BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (2024)

Cakes are one of my favorite things in the world to make, eat and photograph. You may think that a gluten free cake can’t possibly be as good as a gluten containing cake, but seriously, any one of these recipes will prove you wrong!

From red velvet, to paleo chocolate, vegan funfetti, gluten free carrot cake and everything in between.

These cakes taste no different than a gluten-filled recipe, I promise you can fool anyone with these! And did I mention they’re all dairy free?! But again, you’d never know! Try my 12 best gluten free cookies next!

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (1)

The best flour for gluten free cake

There are SO many gluten free flours on the market these days. Maybe too many! But, you probably know by now that when it comes to gluten free all purpose flour, I am very loyal to the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour.

Some of these recipes also call for almond flour, some rice flour, but most call for a formal all purpose blend. I love using a mix of almond flour and all purpose flour because it keeps the cake really moist and fluffy thanks to the high fat content.

The most important thing to note is that if a recipe calls for gluten free all purpose flour, you can use a different brand than the one listed, but make sure it has xanthan gum in the mix unless otherwise noted. Xanthan gum is an important ingredient for binding in gluten free baked goods.

Why do cakes sink in the middle?

This is generally due to over-mixing the batter, too much leavening agent, or too much liquid. Those are problems I usually encounter when testing a recipe, so you shouldn’t have any sunken middles if you follow the recipes!

How do you keep a gluten free cake moist?

A few things! If made properly, all of these gluten free cake recipes are moist as soon as they come out of the oven and for a few days after.

You’ll want to store these cakes in tight containers or on a cake stand with a lid to prevent them from drying out. If it is already sliced and you want to keep it on the cake stand, another trick is to stick wax paper to the cut sides so they do’t get dry.

What cake pan size it best?

I love using 8 inch round cake pans or 9×13 pan for a sheet cake. Each recipe has notes listed if you want to use a different size pan, but I always refer to this post about cake pan conversions!

If you still aren’t sure how to scale a recipe, leave a comment and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Hope you enjoy these recipes!

1) Gluten Free Carrot Cake

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (2)

This truly is the best gluten free carrot cake recipe! It’s made in one bowl, incredibly moist, full of fresh flavor and so easy to make. Top it off with a dairy free cream cheese buttercream frosting.

2) One Bowl Chocolate Cake

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (3)

This one bowl gluten free chocolate cake is perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or just because! It’s moist, fluffy with the perfect crumb, and I promise you’ll have no idea it’s gluten free!

get the recipe!

3) Vegan Funfetti Cake

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (4)

The best vegan cake, gluten free or not! This recipe is quick and easy to make, completely oil free but still moist, fluffy and undetectably vegan and gluten free! This funfetti cake is perfect for a birthday party or just for fun.

get the recipe!

4) Banana Cake

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (5)

This gluten free banana cake is a one bowl recipe that only takes about 10 minutes of prep! With a light and fluffy texture, the perfect banana flavor with hints of cinnamon and finished off with a simple cream cheese frosting, this is a total crowd pleaser.

get the recipe!

5) Almond Flour Chocolate Cake

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (6)

Rich, chocolatey, moist and spongey, this almond flour cake is bound to impress! You’ll never guess it’s paleo, grain free, or refined sugar free when you take your first bite.

6) Red Velvet Cake

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (7)

This gluten free red velvet cake is moist, fluffy with the perfect hints of chocolate and vanilla. With a simple cream cheese frosting, this is a cake you’ll keep coming back to!

get the recipe!

7) Gluten Free Lemon Cake

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (8)

This gluten free lemon cake is moist, spongey and so easy to make. Just one bowl and a few simple ingredients. Top it off with a sweet and tangy buttercream and candied lemons.

get the recipe!

8) One Bowl Vanilla Cake

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (9)

This easy recipe taste just like the classic! It has a moist and tender crumb, rich buttery vanilla flavor and finished off with a creamy dairy free buttercream.

get the recipe!

9) Vegan Chocolate Cake

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (10)

This vegan gluten free chocolate cake is rich, made in one bowl, moist and loved by all types of eaters! This is my go-to recipe to impress a crowd or for any special occasion.

get the recipe!

10) Gluten Free Marble Pound Cake

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (11)

This gluten free marble pound cake is a total show stopping dessert. With swirls of vanilla and chocolate and finished off with an easy chocolate glaze.

get the recipe

11) Pumpkin Cake

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (12)

This gluten free pumpkin cake is the ultimate Fall recipe. It’s moist, tender, easy to make and finished with a cream cheese frosting.

get the recipe

12) Gluten Free Coffee Cake

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (13)

This gluten free coffee cake is moist, tender, perfectly spiced and topped with an easy cinnamon streusel. It’s dairy free and perfect as a simple dessert or alongside your morning coffee.

get the recipe!

If you try any of these recipes, be sure to tag me oninstagramand leave a comment below! If you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure tosubscribe to my email list.

BEST Gluten Free Cake Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What gluten-free flour is best for cakes? ›

What's the best gluten-free flour for baking? Bob's Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking mix is my favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for baking. It has a mild texture and plenty of "stick" thanks to a blend of sweet rice flour, brown rice flour, and sorghum flour, plus some starches and xanthan gum.

What is the trick to gluten-free baking? ›

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

How do you keep gluten-free cake from falling apart? ›

Xanthan gum (along with other thickeners like guar gum and arrowroot) acts like a binder in gluten-free baked goods to maintain their structure. Without it, there's a good chance that your brownies or muffin will crumble and fall apart.

Why do gluten-free cakes not rise? ›

Gluten-free flour blends don't have the same elasticity as flour containing gluten so often the cakes don't rise as much or will sink after rising. To combat the flat cake problem, I add ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda to the recipe even when using a self-raising gluten-free flour blend.

Do gluten-free cakes need more baking powder? ›

2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of gluten-free flour is necessary to ensure proper leavening. Baking soda and buttermilk can be used to leaven instead of baking powder, but 1-1/8 teaspoon of cream of tartar should be added for each 1/2 teaspoon baking soda used.

What gluten free flour is closest to all-purpose? ›

Common Flours
  • Brown Rice Flour. Brown rice flour is about as close to a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour as it gets since it provides structure and a “wheat-like” flavor. ...
  • White Rice Flour. ...
  • Oat Flour. ...
  • Almond Flour. ...
  • Almond Meal. ...
  • Cornstarch. ...
  • Potato Starch (NOT Potato Flour) ...
  • Buckwheat Flour.

What to avoid for gluten-free baking? ›

All of the following flours have gluten:
  • Enriched flour with added vitamins and minerals.
  • Farina, milled wheat usually used in hot cereals.
  • Graham flour, a course whole-wheat flour.
  • Self-rising flour, also called phosphate flour.
  • Semolina, the part of milled wheat used in pasta and couscous.

Which flour has no gluten? ›

For flours that are made from grains (amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet, quinoa, rice flours, sorghum, and teff), always buy them labeled gluten-free, since many are grown, harvested and processed in facilities that also manufacture wheat, barley, or rye and cross-contact can occur.

Can I just replace flour with gluten-free flour? ›

If the original recipe calls for 260 grams of all-purpose flour, substitute with 260 grams of your blend. Beat the batter more. Because gluten-free flours provide less structure than all-purpose, the batter or dough you make with them may require more beating than that which you are accustomed.

Do gluten-free cakes need more liquid? ›

Add extra liquid: Gluten-free flours tend to absorb more liquid than regular flour, so you may need to add more liquid to your recipes to compensate. This can help to keep your baked goods moist and prevent them from becoming dry and crumbly.

Do gluten-free cakes need to bake longer? ›

Gluten-free baked goods often benefit from extra liquid to hydrate the flour blends, eliminate grittiness, and achieve a less dense or dry texture. However, it's very important to drive off this extra moisture during baking, or you'll wind up with a gummy texture. The best way to do this? Longer baking times.

Should you let gluten free cake batter rest? ›

Let Your Batters & Doughs Rest

We recommend covering your batters and doughs and letting them rest for at least half an hour. Note: This will also help batters become thicker and doughs to firm up.

Why is gluten-free baking so difficult? ›

Gluten-free baking is a lot harder than traditional baking because gluten protein is what gives baked goods their structure. Bread without gluten or any gluten substitute will be thick and crumbly when it comes out of the oven.

How do you keep gluten-free cake moist? ›

Any gluten-free cake will dry out super-fast and get hard on the outside if it's not properly refrigerated and covered. I swear by always using buttermilk and adding a little more fat into the batter to compensate for the dryness.

How do you know when a gluten-free cake is done? ›

Ultimately, the toothpick test is just one data source to rely upon: with the trio—toothpick, edges, & centre—you can reliably know your gluten-free baked goods are, well, baked! If your toothpick comes out with wet batter on it, your cake definitely needs more time.

Does gluten free flour work the same in cakes? ›

These gluten-free flour blends substitute well in batters that use baking powder and/or baking soda to leaven—such as cookies, muffins, and cakes—along with batters that are wetter in texture, like pancakes and quick breads.

Can gluten free flour be used as cake flour? ›

Homemade gluten free cake flour:

Use a gluten free flour blend that is higher in starches and doesn't contain any heavy or strong flavored flours like bean flours. For every 1 cup of flour you need in the recipe, remove 2 tablespoons of the gluten free blend and substitute with 2 tablespoons gluten free cornstarch.

Is gluten free flour OK for cakes? ›

Gluten-free ingredients = gluten-free baked goods. Gluten-containing ingredients <> gluten-free baked goods. Maybe, though, what you really wanted to know was whether gluten-free flours can be used for cupcakes and cakes, as they are for breads. In that case, the answer is still yes.

What is the best gluten free flour for yeast baking? ›

If you want to buy just one gluten-free flour, we highly recommend the Pillsbury all-purpose gluten-free flour. Not only is it our favorite gluten-free flour, and easy to use in gluten-free recipes, but it's also one of the few gluten-free flours currently on the market that is recommended for baking with yeast.

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