The Best Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Birthday Cake. This cake is easy to make, only 8 ingredients, soft, fluffy, really moist, healthy and oil-free. It is also grain-free!
VEGAN GLUTEN FREE VANILLA CAKE
This vegan gluten-free vanilla cake with chocolate ganache is adorned with curled white chocolate on top. Yes, please. This cake is just 8 ingredients, easy to make, oil-free and grain-free!
It’s hard to believe it is completely vegan, without eggs and dairy-free. I love all things vanilla. Whether it’s this 7 Ingredient Easy Vegan Vanilla Sheet Cake or these Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes are incredibly light and fluffy, as well as being gluten-free. I love vanilla cakes, like this Vegan Gluten-free Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cake and this Funfetti Birthday Cake.
But, hey, if you are a chocolate fan, definitely make the most amazing Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes ever and if you are gluten-free, make my Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes. They are honestly the BEST chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever had in my life and readers agree!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
To make this vegan gluten-free vanilla cake, you need to gather these 8 ingredients (+salt):
- Blanched almond flour: Make sure you are using a superfine blanched almond flour, as otherwise, your cake will turn out very dense and gritty. Honeyville, Bob’s Superfine Almond Flour, Wellbee’s are all good superfine blends.
- Potato starch: This is the exact starch that makes the cake so fluffy, other starches will NOT work the same and you will end up with a dense cake. I order mine online since it can be hard to find in stores. It arrives in just a couple of days.
- Baking powder
- Pure maple syrup
- Unsweetened applesauce: This replaces oil and helps to make the cake moist and also enhance the overall flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Vanilla extract
- Aquafaba: This replaces eggs and helps to make this cake really fluffy, it cannot be omitted.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN GLUTEN FREE VANILLA CAKE
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 9 inch round cake pan with a piece of round parchment paper on the bottom and along the sides. It helps to lightly spray the inside of the pan first so the paper adheres. OR you can make cupcakes and line a pan with 10 liners.
Step 2: Add the almond flour, potato starch, salt and baking powder to a large bowl and whisk everything together really well until there are no lumps remaining.
Step 3: In a separate small bowl, add the syrup, applesauce, apple cider vinegar, vanilla and aquafaba and whisk until smooth. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and beat with a handheld mixer for about a minute to incorporate some air and make it really smooth.
Step 4: Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, until it has risen with a light golden top (as pictured here), a toothpick comes out completely clean from the center. Let cool 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Then turn it over, so the flat side is facing up on a cooling rack. Cool completely before icing,
APPLESAUCE IN PLACE OF OIL
Using almond flour and applesauce keeps this cake really moist and oil-free. The almond flour gives it a buttery taste, keeps it insanely moist and the potato starch is what gives it fluff and that all-purpose flour effect.
In place of eggs, I used aquafaba, which is just the liquid at the bottom of a chickpea can. This idea has exploded all over the internet. It works as an egg replacer, among a billion other things. It is NOT my idea, the credit goes to Goose Wholt for the amazing discovery I found on Facebook. The recommended amount for 1 egg is 3 tablespoons chickpea liquid, but I found 4 tablespoons to work best for my specific recipe. In fact, it worked better than flax.
CAN YOU MAKE THIS CAKE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, you can make this cake the day before you need it and it will still be moist and taste delicious. Of course, I prefer the texture and taste of cakes always made the day of, but you can cover the baked cake at room temperature and then add the icing or ganache the day of serving.
VEGAN FROSTING OPTIONS FOR CAKE
- Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Vegan Strawberry Frosting
- Vegan Chocolate Espresso Truffle Frosting
OTHER VEGAN CAKES TO TRY
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake (Oil-free!)
Ingredients
MAKE SURE YOU ARE USING POTATO STARCH, NOT POTATO FLOUR! Some have incorrectly used that and the cake doesn't work!
- 2 cups (224g) superfine blanched almond flour (Do not use regular almond meal (with the skins), it is not light enough and will not produce the same results. See NOTES below.
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (100g) potato starch (this is the exact starch that makes the cake so fluffy, other starches will NOT work the same)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (200g) pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup (120g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15g) real vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60g) aquafaba (the liquid at the bottom of a chickpea can)
NOTE
- It is crucial to not sub these ingredients for best results. It's necessary to use a superfine blanched almond flour because it is what makes the cake so moist and light. 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 but you can bake it the night before if absolutely necessary. Just cover the cake well and add the ganache or frosting the day serving it. I recommend baking it at least 2 hours before your event to make sure it has completely cooled. Baked goods with starch tend to still slightly "cook" and fluff up for a couple of hours after removing them from the oven. They are a tad too moist to eat immediately.
- Line a 9 inch round metal pan with a piece of round parchment paper on the bottom and along the sides. It helps to lightly spray the inside of the pan first so the paper adheres. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. OR you can make cupcakes and line a pan with 10 liners.
- Make sure to weigh all your ingredients for accurate results. Fluff your almond flour with a whisk first to break up any lumps. If unable to use a scale, then scoop your cups into the dry ingredients, lightly pat down to make sure there are no gaps and then level off. Add the almond flour, potato starch, salt and baking powder to a large bowl and whisk everything together really well until there are no lumps remaining.
- In a separate small bowl, add the syrup, applesauce, apple cider vinegar, vanilla and aquafaba and whisk until smooth. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and beat with a handheld mixer for about a minute to incorporate some air and make it really smooth. It should be a very smooth, pour-able batter. Now, try not to eat all the batter now. I know, it's so dang good.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, until it has risen with a light golden top, a toothpick comes out completely clean from the center. If making cupcakes, using an ice cream scoop makes for nice rounded tops. Cupcakes should be done around 25 minutes, but check for a clean toothpick in the center. Your time may slightly vary depending on your oven and may take longer to bake. Let cool 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Then turn it over, so the flat side is facing up on a cooling rack. Cool completely before icing, at least an hour. Or, you can flip it back over and frost the dome top if you prefer that look.
- You can top it with my Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Ganache/Glaze! For additional decoration, I added some curled vegan white chocolate. OR if you want a traditional buttercream icing, I highly recommend my Vanilla Buttercream Frosting!
Notes
- Blanched almond flour: Make sure you are using a superfine blanched almond flour, as otherwise, your cake will turn out very dense and gritty. Honeyville, Bob’s Superfine Almond Flour, Wellbee’s are all good superfine blends.
- Potato starch: This is the exact starch that makes the cake so fluffy, other starches will NOT work the same and you will end up with a dense cake. I order mine online since it can be hard to find in stores. It arrives in just a couple of days.
- The nutrition does not include the aquafaba since there is no nutritional info that I could find online. But it's such a small amount, it wouldn't make much a difference anyways.
Nutrition
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Hello. Can we use date syrup instead of maple syrup? Thank you!
Hi Brandi, I have made a few of your recipes including the vanilla cake above and absolutely loved them. I have posted a pic of the cake I made and tagged you on Insta. I am a cottage food baker specializing in healthy, gluten-free bakes and would love to use your recipes for my small home business. Hope this is ok with you.
Absolutely loved this recipe! Made a double layer 9” cake with a strawberry buttercream frosting for a birthday party. It was a huge hit! The only change I made was using a chia egg (1tbsp ground chia seeds in 3tbsp water) instead of aquafaba because I didn’t have it. Oh and used lemon juice in place of apple cider vinegar. Exceptional!
So happy to hear this!!
Thank you! This is my go to kids party cake recipe xx
Hi Brandi, Thank you so much for the Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake recipe! Since I’m working on controlling sugar intake, I wonder if it would work if I reduce the maple syrup amount to 1/4 cup. Or would it work if I substitute the maple syrup entirely with pure monk fruit powder?
Hi! No, that won’t work. The syrup is part of the liquid ratio needed for the cake batter to be correct and the cake to be moist. It will be very dry and dense reducing it. Also, I’ve never used monk fruit powder so I can’t give advice on how to sub with it. I think it would work better to find a recipe that is calling for white sugar and sub that with monk fruit and try that.
Im allergic to nuts and seeds sadly:( so can i use all purpose gf flour as well as oat flour like half and half? YIKES this recipe sounds perfect!
would you recommend this cake or the recipe for the funfetti cake for a gluten free cake? which is fluffier and softer?
Can this recipe be doubled successfully for a 9 x 13 pan?
Hi Lisa, I’m SO sorry that I have missed your comments! yes, you should be able to double this cake. Just keep in mind that it of course may take longer to bake so do not remove until a toothpick if completely clean from the center.
This cake sounds delicious! Can the recipe be doubled? I would love to do it in a 9 x 13 sheet pan.
Would oat Flour work in place of the almond flour?
No, the almond flour replaces oil and gives lots of moisture and texture. Using all oat flour would make it very gummy, dense and dry.
Ahhh this cake is AMAZING!! I cannot believe it is gluten free, oil free, and vegan! I have made this countless times and it continues to be a household favorite! Sometimes we throw chocolate chips in, as well! This cake is delicious and never lasts more than a day or two in our house!
I love this recipe for Passover! Is there any way to replace the aquafaba with a different vegan egg replacement like vinegar, baking soda, banana, sweet potato etc?
Thank you Alex! No, sadly, not. The aquafaba is what makes the cake really fluffy. It performs completely different than sweet potato, banana, flaxseed, etc. which all would make the cake more dense. I really don’t suggest subbing. I have another vanilla gluten-free cake that doesn’t use aquafaba though here: https://thevegan8.com/vegan-vanilla-wedding-cake/
Oh no 🙁 For Passover, it would need to be a recipe without corn or rice. Which is why the combination of almond flour and potato starch is perfect! I saw in other comments you recommended soy milk. Soy would also be a problem. What about trying almond milk with vinegar – to make a vegan buttermilk? Or seltzer since it has bubbles? Or baking powder/oil/water combo?
You could try seltzer but aquafaba does really do some amazing egg substitute because of it’s fluff and structure ability. You can try seltzer, I just can’t say for sure how it would work. I don’t think I’d increase anymore baking powder though because the aquafaba doesn’t really make things rise necessarily, it just acts as a binder and more fluff, so it’s not as dense (like flax eggs for example). Plus, extra baking powder could leave an off taste. Let me know how it turns out with the seltzer, hopefully it works good!
Hi! I live in a country where you can’t buy canned chickpeas-so store bought aquafaba is not an option. Can I make my own letting the chickpeas soak overnight? Or perhaps some other diy process? I know there’s other recipe options but was hoping to get more insight with aquafaba from someone who had maybe already tried it. Thanks!
Yes, you could try making your own chickpea liquid, I’ve never tried that, but I think it should work!
Do you have to whip the chickpea liquid before mixing the ingredients together? Do you have to use a metal pan? Can it be silicone?
Nope, no whipping! I prefer the results of texture in metal pans, but that’s up to you if you want to try it in silicone. I just find that the edges and texture doesn’t work as well because of the way heat is distributed in metal.
Brandi, you have really out done yourself with this — AMAZING! Soft, moist, cut well, not dense at all (like many GF baked goods are). This came together so quickly and easily! I cannot wait to make this again and top with strawberries or blueberries, maybe some of your chocolate espresso frosting! So many possibilities- so delicious!
(Since almond flour brands can make the difference, for reference for others, I used the Kirkland blanched almond flour from Costco and followed the recipe instructions from Brandi to make sure it was clump-free!)
Thank you SO SO much Megan for such an incredible review, that is amazing to hear how much you loved it!
Hi! I really love your recipes 🙂 I just want to ask one question, can we use agave or apple juice concentrate instead of maple? In my country it’s a bit difficult to reach a good priced maple 🙂 Thanks in advance !
Hi! Yes, definitely, agave is a great swap! I would do apple juice though, but agave works great.
I have not had the best luck with VGF desserts of any kind…most have been ok (and a few disasters), but nothing that made me say “I want to make that again”. UNTIL NOW! This cake was sooooo yummy and actually held together like cake! It was even good on day 2 (though best on day 1). I know that sometimes it can be the brand of flours that make or break a baked good, so for reference I used Trader Joe’s extra fine blanched almond flour, Thrive Market organic potato starch, and King Arthur gluten free all-purpose flour. I weighed the ingredients, and baked in a 9″ non-stick springform pan. I am going to try it as a pineapple upside-down cake next. I think it will be so good.
Yay Jen! So glad my recipe was the one to change your mind. So happy you loved this cake!