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Gluten-free vanilla cake on a plate. The cake is frosted with vanilla buttercream.

Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake

This gluten-free vanilla cake recipe makes a cake that's moist, rich, and very flavorful It’s a perfect cake for birthdays, weddings, or any celebration. Thanks to the gluten-free flour, butter, and sour cream, it remains soft and fresh for several days.

Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Gluten-Free
Keyword gluten-free cake, vanilla cake
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 12 servings

Ingredients

For the Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake

  • 2 ½ cups gluten-free flour, Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, see note 1 (12 ounces; 340 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup milk (8 ounces; 226 grams)
  • ½ cup sour cream (4 ounces; 113 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup butter, softened , see note 2 (6 ounces; 170 grams)
  • 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar (12 ¼ ounces; 346 grams)
  • 3 large eggs (6 ounces; 170 grams)

For the Gluten-Free Vanilla Frosting

  • 1 cup butter, softened (8 ounces; 226 grams)
  • 4 cups confectioners’ sugar (16 ounces; 454 grams)
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup milk or cream, plus more as needed (2 ounces; 56 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans. (see note 3 for other pan size options.)

  2. Whisk gluten-free flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda together in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together milk, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Set aside.

  3. In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about two minutes.

    Reduce the mixer to medium-high. Add the eggs, one at a time. Let each egg mix into the butter-sugar mixture before adding the next one.

    After the last egg mixes into the butter-sugar, stop the mixer. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl.

    Turn the mixer back on to medium-high. Mix until light and fluffy, about two minutes. You want the butter-sugar mixture to look like frosting.

  4. Stop the mixer. Add half the gluten-free flour mixture. Mix on low speed until blended. 

    Add half the milk-sour cream mixture. Increase mixer to medium. Blend until the batter is smooth.

    Again, stop the mixer. Add the remaining flour. Turn the mixer to low and mix until blended.

    Add the remaining milk-sour cream mixture. Increase mixer to medium speed and mix until the batter is smooth, about 45 seconds. 

  5. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Use a small spatula or the back of a spoon to spread the batter into the pans.

  6. Bake the cake until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
  7. Remove the cake from the oven. Place the pans on a wire rack. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan and let them cool completely directly on the rack.

  8. Make the frosting: In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the butter until smooth, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer. Add the confectioners’ sugar and salt. Turn the mixer to low. Add the milk and vanilla. Mix on high speed until fluffy, about two minutes.

  9. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate, frost top of cake, about 1½ cups of frosting. Top with the second layer. Frost side and top of cake with remaining frosting.

  10. Store cake loosely covered. Cake keeps at room temperature for about four days. Freeze cake, frosted or unfrosted, for up to three months. Wrap cake well in plastic wrap before freezing.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Gluten-Free Flour Blend. This recipe was tested with Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend. Replacing the flour with another brand might change the texture of the cake. Be sure to use a flour blend that contains xanthan gum. If it doesn't, add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the flour. Whisk to combine. Then use as directed.

Note 2: Butter Temperature Use softened butter, about 65°F. Cold butter turns into a paste. Warm/greasy butter doesn’t get fluffy.

Note 3: Pan Options. 

Sheet Cake Directions
Lightly grease a 9 x13-inch pan. Bake the cake until golden brown, about 40. Allow the cake to cool in the pan. Frost cake when cool. 

Cupcake Directions
Line two 12-cup muffin pans with cupcake liners. Spoon batter into muffin cups, about ⅔ full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Prepare frosting and frost cupcakes when cool.