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.
I love a classic vegan vanilla cake but this funfetti cake is so fun and the perfect excuse to break out the 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. I tested this cake both in 6 inch pans and 8 inch, which you will see in the photos. The 6 inch of course made the cake layers taller, but they didn’t cook through as well, so 8 inch is better and a more traditional size of layers.
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
- Easy Vegan Lemon Cake (6 Ingredients!)
- 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 (THIS CANNOT BE SUBBED or the texture will be ruined)
- 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 and frost the top and sides as desired.
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 tested this cake both in 6 inch pans and 8 inch, which you will see in the photos. The 6 inch of course made the cake layers taller, but they didn't cook through as well, so 8 inch pans yield a much better texture and a more traditional size of layers.
- Nutrition stats do not include frosting since different frostings are suggested. Nutrition based off of 12 slices. per cake slice (without frosting) based off 12 slices.
Can the almond flour be substitute for something t else? Gluten free flour? Almond allergy.
Hi Catherine! Unfortunately not, the almond flour is the main ingredient and it is what provides all the moisture and texture since there is no oil or butter. It won’t work with a sub because the whole recipe is written based off using almond flour. I would suggest this gluten-free vanilla cake instead and add sprinkles to it! https://thevegan8.com/vegan-gluten-free-vanilla-cake/
Hi I can’t find the cupcakes version of the recipe – do I just make the same batter and change baking time and/or temperature? Hoping to make some to go alongside the main cake for my daughter’s birthday party this Saturday! Thanks so much
Ignore me I’ve just seen the adjustments! Thank you!
Hope they are a hit!!
Could I split this between three 6″ pans? Thanks!
Yes, I think that should work, just make sure the center is completely clean with a toothpick from baking, so the cakes are cooked through.
Thank you!!
I wanted to make these for my niece’s birthday and I know she’s already most likely getting a cake and I was wondering if I could make this as cupcakes. Would that work?
Any idea why I didn’t get nearly the rise you did? My layers were pretty thin in comparison to what you have pictured. I followed the recipe exactly. Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour, Azure Standard White Rice Flour and Potato Starch, Clabber Girl Baking powder. The only thing I did differently was 1/2 agave nectar for the maple syrup to reduce the maple syrup flavor
Hi JJ! Please read the NOTES section on the recipe card, it’s all noted there about what you are referring to.
Hi Brandi, Is there anything to use instead of potato starch? I have looked in four supermarkets in New York and none of them carry it, and I need it for tomorrow so I can’t order it on Amazon.. wah!!! Thank you!
That’s tough!! Potato starch is what makes it fluffy. The only sub I’d suggest would be cornstarch, but it will be more chewy fyi. Make sure to use the same gram weight amount as the potato starch.
Planning to make this for my sisters bday. Can I use blanched almond meal flour? That is what wegmans is calling it!
Yes, as long as it doesn’t have the skins!
Can I use almond butter instead of cashew?
No, unfortunately the almond butter won’t yield the same result for 2 reasons. Almond butter would be overpowering in flavor and color. Cashew butter tastes sweet and like vanilla, so it works perfectly in a frosting. Also, almond butter is much more oily, whereas cashew butter is less oily and firms up much more, making it a much better choice for this vanilla icing.
Hi! I can’t find white rice flour in any store and I’m making this cake for my sons birthday tomorrow? What would be the best substitution?
Hi! Rice flour is key to the texture. Without it, it will completely change the texture. You can sub with regular white all-purpose flour but that’s not gluten-free. If you have a high-powered blender, you can try blending up dry uncooked white rice into a fine powder and try that.
I’m going to make this cake on friday and after buying all of the ingredients I noticed that you didn’t recommend Bobs Red Mill for the almond flour. I’ve never heard of or seen the brands you mentioned, so I was just wondering what was so bad about using Bobs for the flour? Like what happened lol I don’t want to have to spend time looking for another flour 🙁 This will be my first GF cake!
Hi Shannon! This was years ago when I first posted so you should be good now, haha. Bob’s Red Mill almond flour used to be very gritty, not fluffy, so it would result in a dense cake, but as long as you bought a “super fine” blanched almond flour, it should be fine. They finally after many years changed their product.
I am not able to find either of those brands of coconut butter Not at While Foods or Amazon 🙁
Hi Joan, you can always order a coconut butter off Amazon or make it yourself if you have a good food processor. https://thevegan8.com/homemade-coconut-butter/
May I use full fat coconut milk in this recipe?
Hi! No, it will make the cake way too dense and moist. Full fat has 3 times the amount of fat as lite and is way too thick also, as well as it would taste like coconut.
Cake was a good texture. We did taste the baking soda strongly. Any suggestions? Its a beautiful cake.
Hi Donna! If you used baking soda, that is why. The recipe calls for baking powder, not soda. Soda is WAY stronger than powder.
Brandi, That is totally why. I used baking soda. Well, Im making it tomorrow for my daughters birthday, and with baking Powder!
This cake was amazing! I made this cake for my son’s birthday. It was my first time making a non chocolate vegan cake. It turned out great and the flavor was delicious! Both vegan and non vegan family loved it! I made it in the two 8 inch pans and made the traditional frosting and it was incredible! Thank you so much Brandi!! 😃
Woohoo, so so happy it was such a hit with everybody, thank you so much Samantha!
What is double acting baking powder is regular baking powder ok to use?
Yes, regular is fine!
This looks amazing! I want to make this for my son’s birthday. I don’t currently have my round cake pans with me. Can I make it in a 9 x 13 pan? I read a comment above from someone asking about doubling it and using a 9 x 13 pan, but I wasn’t sure if it would work without doubling. Also not sure if it would be tall enough like you were saying in the notes and other comments.
Hi! Sorry for the delay, I don’t think you’d need to double it, I would just try making it as the listed amounts. Doubling it would make too much batter I believe.
Just made this cake for my son’s birthday cake for the 3rd year in a row as a green (his favorite color) funfetti cake. He is a traditionalist, but this cake is THAT good! Thanks for all your recipes and insight!
Woohoo, love hearing that Sara!
Hi,
Is there a flour that you can use instead of almond flour? Can you just use double the rice flour? My daughter has food insensitivities to some nuts, especially almonds, so anything you think would still give it good texture, let me know!
Hi! No the almond flour is crucial to the moisture and texture. It won’t work here without it, so sorry! I do have this recipe though, you could add sprinkles too. It’s almond-free. https://thevegan8.com/vegan-gluten-free-vanilla-chocolate-chip-cake/
To make this recipe even helthier i suggesting using sprinkles from SuperNatural Kitchen. They are soy, free, (the shop you suggested is not soy free) and they use plant based colours as artifical coloring is not only bad for health but has been shown to have behaviour impact on children being linked to ADHD and autism. Just sharing the love. Thanks.
Thanks for sharing! Yes, I prefer these because the sprinkles colors hold up beautifully in baking. It’s not something you’d be consuming very often or in large amounts since it’s a special occasion cake (like once a year for me), so I don’t worry about it and many people have no issues with soy. But for anybody who would prefer to avoid these, the natural sprinkles are a great option, yes!
Hello what can I replace the maple syrup with that would give it a more neutral flavor. The maple syrup imparts a taste that i would prefer not having. The recipe is actually quite amazing. The texture and flavor is delicious. But to make it a true vanilla cake I would like to have a more neutral flavor if possible. I am amazed at this cake tho. Truly awesome.
Hi Maria, so glad you loved this cake! Yes, use agave instead. It imparts sweetness, but no maple flavor, so it will be a lot more neutral 🙂
This looks great! Do you know if ut freezes well?
Thank you!
I’ve never tried freezing it, typically cakes with potato starch tend to dry out, but you can always test a few slices!
Hi I was looking at this cake for my daughters 3rd birthday but she can’t have coconut (she has soo many allergens!). Can you make this cake with almond milk and achieve the same results?
You can try cashew milk but it may be less fluffy!
Hi! Wonderful recipe 🙂 Did anyone tried freezing the whole cake? I have an event in 3 days and wanted to make it in advance.
Hi Tati, I have not tried freezing the cake, but I’m afraid it would really dry out because of the potato starch. Cakes made with large amounts of starch tend to dry out quicker, especially if freezing them.
I want to make this for my sons first birthday. Can I reduce the amount of maple syrup? 1 1/4 cups seems like a lot of sugar. Thanks!
It’s not. It’s for a double layer cake. The liquid is needed for the right consistency. But if you want it less sweet, you could try replacing a couple of tablespoons with milk. Just keep in mind that it will change the texture since milk has fat in it and syrup does not.
Hi ! Can this be made into a single layer sheet pan?
If so what size would you recommend? We are having an engagement party for about 20 people and this sounds delish !
Hi! Yes, you should be able too. Just follow the written recipe and test it out first before the party to make sure it works well and don’t remove until a toothpick is clean from the center.