Ultra-Moist Gluten-Free Vanilla Layer Cake
yields: 16 slices, one 8-inch layer cake, 12-14 slices, 1 9x13 sheet cake, or 22 cupcakes
Super moist gluten-free vanilla cake recipe that can be made as a layer cake, sheet cake, or cupcakes for the perfect gluten-free birthday cake for your party! With a light and tender buttery crumb and a classic American buttercream, this cake tastes like a soft sugar cookie.
Ingredients
Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
- 104 g (¾ cup + 1 tablespoon) Bob’s Red Mill sorghum flour
- 110 g (½ cup + 3 tablespoons) sweet rice flour, also called mochiko; do not substitute white or brown rice flour
- 84 g (¾ cup) Bob’s Red Mill tapioca flour
- 65 g (¼ cup + 3 tablespoons) Bob’s Red Mill millet flour
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ cup + 2 tablespoons (330 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract, or more vanilla extract for nut-free version
- ¾ cup + 3 tablespoons (225 g) whole milk, room temperature
- ½ cup (120 g) sour cream, room temperature
Vanilla buttercream for layer cake
- 2½ cup (5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened slightly above room temperature
- 6¼ cups (750 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- Seeds of 1 vanilla bean, or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3-5 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- Optional: a few drops gel food coloring, sprinkles
Vanilla Buttercream for sheet cake
- 1½ cup (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened slightly above room temperature
- 3¾ cups (450 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- Seeds of ½ vanilla bean, or ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2-4 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
- Optional: a few drops gel food coloring, sprinkles
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of two 8-inch cake pans or the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the sorghum flour, sweet rice flour, tapioca starch, millet flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar over medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing and scraping down the sides after each one.
- Add the vanilla and almond extracts, mixing until just combined.
- Keeping the speed on low, slowly add the dry ingredients in three batches, adding the sour cream and milk in between, mixing until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan(s) and use an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. Pick each cake pan up 1-2 inches and drop it on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles.
- Bake for 28-34 minutes until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the middle and a toothpick comes out dry or with a few moist crumbs. This cake will seem light and airy in texture when gently pressed, so take care not to overbake it.
- Remove from oven. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then overturn the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely. To do this, I place a large wire rack or sheet pan over the baking pan and, holding it together, carefully flip the cake to release. Peel off the parchment paper, then place a wire rack over the top, and carefully flip right side up. If you make a 9x13 cake, you can also opt to frost it right there in the pan.
- Once cool, make the buttercream. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter over medium speed. With the mixer on low, slowly add the powdered sugar to the butter, in 4 batches, beating until incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix until smooth. Add the milk or cream, starting with just 2 tablespoons and adding additional milk or cream as needed, until frosting is smooth and spreadable. Fold in a few drops of gel food coloring, if desired.
- Frost the cake. For a layer cake, spread 1 cup of frosting over the first layer. Place the second cake layer upside down and spread a very thin layer of frosting on the top and side. This is the crumb coat to keep the crumbs off your final pretty frosting layer. Chill the cake for 15 minutes. Spread remaining frosting all over the cake, smoothing it using an offset spatula. If desired, pipe frosting swirls on the top edge using a ½-inch closed star tip. Top with sprinkles.
- For a sheet cake, swirl the buttercream over the top of the cake (I recommend using the back of a soup spoon) and top with sprinkles, if desired.
- Slice and serve (see note)
Video
Notes
Cupcakes: See this recipe for gluten-free vanilla cupcakes.
Flour substitutions:
Sorghum flour is a wholesome whole-grain flour. With slightly sweet notes, sorghum flour adds flavor depth. Sorghum also helps create a very moist crumb. I exclusively use Bob's Red Mill sorghum flour.- Sub in by weight: you can substitute gluten-free oat flour by weight or Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour blend.
Sweet Rice Flour
Also called mochiko or glutinous rice flour, sweet rice flour is distinctively different than white rice or brown rice flour. Sweet rice flour is the same flour used to make mochi, and as such, its stickiness helps to bind the cake together, creating chewiness like a classic cake recipe. I prefer Koda Farms Mochiko for cake, but have also tested it Bob's Red Mill Sweet Rice Flour.- I don't recommend substituting the sweet rice flour as I find it's essential to the recipe, but you might have success replacing it with Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour blend.
Tapioca Flour/Starch
I've added tapioca flour here for both chewiness and to help mimic the fluffiness of a classic cake. I exclusively use Bob's Red Mill tapioca flour (and, in fact, I find others to be too gritty)- Sub in by weight: arrowroot flour, potato starch, or Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour blend.
Millet Flour
Millet flour is a neutral flour here to balance the others out so the cake isn't too moist or gummy. I exclusively use Bob's Red Mill millet flour.- Sub in by weight: teff flour (though your cake will be noticeably darker), light chestnut flour, brown or white rice flour, or Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour blend.
