This one-bowl gluten-free strawberry cake is so easy to make! It’s moist and tender crumb makes it a favorite for birthday parties and other celebrations. Frost with cream cheese frosting or vanilla buttercream. 

How to Make Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Don’t rush this step. You want the baking powder evenly mixed throughout the batter. (If you’re using a stand mixer, fit it with the paddle attachment. It works well to combine the ingredients.) 
2. Add very soft butter and a little oil. Most of the time, you don’t want to bake with butter that’s too soft. Not this time. Use butter that’s squishable-y soft but not melted. 
3. Add milk, eggs, and strawberry Jell-O. This is a retro-style strawberry cake. The flavor comes from strawberry Jell-O. Be sure to use regular strawberry Jell-O, not sugar-free.  
4. Mix the batter until thick and fluffy. This takes about two minutes. And you don’t want to rush! At first, the batter will seem thin. After a minute of mixing, it thickens and gets fluffy. 
5. Divide between two greased pans. I prefer 8-inch cake pans because they make a high cake. But if you only have 9-inch cakes on hand, use them. 
6. Bake until set. This cake takes about 30 minutes to bake. It’s done when a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.  
7. Cool the cake completely. The cakes are very delicate when they first come out of the oven. Allow them to cool in the pan for five minutes and then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. 
8. Frost when cool. To avoid a “baking fail”, wait until the cakes are completely cool to the touch before frosting.

FAQs: Easy Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake

Do I have to use Jell-O?

Yes. If you want this recipe to make a strawberry cake, you’ll need the Jell-O. I’m working on a recipe that doesn’t use Jell-O.

Is Jell-O Gluten-Free?

As of this post (5/2019), Jello is gluten-free. However, always check labels and contact the manufacturer if you have any questions. 

Can I add strawberries to the batter?

Maybe. I haven’t tested the recipe with added strawberries. If you decided to try it, I would not add more than 1/2 cup mashed strawberries. More than that might overwhelm the batter and cause the cake to sink.

What’s the best frosting for strawberry cake?

I like cream cheese frosting and included my favorite recipe below. Fluffy vanilla buttercream also works really well. And, if you like chocolate-dipped strawberries, frost the cake with chocolate icing. Yum!

Other Gluten-Free Cake Recipes You’ll Love

• Gluten-Free White Cake
• Gluten-Free Yellow Cake
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
• Gluten-Free Confetti Cake

5 from 1 vote

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Easy Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake

One Bowl Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake Recipe. Easy to make. Perfect for Birthdays! 

Servings 12

Ingredients

• nonstick cooking spray
• 2 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, very soft
• 1/8 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 cup milk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 (3-ounce ) package strawberry Jello
• Cream cheese frosting or vanilla buttercream

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese room temperature
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake

1. Preheat the oven and prepare the pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Make the Batter. Mix together gluten-free baking flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl. Run the mixer for 30 seconds to combine the ingredients. 

3. Stop the mixer. Add softened butter and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until combined. The mixture will look crumbly, about 30 seconds.  Stop mixer. Add milk, eggs, and strawberry Jell-O. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds. Increase mixer to medium-high and mix for two minutes.

4. Bake the Cake. Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Spread batter evenly into pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the pan comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

5. Cool and Frost. Remove pans from oven and place on a wire rack. Allow cakes to cool in the pan for five minutes. Invert cakes onto the wire rack to cool completely.

6. Prepare the frosting. Frost cooled cake. Store cake, covered, on the counter for up to three days.

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Combine cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl. Beat on medium low speed until smooth. Stop mixer. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed until smooth.

Recipe Notes

The Flour

For this recipe, I used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour. I have not tested this recipe with another flour blend. Using a different blend will affect the final cake.

The Butter

For the cake, be sure the butter is very soft. It should blend easily into the flour mixture.