Here’s a simple, reliable gluten-free cake recipe that works well for birthdays or everyday baking 🎂
It’s a vanilla cake, but I’ll include easy flavor swaps at the end.
Easy Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake
Ingredients
1½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour (with xanthan gum)
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
(or neutral oil for dairy-free)
2 eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk
(or almond/oat milk)
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch round pan (or line with parchment).
In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, alternating with milk, mixing just until smooth.
Pour batter into the pan and smooth the top.
Bake 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool completely before frosting.
Easy Flavor Variations
Chocolate cake: Replace ¼ cup flour with ¼ cup cocoa powder
Lemon cake: Add 1 tbsp lemon zest + replace vanilla with lemon extract
Vanilla almond: Add ½ tsp almond extract
Simple Frosting (Optional)
½ cup butter (or dairy-free alternative)
2 cups powdered sugar
1–2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
Beat until fluffy.
If you want:
Egg-free
Dairy-free
Chocolate only
Cupcakes instead of a cake
tell me and I’ll adjust it for you 😊
