small bowl, using a spoon, mix together the cornstarch and water until thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.
Step 4: Beat in the wet ingredients
With the mixer on low speed, beat in the cornstarch water mixture, the homemade buttermilk and the syrup. The mixture will look chunky.
Step 5: Whisk together the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together all the remaining dry ingredients: the gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 6: Beat in dry ingredients
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients a little at a time until just combined.
Step 5 Step 6
Step 7: Scoop the batter
Using a spatula, scoop the batter into a greased pie dish and smooth the top with a butter knife.
Step 8: Arrange the Strawberries
Arrange the strawberry halves on top of the batter close together but without being on top of one another.
Step 7 Step 8
Step 9: Sprinkle the Sugar
Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the entire top of the cake, covering the strawberries.
Step 10: Bake the cake
Bake the cake in the center rack at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 65-70 minutes until golden and slightly springy when carefully touched.
How to Make this vegan
Follow these simple steps to make sure the cake is vegan:
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure to use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Only use a non dairy milk of choice.
- Make sure the maple syrup you use is gluten free and vegan.
FAQ
No.
Frozen strawberries have way too much liquid and the cake would be a wet mess.
Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make this cake the night before.
If making the night before, keep the cake in the pie dish, covered with aluminum foil at room temperature.
You can replace the syrup with an equal amount of pure vanilla extract.
It won’t create the same sweetness that the syrup does but it still will taste delish.
Storing and freezing
Storing
Since gluten free and eggless baked goods are best the first day, we want to try to keep this eggless strawberry cake as fresh as possible.
Keep the cake in the pie dish and only remove slices as needed.
Keeping it in the pie dish helps to keep it soft.
Cover the top of the pie dish with aluminum foil and keep at room temperature.
Freezing
I do not recommend freezing this cake due to the fresh fruit.
If you froze the cake it would become very very wet as it defrosted.
Other easy cakes to try
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Eggless Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
- 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk of choice kept separate
- ½ tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 ½ teaspoons maple syrup
- 12 medium/large strawberries washed, halved and hulled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a pie dish using butter or a vegan baking stick.
- Wash, halve and hull the strawberries. See “expert baking tips” in my blog post if you need help on hulling. Let the strawberries dry on a paper towel or clean dish towel.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the butter or vegan baking stick and the 1 cup of sugar together until fluffy. About 2-3 minutes.
- Measure out ½ cup milk of choice. Pour the ½ tablespoon of white vinegar into the measuring cup with the milk and stir. Let sit for 5-10 min and stir again. It will appear chunky and that’s normal.
- In a small bowl, combine the 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water. Using a spoon, mix together until it has a watery consistency. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly beat in the cornstarch water mixture, the milk mixture and the syrup.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, the baking powder, baking soda and kosher salt.
- Still on low speed, mix in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
- Using a spatula, scoop the batter into the butter pie dish and use a butter knife to smooth the top.
- Arrange the strawberry halves on the top of the batter. You want them close to one another but not on top of one another.
- Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the berries and the top of the cake.
- Bake the cake in the center rack at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 65-70 minutes until the top is golden and springy when carefully poked.
- Let the cake cool in the pie dish.
- When ready to serve, simply cut into slices.
- Keep extra slices in the pie dish. Cover the pie dish with foil and store at room temperature.
Theresa
Everyone in my family likes strawberries and now we have a favorite recipe!
Perfect summer dessert. Make two if you are expecting company
Lee
So glad!!
john
This cake is a perfect cake for a spring day!