Vanilla Gluten-Free Layer Cake

We have updated our Gluten-Free Vanilla Layer Cake Recipe to be easier and more flavorful. This recipe for a layer cake has a homemade strawberry preserves filling and is assembled with a homemade vanilla frosting. It is a luscious special occasion cake that doesn’t taste gluten-free. We used Bob’s Red Mill GF All-Purpose Baking flour in place of our homemade GF flour blend in the original recipe to make it more accessible to bakers who may not want to invest in the ingredients to make your own blend. The beauty of this cake is it is perfectly customizable. We recommend baking, preparing and assembling as directed because the balance between nutty, toasty gluten free vanilla cake with the fruity, juicy and tangy strawberry preserve, topped off with the cream cheese frosting is perfection for us! The cake itself is delicious, moist and flavorful with a slightly dense, moist crumb that is uniform and falls apart slightly easily. The cream cheese vanilla frosting is slightly sour but creamy, sweet and pleasantly vanilla flavored. Enjoy!

  • Medium
  • 60 mins
  • 16 servings
Ingredients

For the Layer Cake

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1 tsp Rodelle Vanilla Paste
  • 2 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour Blend
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 cups homemade strawberry filling (optional)
  • ½ cup sliced strawberries, for garnish (optional)
  • 4 mint leaves, for garnish (optional)

For the Homemade Strawberry Filling

  • ½ cup water
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 cups frozen strawberries
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest

For the Frosting

  • 4 egg whites
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp Rodelle Vanilla Paste
  • 2 tsp Rodelle Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2 sticks (8 oz or 1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 package (8 oz or 1 cup) cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar, divided into 1 cup measurements
Uses
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour blend, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
  3. In a separate large bowl, combine the coconut milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and vanilla paste. Set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment at medium speed, beat together the eggs and sugar for 3-5 minutes, or until well combined and lighter in color.
  5. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients and coconut milk mixture, alternating between dry and wet, and adding a little at a time. Mix until well-combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  6. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the cake center springs back when lightly touched.
  7. Let the layers cool completely for at least 1 hour and invert onto a cooling rack. The cake should be spongy and light.
  8. For the strawberry filling, whisk the water and cornstarch together in a saucepan until well-combined. Add in the strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Stir to combine.
  9. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, while mashing the berries with the whisk. Once mashed, use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture, and boil for an additional 2 minutes until thickened.
  10. Remove from the heat to set aside and cool.
  11. For the frosting, sift the powdered sugar until no clumps remain, and add to a bowl.
  12. Set aside.
  13. Place egg whites, salt, Rodelle Vanilla Paste, Rodelle Vanilla Extract, and sugar in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and mix thoroughly.
  14. Place the egg white mixture in a double boiler and heat water to a simmer on low to just warm the egg whites (the small amount of indirect warmth from the water underneath will help dissolve the sugar while not cooking the eggs).
  15. Heat until sugar is dissolved while stirring constantly, about 3-5 minutes, to ensure even cooking and prevent the egg whites from scrambling.
  16. Set egg white mixture aside and let cool.
  17. With the paddle attachment on an electric mixer, cream butter on medium until fluffy and slightly lighter in color, about 1-2 minutes.
  18. Slowly add the egg white mixture ½ cup at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Change to the whisk attachment and whisk for 2-3 minutes until creamy and well incorporated.
  19. Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing between each addition until well-combined, and scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
  20. Mix on high for 1-2 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy. The frosting should be stable and creamy. If the frosting is not yet stable, add additional powdered sugar (1/4 cup at a time) as needed until light and fluffy.
  21. To assemble the cake, carefully transfer one of the cake layers to a serving platter. Top with the strawberry filling, and spread to all edges of the cake using an offset spatula.
  22. Top with the remaining cake layer, and spread the icing in a smooth, even coat on the top and sides of the cake. Top with the sliced strawberries and mint leaves before serving.

Note: we updated this recipe in 2024 with the support of ADM intern, Katie Scheid.