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The Best Gluten Free White Cake is tender and moist, while dense enough not to crumble at the touch of a fork, this is exactly what I want in a white cake.
Topped with creamy fresh strawberry frosting, or a classic buttercream, this cake has received more thumbs up over the past ten years than anything else I’ve baked. The flavor combination is absolutely perfect with both almond and vanilla flavors.
Gluten Free Cake Recipes
Several years ago, my best friend asked if I would make her a gluten-free white cake. In my relative newness to gluten-free baking, I assured her that I could do that. Ha.
It took me 6, maybe 7-8, different recipe attempts, (I stopping counting after I dumped the third mess into the trash.) The taste and/or texture was never quite right.
If you are familiar with gluten-free baking, then you likely already know that recipes for traditional chocolate desserts are fairly simple to convert to gluten-free most of the time.
This is evidenced by The Best Gluten Free Chocolate Cake, no one ever believes that one is gluten-free. Unfortunately, this is not true for all gluten free baking recipes.
Chocolate provides so much flavor that without it, the more “unique” flavors of the gluten free flour alternatives will often show through. This made it much harder to achieve a classic white cake flavor.
Gluten Free White Cake
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m rather picky about my gluten-free baking. (It has caused many an eye roll from my husband as I decide something just isn’t quite right, while he and my kids are happily devouring it. ha)
Because I am not restricted from eating the traditional versions myself, I often make both items side by side to taste the both versions and see if the gluten free recipe measures up. “Good enough for gluten free” isn’t something I ever want to share with you.
I’m thrilled to tell you that this is THE CAKE. This cake absolutely positively measures up. Over the past few years, I’ve made this cake with the exact recipe below countless times now and I’ve served it to over a dozen people.
It received rave reviews from every single person and they all questioned me more than once regarding whether or not it was really gluten free. (That, my friends, is a sign of gluten free recipe success!)
Gluten Free White Cake Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease (2) 8″ round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each pan with a greased parchment circle.
- Stir together the dry ingredients and set aside.
- Beat the eggs and the sugar together until creamy.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and beat again.
- Add the buttermilk, butter, vanilla and almond extracts and beat to combine.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat just until combined.
- Divide the batter between the greased cake pans.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the cake is very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove and let cool at least 30 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Frost as desired.
Once you’ve fallen in love with this cake the way that we have, you can use this recipe to make a Strawberry Poke Cake, a Pineapple Crush Jello Cake, or this Strawberry Mousse Cake.
The Gluten-Free White Cake recipe works great as cupcakes for a gluten-free birthday cake. My middle son loves this cake with Fluffy Chocolate Frosting. The possibilities with this cake recipe are endless.
Check out all of the Gluten Free Dessert Recipes on this website!
Kitchen Tip: I use this sheet pan, this cake pan, or this cupcake pan to make this recipe.
The Best Gluten Free White Cake
Ingredients
- 1½ cups brown rice flour
- ⅔ cup potato starch
- ⅓ cup tapioca starch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup butter melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease (2) 8" round cake pans with butter and line the bottom of each pan with a greased parchment circle.
- Stir together the dry ingredients and set aside. Beat the eggs and the sugar together until creamy. Add half of the dry ingredients and beat again.
- Add the buttermilk, butter, vanilla and almond extracts and beat to combine. Add the remaining dry ingredients and beat just until combined.
- Divide the batter between the greased cake pans. Bake in the center of the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the cake is very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove and let cool at least 30 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Frost as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 4/1/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 8/17/21}
It was amazing … just amazing! My daughter is also dairy free. We substituted almond milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice for the buttermilk and dairy free butter and it was just fabulous. Kudos to you and we will making this again.
I’m so happy to hear that you’re enjoying the cake, Megan!
I have been gluten-free my entire life, and this is the absolute best cake and frosting I’ve ever had! Served it to family, and they didn’t even know it was gluten-free! Thank you!
I am thrilled that you love the cake so much, Maegan.
Could I do a gf blend to equal your dry in the recipe?
If you have a GF blend that you love and have found it works well in a 1:1 substitution, it’s worth trying, Rebecca. I tried many different combinations while testing this recipe and I can only speak to the results when using this exact ingredient list.
My husband is allergic to potatoes and gluten free☹️ Any thoughts on what I could substitute potato starch with? Thank you! JL
You can use more tapioca to replace the potato starch, Jodi. The texture will be a little different, but it will still work!
Awesome! Given the current state of the world and my lack of tapioca starch could one use corn starch and tapioca mixed? 😬
Followed the recipe to the dot and still turned out dense. Thought it was going to be different but I guess not.
Without being in your kitchen with you, Avery, it’s hard to guess what might have gone wrong. Did you substitute any ingredients?
Light & perfect! I used this recipe for my own wedding cake I loved it so much. I subbed oil for the butter and only used egg whites to make it a whiter cake. Turned out perfectly!!
That’s awesome, Laura!
I really want to try this recipe to make the first birthday cake for my kid. Could I use anything to substitute egg because my daughter is allergic to gluten, milk and also egg.
A few people have left comments that they used an egg replacement and it worked nicely, Nack. I haven’t tried it myself.
Is tapioca starch different from tapioca flour?
They’re the same, Sheila. The packaging tends to be labeled both ways.
It was perfect the first time. I learn so much from you!
I’m glad you liked the cake!
This cake was amazing! You must expect a GF cake to be denser than regular cake; but the taste and texture were delicious. It lasted less than 24 hours at my house. I will be making it again for my son’s birthday this week and I will be serving it to non-GF guests with no apologies. Thanks for the great recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that you love the cake, April!
I made this cake after making and paying big$ for 2 different GF mixes. It was truly fabulous in every way! Great crumb, density, flavor. I bake a ton of cakes and needed one for a special diet. This fit the bill and I will definitely make it agin! The only issue is that it is not white, it is yellow. Not a biggie, but was hoping for white. Thanks!
I’m so happy that you are enjoying the cake. Different eggs will affect the color of the cake in different ways. Farm eggs will always make for a more yellow color too.
I only have 2, 9″ pans, do you think it will be ok?
The cake pans might overflow with that much batter in just two pans. I would fill them to halfway and then bake any remaining batter in a smaller pan by itself. You’ll just have a little bonus cake.
Thanks Mary but since I’m using 2, 9 inch instead of 2, 8 inch should the cake just not be a bit thinner not overflowing?
oh my goodness, YES. You are correct. Thanks for clarifying that. I was thinking the recipe called for (3) 8-inch pans. You’ll be perfect with (2) 9-inch ones. Happy baking!
Loved this cake!! Have you frozen it? If so, how did it handle the thaw?
It thaws nicely at room temperature, Laura.
I love this cake, is the best gluten free cake I tried.
The only thing I like to change, is that it is a little to sweet for me, can I use less sugar or any other substitute?
If the center of the cake is a little gummy it means that needs more time in the oven?
Thank you in advanced.
Graciela
Yes, if the center of the cake isn’t as fluffy as the sides, it needs to be baked longer. I’ve never tried to reduce the sugar in this recipe, so I can’t speak to how that might work, Graciela.
Can I sub white rice flour for the brown?
Yes, that will work, Stephanie. It will change the texture slightly, but it works.
Anyone have experience using arrowroot flour/starch instead of the potato and tapioca flour/starch? I have arrowroot in the house already and I’m wondering if I could sub it in place of the other 2. I’ll update after I try the recipe.
I haven’t tried that myself, Cammie.
Arrowroot tends to make baked goods very chewy and bendy. It is good in small quantities, mixed with other starches, to replace some of the elasticity of gluten, but I think you will be disappointed if you replace all the starch in the recipe with just arrowroot. I have successfully replaced a variety of starches with tapioca, but not arrowroot.
Yes, you can always substitute all starches, we do it all the time.
For what it’s worth, it will change the texture slightly, but it should still work, Cammie.
Hi Mary, what are the approximate dimensions of the finished cake? I’m planning to do several layers but will adjust the recipe to ensure it isn’t too tall! Thank you.
Hi, Erika. This batch will fill an 8″ round cake pan.
Hello.Can I substitute brown rice flour, potato starch and tapioca starch with the equal amount of 1-1 Bobs Mill Gluten free flour?.TIA
I haven’t tried that myself, so can not speak to how it might work. It’s worth a shot though, Natalia.
I’m looking to make a 1/4” sheet cake rather than a round cake. Do you think this would make enough for one 9 x 13 pan?
Yes, that will work nicely, Ashley.
I have been trying out different white cake recipes for years and I had nearly given up until I found this recipe. I tried it out earlier today for the first time and I’m so in love! I never thought I’d be able to have an actual enjoyable piece of white cake again so thank you!!! I followed the recipe to a tee and it turned out fabulously. I have had a go-to chocolate cake for a while and I’m so happy to say I now have my go-to white cake!
I’m thrilled to hear it, Rachel!