Gluten Free Strawberry Cake

How to make an easy gluten free vanilla cake

This delicious gluten-free vanilla cake comes together in no time. Make sure the eggs and the milk are at room temperature. While you measure out all the ingredients needed, place the large eggs in a bowl with warm water. By the time you need them, they will be at room temperature.

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350F and line an 8x8 cake pan with parchment paper. Make sure to spray it with nonstick cooking spray for easy release.

Step 2: In a small bowl sift together the gluten-free multi-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set the flour mixture aside.

Step 3: In a large bowl combine the granulated white sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and oil. Whisk until the mixture is light and the sugar is fully dissolved. Whisking the eggs, oil and sugar helps to create light and fluffy gluten free vanilla cake.

Step 4: Add half of the dry ingredients and half of the milk to the oil mixture and whisk together. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. Adding the wet ingredients and dry ingredients alternately to the batter helps to reduce the amount of mixing needed to make a smooth batter.

Step 5: Transfer the gluten free vanilla cake batter to the prepared pan. Using an offset knife, or the back of a spoon, smooth out the top evenly. Gently tap the cake pan against your countertop. This will remove some of the air bubbles trapped in the cake batter.

Step 6: Bake the gluten-free cake at 350F for 27-32 minutes until golden and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.

Step 7: Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Whipped Cream Frosting

This lightly sweetened whipped cream frosting pairs perfectly with the fresh berries and tender gluten free vanilla cake. If you ask me, it is the best frosting there is.

To make the whipped cream frosting, combine the cold heavy cream, vanilla pudding mix and powdered sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Whisk at a medium speed until medium-stiff peaks have formed. Adjust the sweetened if you like. The juices of the strawberries will contribute sweetness to the Gluten Free Strawberry Cake.

Strawberry Topping

The topping for this gluten free strawberry cake can be made ahead of time (up to one day). If you start with very sweet, juicy strawberries remember to cut back the sugar to not overpower the natural sweetness and the strawberry flavor.

Add the cleaned and sliced strawberries to a medium bowl and toss with granulated sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and a few teaspoons vanilla extract. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. Allow the strawberries to macerate for at least 30 minutes to release their delicious juices.

If you like, you can use a mix of berries like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries.

How to assemble the gluten free strawberry cake

This single layer cake is very easy to assemble. Once your gluten free vanilla cake has fully cooled, place it on a serving platter or plate. Top it with the whipped cream frosting and using a small offset or spoon, smooth it out evenly. Top with the macerated strawberries. Make sure to drizzle some of the juices the strawberries have released over the cake.

Place the cake in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before slicing - this will allow the whipped cream to set up and make it easier to slice. I am not gonna lie, this cake is a bit messy to slice to begin with. I recommend using a serrated knife and carefully cut through the strawberries. Alternatively, you can slice the cake BEFORE topping it with the strawberries.

Store any leftovers you may have of this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. I don't recommend to freeze the frosted and garnished cake.

FAQ about Gluten Free Strawberry Cake

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.