This Gluten Free Yellow Cake recipe is the best yellow cake recipe you’ll ever make! It’s moist with an amazing buttery flavor just the way homemade yellow cake should be.
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Gluten Free Yellow Cake
I can’t even believe I’m saying this but we’ve got not one, but TWO things to celebrate today! First of all, What The Fork Food Blog turned 5 years old earlier this month. 5!
And second, TODAY is the day! The day that The Gluten-Free Quick Breads Cookbook is on store shelves! The day that you’ll finally have my book in your hands! Pinch me, I’m a published author 😱😱
I’m so proud of everything that I’ve been able to accomplish with this blog in the last 5 years. Not only has it led me to writing a cookbook (a dream I’ve always had), but it’s allowed me to help so many of you with your gluten free baking struggles. I’ve learned so much about baking gluten free and it truly makes me happy to be able to share my knowledge with you and help you be more confident in your kitchen and with the recipes you’re making.
We’ve been able to start building a great community, the Gluten Free Baking Club, and most recently I’ve been able to put together a very helpful resource with my #1 baking tip that explains why it’s important and how it will affect your baking. The free guide also comes with a gluten free baking mini-course (also free!). It’s a handy resource whether you’re completely new to baking gluten free or if you’ve been at it for a while now.
But again, the most important thing is that I’ve been able to help support you on your gluten free baking journey by answering your questions/emails/messages and providing you with solid recipes. That’s a lot to celebrate!
And the best way to celebrate anything, in my opinion, is cake 🍰
Which leads me to this – the best yellow cake recipe, made gluten free of course! You guys, this cake is outstanding.
Homemade yellow cake is notorious for being hard to get right. It’s never moist enough, it’s a little too dense, and it’s just never as good as a boxed cake mix so why go through the effort? Not with this cake, my friends! This cake is moist and tender (thanks to the buttermilk) and is nice and light as cake should be (thanks to the meringue).
I’ve made this cake more than 5 times to get it right and all the trials were well worth it because the end result is better than anything I could have hoped for.
What You Need To Know About This Yellow Cake Recipe:
You guys may have noticed that this recipe calls for beating the egg whites separately and folding them into the batter at the end. I know this sounds tedious but trust me on this – it’s totally worth it. When the egg whites are beat into a meringue then folded into the batter, they provide structure to the cake while keeping it lighter and airier.
We’re not going for a dense poundcake here.
The great news is that you need 4 whole eggs in this recipe – divided into 4 egg yolks and 4 egg whites. That way, you won’t have any random bowls of extra egg yolks or egg whites hanging out in your fridge that you’ll forget about. It’s the little things!
You’ll notice that this recipe also calls for a combination of melted butter and oil. Butter gives the cake flavor but using some oil in place of all butter gives the cake that moisture without making it too rich.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a star rating and let me know in the comments! You can also leave a photo/comment on this pin for others to see.
Key Ingredients for Homemade Yellow Cake
- cornstarch
- buttermilk
- yellow food coloring (optional)
- cream of tartar
Equipment Needed to Make this Yellow Cake Recipe
- 3 8-inch Round Cake Pans
- Parchment Paper – I always line the bottoms of my cake pans with parchment paper. They’ll come out cleanly every time.
- Electric Mixer – I use an electric hand mixer to beat the egg whites and make the meringue. You can use your stand mixer with the whisk attachment if you prefer.
- 3 Mixing Bowls – normally my recipes call for 2 bowls. But because this recipe relies on whipped egg whites, we need a 3rd bowl. One extra bowl is definitely a fair trade off for the best yellow cake recipe you’ll ever make!
<<. pin this recipe to your Gluten Free Desserts board .>>
How to Make Yellow Cake from Scratch
Step 1. Whisk together the dry ingredients.
Step 2. Whisk together the wet ingredients.
Step 3. Beat the egg whites/make the meringue.
Step 4. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together then gently fold in the egg whites/meringue.
Step 5. Transfer evenly between 3 cake pans then bake for 20-22 minutes.
Step 6. Cool completely before frosting.
Tips for Making the Best Yellow Cake Recipe from Scratch
- Don’t skip on whipping the egg whites. They provide structure, lift, and lightness in this cake.
- Don’t replace the cornstarch with extra gluten free flour. The added starch gives the cake a lighter texture, similar to cake flour.
- In order to get that true yellow hue you expect, you have to add a couple drops of yellow food coloring. I use 3 drops of AmeriColor Egg Yellow. It’s entirely optional but without it, the cake will be on the paler side.
- Don’t over bake! Test your cake for doneness with a cake tester – if it comes away with moist crumbs, you’re good! If you over-bake your cake it’ll be dry.
What People are Saying About This Gluten Free Cake Recipe
I was looking for a cake recipe for the whole family and I stumbled on this article. I read and followed the instructions carefully and I made it deliciously! Every member of my family is so happy! Thanks for this!
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This recipe was great for cupcakes! The softness of the cake and the sweetness of the vanilla was perfect.
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I have been trying to find a good GF vanilla cake recipe for MONTHS… You did it!!! Several of my tasters said it was amazing, and they couldn’t even tell it was GF… the ultimate compliment! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Other Gluten Free Cake Recipes To Try
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
- Coconut Cake
- Gluten Free Carrot Cake
- Funfetti Cake
- Gluten Free Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
- Gluten Free Strawberry Cake (with fresh strawberries!)
Be sure to follow me on instagram and hashtag #whattheforkfoodblog or tag @whattheforkfoodblog – I love seeing what you make!
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Gluten Free Yellow Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten-free flour blend
- 1/2 cup 70 g cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 1/4 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 3/4 cups 400 g granulated sugar, divided
- 4 large eggs room temperature and separated
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk room temperature
- 1/2 cup 4 oz unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1/3 cup avocado oil see notes
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 drops yellow food coloring optional
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then spray 3 8-inch cake pans with non-stick spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, cornstarch, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 1 1/2 cups (340 g) granulated sugar. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract, and food coloring (if using). Set aside.
- Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to a separate, clean medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until the egg whites become thick and foamy. Slowly add in the remaining 1/4 cup (60 g) granulated sugar until the meringue is shiny and holds a stiff peak. Then set the meringue aside.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Add half of the meringue to the batter and gently fold in with a spoon. When it's mostly folded in, add the remaining meringue. Gently fold in until no white streaks remain. Make sure you're folding and not stirring/mixing so you don't deflate the meringue. It may take a minute or two to fully incorporate the meringue.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pans, making sure it's distributed evenly between the three and spread the batter evenly in the pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes.
- Cool the cakes in the pan for 25 minutes then remove them from the pans and cool completely on wire racks. Once the cakes are cooled, frost them with chocolate buttercream frosting or vanilla buttercream frosting.
Notes
- I use my Nightshade Free flour blend in this recipe. If you use a flour blend that contains xanthan gum, omit the amount called for in the recipe.
- Canola oil or vegetable oil can be used in place of the avocado oil.
- I use AmeriColor Egg Yellow food coloring.
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information
Disclaimers
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Facts are estimated and aren't always accurate. Please consult a doctor or nutritionist if you have special dietary needs.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a star rating and let me know in the comments! You can also leave a photo/comment on this pin for others to see.
5 Year Blogiversary + Cookbook Launch (KitchenAid Stand Mixer)
I really loved this recipe. I made it tonight. This is my second time. Trying to post this review. I hope it goes through this time.
Anyway, my husband loved it. I made it with King Arthur flour 1 to 1. I also made it milk free due to a casein allergy. I did a riff on your frosting recipe. Are used a dairy free cream cheese and vegan butter, as well as plant milk, a little extra salt and extra cocoa. It came out so beautifully. I took several pictures too bad I can’t post them with this review. Love, it will be keeping it!
Thank you Elizabeth!
I am going to make this cake. I will be using Cup4Cup . Should I add extra liquid with this flour.?
I have not tested this recipe with Cup4Cup so I can’t tell you for sure.
Can you freeze this cake and it still thaw with the taste and texture in tact?
This cake freezes great! You can freeze unfrosted layers wrapped well and then partially defrost at room temperature before frosting. Or you can freeze individual slices and defrost them at room temperature before eating.
Love this cake recipe! Is it possible to use this recipe for cupcakes? If so, how many and how long would you bake them? Thank you.
Thanks Debbie! It would probably make about 24-30 cupcakes. I would start with a bake time of 18-20 minutes and check for doneness.
Can I substitute Greek Yogurt for the buttermilk? Not only can I not do gluten, I also cannot do dairy because of the whey in it. (My research tells me that Greek Yogurt has very little, if any, whey).
I haven’t tried this with Greek yogurt. But you can use 1 1/2 cups dairy free milk of your choice (minus 1 1/2 tablespoons) PLUS 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar.
Hi Shay, my comment was here now it’s gone. I’ll ask again- do you know if this can be frozen and if so how long it can stay in the freezer? I love all your recipes so very much!
Hi Holly, yes you can freeze them and I recommend freezing them in individual pieces. They will last about 6 months or so!
I have made this cake several times and it always turns out perfect! Best GF cake ever! I can’t have chocolate either so I put raspberry jam between the layers and vanilla icing on cake. It’s divine! I put small bowl of water in oven with all GF baked goods too.
Thanks so much for this recipe!
You are very welcome Mimi! Thanks for the positive feedback!
Couple years ago I made one of your cake recipes. Likely white cake. I was intrigued by your sub of cornstarch for a portion of the GF flour. The cake was wonderful. I now use your technique for everything- all cakes, pancakes, dumplings. You name it. When asked my secret for success I tell everyone about the substitute but they shrug it off. Silly people. I couldn’t remember where I had found the suggestion. I now remember and will give you full credit! Thanks from a mom/grand mom of many GF family.
Rita, thank you so much! Let me know of some of the recipes you like to make!
Have you ever simple syrup soaked your cakes? I would like to make this ahead of time. I have noticed with other recipes if I put it in the fridge it gets dry and crumbly.
Made this for my husband’s bday – it was delicious. You really couldn’t tell it was GF. I used KA m4m flour. I also used veggie oil instead of avocado, I didn’t use food coloring nor xanthan gum. I made my own buttermilk b/c I didn’t want to have to buy a small container. Just found a recipe online for adding lemon juice to milk, let it sit for 30 minutes – and it worked great. I did bake for about an additional 5 minutes until the toothpick coming out was clean.
Happy birthday to your husband! I’m so glad you had a cake you could enjoy for his special day!
Finally a GF cake that’s just like a cake! My kids are so happy! I’m so happy! If anyone else can’t have tapioca I swapped it for half potato and half sweet rice flour. (Which doesn’t make it nightshade free anymore, but did work if you don’t need to skip nightshades.)
Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! I’m so happy your kids loved it!
This recipe looks really good and about to try it.. Thank you. I plan to skip the food coloring and add some crushed pineapple to the cake. Has anyone tried such an addition?
I wouldn’t suggest the crushed pineapple, it’s something that would have to be tested. Pineapple is tricky with gluten free baked goods because the acid reacts with the xanthan gum. Without the proper ratios, the cake will turn out gummy and dense.
If my flour blend has xanthan gum mixed in do I need to add more?
No you don’t need to add any more!
Hi,
Can I freeze the layers after baking?
Thanks
Yes you can!
Can I make a rectangular pan cake with this recipe? Will it be too gummy?
You can, you’ll just have to adjust the baking time. It should take around 30 minutes but may depend on your oven.
Will the cake turn out okay if I make a half recipe? I don’t have enough buttermilk on hand for the complete recipe and want to make a cake to go with some strawberries. Trying not to go to the store as we are social distancing during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Yes, you can halve it and bake it in 2 6-inch pans. Use 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
For the oil, half of 1/3 cup is 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons.
I have been trying to find a good GF vanilla cake recipe for MONTHS… You did it!!! Several of my tasters said it was amazing, and they couldn’t even tell it was GF… the ultimate compliment! Thanks for sharing 🙂
That’s awesome to hear Katie, I’m glad you finally found a go-to cake recipe!
Hi, Can you please tell me if I can switch the corn starch with arrowroot flour. It is super fine. Thank you, Emerine
I wouldn’t sub with arrowroot because the arrowroot here. If you can’t use cornstarch, I would try subbing it with potato starch or tapioca flour.
Is this batch big enough to do two layers? Or should we double?
As written, this recipe makes 3 8-inch layers.
I plan to make a birthday cake shaped in a flamingos for co worker ..were both Celiacs
That’s so great!
Great to use with fresh strawberries as a shortcake!
Congratulations on your book being published, and Happy Blogiversarry!
Thank you!
I was looking for a cake recipe for the whole family and I stumbled on this article. I read and followed the instructions carefully and I made it deliciously! Every member of my family is so happy! Thanks for this!
Thanks Kate, that makes me so happy to hear!!