There’s one go-to recipe I believe all bakers need: a single-layer cake. There’s a time and place for multi-layered cake (usually birthdays and other celebrations). But a single-layer cake isn’t about celebration, it’s about simplicity.
My love for single layer cakes comes from my mom. Occasionally, I’d come home from school and find one sitting on the counter. It was always a yellow cake, iced with chocolate buttercream, and, if she felt like dressing it up, a single maraschino cherry in the center. Before baking, she’d throw a couple of chocolate chips into the batter. She said whoever got the slice with the chips was guaranteed a “good luck day.” Who am I to argue with that mom-logic?
The yellow single-layer cake I bake tastes very similar to the ones I ate growing up. It’s just butter, sugar, eggs, and gluten-free flour. The funny thing is the method. It doesn’t require you to cream the butter and sugar together. You simply dump all the ingredients into a bowl and mix. That’s it. The only thing to watch out for is the butter. You want it soft. Not melty. Not microwaved where the ends are hard and it’s melted in the center. You want the butter soft.
If you don’t have room-temperature butter ready when you want to bake this cake, try this trick: set up a double boiler. (Nest a small bowl on top of a small pot of very hot but not boiling water. You don’t want the water to touch the bottom of the bowl.) Place the butter, still wrapped, into the bowl. Turn the stick every few minutes until it’s soft. If you’re microwave is gentle enough, go ahead and soften the butter in the microwave. Use a very low setting and heat the butter in 15 second bursts, then turn the stick. If you are very careful, this works. I’ve noticed that if I stand my butter up while nuking the center doesn’t melt but that could just be my microwave.
As for finishing the cake, frost it with a simple buttercream. Or not. This cake works well without any type of frost. If you don’t want buttercream but want to finish the cake with something, I’d strongly recommend a citrus glaze. I prefer lemon but any citrus works. Stir together some powdered sugar and a little milk (or water) until you have a thick glaze. Then add the zest of your favorite citrus and pour the glaze over the top of the cake.
From start to cooling, this cake takes less than an hour to make. Of that time, only about fifteen minutes requires any activity. So remember this recipe on a busy days when you want a little something sweet but don’t have the time—or the energy—to do much in the kitchen.
Perfect Gluten-Free Yellow Cake
Ingredients
For the Gluten-Free Yellow Cake
- Gluten-free non-stick cooking spray
- 1 1/4 cups white rice flour (5 ounces; 142 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (8 ounces; 226 grams)
- 1/2 cup potato starch (2 ounces; 56 grams)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (4 ounces; 113 grams)
- 2/3 cup milk or water (5 1/3 ounces; 150 grams)
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For Chocolate Buttercream
- 2 cups powdered (confectioner's) sugar, sifted (8 ounces; 226 grams)
- 6 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted (2 1/4 ounces; 65 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened (4 ounces; 113 grams)
- 4 tablespoons milk (2 ounces; 56 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cake
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Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8x8x2-inch square cake pan or a 9x2-inch round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set pan aside.
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In large mixing bowl, whisk together white rice flour, granulated sugar, potato starch, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum. Add butter, milk (or water), eggs, and vanilla. Using a handheld mixer,mix until a thick batter forms, about one minute. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Bake until cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Place cake, in pan, on wire rack to cool. If desired, frost with buttercream icing when cool.
For the Chocolate Buttercream
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Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat butter until light. Add powdered sugar-cocoa mixture, milk, and vanilla extract. Cream until smooth. Adjust thickness, if needed, by adding more milk, one tablespoon at a time. Frosting should be thick and spreadable.
Roberta Lorette says
By far one of the best cakes I’ve ever had, regular or gluten free.
Jamesia Green says
Thanks for sharing! My daughter is allergic to eggs, in addition to many other things. Is there an egg substitute you’ve tried that you can recommend to use in this recipe? Apple sauce, apple cider vinager, lemon juice, puréed white bean, etc? I saw the comment about flaxseed. My daughter has never had flax before so I’m unsure if she’s allergic. Hopefully, someone here has tried another substitute and can recommend something. Otherwise, we’ll probably try one with just apple sauce before rolling the dice with flaxseed. Thanks!
Elizabeth says
Hmmm….good question. I haven’t found an egg replacer that I love for this cake yet. I think applesauce will give you a dense cake. Since applesauce is simply sugar and water. It doesn’t add any structure. In fact, it makes a terrible egg replacer.
Have you tried Bob’s Red Mill egg replace. I haven’t but I’ve heard good things!
Jamesia Green says
Thanks for getting back to me. Sadly, she’s also allergic to tapioca, so that wouldn’t work. Do you have any experience with The Neat Egg substitute?
Jamesia Green says
I just found a blog (art of gluten free baking) where ground flax seed is recommended as an egg replacement. Apparently, when the powder is mixed with hot water it makes a gel that behaves like an egg. She warns that a bit of baking powder may be needed to help with rising/fluff.
She gives a full list of subs for many different baking items. Here’s the link: http://www.artofglutenfreebaking.com/2012/08/lets-talk-ingredient-substitutions-with-some-substitution-recommendations/
American’s Test Kitchen had this to say about the flaxseed they used in their whole-grain gluten free flour blend.
We used Flax USA 100% Natural Flax, Cold Milled Ground Golden Flax Seed during our testing. We don’t recommend using Bob’s Red Mill ground golden flaxseeds because it is too coarsely ground and will taste gritty in the baked goods. Do not substitute ground brown flaxseeds because its flavor will be too strong. Do not attempt to grind flaxseeds yourself because you will not be able to grind them fine enough.
Lily S says
I made this, halfway through I realized I didn’t have any butter for the icing! XD learn from me, buy butter beforehand!
Radhika says
Thank you Elizabeth!
I loved this recipe. Made it as is. It was tender and yummy. Want to try it out without eggs. Do you have any advice for me?
Thanks,
Radhika
Elizabeth says
I’m 99% sure this recipe won’t work without eggs. Sorry. 🙁
Renee says
Hi Radhika,
First, thank you Elizabeth for sharing your recipe!
I did substitute the eggs with flaxseed and applesauce and am extremely happy with the results! The taste is spot on and the texture is fluffy, not gummy or flat. ?
Elizabeth says
I was asked to do a gluten free and dairy free gender reveal cake. I tested a couple of recipes and used my co-workers as guinea pigs, and this recipe (substituted Earth Balance for butter and vanilla almond milk instead of cow milk) won over my co-workers HANDS DOWN. I have one friend who tasted it and she said she couldn’t tell it wasn’t a “normal” cake – and that means A LOT coming from her!! I ended up adding some extra vanilla and a touch of almond extract to try and mask the flavor of the fake butter. The texture is fluffy, the cake bakes nicely, the crumb and flavor is great too. This will be my go to for any future G/F requests! Thank you!
Elizabeth says
That’s great! Glad they loved it!
Jillian shaw says
Will this recipe work for cupcakes as well?
Elizabeth says
Yes!
Gymgirl says
I want to make pineapple upside down cakes in canning jars. All you need is a regular cake mix. Will this cake recipe work, sealed in the jars for long-term storage after the cake is done?
Elizabeth says
I’m really not sure. Sorry!
Jill says
This was the best!
Diana g says
Wonderful cake stays moist for days. I did decide to replace half the butter for oil since l think that helps gluten Free baked goods stay moist longer . Made it many times with great results. A true keeper. Thank you!