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This is a super easy gluten free vanilla cake recipe and is a fantastic base for making more tasty cakey goodness. If you’re catering for someone who is gluten free or coeliac, this is the go to recipe as it’s the minimum of fuss for you and the heights of deliciousness for them.
A Memorable Recipe
You’ll always remember this recipe as the ratios are so simple. You start with a large bowl and 250 (ish) grams of eggs.
I say 250(ish) as eggs are all different sizes and weights. So, you might have 4 eggs that get you to 230g and then the 5th will take you to 280g. No worries at all because…
… you’ll then add equal amounts – 250 (ish) g – of caster sugar, butter / DF margarine and GF flour. Chuck in about 90g almond flour, a bit of baking powder, some vanilla extract and then beat the mixture with a wooden spoon until it’s smooth.
Yes. It’s that easy.
I am always keen on a one-bowl sort of recipe as time is short and fragmented during this season of life AND it means less washing up. Huzzah!
Creative Inspirations
Use this vanilla cake as a fantastic base for other gluten free delights. Cupcakes anyone?
You could add a wodge of cocoa and then you’ve a simple chocolate cakes. How about a couple of shots of espresso and then, once the batter is mixed, run through some walnuts?
Grated carrots, cinnamon and walnut also work well. And grated courgette and lemon for another option! Oh my… And as for desiccated coconut and grated lime…
For the traditionalist, bake two layers of the cake in 2 x 20cm springform cake tin. Once cooled, stick them together with jam and butter cream, shower with icing sugar & you’ve a classic Victoria Sponge.
For autumn, I love an apple cake. Throw in a tablespoon or two of cinnamon and then top the cake with about 1 kg of peeled apple slices. Delicious!
Anyway, my point is, this gluten free vanilla cake recipe is the best starting point for baking creativity. GO, PLAY AND HAVE FUN.
And finally, Batch Bake this Vanilla Cake So You’re Ready For Anything
I’ve already written about the importance of Cake in the Freezer in my Sachertorte recipe. This vanilla cake is another that you can easily double or triple the recipe amounts to bake up a big batch, some for straight away and more for the freezer.
It’s always good to have some cake ready in case of guests or for a quick treat at home. Ice & slice the cake up before you put it in freezer bags and in the freezer, so you don’t have to defrost the whole lot, just a few pieces at a time as and when you need it.
In Conclusion
Write this recipe down asap in your family recipe cookbook. So easy. So good. And all your coeliac chums will love you for it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best gluten-free vanilla cake mix?
Your own. Made from scratch with ingredients you can recognise thereby limiting the amount of additives and unhealthy nonsense.
Can you use gluten free flour in a cake?
Yes, you can! Swap normal flour for GF flour and some additional almond flour. You’ll probably need a touch more baking powder as well so do enjoy experimenting.
How does gluten free flour affect cakes?
Gluten Free flour doesn’t have the stretch in it that regular flour does… it’s the gluten that gives bread and cakes their rise as they bake. Gluten also gives cakes a more moist texture. All this means you need additional ingredients in a GF cake that’ll give it stretch and moistness. Hence the additional almond flour in my recipes although others may add tapioca starch to theirs.
Why is my gluten-free cake falling apart?
Same reason that gluten-free flour can affect cakes; you’ve not got the stretch in there as there’s no gluten! Make sure you’ve enough binding ingredients like eggs, almond flour, tapioca starch or a bit more oil or butter. Have a play and add some more of these ingredients until you’re happy with the result. That’s half the fun of baking and kitchen creativity. On the plus side? Those cake crumbs are still ever so tasty and would be delicious sprinkled on ice cream. Nom Nom.
Simple Gluten Free Vanilla Sponge Cake
This is a super easy recipe for a gluten free and dairy free vanilla cake. Not only is this an easy sponge you can whip up and decorate with icing or just enjoy plain, but a good base for preparing your own creations.
Ingredients
- 250g self raising flour
- 250g caster sugar
- 250g dairy free margerine
- 250g eggs (20g or so either side of this won't matter)
- 80g ground almonds
- 1 heaped tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- Line two 20cm springform cake tins or one 30cm x 23cm tray
- Set the oven to 180 degrees C / 160 Degrees C (Fan oven)
- Melt the margerine and sugar in a pan over a low heat.
- Stir together the dry ingredients in a bowl.
- Beat the eggs and add the vanilla essence.
- Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix them together.
- Add the melted margerine and sugar mixture to this batter. Stir it again.
- Share evenly between the springform cake tins or pour into the tray.
- Put in the oven for 45 minutes. The cake is cooked when you can poke it with a sharp knife in the middle and the blade comes out clean.
- Allow to cool and then ice. Stick the two 20cm sponges together with warmed jam or buttercream made with dairy free margerine for a layer cake or just ice the traybake and slice up accordingly. Enjoy!
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