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!
Even though this Eggless Strawberry Cake is 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!
For more strawberry recipes, check out my viral Strawberry Sugar Cookies, my super simple Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries, my Strawberry Jam Cookies and my No Bake Strawberry Pie.
Reasons To Love This Eggless Strawberry Cake
- Allergy Friendly- This simple cake recipe 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 gluten free flour because it’s free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
- Butter/ Vegan Baking Stick- Only use room temperature. If using vegan butter, make sure it's on the cold side versus room temperature.
- 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- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non-dairy, use a dairy-free milk of your choosing.
- White Vinegar- It helps the cake rise.
- Maple Syrup- You can use pure or your favorite brand.
- Fresh Strawberries- 12 strawberries, washed, dried, halved and hulled.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make this into a Vegan Cake
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
- 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.
How to Make this Recipe with All Purpose Flour
- Use 1 ½ packed cups of regular flour (252 grams).
- Only use ½ cup of milk.
This recipe has not been tested with some of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!
How to Make Eggless Strawberry Cake
Here are the steps to make this simple snack cake!
Step 1: Hull the Strawberries
Wash and dry the strawberries. Cut off the green tops. Cut the strawberries in half and then cut out the cores so the halves are flatter. Let the strawberries dry on a paper towel or clean dish towel.
Step 2: Make the Homemade Buttermilk
Measure out ½ cup milk and stir in ½ tablespoon white vinegar. Let sit for 5-10 min then stir again. The milk will appear chunky; that’s normal.
Step 3: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together all the gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Step 4: 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 5: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar until soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
Step 6: Add in the Wet Ingredients
With the mixer on low speed, slowly beat in the cornstarch water mixture, the homemade buttermilk, the extra 2 tablespoons of milk and the syrup. The mixture will look chunky, that's normal.
Step 7: Add in the Dry Ingredients
With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
Step 8: Scoop the Batter, Arrange the Strawberries and Sprinkle the Sugar
Using a spatula, scoop the batter into a greased 8 inch pie dish and smooth the top with a butter knife.
Arrange the strawberry halves on top of the batter close together but without being on top of one another.
Sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the entire top of the cake, covering the strawberries.
Step 9: 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.
Expert Baking Tips
- 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.
- 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.
- Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. Or read the gram measurement.
- Smooth the Batter- Many gluten free batters have a way of staying exactly as they are placed, when baked. When the batter is in the pie dish, gently smooth the top with a butter knife prior to baking.
- 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.
Recipe FAQs
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 in the fridge.
No. Frozen strawberries have way too much liquid and the cake would be a wet mess.
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: 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 in the fridge for up to 2 days.
If desired, let the cake come to room temperature prior to serving.
I do not recommend freezing this cake as it gets very wet when defrosting.
More Strawberry Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
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📖 Recipe
Eggless Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
- 12 medium/large strawberries washed, dried, halved and hulled
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons milk , keep 2 tablespoons separate
- ½ tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 ½ cups multipurpose gluten free flour (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 rounded tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling
- 1 ½ teaspoons maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter an 8 inch pie dish using butter or a vegan baking stick.
- Wash and dry the 12 strawberries. Cut off the green tops. Cut the strawberries in half and then cut out the cores so the halves are flatter. Let the strawberries dry on a paper towel or clean dish towel.
- Measure out ½ cup milk. 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 large bowl, whisk together the 1 ½ cups gluten free flour, 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ¾ teaspoon kosher salt.
- In a small bowl, combine the 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch (26 grams) with 3 tablespoons of water. Using a spoon, mix together until it has a thin, watery consistency. It will be thick and tacky at first.
- In a large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan baking stick and 1 cup granulated sugar until it is soft and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly beat in the cornstarch water mixture, the homemade buttermilk, the extra 2 tablespoons of milk and the 1 ½ teaspoons maple syrup. The mixture will look chunky, that's normal.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the gluten free flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.
- Using a spatula, scoop the batter into a greased pie dish and smooth the top with a butter knife.
- Arrange the strawberry halves on top of the batter close together but without being on top of one another.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar over the entire top of the cake, covering the strawberries.
- Bake the cake in the center rack at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 65-70 minutes until golden and slightly springy when carefully touched.
- Let the cake cool in the pie dish. When ready to serve, simply cut into slices.
Nancy DiPaola says
Your eggless strawberry cake so amazing i had to try it. It was delicious and the recipe was easy to follow. I absolutely loved it.
john says
This cake is a perfect cake for a spring day!
Theresa says
Everyone in my family likes strawberries and now we have a favorite recipe!
Perfect summer dessert. Make two if you are expecting company
Lee says
So glad!!