This is the only Vegan Vanilla Layer Cake recipe you’ll ever need because everyone loves it! It’s easy to make and delicious. It’s rich, fluffy and just sweet enough – just like a vanilla cake should be.
If there is one thing I have learned over the years, it’s that food is more than calories. It provides satisfaction, pleasure, lasting memories and it brings people together. There’s an emotional connection when we eat certain foods and there’s a joy that it brings when you can share it with others. That is why I’m sharing this Vanilla Layer Cake with you today – to bring you joy!
I had wanted to share an easy vegan vanilla cake ever since I made a chocolate raspberry cake. Although that chocolate recipe is a HUGE hit on the blog, you all were still requesting a gluten-, dairy- and nut-free vanilla cake. How could I say no? Plus, I love fluffy vanilla cake!
But this cake is so much more than the taste and ease of throwing it all together. It’s about making a beautiful dessert that everyone can enjoy together.Wouldn’t this be great over Fourth of July with all those red & blue berries or for your next special occasion – anyone’s birthday cake coming up?
HOW DO YOU MAKE THE BEST VEGAN GLUTEN-FREE VANILLA CAKE?
- Use great ingredients & FOLLOW this recipe as is.
- Use a high quality vanilla extract, not artificial vanilla.
- To make this gluten-free, I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Gluten-free Blend. It is the only gf blend I use based off of experimenting with so many other brands.
HOW DO YOU MAKE CAKES MOIST?
Vinegar! Contrary to what you may think, the acidity of this enhances the flavors and contributes to leavening and tenderness of this cake.
HOW DO YOU MAKE A CAKE LIGHT AND FLUFFY?
- Fluffiness comes from using the right amount of leavening agent (baking soda + vinegar); too much and the cake will collapse, too little and it will be dense.
- Using vinegar will also lighten the cake batter.
- If you head over to my German Chocolate Cake recipe you will see another way to get a moist and fluffy crumb using coffee.
IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHITE AND VANILLA CAKE
Vanilla cake is flavored with vanilla but a white cake typically means that the cake is whiter from using egg whites only (which we don’t do here) or aquafaba. I tried the latter a few times, but I’m still working on perfecting that one! When I get it, you’ll be the first to know.
A FEW TIPS FOR MAKING THE PERFECT VEGAN GLUTEN FREE VANILLA CAKE
- Make sure your oven is baking at the right temperature because on over-baked cake can be dry and crumbly. An oven thermometer can help for accuracy.
- Don’t switch out the oil for butter. This vanilla cake recipe uses canola oil because it gives it the best possible taste while still preserving the soft, fluffy texture that you want. Using butter will actually likely make your cake more dense and dry. You can however, substitute another mild oil such as vegetable, safflower or grape-seed oil for the canola oil without issue.
- Measure the flour exactly or use a kitchen scale to weigh if needed. I like to scoop my flour with a spoon then add to my measuring cup then level. This way it’s not packed in there.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Stop mixing when everything is just combined.
- Make sure that your vanilla cake cools completely before frosting! If it’s warm at all, it’s likely to melt the frosting.
- If you’re just making the cake layers, you can store the cake on the counter tightly wrapped or sealed in an airtight container. If you’ve frosted the cake, I recommend storing them in the refrigerator and not sitting out for more than 2 hours.
CRAVING MORE CAKE RECIPES?
- Blueberry Banana Cake
- Red Velvet Cake
- Banana Bundt Cake
- Berry-filled Vanilla Cupcakes
- Crazy Good Vegan Carrot Cake
THIS CLASSIC VEGAN CAKE PAIRS FLUFFY VANILLA CAKE LAYERS WITH FRESH BERRIES AND A LIGHT VANILLA BUTTERCREAM. THE PERFECT CAKE FOR BIRTHDAYS, WEDDINGS, OR ANY OCCASION!
Vegan Vanilla Layer Cake
This classic Vegan Gluten-free Vanilla Cake pairs fluffy vanilla layers, fresh berries and a silky vanilla buttercream for the perfect cake for birthdays, parties or any special occasion.
Ingredients
Cake
- 3 cups all purpose flour (or 1-1 gluten-free flour blend)
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups non-dairy milk (such as flax, soy or rice)
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup white or apple-cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
- 1 cup shortening
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1-3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
Topping
- 3 cups fresh berries (sliced strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries)
- Vanilla Buttercream or Coconut Whipped Cream
Instructions
To make the cake:
- preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease 2 9-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk non-dairy milk, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Pour wet mixture into the dry and whisk just until combined.
- Fill each cake pan evenly with batter and bake for 30-35 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out dry). Rotate the cake pans halfway through baking time.
- Let cake cool completely before assembly.
To make buttercream:
Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat shortening until smooth. Add powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of non-dairy milk at a time as needed until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Increase speed to high and beat 2 more minutes until light and fluffy.
To assemble the cake:
- Once the cakes are cooed, run a knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen and gently unmold the cake. Peel off parchment paper and carefully slice the dome part of the cake for even assembly.
- Place one cake on a serving plate. Spread a layer of frosting or whipped cream on top. Arrange half the berries on top then place the second cake on top of the first. Top with more frosting. Arrange berries on top of the cake and serve.
Notes
*Assemble the cake before serving to maintain the most freshness. You can also omit the middle layer of berries and simply top with them.
I have made a lot of vanilla cakes and this one is so MOIST and yummy! It will be my new go to cake! You will love it! Just don’t forget to put the parchment paper in your pans!
My daughter and I made this cake for her birthday. It was a disaster. We followed the instructions perfectly and it was uncooked I side. 🙁
Oh no! I’ve never had that issue with this cake. We’re all the ingredients the same as well? Or did anything change? If not, the only thing I can think of is if the oven heat varies from mine . Let me know so I can see if I can help.
Hi there,
Just wondered what 1-1 means when referring to gluten free flour blend, it’s the first time I’m making a gluten free cake 🙂
MANY thanks
1:1 is a gluten-free blend that basically lets you use the same amount of GF flour in place of all-purpose flour. It includes the xanthan gum so it takes some guess work out of it. Bob’s Red Mill has a 1:1 blend and so does Namaste (there’s a few more but those are my favs)
Many thanks! That’s so helpful
Just made this cake but not assembling until tomorrow. I usually put my cake layers in the freezer until I assemble. Would you recommend it be wrapped and kept out at room temp, refrigerated or would it be ok to put it in the freezer? I read on another gluten free cake recipe that freezing a gluten free cake changes the texture quite a bit, what are your thoughts? Thanks!
I haven’t had an issues with taste after freezing (wrapped tightly with plastic wrap). I like to assemble with a layer of icing between and crumb coat and then freeze up to 2 weeks. If you wrap and refrigerate it’ll last up to 5 days. But I’d still refrigerate even if it’s over night.
I was not a cake fan until now.
Thank you so much for sharing.
My whole family loved it more than a regular gluten cake.
Fluffy and perfect leftovers.
Adding to my family cookbook.
Only thing I did differently was using a 1/4 cup of
Just egg to the mixture. It would have been good without it. Both cakes made came out great.
We where just experimenting with just egg and cakes.
That’s so great to know that Just Egg worked in this recipe! I can’t find it anymore locally, but I’m glad you can!
I tried making this recipe twice with the same result. Oily, gooey, chewy unbaked texture. So frustrating.
Taysia, any changes made to the recipe ingredients? Did you use Ap flour or GF?
Hi, have you tried it with normal milk? I don’t need a vegan cake, just egg free. Do you know if it would change the texture?
It would not change the texture at all. You can easily adapt any of the recipes to use regular dairy if that’s safe for you.
Hello! I have two questions, can I refrigerate this say from 9am to 9am the next day? Also how many calories are in this cake? (Sorry I just have to know ) if not I can figure it out no worries!!
I’d refrigerate the cake itself, without the fruit added on. It will still hold with the fruit but it does become a little mushy as the berries start to create liquid.
Made this cake tonight with gf flour and felt like I had to bake it forever
Even then it seems like it’s undercooked not sure what’s going and I’m getting Frustrated
Even checked my oven temp
Hmm, what GF flour did you use? Does it contain Xantham gum? Did you make any changes to the recipe?
Will this recipe work for cupcakes?
Thanks
Yes it will. I would cut the recipe in half for 12 -13 cupcakes instead of 2 dozen.
Hi Nicole!
Love your recipes was wondering what you would recommend for bake time if making this in a 9×13 pan?
Thanks! Take care!
Typically 30-35 minutes is what I bake it for.
This was outstanding! I am very impressed! It was moist, rose well, and held together.
I did make one change that might be helpful for others who suffer from allergies. Many people, myself included, cannot tolerate the xantham gum used in the 1:1 gluten free flour blends. However, without eggs or dairy, a binding agent (like xantham gum) is essential for a gluten free cake to stick together. So instead of using the 1:1 blend, I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free All-Purpose Baking Flour. Then, I added 1 tablespoon of whole psyllium husks to the dry ingredients to replace the xantham gum. After adding the wet ingredients, I allowed the batter to sit for about 5 minutes so that the psyllium husks could thicken the mixture. Then I baked the cake as directed in the recipe. It turned out beautifully! The cake stuck together, came out of the pan, and held up for me to trim the edges before I iced it. I am sure it is even firmer if you use the 1:1 flour, but I was very pleased with how my version turned out.
Such a great bit of advice Kyna! I love how the psyllium husk worked in this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing.
Do you recommend a GF flour that has Xanthan Gum in it?
I like using one that already has it included, since it’s an easy 1:1 replacement but it’s not required. If you have a brand that you like, just add the X-gum based off of their recommendation.
The cake looks amazing! I want to bake it for my sister and my graduation. I was just wondering is there something I can replace the shortening with?
For the frosting? If thats the case, you can use vegan butter or butter of some type. The shortening just stabilizes it better but you can use either. Or half and half of each.
Hello, I’m making the cake later today but I was wondering if almond milk will work?
Thanks
Yes, any milk should work in this.
When you mix it all together is the consistency runny or should it be thicker?
It should be a little on the thicker side.
Hi Nicole! This was my first time making a vegan and gluten free cake and it turned out delicious! The only problem I had was that the cake’s texture turned out very dense and sits in the stomach very heavily. Do you know what I can do to make sure my cake is nice and fluffy? The only deviation I made from the recipe was refrigerating the layers overnight and assembling them right before serving, so I’m sure it’s an issue with *how* I did something.
Hi Logan, what gf flour did you use? Some of the flours are denser than others, so using a lighter blend will help. Sifting the flour can help, too. I use the scoop with a spoon then level approach to measuring and then sift as well. Gluten-free cakes tend to contain hidden moisture due to their extra-dense cell structure. So, don’t be afraid to bake the cake a few extra minutes to drive that moisture out and make sure to refrigerate only after it has cooled completely.
For a high altitude location how much longer should I bake this and should I make any changes to the recipe?
I haven’t tried but here is some info I found that should help. https://www.allrecipes.com/article/high-altitude-cake-baking/
Hi! I was going to try this recipe to make a smash cake for my daughter since she has wheat egg and dairy allergies. Do you know what the cook time would be in a 6 in pan? Or should I just bake them in 9 in and cut out smaller circles?
Thank you!!
Filling 6-inch pans with 1 3/4 cup batter, you’d typically bake 22 to 27 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Sounds great. Thank you so much!! Can’t wait to try it. Will let you know results!
This amount of vinegar/baking soda is the equivalent of how many eggs, would you say?
It’s about 3 eggs, but you can still add a little splash of vinegar to help it rise.
THANK YOU for making a fuss free cake recipe. I made cupcakes with this recipe, used 1:1 gluten free flour, cashew milk and baked these as cup cakes for 20 min at 350 they came out great. Denser than a normal cupcake but cooking for someone with coconut, dairy, egg, almond and celiac… just the fact cake is an option is amazing.
Hey Chelsea, I’m thrilled you all liked it. It does come out a little denser with the gluten-free option (especially when omitting all the other items) but still so yummy.
Can i use any other sweetener instead of sugar
If you are looking for a sugar replacer, I would suggest Wholesome Zero or Allulose. Both bake similar to sugar. I wouldn’t recommend a liquid sweetener though.
Oh my gosh – I made this cake a couple days ago for my birthday and almost cried. Since finding out I’m allergic to dairy I haven’t had much luck with baked goods. I used oatmilk for the cake batter and the cake turned out amazing! Seriously, after cutting the rounded top off the cake, I put the crumbs in a bowl and just ate those! This will definitely be my go to cake recipe from now on. Just wondering though is there a guide for the cooking times for different pan sizes? Like cupcakes or 9×13 pans?
I do the same with the top pieces! You can also turn them into cake pops with a little icing mixed in then freeze and dip into chocolate. (like this: https://allergylicious.com/homemade-chocolate-cake-balls-vegan-and-gluten-free/). If making cupcakes, I usually bake 18-22 min. If a larger sheet pan, like 9×13, 30-33 minutes is usually ideal. I make it both ways as well. So glad you loved it!!!!
It’s been in my oven for 55 min and the toothpick is still not coming out clean. I have at 7500ft. I followed your recipe exactly. What. Do. I. Do.
Oh my! I don’t live at an elevation like that..but here is what I found:
Adjustment for 7000+ feet:
Reduce baking powder: for each teaspoon, decrease 1/4 teaspoon.
Reduce sugar: for each cup, decrease 1 to 3 tablespoons.
Increase liquid: for each cup, add 3 to 4 tablespoons.
Increase oven temperature by 25 degrees F.
Please let me know how it works and if you remade with any of these adjustments. If you remake it, I’d start but cutting the recipe in half. And I’d love to include it in my notes to help others.