This Gluten Free Vanilla Cake is an absolute must try! Imagine biting into layers of fluffy vanilla cake surrounded by creamy vanilla buttercream with a little crunch of some sprinkles. That is this cake. Oh wait…did I mention it’s gluten free and nut free, eggless and easily vegan?! This beauty is a must try for all the vanilla lovers out there. No one will ever know it’s allergy friendly!
Ok ok ok. Yes. This is a Vanilla Cake.
I know.
Most of my recipes are chocolate but sometimes you’re in the mood for a vanilla cake.
Some people even prefer vanilla to chocolate.
<Falls off chair in shock.>
All joking aside, I am a cake lover and promise you this beauty does not disappoint.
Not only is it delish but it’s so simple to make.
The batter comes together in one large bowl without the use of a mixer and takes less than 15 minutes to get into the oven.
For more delicious cake recipes, try my Strawberry Red Velvet Cake, Triple Chocolate Layer Cake and Gluten Free Layer Cake.
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Tips for Making Gluten Free Vanilla Cake
For the Cake
- Mix the dry ingredients- In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients.
- Make 3 wells for the wet ingredients- Pour the liquid ingredients, minus the water, into the 3 wells.
- Pour cold water on top of everything- Do this prior to mixing.
- Mix everything together and divide batter evenly in two 8 inch cake pans- Use a whisk to combine. Once it gets too thick, use a spatula and scoop the batter evenly into the pans and bake.
- Let the cakes cool completely before cutting them in half- This recipe makes 2 layers of cake in 8 inch pans.
- Once the cakes have completely cooled, slice the cakes in half horizontally- Now you have 4 thin layers of cake.
For the Buttercream Frosting
- Beat your butter or vegan baking stick- Before adding the other frosting ingredients, it’s best to beat the butter or vegan baking stick until it’s smooth and creamy. About 2 min.
- Add in the other frosting ingredients- Beat in everything else until combined and smooth. If you don’t have an electric mixer you can do this by hand using a spatula.
- Split your frosting up into 6 equal sections- This way you will use the exact same amount of frosting on each layer.
For Assembly
- Frost one layer- Place one layer of cake on the bottom of the cake plate. Scoop ⅙ of the frosting on top and use an icing spatula to spread it around.
- Repeat the process- Place another layer of cake on top and repeat this same process. Do this with 3 layers of cake.
- Keep the sides thin- Once you get to the top layer, use an icing spatula to frost the top and a thin layer on the sides.
- Use a cake scraper- Or use a large icing spatula to scrape the icing off the sides so it’s a thin layer. This is your crumb layer so the cake is easier to frost. Pop the entire cake in the fridge uncovered for 15 min so it is more stable to work with.
- Frost the cake- After 15 min, take the cake out of the fridge and frost the rest of it. I used my icing spatula to make marks all over. I wanted the cake to kind of look like a snowy hill. You don’t have to do this step…it’s completely up to you.
- Decorate the top- If desired, sprinkle some gluten free/nut free vanilla sprinkles or classic pearls on top of the cake before the frosting hardens.
Follow these simple steps to make sure this cake is vegan:
- Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
- Make sure to use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
- Ensure the sprinkles you use are gluten free, nut free and vegan.
This Gluten Free Vanilla Cake is a delicious cake for all those vanilla lovers in your life. It’s so simple to make (it only uses one bowl for the batter and doesn’t require a mixer) and so delicious.
Best part is, not only is it gluten free and nut free but it's eggless and easily vegan! But I am telling you, no one will ever know!
My girl ate two large pieces the first day I made it; I hope you guys love it as much as she did! Enjoy!
Other Cake Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
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📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Vanilla Cake
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3.5 cups gluten free flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups cold water
For the frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking sticks, room temperature
- 9 cups confectioners’ sugar
- ½ cup water
- 4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the decorations:
- Gf/vegan sprinkles if desired.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 8 inch cake pans with vegetable oil, line with parchment paper and then lightly grease again with vegetable oil.
- In a large bowl whisk together the gluten free flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
- Make 3 wells in the dry ingredients.
- In the first well, pour the vegetable oil.
- In the second well, pour the white vinegar.
- In the third well, pour the vanilla.
- Pour the cold water over everything and whisk together until just combined. If it starts getting thick, use a spatula instead of a whisk.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two 8 inch pans and smooth the tops with a butter knife.
- Bake in the center rack of the oven for 50 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in pans. Once cool, remove from pans and transfer to a cooling rack.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the butter until it is smooth and creamy. About 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the confectioners’ sugar and water and beat until combined and smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla.
- Divide frosting into 6 equal servings.
- Assemble the cake: Place one layer of cake on the cake stand. Take ⅙ of the frosting and frost the top. Place another layer of cake on top and repeat. Do this process 3 times.
- Frost a thin layer of frosting on the top of the cake and sides of the cake. Use a cake scraper or an icing spatula to scrape excess frosting off the sides of the cake. Pop in the fridge uncovered for 15 min to harden.
- Take the cake out of the fridge. Frost the top and the sides with thicker layers.
- If desired, use the back of your icing spatula or the back of a spoon to make designs.
- Place sprinkles on top of the cake if desired.
- Store cake in the fridge under a dome or wrapped in foil until ready to serve. When ready to serve, let the cake sit out for about 15-20 min prior to cutting. Wrap any extra slices in foil and store in the fridge. Enjoy!
John
I’ve been looking for a Vegan Vanilla Cake recipe for years! Thank you!
Lee
So glad thanks!
Dawn
I can’t believe this cake doesn’t contain eggs! It’s so light, spongy + fluffy! The recipe is so easy to follow which helps a lot 😄
Lee
Thanks so much!!!
Jessica
I’m looking for a dairy-free recipe. Can I substitute AP flour 1:1 instead?
Lee
Hi Jessica! In every blog post I explain how to make each recipe dairy free! Hope that helps! For this recipe, yes you can use all purpose flour but sadly I cannot test it due to celiac disease. If using AP flour, make sure to use 3.5 packed cups of flour (many gf flours are heavier than ap flour) and I would only use 3/4 cup or vegetable oil. I hope it works out!
Karen
I'm making a 5 inch cake... how long do I bake it? How do I know when it's done? Thx
Lee
Hi Karen. Sadly I don't own any 5 inch pans so I cannot be 100 percent sure. I read some information that said to probably bake for about 25 minutes or until the cake is risen, golden and springs back at you when careful poked. Hope it works out!