The Best Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Birthday Cake. This cake is easy to make, only 8 ingredients, soft, fluffy, really moist, healthy and oil-free. It is also grain-free!
VEGAN GLUTEN FREE VANILLA CAKE
This vegan gluten-free vanilla cake with chocolate ganache is adorned with curled white chocolate on top. Yes, please. This cake is just 8 ingredients, easy to make, oil-free and grain-free!
It’s hard to believe it is completely vegan, without eggs and dairy-free. I love all things vanilla. Whether it’s this 7 Ingredient Easy Vegan Vanilla Sheet Cake or these Vegan Vanilla Cupcakes are incredibly light and fluffy, as well as being gluten-free. I love vanilla cakes, like this Vegan Gluten-free Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cake and this Funfetti Birthday Cake.
But, hey, if you are a chocolate fan, definitely make the most amazing Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes ever and if you are gluten-free, make my Vegan Gluten-free Chocolate Cupcakes. They are honestly the BEST chocolate cupcakes I’ve ever had in my life and readers agree!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
To make this vegan gluten-free vanilla cake, you need to gather these 8 ingredients (+salt):
- Blanched almond flour: Make sure you are using a superfine blanched almond flour, as otherwise, your cake will turn out very dense and gritty. Honeyville, Bob’s Superfine Almond Flour, Wellbee’s are all good superfine blends.
- Potato starch: This is the exact starch that makes the cake so fluffy, other starches will NOT work the same and you will end up with a dense cake. I order mine online since it can be hard to find in stores. It arrives in just a couple of days.
- Baking powder
- Pure maple syrup
- Unsweetened applesauce: This replaces oil and helps to make the cake moist and also enhance the overall flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Vanilla extract
- Aquafaba: This replaces eggs and helps to make this cake really fluffy, it cannot be omitted.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN GLUTEN FREE VANILLA CAKE
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a 9 inch round cake pan with a piece of round parchment paper on the bottom and along the sides. It helps to lightly spray the inside of the pan first so the paper adheres. OR you can make cupcakes and line a pan with 10 liners.
Step 2: Add the almond flour, potato starch, salt and baking powder to a large bowl and whisk everything together really well until there are no lumps remaining.
Step 3: In a separate small bowl, add the syrup, applesauce, apple cider vinegar, vanilla and aquafaba and whisk until smooth. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and beat with a handheld mixer for about a minute to incorporate some air and make it really smooth.
Step 4: Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, until it has risen with a light golden top (as pictured here), a toothpick comes out completely clean from the center. Let cool 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Then turn it over, so the flat side is facing up on a cooling rack. Cool completely before icing,
APPLESAUCE IN PLACE OF OIL
Using almond flour and applesauce keeps this cake really moist and oil-free. The almond flour gives it a buttery taste, keeps it insanely moist and the potato starch is what gives it fluff and that all-purpose flour effect.
In place of eggs, I used aquafaba, which is just the liquid at the bottom of a chickpea can. This idea has exploded all over the internet. It works as an egg replacer, among a billion other things. It is NOT my idea, the credit goes to Goose Wholt for the amazing discovery I found on Facebook. The recommended amount for 1 egg is 3 tablespoons chickpea liquid, but I found 4 tablespoons to work best for my specific recipe. In fact, it worked better than flax.
CAN YOU MAKE THIS CAKE AHEAD OF TIME?
Yes, you can make this cake the day before you need it and it will still be moist and taste delicious. Of course, I prefer the texture and taste of cakes always made the day of, but you can cover the baked cake at room temperature and then add the icing or ganache the day of serving.
VEGAN FROSTING OPTIONS FOR CAKE
- Vegan Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Vegan Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Vegan Strawberry Frosting
- Vegan Chocolate Espresso Truffle Frosting
OTHER VEGAN CAKES TO TRY
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Vegan Gluten-Free Vanilla Cake (Oil-free!)
Ingredients
MAKE SURE YOU ARE USING POTATO STARCH, NOT POTATO FLOUR! Some have incorrectly used that and the cake doesn't work!
- 2 cups (224g) superfine blanched almond flour (Do not use regular almond meal (with the skins), it is not light enough and will not produce the same results. See NOTES below.
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (100g) potato starch (this is the exact starch that makes the cake so fluffy, other starches will NOT work the same)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (200g) pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup (120g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15g) real vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60g) aquafaba (the liquid at the bottom of a chickpea can)
NOTE
- It is crucial to not sub these ingredients for best results. It's necessary to use a superfine blanched almond flour because it is what makes the cake so moist and light. Always use a scale for accuracy when baking, following MY gram weights listed. You never need cups, just the scale and bowl and make sure to zero out in between each ingredient.
- I use this scale.
Instructions
- This cake is best made the day of but you can bake it the night before if absolutely necessary. Just cover the cake well and add the ganache or frosting the day serving it. I recommend baking it at least 2 hours before your event to make sure it has completely cooled. Baked goods with starch tend to still slightly "cook" and fluff up for a couple of hours after removing them from the oven. They are a tad too moist to eat immediately.
- Line a 9 inch round metal pan with a piece of round parchment paper on the bottom and along the sides. It helps to lightly spray the inside of the pan first so the paper adheres. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. OR you can make cupcakes and line a pan with 10 liners.
- Make sure to weigh all your ingredients for accurate results. Fluff your almond flour with a whisk first to break up any lumps. If unable to use a scale, then scoop your cups into the dry ingredients, lightly pat down to make sure there are no gaps and then level off. Add the almond flour, potato starch, salt and baking powder to a large bowl and whisk everything together really well until there are no lumps remaining.
- In a separate small bowl, add the syrup, applesauce, apple cider vinegar, vanilla and aquafaba and whisk until smooth. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and beat with a handheld mixer for about a minute to incorporate some air and make it really smooth. It should be a very smooth, pour-able batter. Now, try not to eat all the batter now. I know, it's so dang good.
- Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, until it has risen with a light golden top, a toothpick comes out completely clean from the center. If making cupcakes, using an ice cream scoop makes for nice rounded tops. Cupcakes should be done around 25 minutes, but check for a clean toothpick in the center. Your time may slightly vary depending on your oven and may take longer to bake. Let cool 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Then turn it over, so the flat side is facing up on a cooling rack. Cool completely before icing, at least an hour. Or, you can flip it back over and frost the dome top if you prefer that look.
- You can top it with my Ultimate Vegan Chocolate Ganache/Glaze! For additional decoration, I added some curled vegan white chocolate. OR if you want a traditional buttercream icing, I highly recommend my Vanilla Buttercream Frosting!
Notes
- Blanched almond flour: Make sure you are using a superfine blanched almond flour, as otherwise, your cake will turn out very dense and gritty. Honeyville, Bob’s Superfine Almond Flour, Wellbee’s are all good superfine blends.
- Potato starch: This is the exact starch that makes the cake so fluffy, other starches will NOT work the same and you will end up with a dense cake. I order mine online since it can be hard to find in stores. It arrives in just a couple of days.
- The nutrition does not include the aquafaba since there is no nutritional info that I could find online. But it's such a small amount, it wouldn't make much a difference anyways.
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Hi Brandi, Are you a fan of the Trader Joe’s almond flour? I will be testing this cake for my son’s birthday which is coming up in November (so very soon) and I don’t have an HEB around so will probably be using the Trader Joe’s almond flour. Thanks so much for all of your hard work on this cake. So ridiculously excited to give this a try!
Hi Lisa! I actually do use their almond flour for muffins and cookies, but since it’s the almond meal and not the blanched almond flour and still has all the skins still on it, I’m not a fan of it for cake. I can still taste skins when I tried it with cake. They don’t sell any blanched almond flour that I’m aware of. You can certainly try it and see if you like it, but I wasn’t a fan…was less light and moist. Are you near a Kroger? You can try their brand “Simple Truth” as well and that should give similar results. Or there is always Honeyville that you can order online. Let me know please! 🙂
Trader Joe’s does have blanched almond flour now (April 2018!). So I’ll definitely be trying with theirs. I’ve been looking for a fluffy, vegan gluten free cake and this recipe seems legit. I cannot wait to try it and will be sure to come back and let you guys know how it turns out. Thanks so much for all the details! This is rocking my world! Xo
looks heavenly Brandi!
Thank you so much Andie!!
Wow this cake looks so beautiful, can you make this for me? I love the fact that this cake has almond flour, which gives a nice and elegant nutty flavor to the cake. One ingredient I never expected here is aquafaba. I know some bloggers and recipe creators used it before, but I’ve never tried it. I bet this would be a great egg replacer. It is absolutely gorgeous to read that the birthday cake for your lovely daughter inspired you to make this here. Nothing better than food with memories. It makes food even better because it includes a story, an important and wonderful moment in your life. This cake seriously looks so decadent and rich but it is so approachable and not complicated to make, love this!
that cake looks absolutely beautiful! I can tell your daughter loved it by the look on her face, so precious! 🙂
Thank you so much Rachel, you are way too sweet!! She absolutely loved it!
Vanilla cake is so underrated – but it really is delicious – especially when drizzled with chocolate :-). I will be waiting anxiously for your nut-free version, too!
I agree Annie! Vanilla has always been my favorite type of cake, but I’m ready for chocolate now, haha!
Hi!
This looks great! I know what you said about subbing, but do you think you could use water instead of the aquafaba?
Hi Maria! The aquafaba helps to bind the cake, so it’s pretty important. It acts as the “egg”. But you can try subbing with 3 tbsp water and 1 tbsp ground flaxseed. Heat the water for 20 seconds so it’s really warm, then add the flax and whisk it in. Let it sit for 5-10 mins until gel-like. I definitely preferred the aquafaba results in texture and found it to act more like a real egg, so keep that in mind, but if you try the flax, let me know how it turns out please! Thank you!
Hi! I’m planning on making this cake for my sons birthday, it looks so good! Do you know how many cans of chickpeas you need to get 1/4 cup of the liquid? Also, how many does this cake serve? I need to feed 20 people at least.
Thank you and I can’t wait to try this cake!
Hi Bella! You would only need 1 can! However, if you are planning to make a cake and a large one, then I would actually recommend this other cake, the Funfetti Birthday Cake! It is the #1 cake on my blog and made by a TON of readers for birthday parties, which I designed it for that. You of course can make this one, it is delicious, but the funfetti one does hold up better (not as delicate) and a more classic birthday cake taste and texture and it’s much bigger.
Here is the link, it is a double layer cake and I think it should feed, depending on how thin you cut the cake, 10-15 people, so you may need to make 2 whole cakes just to make sure since it is a standard double layer cake. The cakes are incredibly easy to make though. Just weigh your ingredients for accuracy.
https://staging.thevegan8.com/vegan-gluten-free-funfetti-birthday-cake/
Wow the funfetti cake looks amazing! I’m going to make it this weekend to see how it comes out. For the vanilla buttercream frosting, do you think it will still come out ok if I whip it by hand since I don’t own a food processor? I’d like to make the frosting the day before the party. Thanks for all your help!
Hi Bella! Hmm, do you have a blender? That would work too. If not, I think you should be fine mixing it as long as everything is warm and smooth because it is pretty runny at this step. Just whisk until it’s all super smooth. A blender/food processor just makes it easier, but you should be able to do it so long as your ingredients are warm.
Such a lovely simple cake! It does look pretty dreamy 😉
This cake is magnificent! And after I read that what I once thought was coconut is actually white chocolate shavings my cake-loving heart just melted a little <3 I love the light white pictures, perfect to showcase this vanilla beauty (I'm so glad vanilla won the poll :)) and Olivia's birthday pic is just precious. I can tell from the recipe that this cake most certainly took a LOT of experimenting because the ingredient list is very unique. I don't know why, but vanilla always seems to be harder than chocolate. And now that you have the basic cake recipe down, Olivia's birthdays from here on out will be a lot easier!
Awww Natalie, your comment made me smile so much! You are SO correct…vanilla cake is 10 times harder than chocolate to make gluten-free and oil-free….and this one is also coconut-free, my normal go-to! I know it’s a different list of ingredients for sure, but ultimately after a million attempts, this is what I loved best. And yes, thank GOD I have the base down now….only now I have to perfect the nut-free, oil-free one…..argghhh!!
Thank you so much! So glad you love these photos…I normally am all about the more moody pics, but since this was all inspired by my daughter who I think of sweet, innocent and pure….I wanted the setup to reflect that and the cake. Thank you so much for your sweet comment!
Yes!! Looks amazing! I LOVE aquafaba in baking!! I find it makes things so nice and fluffy. And I always use 1/4 cup to replace one egg too! Can’t wait to try!
Thank you Jenn! I was surprised at how well it worked! I was reading up on the aquafaba community site about it’s magical powers, lol, and of course I’ve seen so many people talk about how well it works, but 3 T (the recommended “egg”) just didn’t seem like quite enough in my trial…for this recipe anyways, so the 4 T was perfect! I’m excited to try it in other things now! I very rarely even use flax in my baking, but for this, I definitely didn’t because I didn’t want flax specs in my pretty cake, lol!
Do you generally whip yours before adding to the other liquids? I didn’t whip mine, just added it in with the liquids and then beat it all together and it worked well.
awww HAPPY birthday to your daughter! 😉 she is beautiful! and this cake looks wonderful! and GF too! winnner!!!
Thank you so much Michele, you are so sweet! Any compliment to my daughter is the best thing anybody can say to me, so thank you 🙂
I love the change in pic design! I think the light and bright is perfect for this cake. I’m not usually much of a cake person, but this looks so beautiful! I know I’d love it in the whole thing with the chocolate and the pink frosting. Olivia must have been so darn happy. What a good mom you are!
Awww thanks so much Sophia, your comment was so sweet! Glad you like these photos….it’s different than I normally like to do, but just wanted a different feel for the cake and just trying other designs. Jay isn’t a cake fan either and thought this was “perfect” and really delicious, so I was thrilled he loved it, lol! He’s so picky! Thank you again…Olivia was one really happy little girl!
I love that you’re switching it up!! Your pics are all great, but it’s fun to see another theme! Keep up the fantastic work!
Oh wow! This cake looks stunning, Brandi. And that coconut looks like chocolate shavings. Pink frosting looks droolicious. Olivia is a lucky girl to have a an awesome mom like you.
Thank you so much Anu! Actually it IS shaved white chocolate that looks like coconut, you have it backwards, haha! 🙂
This recipe sounds heavenly 🙂 do you know where I can find blanched almond flour here (Germany)? Or is there a way to make it myself?
Hi Liane! Oh gosh, I would have no clue in Germany, haha! I would just assume a specialty store where flours are carried…here they are in with the health section or specialty flours. I would just suggest asking any store managers. You could also attempt to make some almond flour yourself by grinding up blanched almonds into a flour, but honestly, that will not produce as fluffy a result. If you try that route, just make sure to get it as fine as possible without turning it into a paste and make sure to weigh the correct amount of flour needed. Please let me know what you figure out!
It´s in the oven now, but I think something is wrong. Following the recipe the batter was incredibly dry, like a bread. Even after I added a lot more liquid (1 cup), its still dry, and not pourable. The top has small holes and there was no way to make it flat. Also I tasted the batter and it tastes bitter. Do you know what the problem could be? It´s such a shame, since I´ve tried millions of vanilla cakes and so far all of them have been disasters. And I´ve been baking for years… 🙁
Hi Liane, sounds like you definitely left out the syrup, because there is no way this batter is dry and bitter. In fact, it’s very pourable, smooth and sweet, just like a regular vanilla cake batter. I’ve made this cake probably 10 times now and as you can see from the above reviews, they have all been success. So, you want to make sure you are adding each ingredient and all the liquids, so you get the right results. The syrup you need is 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons and with that, it’s a very sweet batter. I’d go through the whole list of ingredients and liquids and make sure you measure correctly and not leave out or sub anything. Something definitely was left out. Make sure you added all the liquids and the applesauce and the syrup. Hope that helps!
So, I just made it a second time and had the same problems. Followed the recipe exactly, read through several times. Didnt sub, didnt leave out anything. The batter was so dry, that I had to add more than 500ml extra of liquid just ot be able to mix it. In the oven now, I hope it tastes fine. I want this to work so badly but I dont think I want to try a third time and waste the ingredients again. Do you know what could be the problem?
Hi Liane, I’m so sorry, not sure what to tell you without being there, I have no idea what amount/ingredient you have off or if because you are in Germany, maybe you have a different kind of ingredient, because this batter is most definitely not dry. Like I mentioned above, it is a very smooth runny cake batter. There are over a dozen reviews below yours and all had success and loved the cake, you are the first person to mention having trouble and with a dry cake batter, so you are either adding too much flour or not enough liquid. Are you weighing the ingredients with a kitchen scale? With gluten-free baking, that is the only way to ensure accurate results, but even if you didn’t it shouldn’t be so dry batter. Using a scale, you have to make sure you zero it out each time you measure a flour, but there is only 2 flours so it’s very easy. Are you leaving out the aquafaba? I’m trying to ask these questions so I can help you. Are you sure you are using “blanched almond flour” what does your bag say exactly? How about the potato starch, what does the bag say? You are definitely using a wrong flour or amount, I just don’t know what else it could be without being there to see. You shouldn’t need extra liquid at all unless you have the wrong flour.
Well I used Mandelmehl = almond flour (2 different brands, same results). The only thing available except for ground almonds, which would not work, of course. Weighed everything. Since it was the 2nd trial, really took my time, made sure I followed the recipe etc etc. I really dont know. So far I have tried tons of recipes for vegan glutenfree vanilla cakes and all of them have been disasters. Grey, didnt rise, gummy, gritty, too sweet, too bland, burnt outside, wet inside, bitter… the list goes on. Everything else is fine, chocolate cake, nuts, fruits, fillings, truffles… really anything except for a plain vanilla sponge 🙁
Such a bummer Liane. Sorry to hear that. Like I’ve mentioned before, something is off in the brands or measurements because every other reader has had great success with this cake. I’ve heard measurements are different in other countries, so not sure. Make sure you are using the gram measurements. That’s odd that every single vanilla cake recipe you’ve made has failed, wish I had some answers as to what is going wrong on your end, but I just don’t know since you said it’s with every vanilla cake you make.
What a beautiful cake Brandi! The texture is soooooo perfect! Your daughters birthday cake is stunning. I’m so glad you’re sharing the recipe, I can’t wait to try it! 😀
Awww thank you so much Harriet! You are so sweet! Girl, it was so many dang trials to get that perfect cake texture I wanted! LOL! I’ve had too many gluten-free cakes or baked goods that are super gooey and taste undercooked and nasty or they are hard as a brick….I didn’t want it to taste like gluten-free and it doesn’t, it just tastes like super soft, moist cake!
a simple vanilla cake is one of the best things… this sounds fantastic, and you know I love that pink cake!
You’re again in my kitchen… foreveeer 😛 This is SOOOOO GOOD! And it was also my first experiment with aquafaba, I even saved more for some other recipes, such a wonderful ingredient! I just had a little problem with the glaze, which ended up like a (VERY NICE and pliable) cake fondant. I started with the hand mix but it spread chocolate on the walls (oh my) then I mixed with hands (with gloves) until very smooth, pressed with a roll ing pin (in between plastic) and then molded over the cake. BAZINGA 🙂
Barbara, I am SO happy you loved this cake so much and I loved your pic of it on Facebook!! It looked just perfect and the glaze should be runny and easily mixable with the beater, so it sounds like you left out the milk or double up on the starch or something, but regardless your idea and picture with the extra thick icing looked amazingggg! So happy you loved it all, thank you so much for the feedback!!
(Just as a follow-up for those reading the comments)
Like we’ve chatted on Facebook: everything the same, but ingredients where I live come from different sources, different flour brands… But I believe this recipe CAN’T go wrong!!! 🙂 The thick icing was one of those things gone wrong but in another perspective actually gone right hahaha THANK YOU for the amazing recipes and being so attentive to fans 🙂
You are a sweetheart Barbara! I’m so happy you loved this! And I’m glad the icing worked out even as a thick version…really can’t go wrong, thick or thin when it comes to chocolate, lol! And my readers mean the world to me, so thank you!
I’ve been reading a lot about aquafaba too and have yet to try it in cooking. It’s good to know that it was a success and better than a flax egg. Can’t wait to try. Your cake looks amazing!
Making this for a friend she is going to love it.
Oh my gosh that picture of Olivia makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside 🙂 What a cutie. You captured the perfect moment. And the cake sounds incredible! I was one of the people asking for the vanilla, partially out of self-interest haha. Well the truth is I got an extremely difficult reader request for a vanilla cake and I’ve been testing and testing and testing, and just when I thought I got somewhere — that’s the very recipe my dog ate! *sigh* Anyhow, I was so tired of testing at that point that I thought I’d give it a bit of a break and then was secretly hoping your recipe would suit her needs, but alas she cannot have the nuts (which was my problem to begin with, since I already have an almond-based vanilla recipe). So my testing will have to continue. But just thought I’d share that because I can totally relate to that rigorous testing process to get it right. I think you totally delivered. The cakes looks and sounds amazing!
Aww so sweet, thank you Audrey! I love that picture of her too. She is just the sweetest little thing ever. Oh no! I remember you posting about the recipe your dog ate, haha! That sucks! Oh brother, it’s impossible to fit every single need a reader request for 100% of them because when one can’t have nuts, then they can have oats, or vice versa, etc. I have so many readers who avoid oats, so making this cake oat-free was super important….plus I find oats to make cakes way too dense and chewy and that doesn’t fit the mold of a classic vanilla soft cake that I wanted. This one tastes just like traditional vanilla cake, in fact, better than the ones I had before with all the icky ingredients.
This is probably the most tested recipe I’ve ever done, because nailing the true cake texture is not so easy when gluten-free AND oil-free with just such few ingredients. I tested so much that I stepped back and thought about the fact that my favorite flour combo of almond flour and potato starch that I created last year for 3 separate recipes (including bundt cake) produced the softest/best results and that I should go with that and so glad I did! All the nut-free trials were about 80% there, but they are not 100%, so I’m still working on that, lol!
A beautiful cake for a beautiful young lady! Thank you for sharing your amazing work with us! The minute I saw this cake, I knew I would love it! Made it today and absolutely loved the nutty flavor in every bite. Didn’t have the white chocolate, so shaved some Brazilian nut on top. It turned out perfect! Thank you for all the notes along the way. Loved every bite of your wonderful creation! ❤️
So so happy to hear it was such a hit, thank you so much Lana for your kind words! Thank you!!
This cake looks amazing and it’s hard to believe it’s gluten free. I have never baked with almond flour but would love to try it as I can imagine it has a great flavour.
I am so jealous that you have managed to find vegan white chocolate! I have searched high and low for it here and as soon as I saw your note I checked Amazon.ca and they don’t have it :O( It must only be available in the U.S. Not fair :O(
Your daughter’s birthday cake looks amazing….She is one lucky little girl!
Aquafaba is truly a miracle maker. I use if for my lemon meringue pie and lime tarts, plus other things that require eggs. This cake looks wonderful, Brandi. And your daughter is adorable. 🙂
Thank you so much Linda! It’s just a teeny part of the recipe, my cake base was the magic here (after so many trials!) and the aquafaba was the “icing on the cake” so to speak, haha! I decided to add it to my recipe since it was a cake and I wanted it to have a bit more structure and hold. It was just that extra little thing that gave my cake more more fluff than flax! I’ll be using it more I’m sure.
Hello! LOVE that you created this recipe – thank you for spending the time to figure it all out!!!! I just tried it and it never seemed to fully cook…pretty gooey on the inside still…any ideas?? I did not substitute as you suggested 🙂 I am at high altitude (Colorado!) and did use a glass pan instead….maybe that’s where I went wrong. Anyway would love to know your thoughts – trying to get it right for my mom’s birthday coming up 🙂
Hi Laura! It should definitely not be gooey, it should be light and fluffy and cooked, just like the pics 🙂 I’ve had several people make this already with the same results I had. I would definitely think it could have to do with your higher altitude and using the glass pan. I always use a metal pan for cakes like this. Also, glass takes longer to cook foods through, so that most definitely was why your cake didn’t finish cooking. You may need 5-10 more minutes baking time. Also, make sure it’s a 9 inch pan and just cook it longer until the toothpick comes out clean, a few DRY crumbs are ok. Also, make sure it’s baking on the center rack. It shouldn’t be gooey at all, it should be moist, but not gooey. Should be just like cake 🙂
Thank you for responding – you’re the sweetest (pun intended)! I’m going to give it another go this weekend – cupcake style…I’m sure that will help with the gooey situation (not glass and smaller sizes). Gooey or not, I still ate it…and it was delicious 🙂
Oh, you are so welcome! Yes, they should work excellent as cupcakes too! Just make sure the center comes out clean with a toothpick (no wet batter) and you should be good. Let me know how it turns out!
So glad you loved it!
Next time I need to make a cake, I’m making this one. Great recipe, thoughtfully designed and your cake looks perfect!
Wait a minute!!! Did dad actually blow out the candles?? 😀
What a great cake, hope everybody enjoyed it! I can imagine that it wasn’t an easy task to create it.
12.5 ml is two and a half teaspoons. The recipe calls for one and a half tsp or 12.5 ml of apple cider vinegar. I’m wondering if you meant 2 and a half tsp or 7.5 ml. I’m going to try two tsp
Yes, sorry about that. It should be 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 mL) which is exactly what my bottle of apple cider vinegar says. I had done more in a previous trial and didn’t like that I could slightly taste the vinegar, and I forgot to change the ml. Please let me know how it turns out! Thank you! 🙂
I had a dream and the dream came through. I swear the cake materialized out of nowhere, from another dimension and POOF it is gone — DEVOURED!
Hahaha, that was funny!
I love the picture of Olivia and her beautiful pink birthday cake! You did such an amazing job, Brandi!! 🙂 Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Brandi!!!!! OH. MY. GOODNESS!!! Dreamy is the perfect description of this cake. Just, wow. I loooooooove vanilla, so I absolutely know I will love this cake. I continue to be amazed by your creativity in the kitchen – gluten free baking is SO hard and throw in oil-free, too…quite the challenge. I adore that sweet photo of Olivia – she is such a precious, beautiful little girl. Can’t wait to try this recipe, friend! xo
Ohk so i tried this the first day it was out and i want to say, it was AMAZIIIIING!!!!! It was soft, fluffy and so moist!! Hubby almost ate half of it and wasn’t the wiser about it being vegan AND gluten free *screams in happiness *
It reminded me of a cake i had a kid.. I was so so happy i made it again the next day for a whole group of friends and everyone asked for the recipe and i told them about ur site and all ur amaziiing recipes. Thank u thank u thank u Brandi!!! <3
Oh wow, thank you so much Elly, I missed this comment before! So so happy to hear it was such a hit! And even better it reminded you of a cake you had as a kid, so wonderful to hear! I’m so glad it was loved by all!
Hi Brandi,
I want to thank you for making it possible for GF Vegans like myself to be able to enjoy an authentic tasting cake. This cake was a hit on my birthday this past Tuesday with EVERYONE. The ingredients were easy to acqiure (aquafaba=genius) and after a trial run last Friday, I just knew this gem will be our official go to vanilla cake recipe.
On a side note: all I could find was Bobs Red Mill blanched almond flour so I emptied the package into my blender and blitzed it as much as I could to get the consistency that you raved about with the other brands. Still a hit! Again, thank you for all of your hard work. People like me really and truly appreciate you.
Yay, yay, yay! I’m so happy to hear this Ida!! Your comment truly made my day and I love that it was such a hit with everybody! This cake is probably the easiest gluten-free vegan cake out there, but still tastes like you said “authentic”, which was crucial to me, so I’m so happy to read your feedback. Oh, I’m so happy to hear you made the Bob’s Red Mill work, that is wonderful!!
I’ve been baking with almond flour for years! Love it. Your daughter’s birthday cake is so beautiful!!! I used to make all kinds of special-request things for my son… now 20. Enjoy these years, they fly by! Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes!!! :))
Aww thanks so much Helyn! You are so sweet, thank you so much for the compliments and thank you for making the recipes!
Dreamy. Yes!!! I was so excited that you posted this recipe at the exact same time I was searching for a light colored cake to decorate for Halloween! I knew it would be good, but I wasn’t prepared for how incredibly delicious it is! So delicious I baked one for a party and then again the next day- all for myself! Ha ha! Thanks for another perfect recipe!
Yay! So, so happy you loved this cake so much and I’m super impressed that you’ve made it 3 times already, haha! I loved seeing your pics of the cakes on IG, you are amazing! Thank you so much for making it!
Made these into cupcakes and they were fabulous! I also blitzed bob’s almond flour bc that’s what I could find–worked great for us. These were super moist (yes the yucky “moist” word, but true) and paired excellent with chocolate frosting –yummy! Big thanks for all your gluten free vegan recipes!
Thank you so much for such wonderful feedback Julie (loved your pic on Instagram)!! I loved that you made them into cupcakes and your chocolate frosting looked to die for! Thank you again for making them!
I was looking to make healthy #guiltfree #cake for my husband’s bday. So I followed recipe of #dreamyvanillacake by @thevegan8. I was sure it will be great like all other recipes by Brandy. But this one is definitely the best version of cake I have ever had. So so #yum. Thanks #thevegan8 for working so hard in making wonderfully healthy recipes. This one was super hit last night ?✨
I recommend this recipe. This is a cake with great texture, taste and health 🙂
Sorry for typo Brandi!
Such wonderful feedback Jaspreet, I’m so happy to hear this was such a hit and the BEST cake you’ve ever had, WOW! I absolutely loved your gorgeous picture you shared on Instagram, simply amazing! Thank you again.
Made this cake exactly the way you said to and it came out looking exactly like yours and the taste was incredible so delicious so moist so perfect thank you such a great recipe and I topped it with the chocolate ganache and that was amazing too so thankful and grateful for you and your recipes
Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback Judy and for sharing your lovely birthday photo on Facebook! It was so great to see!
Hi! I can’t to try this! I’ve been using chia and I’m wondering if I can sub that for the aquafaba. I’m not sure that I’d be able to get it…unless it’s literally a matter of saving the liquid (especially the pasty stuff at the bottom) from cans of chick peas?
Hi Iris! I wouldn’t use chia, that will change the texture and taste. The aquafaba is literally just the liquid after you drain the can of chickpeas. Just drain them over a strainer with a bowl underneath and the liquid that drips in the bowl, use 1/4 cup of that. Don’t worry about scraping any paste out of the can, just use the liquid. This is so different than other egg substitutes, as it gives a much lighter texture to the cake and better structure. Let me know what you think of the cake after you make it!
I know you say not to sub out ingredients, but can I go with agave instead of maple syrup and expect the same results? Have you tried another sweetener?
Hi Gwen, yes agave would be fine in this recipe! It’s moreso the flours that are important not to sub, but agave is close enough to maple syrup 🙂
Just whipped this up with the agave instead of maple and Bob’s ‘finely ground’ blanched almond flour as it comes. I weighed everything exactly. It got very golden by 30 minutes and I didn’t get the bounce back, but I’ve just let it cool and it is really quite lovely! Cross between a vanilla and an angel food. It’s so hard to find a solid gf vegan cake that’s not chocolate and comes out first time. Well done! Love it!
Yay! SO very happy to hear you loved it Gwen, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback! Yes, sometimes with gluten-free cakes, they will not spring back quite the same as traditional white flour cakes, but a toothpick tester is the best bet. Thank you so much!
I’m so glad to have found this recipe, it looks perfect, but I have one problem. The maple syrup. My BF (making this for his bday) has a ton of food allergies and he doesn’t tolerate maple syrup well. He’s ok with eggs, and vegetable oil; no soy, gluten, or dairy though.
I know you said substituting is tricky, but do you have any ideas on how to get around the syrup? What’s it’s purpose? Taste, or substance?
Hi Meg! Just simply substitute the syrup for agave and it will work the same basically. The syrup is for the sweetener, so you have to replace it with another liquid sweetener and agave is the only one I’d suggest because it is the most similar in taste and texture. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
I just pulled this from the oven…the smell was killing me (softly), so I gave it ten minutes on the cooling rack, then cut a small corner piece…THIS CAKE IS NOT GOING TO MAKE IT TO THE FROSTING STAGE!! It is seriously delicious without frosting! Oh. My. Gosh.
Hahaha, I love it Carol! Thank you so much for the feedback, I’m so happy you love this cake! I love it too!
I can see where the lady had trouble with this being too thick. Because it was stressed to go by weight as opposed to volume, I did so…although it meant I had to use 3 cups of flour instead of 2. I thought, well, that’s why she said that. I ended up with a dough, but I added some coconut milk and water to moisten it up a bit. I probably only added 1/3 cup extra liquid. It is definitely not smooth and is only pourable in the sense that it falls out of the bowl lol. It does taste good and is in the oven now. I guess we’ll see if I get a brick in a pan in half an hour 🙂 I’m usually very good at getting 1st time recipes to turn out well. Oh well. It does have a good flavor, so I’ll try again, but next time I guess I’ll stick with the volume measurements 🙂
Hi Ollie, as long as the right weigh measurements are used, then it should work out just fine because it is the right weight amount. Are you sure you are zero-ing out the scale in between each dry measurement? I always go by my weight measurements when remaking my recipes and they always turn out. The above reader is the only reader who had any issues and she actually emailed me privately and let me know that it was her flour she was using afterall, not the weight measurements. So, I would stick to the exact ingredients and weight and it should be fine 🙂 Nonetheless, I hope the change you made still resulted in a yummy cake…a 1/3 cup isn’t too much, although it might make it a bit too wet..can’t wait to hear!
Hi there…
I love your recipes and cakes as a Gluten free, Dairy free, Vegan and Nut Free… is so hard.
My sweet daughter Harmony has Nut allergies so what would you recommend to replace the Almonds flour on your cakes?
I so love making healthy, vegan, GF, DF food for my non vegan family and friends… i love seeing there reaction lol. But im yet to master a cake.
Any guidance? ?
Blessings
Aveni-Cherie.?
Hi Aveni-Cherie! I wouldn’t recommend any sub or it will severely affect the quality of the cakes. However, you are in luck because I have a vegan, gluten-free and nut-free birthday vanilla cake coming up in 1 1/2 weeks to be posted on the blog! So stay tuned! It is a vanilla chocolate chip cake and it’s out of this world. I’m planning on posting it June 22nd (Wednesday) so be on the lookout and subscribe to my blog (if you aren’t already) to make sure you don’t miss the post!
Hi Brandi!
Just wanted to say THANK YOU! You are a genius!
I have just made your Dreamy Vanilla Birthday Cake and it turned out fabulous! I have been looking for a long time for a vegan/gluten free cake which would be suitable for special occasions and would resemble the cakes myself and my family used to love before all the food sensitivities and allergies started to plague us all. My personal favourite was orange cake made with almond flour (and gluten flour) but this one called for a lot of eggs which are also a big no for us… And then I found you! This cake is simply delicious and super easy to make. So my rendition of this delight includes coconut whipped cream and fresh strawberries. I love your blog! Thank you so much for sharing your talent! Ewa x
This is so awesome to hear Ewa! Such wonderful and kind feedback! Thank you so much for making it and leaving the feedback, so thrilled it was such a hit with everybody!!