Vegan Gluten-Free Funfetti Birthday Cake. This classic birthday cake is a kid’s dream. It is sweet, moist, light, fluffy and is sure to impress both kids and adults at any party. Both vegan and gluten-free so anybody can enjoy it!
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VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE FUNFETTI BIRTHDAY CAKE
Sprinkles are always super fun. This Vegan Gluten-free Funfetti Birthday Cake has got to be one of my favorite cakes I’ve made. Not only because of the classic birthday cake flavor I created, but the texture is fabulous. Gluten-free cakes tend to have nasty textures, but this one is fantastic.
Plus, birthdays are a great excuse to use sprinkles. I don’t really use sprinkles, maybe once a year, if even that. They are not healthy, but since it is such a rare, rare thing I would use, I don’t stress over those small things in life. Besides, it’s cake, not exactly health food to begin with.
This cake is everything a birthday cake should be. It is perfectly moist, sweet, light, tender, fluffy and doesn’t taste healthy or vegan or gluten-free, period.
It’s also cause for a mini-celebration as I recently hit over 100k followers, a little over 102k as of this morning. I never in a million years thought that many people would be interested in my blog and recipes, so thank you so much for the support.
My daughter helped me decorate some with the sprinkles, so that’s why they are a bit messy, lol. She was going just about insane waiting for me to finish the photos so we could slice it.
Remember these Fluffy Buttermilk Pancakes? Remember I said I was going to turn it into a cake? Well, when I got that request for a funfetti one around the same time, I knew it would be the perfect time to do it. I can’t even tell you how amazing it turned out! It took some adjusting of the ratios but it all worked out perfectly after a few trials.
VEGAN VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
THIS FROSTING. Y’all, this Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is to-die-for. It’s silky smooth, creamy, buttery, perfectly sweet and so easy to make, without using oil or butter. I used a combo of my Vegan Strawberry Coconut Butter “Buttercream” Frosting and Cashew Vanilla Frosting as inspiration. I’m not a huge fan of the flavor of coconut, yet I LOVE this frosting. The coconut flavor is very mild and it tastes freaking amazing. I rarely use powdered white sugar, but I added a small amount to help lend to that classic buttercream frosting taste and help with the structure. Remember, I want this cake to taste as close to traditional funfetti cake as possible, just healthier.
HOW TO MAKE A VEGAN FUNFETTI CAKE
For this super easy Vegan Gluten-free Funfetti Cake, you will need:
- blanched almond flour
- white rice flour
- potato starch
- baking powder
- lite canned coconut milk
- maple syrup
- vanilla extract
- vegan sprinkles
Since most sprinkles at the stores are not vegan, I found this Etsy shop called Sweetapolita, where this lady makes the MOST beautiful sprinkles I’ve ever seen in my life and she has a ton of vegan options.
EASY VEGAN FUNFETTI CAKE IN 1 BOWL
Seriously, this cake is ridiculously easy. The cake recipe is just 8 ingredients (+ salt) and the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting is just 6 ingredients. The cake is all done in just 1 bowl too! If you have a go-to frosting you typically use for cake, then by all means, use it, but I’d highly encourage to try this one.
OTHER VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE CAKE RECIPES
- Vanilla White Wedding Cake
- Cinnamon Caramel Bundt Cake
- Vegan Lemon Cake
- Chocolate Peppermint Cake
- Gluten-free Vanilla Cake
- Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cake
- Gluten-free Vegan Cranberry Bundt Cake
- Cinnamon Cream Cheese Bundt Cakes
- Best Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes (not gluten-free)
Update: I’ve recently just made these as cupcakes and they are SO GOOD and fast. Listed in the directions now. I did a mini version of the frosting, but added yogurt too and turned it into a glaze more than a frosting. So good!
Vegan Gluten-Free Funfetti Birthday Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 1/2 cups (168g) blanched almond flour (See below NOTE)
- 1 1/2 cups (240g) white rice flour, I use Bob's Red Mill (brown rice flour does not work here, the white is crucial for structure and taste)
- 3/4 cup (120g) potato starch, not potato flour
- 4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/4 cups (400g) pure maple syrup
- 1 1/4 cups (300g) canned "lite" coconut milk, shaken first (highly recommend Thai Kitchen for best results, it's 100% creamy and never chunky)
- 2 tablespoons (30g) vanilla extract
- 8 tablespoons (80g) vegan sprinkles
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM (This has a slight coconut taste. Use my regular buttercream below if you want it traditional.)
- 2 cups (460g) melted liquid coconut butter (this is simply pureed coconut)I highly recommend buying this instead of making your own, as it is much smoother. I recommend Maranatha brand or Dastony from Whole Foods. Make sure the only ingredient is coconut.
- 1 cup (240g) plant milk (I used "lite" coconut milk)
- 1 cup (320g) pure grade A maple syrup (grade B will make the frosting darker)
- 6 tablespoons (96g) RAW cashew butter (NO added oil)
- 8 tablespoons (60g) vegan powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla powder (I use this white powder instead of extract to keep the frosting whiter.)
- Use this frosting if you prefer a traditional style buttercream
NOTE
- Always use a scale for accuracy when baking, following MY gram weights listed. You never need cups, just the scale and bowl and make sure to zero out in between each ingredient.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
This cake is best made the day of the party so it is moist and has the best structure, but will still be delicious if made the night before, just leave covered well at room temperature. The frosting can be made the day before, just remove it from the fridge an hour or so before needing to frost the cake.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly spray two 8 inch round cake pans (with 2 inch tall sides) and line with a round piece of parchment paper just on the bottoms. I used coconut oil nonstick spray. OR, to make as cupcakes, line 20 paper liners in a muffin pan.
- To a very large bowl, weigh each flour (zeroing out in between) and add to the bowl the almond flour, rice flour and potato starch. If you absolutely must use measuring cups, scoop the flours out with the cup and lightly pat down each flour making sure there are no gaps, then level off. Add the baking powder and salt and whisk really well.
- To the same bowl, add the syrup, milk and vanilla. Whisk again for at least a minute until it becomes completely smooth and thickens a bit. It is a thin batter, not a thick one. Stir in the sprinkles. Pour the batter evenly among the 2 pans. Give it a jiggle to smooth out.
- Bake both cakes on the same rack with a couple inches in between them for best results for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out totally clean. For cupcakes, they are done in 20-22 minutes. You don't want any wet batter. Should be clean, a couple of DRY crumbs are ok. Leave in the pan for 30 minutes (10 for cupcakes), no exceptions, or it can crack if removed too early. Place a piece of parchment paper on a cooling rack and invert it over the cake pan and flip the cake over and release. Leave to fully cool 1 hour.
FOR THE FROSTING
Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature. Otherwise, the coconut butter can harden if your other ingredients are cold. If your coconut butter is hardened, melt it to a complete runny liquid, like an oil consistency. Heat it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds and stir to get it thoroughly mixed and smooth, be very careful not to burn it.
- Add it to the food processor and quickly add the remaining ingredients. Process until completely smooth. It will be VERY runny at this step, but will firm up in the freezer. Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer for 20-30 mins until it's firm enough to whip.
- If it gets too hard, just let it sit at room temperature until it softens back up. Whip just a few minutes until fluffy. Spread a thick layer onto the top of the bottom cake, place the next cake on top. The best way to frost a cake is to add a super thin layer on the top and sides and smooth it out (a crumb coat). It doesn't need to be perfect, just a thin layer to seal crumbs. Place in the fridge to chill for about 30 minutes. This will make frosting the cake much easier.
- Add a bunch of frosting on the top of the cake and begin to spread it out to the edges, letting it slightly hang over the edges and then apply thick layers to the sides, adding more as needed onto the sides to fully and evenly cover the cake. Once you are ready to smooth the sides, it is best to go into one continuous direction, spinning your cake stand around as you gently drag the icing spatula along. Or, if you have a bench scraper, this will make a much smoother edge. Don't drag it back and forth or it will create a mess. Once you've iced the whole cake, if you drag the edge of the icing spatula (or bench scraper) very gently across the top, starting from the edges and working towards the center and repeating, you can create a smooth top. Wipe off the spatula often in between smoothing strokes, to keep a smooth layer. This will take practice to get it right. Use the spatula to scrape off any messy parts on the cake stand.
Recipe Notes
It's crucial to use a superfine blanched almond flour because it is what makes the cake so moist and light and fluffy. I do not have luck with Bob's Red Mill, but love King Arthur, Honeyville, Wellbees, Nature's Eats, Heb brand (in TX) all work well.
Nutrition per cake slice (without frosting) based off 12 slices: 336.5 calories, 63.5 carbs, 8 g fat, 2.1 g protein, .75 g fiber, 13 g sugar, 157.9 mg sodium
O but didn’t you know? Funfetti calories don’t count…EVER! 😉
Love this recipe! I’ll definitely have to try it for a friend who is allergic to gluten.
Do you have any recipes that are nut free, in addition to vegan and/or gluten free?
Hi Maddie! As far as cakes or desserts in general? I have many! But, here is my other really popular nut-free cake!
https://thevegan8.com/2016/06/29/vegan-gluten-free-vanilla-chocolate-chip-cake/
Where did you find the fork? I love it/ I gotta have it
Hi Leta! Here is where I ordered it 🙂 You can customize anything you want. I have many pieces and love them. http://forsuchatimedesigns.com/
You don’t even know how excitedly I’ve been waiting to see a sprinkle-filled email in my inbox from you. It is absolutely perfect! I would’ve been right there with Olivia–can we cut it yet pleassseeeee!?!? Plus the inside is so pretty and colorful, just like the funfetti from a box. If only the pancake batter had worked, that would be the most versatile batter ever ha. But I can still see many similarities in ingredients and definitely a similarity in big time fluff factor. And this frosting. Oh man, I know I could gain five pounds off that! I really love the way you decorated it too. And that fork is taunting me. I want to fork, you have no idea how much I really want to!!! lol 😀 Beautiful creation, you are on a cake roll!
Thank you so much Natalie!! You are so sweet! Cakes are my favorite to make of course, lol. Yes, that frosting is super fattening, but oh boy is it incredibly delicious!!
Can you make your funfetti cake into cup cakes?
Any kid would go wild for that cake, Brandi! It just says “celebrate” and “eat me” :-)!! Love the bright splashes of color in the cake.
Thank you so much Annie!
Awww, you made me a birthday cake – how sweet! 🙂 My birthday is next week (the big 4-0) and I think this will be just perfect! Haha! Seriously, looks amazing, Brandi!
Haha! Oooh happy early birthday girl!! Perfect way to celebrate, thank you Jenn 😉
What a gorgeous cake, Brandi! And I love the video.
Thank you Becky!
OMG!!!!!! Over 100k?!?! Congratulations, girl!! ❤️❤️❤️ I am SO proud of you and love your outlook – followers is such an icky word to me, so it’s nice to hear how you view the number. But this cake…it’s GORGEOUS!!! And tell Olivia that we think she did an awesome job with those beautiful sprinkles 😀 I remember during all of the trials for Willow’s birthday cake and gaining weight from all the calories! Haha!! I absolutely cannot wait to try this recipe! Oh! I just recently found King Arthur’s almond flour and it’s become my favorite!!! Congrats, again, my friend!!! Definitely something to be proud of. Your blog is beautiful and this cake is just amazing!! XO
Thank you so much my sweet friend!! You are so kind! Yes, I hate the word followers too, prefer to call them readers and even friends, and yes, it’s totally about the overall picture of how many more people are transitioning to eating more vegan/cruelty-free food! Thank you so much Mandy! I love King Arthur almond flour, so good!
Fabulously bright and cheery! I love how th e sprinkles look on the white icing and I’m sure they taste as good as they look!
Thank you Angela! I love thow they look too, sprinkles are just too much fun and make you feel like a kid again!
Brandi, you’ve outdone yourself! This is such a beautiful cake to celebrate! Now I’m totally craving funfetti cake, deal! Big congrats to you to reach the over 100 K followers so happy and excited for you! You do an amazing job my friend, love seeing all your new and fantastic creations!
Thank you so much Florian, I’m so glad you like it! Thank you so much for your kind words!!
I’m so excited to learn that there are vegan sprinkles in the universe! So exciting!
This cake looks delicious, Brandi!
Ha! Yes, and amazing ones at that…some vegan brands are so muted and ugly and I can’t have ugly sprinkles in my cake, lol! Thank you, Linda!
This is so gorgeous, and literally the cake of my dreams! I ask for a funfetti cake every year for my birthday because to me birthdays are dull without sprinkles :). Also, congrats!
You are the sweetest! Cake of your dreams? Awesome, then run and go make it! Can’t wait to hear what you think Hannah!
Congratulations on 100k Brandi!!! How amazing is that?!? And this cake!!! Oh holly smoke!!! Looks just prefect, everything that I would want from a birthday cake! I would also be on Olivia’s and Natalie’s side, waiting to stuff my face with some of this heavenly cake (and probably, if it was me, it would not even make it to the photo shoot! 😀 ) xxx
Aww thank you so much Anna! That many people want to eat vegan food, what is there not to celebrate? Ha! You are so sweet, so glad you like this cake! Olivia really loves this cake, but I’ve had to give her small pieces so she’s not overindulging too much, lol.
Just look at that tender crumb! I can’t believe this beautiful cake is gluten-free and vegan. And 100K readers is definitely reason to celebrate! Though I’d take a slice any day 🙂
Thank you so much Alisa! 5 trials to get that tender perfect crumb, haha! But oh boy, I’ve eaten this cake more than any other cake I’ve ever created, it is just that darn delicious!
This cake is calling out my name. “Aimeeeeeeeeeeee. Aimeeeeeee!” I can’t take it, I just want to eat it all right NOW! <3
Thank you Aimee! Haha!
Oh, wow! This looks like an amazing birthday cake, Brandi!! 🙂
Thank you so much Sina!
Girl, bring on the sprinkles!! I’ve never had funfetti cake, I’m really not a huge cake person, but this cake is gorgeous and SO fun looking!! My kids would love it. Totally have to try it for a party or something! And in your honor I’ll just eat a handful of sprinkles every week just to prove that I won’t die if I indulge 😉
Bahahaha, thank you for taking one for the team, lol! This is definitely a kids birthday cake, well, and mine too, haha! Thanks lady!
This cake is just gorgeous! The cake of my dreams, can’t believe it is vegan!
You are so sweet Bethany! Thank you so much! Yup, vegan AND gluten-free!
I’m making this tonight for my daughters birthday. For the coconut milk are you using canned or boxed?
Thanks!
Yay!! I can’t wait to hear! Yes, just use “lite” canned coconut milk and shake the can well first. 🙂
WOW!!!!! These were soooooo delicious!!!!!!! My husband and son gave thumbs up (son was eating the batter). 😉 I’m personally a cake-a-holic, so a vegan recipe is right up my alley. Thank you!
FYI, I cut the recipe in half and made cupcakes. Half of the recipe produced exactly 12 cupcakes.
Yay!! So so happy to hear that Courtney, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback!!
This cake is beautiful!!! I would like to leave out the sprinkles and add strawberry flavor and top with strawberries and chocolate drizzle. What would you recommend to add to the cake batter as a sub for the sprinkles? Would strawberry jam work?
Hi Molly! That is a tough question because adding strawberry jam will be adding more liquid/moisture to the cake and the cake does not need that and it could make the cake too heavy and dense. The sprinkles are just an add-in so removing them won’t alter the cake texture in any way, so they aren’t replaceable with something like a jam. I have never put a jam in a cake before so it’s really hard to tell you what to try without testing something like that myself. My best suggestion (without having tested it) would be to puree some strawberries into a complete liquid in a food processor and sub part of the coconut milk with that. I would suggest no more than 1/2 cup, as I think too much fruit puree may make the cake too moist. You could also add some strawberry extract to increase the strawberry flavor and maybe a pinch of beetroot powder to make it more pink. Those are some suggestions to try. That is what I would try. Just do a trial run before your needed cake event. Just make sure the toothpick is clean before removing from the oven.
Then you can top extra strawberries on top of the cake or if you want a really strawberry cake, I have a Strawberry Buttercream Recipe here: https://thevegan8.com/2015/10/26/vegan-strawberry-buttercream-frosting/
And I find this so funny you are asking, because my daughter’s birthday is in October and she specifically asked for a strawberry cake with chocolate frosting, haha! So my plan is to turn either this cake or my other vanilla cake into a strawberry one, but I just haven’t tested it yet. I will be posting it once it’s done but I’m sure you need it before I get around to that. Let me know what you try!
This is the most heavenly birthday cake! I love how classic it looks. It reminds me of my childhood birthday cakes, but a much healthier version. Those sprinkles are insane, too! I must order some 🙂
Thank you so much Melissa, you are so sweet!
Finally made this today!!! Cake was amazing!!! But my icing wasn’t right. I followed the recipe but it was very dark (I used white vanilla powder) and super duper runny. Wouldn’t even stay on the cake. One thing was my weight measurements seemed off. Like the cashew butter weight equaled only 3T when it called for 6. I was confused what to do. Did you use a light maple syrup??? I just can’t figure it out! Will definitely try again!
Hi Angie! Yay, so glad you loved the cake, such great news! Oh no, that’s the first I’ve heard that about the icing, but Yes, the icing is very running until you freeze it and it firms up a ton, because coconut butter when melted is a complete liquid, but once it firms up, then it becomes thick like a buttercream frosting. Did you freeze it until it got really firm? As far as the cashew butter, 96 g is correct, so you can’t go wrong as long as you always go by the weights I have listed since we may all measure a bit differently when using cups or spoons. Did you do the 96 g? I just used a regular grade A maple syrup and the icing is light like in the photo. Are you sure you used coconut butter and not a vegan butter made from coconut oil? I’ve had some readers get those 2 confused. Lastly, I would ask if you added all the powdered sugar? That helps it a ton to thicken up as well and turn the icing a lighter color. I hope all that helps, let me know!
Where do I begin?! This cake is INSANELY delicious!! I made two in a matter of days! So moist, flavor that goes on for days, and completely addicting!! I honestly don’t know how you come up with these recipes but I’m so glad that you do!! This makes the best breakfast with a cup of coffee! The second one I made I skipped the sprinkles and used soy milk instead of coconut milk for the frosting and used 1/2 soy milk 1/2 coconut milk in the cake–still turned out amazing!
Thank you, Brandi!!
Thank you so much Brooke! So darn excited you loved this cake so much and wow, 2 already?! Ha! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback!
Hello . I finally gathered all the ingredients for this but just realized the coconut butter destonay brand I bought will not be enough in one jar for the recipe. Is it OK if I use the second cup of coconut butter vanilla flavored? I can not locate plain coconut butter locally and do not have time to order another one. Ugh….
Hi Molly! Oh yes, definitely vanilla will work, in fact, that sounds really delicious! I have never seen vanilla-flavored coconut butter before, wow that sounds good! Can’t wait to hear what you think!
Do you think this would work with the Simple Truth blanched almond flour? You suggested that one in another recipe, and I know I can get it locally. Thanks!!
Yes, definitely!
Thank you!!
This cake looks amazing! I’m wondering if I could swap out the almond flour for coconut flour? I’m allergic to almonds.
Hi Bec! Unfortunately, that will not work. Almond flour is crucial to the recipe for texture and moisture. Since there is no oil, it gives the cake it’s needed moisture and wonderful texture. Coconut flour has the opposite effect, making things rather dry. Since you are allergic, instead, make this other vanilla cake on my blog and swap out the chocolate chips for funfetti sprinkles. You can still use this vanilla buttercream frosting, but if you are only making a single cake, just half the frosting recipe for that vanilla chocolate chip cake here: https://thevegan8.com/2016/06/29/vegan-gluten-free-vanilla-chocolate-chip-cake/
I don’t have a sensitivity to gluten, so is there any other flour that can be used?
Hi Cheri! You are in luck, because I am testing a regular all-purpose flour version this week because I’ve had so many requests for one made with regular flour. I’m going to be making a new post with this new recipe but will add it to this when it’s ready as well. If you like, I can email you when it’s ready? It’s best to not change this existing recipe with regular flour because it changes the whole liquids and everything since it is written based off using almond flour for the moisture, no oil, etc.
Hello! Did you ever end up testing on all purpose flour? I’d be really interested to know how that went.
Can you use regular flour instead of almond flour?? We don’t have that over here (not that I can find anyway)
Hi Khalisha! No, unfortunately that would completely change the outcome of the recipe. Almond flour is crucial to the moisture and texture of the cake. If you cannot find any, then I would make this cake instead. It is very popular with readers and does not use any almond flour. You can simply swap out the chocolate chips for funfetti sprinkles instead. You can still make this icing here though, but it does make enough for a double layer cake, so keep that in mind. Hope that helps!
Oops, here is the link to my other vanilla cake: https://thevegan8.com/2016/06/29/vegan-gluten-free-vanilla-chocolate-chip-cake/
Can I use regular vanilla extract rather than the vanilla powder? Thanks!!!
Yes, definitely!
Hi Brandi,
Would almond milk work (instead of coconut milk) in the cake batter?
Hi Dee! I have not tried this with almond milk so I can’t say how it would affect the texture or taste. Coconut milk has more fat in it and lends a wonderful butter flavor to the cake, so I know almond milk would not yield the same, however I’m not sure how big of a difference it would make. I would try it and report back!
I know you said to weigh the ingredients, but has anyone made this without weighing the ingredients? Would it totally ruin it? I don’t have a kitchen scale, and I really want to make this. It looks amazing!
Hi Sarah! You can still make it without a scale. When measuring your flours, use your measuring cup to scoop the flours and lightly pat down to make sure there are no gaps, then level off. That should give you close enough to the result. Let me know what you think of it!!
I am so glad I found this recipe! I just made it for my sister’s birthday; she’s vegan and her boyfriend is gluten-intolerant, so it couldn’t have been more perfect. I followed the recipe to the letter (do use the scale, and if you don’t have one, you should get one!) and it turned out perfectly. It was easy to make and was very well-received. Thanks for perfecting a great recipe and sharing it with us all!
Wonderful to hear Rachael!! So glad it was such a hit, love hearing this review and that it worked out perfectly!
Does anyone know what size cake pan to use for this? A few times it says a 9 inch pan, and other times the recipe indicates an 8 inch pan. The cake looks really beautiful! I am excited to try it. Thank you!
Hi Hannah! So sorry for the confusion…I just fixed my post. I tested the cake in both 8 and 9 inch round cake pans and both will work, but I felt that the 9 inch version, while delicious, was just a tad too short, so prefer the look of the 8 inch, so that is why I put that in the recipe printout. Either will work, but your cake layers will be shorter in the 9 inch. Let me know when you make it! It’s been a big hit with readers and most of them have made it in the 8 inch pans! 🙂
Hello Brandi! Thank you for clearing up the cake size question.
I made the cake yesterday and it was amazing! My family really enjoyed it. I used agave instead of maple syrup, because around here maple syrup is so expensive (we call it liquid gold!), and it worked fine. I also used a different white frosting. Thank you so much for this recipe! It is hard to find a gluten-free and oil-free cake which is this good. In fact, this is the best I have come across!
Yay! Love to hear that it was such a hit and it is the best you’ve made! Thank you so much Hannah for getting back to me with the lovely review!
I just made these for my daughter’s birthday party this afternoon. I made 23 cupcakes with the batter, baked at 350 for 20 minutes. I tasted one without frosting – after 30 minutes cooling in the cupcake pan, but before being fully cooled – and it was fantastic! I’m so excited to share these with the kids today. Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
I just wanted to note: I used whole fat canned coconut milk because it was all I could find, and it worked just fine.
That is so wonderful to hear Karen!! Yes, they are good even without frosting! I hope all of the kids enjoy them. Thank you for the awesome feedback!
Hello Brandi, I am interested in making a jellyroll cake. Do you think this batter would work for that? Or do you think it wouldn’t roll well? Do you think a different cake recipe of yours would work better, or maybe even a pancake batter? I would appreciate your thoughts! Thank you!
Hi Hannah! I don’t think this would roll well to be honest. It holds together well but it is light and fluffy and not nearly as firm as a traditional jelly roll cake that has white flour and eggs. The only one I think would work because it is bound pretty well, is my bread recipe, since I created it to be much more firm, since it’s a bread. I of course don’t know how it will work, but you could try it?? Hopefully it will not fall apart if you roll it while warm!
https://thevegan8.com/2016/03/11/cinnamon-applesauce-quick-bread-vegan-gluten-free/
You probably wouldn’t need buy maybe half the recipe? Not sure. Let me know if you try it, I’m now really curious if it would work myself, haha!
Since you mentioned a pancake batter, this spelt flour recipe holds pretty well too because it also has flax. It is not very sweet though since it is pancakes, so I would add white sugar or coconut sugar, but keep in mind the more coconut sugar added, the darker the color.
https://thevegan8.com/2016/02/01/fluffy-vegan-spelt-blueberry-pancakes/
I am allergic to almonds! Anaphylactic. It sounds like a yummy cake but not one that I could consume. Any alternatives?
Hi Lucy! I would make this other cake recipe of mine and sub in funfetti sprinkles instead of the chocolate chips. This is another really popular cake with readers and it has no nuts. Just coconut.
https://thevegan8.com/2016/06/29/vegan-gluten-free-vanilla-chocolate-chip-cake/
This cake is AMAZING!!! First off, so incredibly easy to make. I needed to make 6 cakes for my daughter’s birthday party; even waiting until the morning of the party, I was able to get them all done because they are THAT easy. Brandi makes these recipes in such a way that even the non baker can’t screw it up. They turned out beautifully. I was hesitant to even tell people it was gluten free and vegan because of those “labels,” but everyone assumed it would be some sort of “health” cake coming from me. I told them not to be afraid despite the labels. It. Was. A. HIT!!!! Everyone absolutely LOVED it. They couldn’t believe it was gluten free, vegan, AND oil free. Everyone asked for the recipe, and when I say everyone, I mean EVERYONE. If you’re looking for an easy, crowd pleasing recipe, this is it! Make it… you and your guests won’t be disappointed!
Oh, thank you so much Kelsey! This review is so fantastic and you really made my day! So very happy that EVERYONE loved it so much, thank you!!
Hello again!
I’m excited to bake this cake for my sons birthday! For the buttercream frosting, I got Whole Foods 365 brand cashew butter which just has cashew and safflower oil. Is this “raw”? It’s brown so I wasn’t sure if this would make the frosting dark. I also may have to use vanilla essence instead of the powder and not sure if this will change the color of the frosting? Lastly, since I plan to make the frosting the day before the big event, should I just leave it in the freezer or should I transfer it to the refrigerator? Thanks again for all your help with this!
Hi Bella! Yay, how exciting for your son! Unfortunately, that sounds like it is roasted and that’s why it’s brown. The flavor with added oil is not very good to be honest. I’ve had it before and ruined the flavor in my recipe. Also, it will make the frosting a darker color. The only ingredient should be raw cashews and it would say raw on the jar. Since raw cashew (oil-free) is rather hard to find, I always make my own. Simply add 2 cups raw, unsalted cashews to a food processor and process for anywhere from 5-10 minutes. You will have to scrape the sides several times in the beginning to break up the clumps and the sides, but keep going and it will eventually turn into a thick nut butter. But then you want to keep going and going until it is super duper smooth and soft and falls off of a spoon easily, like a buttercream frosting. Then it’s done. I have seen raw cashew butter only at Whole Foods, the Dastony brand and that’s the only good one that doesn’t have oil I’ve found. Plus, it’s too easy to make.
I think you will be fine with the vanilla since it’s a small amount. Just store it in the fridge and the day of let it soften a bit to whip it 🙂
Oh, no! I realized you said don’t use Bob’s Almond Blanched Flower until after I put it in the oven. Do you have any recommendations on another brand? Also, could you use regular flower?
Honeyville, King Arthur, Nuts.com blanched almond flour are all great. If in Texas, I love the HEB brand sold from the HEB stores. Hopefully your cake turns out fluffy and not gritty! No, it cannot be done with regular flour as it would totally change the result and make it very dry. The cake relies on almond flour for the moisture.
Hi. I don’t like cashews. Is there anything else I can substitute for the cashew butter?
For the icing? There is not a sub for the cashew butter in the icing without sacrificing the taste. All other nut butters will turn it brown and really change the color. But you do not taste cashews in the frosting. If you would like a much more simple vanilla icing, you can make this one instead.
https://thevegan8.com/2013/02/26/best-vegan-vanilla-maple-cupcakes/
Hi there !!! This cake tastes delicious !! I’m super impressed with how it turned out so thank you for the recipe 🙂
One thing I encountered though was that my cake crumbled when I cut into it. It tasted great and stayed moist.. but would fall apart. I didn’t weigh my ingredients as I don’t have a scale. Is this why?
Thank you kindy for your help !!
Hi Mina! I’m so glad you loved it! Hmm, that’s odd! I’ve had hundreds of remakes and I’ve made it many times myself and never had it fall apart. Yes, my guess would be the measurements are off. Gluten-free baking can be VERY finicky. Even off a couple of tablespoons can throw off the recipe, this is why I encourage weighing ingredients so much. We all measure a bit differently with cups…some may pack more or less, so even a couple of tablespoons can affect the texture. A scale can be found either online or really, any store these days, even Walmart for around $10 or so. Very inexpensive and so very worth the investment.
Other than that, my next question would be if you subbed any ingredient? The milk (used lite coconut?) or the flours? You used white rice flour, correct?
Just made these as cupcakes and substituted tapioca flour for the potato starch and they are delicious without frosting. I weighed all my flours. I’m going to try freezing the cupcakes. I also used a corn free recipe for baking powder. I’m so happy I found this recipe. Whole Foods has corn free sprinkles, just FYI.
Yay! So happy to hear that Janet, thank you so much for the awesome review!
I’ve been searching for the perfect dairy free funfetti cake recipe for my one year olds birthday smash cake and this seems to be it! I haven’t made it yet, but since my daughter is okay with gluten I wanted to make this cake with regular flour. So QUESTION! Can I simply substitute regular unbleached white flour in place of the almond flour AND rice flour, or are one or both of those crucial to the outcome of the cake? Thank you in advance! <3Hannah
Also, could I use corn starch in stead of potato starch?
Hi Brandi! This looks amazing just like all your other recipes! Was actually looking for something relatively healthier for my daughters first birthday and was thinking of making this for her as a smash cake for her to eat. Would you recommend it? From your experience and in your opinion do you think all the ingredients involved (maybe minus sprinkles) are safe for a one year old baby?:) sorry if the question sounds ridiculous! 8?3 only fed her breast milk and fruits/vegetables/carbs since she was born. Never salt and never sugar too. Please get back to me:) thanks Brandi!
Hi Shaz! Unless she is allergic to nuts or coconut, I don’t see why it wouldn’t be safe! I’m not a doctor but I served a vanilla cake with sugar to my daughter at her 1 year old party. I know other readers who have made this cake for a smash cake but to be totally sure, I would ask her doctor since there is almonds and coconut in it. I have no idea if she would be allergic to those (you never know) so I can’t say for certain and have that responsibility on me if she is, I’m sure you can understand that. 🙂 Have you ever fed her anything with nuts or coconut?
Hi, thank you so much for your reply!:) well I have fed her coconut and used coconut flour for a pancake recipe for her but never given her nuts. And I’ve heard lots of scary stories about nut allergies and the paranoid Mother in me is so afraid to try😩 But yes I suppose I could check with her doctor as I’d love to make her your vanilla cake recipe as her smash cake 🙂
Wow!!! Just made this as cupcakes. I haven’t made the icing yet and we’ve already had 4 cupcakes!! Yikes. Delicious. Thank you for such a perfect recipe.
Thank you so much Shannon! So glad you loved these so much! Thank you for the feedback!
Oh my gosh, I LOVE funfetti! I’m going to make myself some of these as an un-birthday gift to myself (because why not?). I love that you use simple, natural, plant-based ingredients to make all sorts of cool stuff. Thanks for inspiring people to live healthier while enjoying the process.
Super easy cake to do. I have done it for my daughter’s 2nd birthday and it was beautiful and tasty, smooth, perfectly sweet and what else, just PERFECT! I LOVED the frosting so much! Thank you for creating this recipe! :O) Can’t wait to try other cakes!
Thank you so much Catherine for the amazing review! So happy the cake and the frosting were such hits!!
Your recipes look wonderful. I have a question about your funfettie cake if I do not want to make it gluten free what adjustments would I make?
Hi Billie! I’m so sorry, but since I created this recipe specifically to be gluten-free and oil-free, the almond flour and flours listed are crucial to the texture. Subbing with regular flour would completely change the result and make the cake dry. The almond flour is what gives so much moisture since there is no oil. If you want a regular cake made with regular flour, then I would make this one and just add funfetti sprinkles, would work perfectly! 🙂
https://thevegan8.com/2013/02/26/best-vegan-vanilla-maple-cupcakes/
This is by far the BEST gluten free vegan cake I’ve ever had! It is a staple now for our birthdays in my family, I think I’ve made it like 6 times in the last year! Moist, really delicious flavor and can fool non vegans easily! Thank you Brandi for this recipe it really is perfect! 🤘
Thank you so so much Lindsi for making this and leaving this fantastic review! I’m so very happy to hear how much you and non-vegans love it!! Loved your pic of the 4 layer cake you made too, amazing!
Forgot to rate. ❤
This may be silly and since your vegan I’m sure you haven’t tried, but would adding an egg to anything negatively to the cake? I just want to ensure it is fluffy and so many GF vegan cakes don’t fluff nicely… I’m GF and dairy free but I can do eggs. Thanks!
Hi Tami! Yes, I would not add an egg to it. The recipe is written based on the above ratios so adding an egg would throw off the liquid/dry ratio and add unnecessary liquid to the batter. The starch in the recipe is what makes the cake fluffy and replace the eggs. As you can see from all the above reviews, readers have loved this cake! It’s loved by everybody I’ve made it for, vegan or not. I hope you give it a try!
This cake looks amazing!! Unfortunately, I am allergic to coconut. 🙁 Would another plant milk work just as well? Thank you so much for all of your wonderful recipes!!
Hi Renee, you can try cashew milk. The coconut milk makes the cake more fluffy and moist so it may alter the result a tiny bit but should still be good. Let me know!
Hi there! This cake was absolutely FABULOUS! It was the first time I’ve ever actually followed a recipe’s suggestion and measured out the ingredients and it turned out wonderfully! I was just wondering if you’ve ever made this as a chocolate cake? Or has a suggestion on how to turn in into one? Thanks!
Gabriella
Hi there! This cake was absolutely FABULOUS! It was the first time I’ve ever actually followed a recipe’s suggestion and measured out the ingredients and it turned out wonderfully! I was just wondering if you’ve ever made this as a chocolate cake? Or has a suggestion on how to turn in into one? Thanks so much!
Gabriella
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that Gabriella, thank you for the wonderful review! I haven’t made this specific recipe as a chocolate cake (but that’s a great idea to test out) but I DO have this other chocolate recipe made with almond flour already that is a big hit with readers!
https://thevegan8.com/2015/12/22/vegan-gluten-free-chocolate-peppermint-cake-oil-free/
Hi! I’m making this cake for my son’s 2nd birthday and I am really looking forward to the results! I have to admit that I am new to cooking with coconut butter. For the frosting…do you need to melt the butter before measuring 2 cups or measure 2 cups in solid form and then melt?
Thank you!
Hi Becky! You definitely want it melted as a liquid, runny as oil, and then measure 2 cups. I highly recommend a scale too so you make sure you get the exact correct amount. And with coconut butter, if you are new, here is a tip for success. I recommend the MaraNatha brand, it’s the most common brand and is sold at many grocery stores. I find mine at Sprouts usually or HEB or Kroger, or can easily be ordered off of Amazon. Since the oil can separate from the coconut meat in the jar, it’s best to remove the lid, then melt just gently in the microwave for about 15 seconds, just until it’s soft enough to scoop it all out into a separate container. This is how I store my coconut butter, then once you’ve added it to a container, melt a few more seconds, just until it’s super soft and then stir it until it’s completely smooth and well mixed. If you don’t mix it then you will be likely adding the oil and not the coconut meat since it separates and will affect the frosting texture. Hope this helps!
OR, if you want a more straight-forward easier traditional buttercream frosting, make this one from my wedding cupcakes post and double the frosting to ensure you have plenty.
https://thevegan8.com/2018/07/12/best-vegan-gluten-free-cupcakes/
Love love loved it. It’s all oil-free (even the frosting!) and it’s cake cake. Like cake shop cake. The texture is amazing – dense but fluffy, and I think it’s the best vegan vanilla frosting we’ve ever made! I do believe we have a new go to cake! Yay! Super creative and whole food plant-based!
Yay, thank you so much Beth for this gorgeous photo you shared on IG and the amazing feedback! Really made my day!
I made this cake for my daughters birthday. With the help of Brandi for the measurements I made 2 6″ layer cakes. It turned out fantastic. It was moist and tasty. I used the traditional buttercream icing recipe and she loved it!
Thanks for your help Brandi!
So thrilled it was such a hit Sue, thank you so much!
I made the funfetti cake into an ice cream cake for my daughter’s birthday. It was a huge hit! Thanks Brandi for all of your efforts.
Yay, so glad to hear this Nicole, thank you for the awesome review!
Hey brandi! Every single store in my city is out of potato starch! And I was going to make these cupcakes this weekend. Is it possible to swap it for tapioca or arrowroot? Thanks!
Hey! Oh no, bummer! No, do not use tapioca, it will make them gooey and gross. Potato starch is what makes them fluffy, so your next best option is cornstarch. Use the same weight amount. Unfortunately, cornstarch doesn’t work as well in the fluffy sift department as potato starch does, so they won’t be as light, but I think they should still be good. Let me know!
Hi Brandi! Had to let you know we made this cake for my daughter’s 2nd birthday party this past weekend. Followed your instructions to a tee and it was amazing! So many compliments. Got a small food scale for Christmas (under $20) and I have to tell you it’s been really fun to use!!! I love it. Anyway, since I had ingredients still on hand and hey.. it’s Friday.. I made the cupcakes tonight. Even without ANY frosting (was feeling lazy) I have to admit these are the best cupcakes I’ve ever had! So beautiful to boot! Thank you so much for sharing your talent with us. We make several of your recipes every week!
Oh goodness, your review made my whole night, heck weekend, Christina, haha! So happy to hear this and happy birthday to your little girl!! So happy these are the best cupcakes you’ve ever had, yay! Thank you so much for leaving this review!
I’m sensitive to almonds’s :(. What can I replace the almond flour with?
Thank you
Hi there! I listed under Note on the recipe in regards to the almond flour and linked to another recipe if allergic to nuts. The almond flour cannot be subbed here, it’s the main ingredient.
I made this for my daughter’s birthday party and it turned out delicious and very moist. I was shocked that it was oil-free and still this moist. Got lots of compliments. It was so pretty, I was happy to make a white cake that doesn’t use white flour (I usually use whole wheat flours or almond meal for my cakes so they turn out brown), and has the health benefits of using almond flour. I actually was out of potato starch so in a pinch I swapped out with arrowroot starch that I had on hand, but it was still moist and sweet, arrowroot has a neutral flavor (both potato and arrowroot are in the tuber/root starch category so the way they gelatinize is more comparable than a grain starch like cornstarch) so it worked out well, don’t know if the flavor would have been different with potato starch but it was delicious either way. I used the King Arthur blanched almond flour as suggested in recipe notes and was so happy with it, will use again. Most importantly, my toddler was thrilled at having a “confetti cake”, thank you so much Brandi for this recipe, it’s a keeper!
This is so wonderful to hear Sofia! So happy it was such a success and your toddler was happy!
Hi Brandi, I’m hoping to make this cake for my 5 year olds birthday party. I noticed in your notes you mentioned that it should be made the day of the event. However, i will most probably have to make it the day before so that i can also ice the cake with fondant (I’m planning a Lightening Mcqueen themed cake). Do you have any tips for storing the cake if made the day before? Alternatively, if the taste isn’t there, i might try another cake of yours such as the white wedding cake? Any and all suggestions will be much appreciated. Thank you so much!
Hi Bama! That is actually totally fine. Truth be told, I’ve made it many times the day before and the cake is so moist and delicious, it will be fine 🙂 Yes, just store it after it’s cooled in a cake dome at room temperature. Do not store it overnight in the fridge, as it would dry it out. This is my most popular cake recipe on the blog, as you will see from all the reviews, many readers make this cake weekly for their kid’s so I have no doubt you will love it! If you follow the recipe exactly, it should turn out perfectly 🙂 The wedding cake is phenomenal too, but I think this cake is better suited for birthdays 🙂 Now, one thing, I’ve never worked with fondant and the cake is tender, so I might suggest to chill the cake for just maybe 15-30 minutes at the most in the fridge right before doing the fondant, this should make it a bit easier to work with. Then just store the cake at room temperature. I hope that helps!
Do you have any suggestions for where to buy vanilla powder? Planning to make it this weekend but not sure where to purchase that! If you have a link or place you suggest checking for it I would love to know 🙂
Hi Shauna, I’m SO so sorry I missed your comment in time! I greatly apologize. I get so many comments that sometimes I miss one. I updated the recipe above with the vanilla powder I use and noted why it’s the best in the comment below as well. It is by far the best tasting one out there that I’ve tried! Stores do sell some white vanilla powders but they tend to be mostly sugar and taste a bit fake, so I’ve found ordering it online is the best kind.
I’m gathering all the ingredients to make this cake for my granddaughter’s birthday. I just need to know what kind of vanilla powder you use. There are so many and lots of negative reviews… some with sugar, some without sugar, some taste like chemicals etc. Will you please tell me what kind you use and I’ll just get that! 🙂 Thanks!
Hi Sharon! This is by far the best one out there that I’ve tried and I’ve tried several. It is a bit pricey, but will last a long time and the cheaper powders just simply do not taste as good or pure. It doesn’t have added sugar or alcohol either like so many brands or have a fake taste. As you can see, all the reviews are amazing too. Vanilla Powder
Found it! Thanks for the recommendation friend! I’ll let you know how it goes. 😉
Thank you, Brandi! I didn’t even realize the comment before mine was asking the same question! lol I love your blog! It is because of you and your amazing recipes that I have been able to maintain a plant based diet – no meat, dairy or oil and gluten free! In fact it was after I came across your article “Learn to Cook and Bake Without Oil” that I gave up oil! It was so informative! The work you do is saving lives by helping people, like me, make healthy food that actually tastes good! God bless you!
So I just made this cake for my sons 3rd bday tomorrow. I had a little crumb and the texture-so moist , flavor-perfect! Now the icing, I do not like coconut really and to me the coconut butter flavor stuck out like a sore thumb to me (i have the same exact kitchen scale; I’m a huge perfectionist so measurements were exact while brand of ingredients were top notch) I dumped all the icing into the trash and went ahead on making your regular buttercream frosting you linked, and wow okay def better. By the way my fav vegan butter is miyokos which is what I used for the buttercream frosting. Can’t wait for everyone to try the cake tomorrow.
So glad you loved the cake Paige!! Yay! Yes, the frosting has 2 cups of coconut butter in it, so if you hate coconut, I wouldn’t make something with so much coconut butter. I linked to the regular frosting recipe for those who prefer traditional 🙂 Glad you liked the regular buttercream! I personally love the coconut frosting because I love coconut butter, but can definitely see how it will be overpowering for those who don’t 🙂 Oh, I’ve heard great things about her butter!
Allergy to nuts can another gf flour work
Hi Jean, no, unfortunately there is no sub for the almond flour for this particular recipe. It is what gives the texture, as well as the moisture, since there is no oil or butter. It simply won’t work without it. I have this cake though that does not use almond flour. You could use sunbutter I suppose in place of the almond butter? https://thevegan8.com/vegan-almond-butter-cake-with-chocolate-frosting/
I also have this cinnamon bundt cake that doesn’t use any nuts. https://thevegan8.com/cinnamon-caramel-bundt-cake-vegan-gluten-free/