Gluten-free sponge cake that's light and airy, but made with flavorful gluten-free flours (sweet rice, oat, millet, and tapioca) and naturally sweetened! This feather-light cake soaks up all kinds of luscious flavors, from berries and cream to tres leches to tiramisù to Victoria sponge. The reader favorite recipe is foolproof, the cake layers made with pantry ingredients in about an hour!
Adapted from my cookbook Alternative Baker, with dairy-free, grain-free & paleo-friendly options. Find more cake recipes here!
A Gluten-Free Cake for Special Occasions
This cake is very dear to me on multiple levels. I first developed the gluten-free sponge cake recipe for my book Alternative Baker, where I used it to make trifle, tiramisù, and tres leches cake. I'd been making the gluten version for several years when I worked as a pastry chef at a Peruvian restaurant in San Francisco where I doused it with tres leches mixture and served it with fresh seasonal fruit.
In 2019 I developed a maple-sweetened version for Coombs smothered in strawberry chia jam, fresh berries, and mascarpone cream. It tasted like a giant strawberry shortcake, just the dessert for the first fruit of spring. Jay and I decided to get married on a whim at City Hall with only our moms present, and this cake ended up being our wedding cake. We brought it to our favorite local restaurant Piccino and devoured it after dinner with champagne.
The day of our wedding was also our cat Catamus's birthday. We had hoped to have several more years with him to celebrate this happy occasion, but sadly 2020 would be the only year we would celebrate as a family. On our first anniversary, though we missed dear Catamus, we basked in the company of Zeppo and Hank who have made themselves right at home in our lives. You can follow their antics on Instagram in my stories and highlights.
This recipe has since become a reader favorite, with lots of positive reviews including this one:
Irresistible!
“Thank you Alanna - made this for my husband’s birthday recently and we polished it in off in no time - the cakes rose beautifully with a gorgeous crumb. The filling with strawberries made it irresistible. So delicious, will definitely be making again.”
—Sandhya
Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake
I wanted to give this gluten-free sponge cake a home on TBG since it's such a special one. Make the gluten-free strawberry cake pictured here, or use the cake as a base for other flavor combinations (see below for suggestions).
Maple syrup sweetens all components of this gluten-free layer cake (though I've included a classic vanilla version made with sugar if you prefer!) Billows of vanilla whipped mascarpone top the cake layers, swirled with strawberry chia jam and topped with loads of fresh berries. I had some pretty maple candies on hand when I first made this; edible flowers would also be lovely!
The cake itself is dairy-free so if you prefer, use whipped coconut cream or vegan cashew cream cheese frosting in the filling for a gluten-free dairy-free cake that all your guests can enjoy. I also tested a paleo-ish version using grain-free flours (cassava, coconut, and tapioca) which I've included in the notes. And, for my fellow chocophiles, I just shared a gluten-free chocolate sponge cake recipe made with cocoa powder.
If you give it a try, I hope it becomes a special recipe in your home as well.
Gluten-Free Cake Ingredients & Substitution Suggestions
Just a handful of ingredients go into this lofty gluten-free cake recipe.
Best gluten-free flours for sponge cake
I tested this recipe with many different flour combinations, and my favorite was a blend of:
- oat flour, for fluff and creamy depth of flavor (sub by weight teff flour or chestnut flour)
- sweet rice flour, for stickiness and a neutral taste (sub by weight cassava flour or a GF AP blend such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1)
- millet flour, for a buttery, golden crumb (sub by weight sorghum flour)
But this recipe is versatile and forgiving, so feel free to experiment with different flours. Or omit all of the flours and use a good all-purpose flour blend such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 flour.
I also included a grain-free, paleo-friendly version made with cassava, coconut, and tapioca flours which is just as fluffy, moist, and tender as the original.
You can read all about how I combine gluten-free flours for baking in my gluten-free flours guide.
Other Ingredients
- Neutral vegetable oil moistens the cake. I usually use sunflower oil, but other good options are grapeseed, mild olive oil, and avocado oil. You could also use a flavorful nut oil such as hazelnut.
- Sugar or maple syrup sweetens the cake. I use organic granulated sugar for the classic recipe, but the version shown here uses maple syrup for added depth of flavor. I still use a little sugar to whip the egg whites, which makes them more stable for folding into the batter.
- Egg whites whipped with cream of tartar and sugar gives the cake a feather-light texture. The cream of tartar acts as an acid to stabilize the egg whites, so if you don't have any on hand, it's fine to leave it out.
- Egg yolks add richness and give the cake a golden crumb.
- Baking powder lifts the batter along with the beaten egg whites.
How to Make Gluten-Free Sponge Cake
This gluten-free cake is surprisingly simple to make. The only tricky part is folding the whipped egg whites into the batter if you're new to this technique. But once you've done this a few times, you'll be a pro at it!
Types of Sponge Cakes
- This cake is technically a gluten-free chiffon cake since it uses oil instead of butter and baking powder for lift.
- Genoise is another type of sponge cake that uses melted butter instead of oil, and only whipped egg whites to lift the batter, no baking powder.
- Angel food cake uses only egg whites and no yolks for an even lighter texture that makes it too delicate to layer. This is usually baked in a tube pan rather than made into a layer cake.
I've made loads of sponge cakes since my stint at pastry school back in 2006 and chiffon cake always wins by a landslide. The baking powder helps to make it foolproof, and the oil gives it a tender texture even when chilled. It has a sturdier crumb that makes it perfect for layer cakes. You can also cut it up and layer it into a trifle or tiramisù. It makes a perfect base for tres leches cake, albeit less traditional, since its open crumb soaks up liquid without becoming soggy.
How to Use GF Sponge Cake
This gluten-free chiffon cake makes a versatile base for many types of cakes and sweet treats. Here are some ideas for how to use it:
- Layer it with whipped mascarpone, berry chia jam, and fresh berries, as shown here, for a gluten-free strawberry cake.
- Spread it with lemon curd and whipped crème fraiche.
- Brush the cake with flavored syrups or boozy spirits before topping with frosting or dairy-free ganache.
- Make a fully gluten-free dairy-free cake by using whipped coconut cream.
- Cut into slices to make my easy gluten-free tiramisu recipe.
- Poke it all over and douse with tres leches mixture for a gluten-free tres leches cake. Dairy-free version included!
- A variation of this batter also works for a roulade (jelly-roll) cake or layered with cream and fruit for a trifle. Get the recipes for citrus trifle and roulade cake in my cookbook Alternative Baker!
Gluten-Free Victoria Sponge Cake
Victoria sponge cake (AKA Victoria Sandwich Cake) has risen in popularity lately thanks to The Great British Bake-Off. Here's how to turn this recipe into a classic gluten-free Victoria sponge:
- Make the classic sponge cake recipe using sugar and vanilla in the recipe card notes
- Spread the bottom cake layer with 6 tablespoons store-bought raspberry jam
- Whip 6 ounces heavy cream with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar to firm peaks and spread the whipped cream over the jam
- Place the second cake layer on top and sprinkle with powdered sugar
Gluten-Free Cake for Everyone
You can please almost all eaters with this gluten-free dairy-free cake that can be made grain-free and paleo-friendly. However you serve it up, as a gluten-free layer cake or component of another dessert, it's sure to be a hit with its tender, open crumb and classic flavor.
*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this gluten-free sponge cake recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
Gluten-Free Sponge Cake (Moist & Floofy!)
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
Sponge Cake:
- ¼ cup (55 g) sunflower oil or other neutral oil
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (200 g) maple syrup (I use Coomb's Grade A Dark Color, Robust Taste)*
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (55 g) sweet rice flour (I use Koda Farms Brand)*
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (50 g) millet flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)*
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons (40 g) GF oat flour (I use Bob's Red Mill)*
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
- 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
For Gluten-Free Strawberry Cake:
- 1 batch strawberry chia jam or other preserves
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup mascarpone (or crème fraiche, or more cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 2 tablespoons cold maple syrup
- 2 pint baskets strawberries, some hulled and quartered, some halved
Instructions
Cake:
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325ºF. Line 2 ungreased 8-inch round cake pans with rounds of parchment paper cut to fit. The cake batter will crawl up the sides of the ungreased pan as it bakes, making the cake extra fluffy.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, egg yolks, and maple syrup.
- Place a strainer over the bowl and sift the sweet rice, millet and oat flours with the baking powder and salt directly into the yolk mixture, adding back any bits left behind in the strainer. Whisk until very smooth.
- In the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 2-3 minutes.
- With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar and whip until the whites are glossy and just hold a firm peak when lifted from the bowl and turned upside down, 1–3 more minutes.
- Use a flexible silicone spatula to fold one-third of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining whites until just combined and no streaks remain.
- Immediately pour the batter into the prepared pans and quickly but gently use an offset spatula to spread the batter into a thin, even layer.
- Transfer the pans to the oven and bake until the cakes are golden, spring back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, 20-30 minutes. Remove to a rack and let cool completely in the pan.
To finish the gluten-free strawberry cake:
- Whip together the mascarpone, cream, vanilla, and maple syrup together until the mixture holds firm peaks. Chill until needed.
- To assemble the cake, remove one cake layer from the pan and peel off the parchment. Place the cake layer right-side up on a serving platter and spread with a little less than half of the whipped mascarpone. Dollop half of the strawberry jam over the cream and swirl lightly. Top with a layer of quartered strawberries and dollop with a bit more whipped mascarpone (this helps the upper layer stick to the bottom layer).
- Remove the second cake layer from the pan, remove the parchment, and place on top of the bottom layer. Top with the remaining whipped mascarpone, swirls of jam, and the remaining quartered and halved berries. Decorate with maple candy, if using.
- Serve right away or chill for up to several hours before serving. To serve, use a large, sharp chef’s knife dipped in hot water and wiped clean between each cut to slice the cake into wedges. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Video
Notes
- For maple syrup, use 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water
- For sweet rice flour, sub by weight cassava flour or GF AP flour such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1
- For millet flour, sub by weight sorghum flour
- For oat flour, sub by weight sorghum flour or teff flour
Caitlin says
I was looking for a vanilla sponge cake recipe on your site a week ago for this very purpose! Thank you for reading my mind and supplying the birthday recipe I need. :) Also mascarpone stabilized whipped cream is my favorite! Cannot wait to make it and report back. Debating on whether to splurge for the millet flour or sun. :)
Alanna says
Aw how perfect. Happy birthday to you! Please let me how the cake turns out and which flours you decide to use. :)
Li says
Made this recently and it turned out great! I was wondering if the recipe could be modified to make other flavors, such as lemon or earl grey chiffon cake, by substituting out some of the maple syrup for lemon juice or tea and adding more sugar? I would love a lemon version of this floofy cake!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Yay, I'm so glad you liked the sponge cake!
LOVE the idea of using strongly brewed earl grey tea instead of the water - brilliant!
I've made a lemon version of this cake by adding lemon zest and it works beautifully (see the citrus pound cake in the notes). I'm not sure if the acidity from lemon juice would make the texture weird or not, so I'd recommend starting with just subbing a couple of tablespoons and see how that goes.
For both of these variations it might be simplest to skip the maple syrup and use 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water instead; unless you want the maple in there in which case, feel free to play around with the formula!
Pretty please keep me posted on what you try!
Vanessa says
This sponge cake is amazing! It’s light as a feather but has so much flavor and depth. I used the regular gf recipe with maple syrup and made it with raspberries and raspberry preserve because it was for a friend who loves raspberries. I’ve never eaten so much cake in my life and I loved every second of it!
Alene says
There are only 2 of us, so I was wondering if I could cut the whole thing in half and use one 6" cake pan (or two). Do you think that would work?
Alanna says
Hi Alene, I do think that would work! I would use 2 pans to be on the safe side. Since the full recipe uses 3 egg yolks and 5 whites, you'll need to cut one of each in half. Otherwise I would err on the side of more egg and go with 2 yolks and 3 whites. Please let me know how it turns out!
Noel Martinez says
Hi...
Looks great.
Can this be made egg free also?
What would be a good replacement?
Thanks!
Von says
I loved this cake! I have tried the chiffon cake recipe in your cookbook and this was just a leg up from that one. I have numerous food allergies and dietary restrictions, and many of your recipes have really allowed me to once more enjoy baking and eating foods that I was previously unable to. The modification here to include maple syrup was PERFECT for me, as I am unable to eat cane sugar. I use monkfruit sweetener instead of the sugar to whip the egg whites and it worked like a dream.
I did end up baking this in a springform high sided pan instead of two cake pans and honestly found it was absolutely decadent as is. I was even able to add a splash of some homemade vanilla extract which I found just gave the cake a little extra boost. Thank you so much for expanding your recipes to include more options for those of us unable to eat standard kitchen staples (dairy, sugar, eggs, wheat, etc). I love your work and look forward to more delicious recipes from your beautifully creative and thoughtful mind.
Alanna says
Awww this note completely makes my day! I've also had to take a break from those kitchen staples, so it's been a fun challenge to experiment with different ingredients, formulas, and recipes too. I'm thrilled that you loved this cake! Using monkfruit sweetener instead of sugar is genius - thank you for experimenting and for the feedback! So glad you're enjoying Alternative Baker too. Someday I'd like to make another cookbook with more vegan / egg-free / sugar-free / grain-free options. But... so much work!
Alene says
I finally made this yesterday to bring to someone's house for dessert. I wanted to take a picture for you but I forgot with all our excited socializing! It was perfect! The sponge cake was delicious and did not have that gluten free taste that baking recipes often have. People had 2 pieces each! That's how good it was! I used the recipe without maple syrup in the cake. I can always count on you, Alanna. Thank you so much! I did, by the way, make a half recipe earlier and used your suggestions about the eggs, using 2 yolks and 3 whites. It was perfect for the 2 of us and also was delicious. Thanks!
Alanna says
Oh I'm so glad you liked it AND that you got to spend time with friends! That is just wonderful. That's great that the half recipe worked out too!
Rebecca says
Hi!
Instead of the flour blend you mentioned, can I use Bob Red Mills' Paleo baking flour?
Alanna says
Hi! I haven't tested the recipe with that flour blend so I don't know whether it will work or not. Please let me know if you experiment! It's usually best to swap the flour by weight if you can. :)
Rebecca says
Hi Alanna, I went ahead and tried it with the same weight proportions. It didn't have a good rise but the texture wasn't bad at all. Still everyone finished the cake :)
Thanks for the lovely recipe.
x
Alanna says
Thanks so much for reporting back! I'm sorry the cake didn't rise as well made with that mix but I'm so glad it was enjoyed regardless! If you try it with the flours called for, please let me know how it fares!
Paige McDonald says
Just made this cake for my birthday and it was a hit! All my friends loved it. Texture us on point- light and fluffy and not too sweet. I made the whipped topping dairy-free with whipped coconut cream, DF cream cheese, and Culina yogurt. It paired perfectly with the cake. Also, made blueberry chia jam. This cake is going to be a go to for now on. It was so good.
Alanna says
That sounds incredibly delicious - I want to try your version!!
Jeannie says
Thank you for sharing this beautiful recipe! I’m curious if melted butter can be used in place of oil?
Alanna says
That's a great question! I haven't tried using melted butter here. My main concern would be that it might congeal when you whisk it with the other wet ingredients. Genoise uses melted butter, but it's added by folding it into the batter along with, or after, adding the whipped egg whites. For this reason, genoise tends to be more technical to make. But of course feel free to experiment, and please let me know what you try!
JP says
Alanna, this cake is delicious!
Question:
Can I freeze the prepared strawberry cake, and store it for later use?
And when ready to use it, just put it in the fridge overnight or take it out of the freezer several hours before eating?
Alanna says
I'm so glad you liked it!
I think if you freeze the assembled cake, the cream might get weird and the berries might drop a lot of juice. It would be better to freeze the layers, then defrost them and assemble when you're ready to serve. But I mean, even if the filling texture gets gloopy, it would still taste delicious! Please LMK what you try. :)
Ilene says
I wanted to post a picture but can’t figure that out so I tagged you on IG. I used to bake my son a box cake in a Bundt pan for his bday very similar to this for years. Haven’t done so in 10 yrs b/c I couldn’t find a grain free good enough. Until now. Celebrating his bday tomorrow and can’t wait for him to see this cake!!
Alanna says
Aw I'm so glad this recipe did the trick! Thanks a bunch for the kind note. Happy birthday to your son!
Karen Collins says
I just made this cake for my daughter’s birthday. I tweaked it for high altitude and hoped for the best. It was amazing!!!! Everyone raved about it and couldn’t believe it was gluten and dairy free. I can’t thank you enough for providing so many options and suggestions to make sure of certain success!! The texture was light and not too sweet. It paired so wonderfully with fresh berries. Will try so many more of your recipes since this was so tasty!!!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Awww this brought a huge smile to my face! I'm so glad the cake was a hit. Good job tweaking it for high altitude, it sounds like it worked perfectly! What changes did you make? I'd love to add those notes to the recipe card to help other high-altitude bakers.
Wishing you and your daughter a super sweet year ahead!
Martina says
Just baked it as a base for a mango mousse cake. I useg only sugar, no maple syrop and added mango mousse to moisten the dough. It turned out beautifully, best ever sponge cake. Thanks
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
That sounds so delicious! Mango mousse must have made the cake so flavorful and golden. Thanks for sharing your variation!
Sara says
I made this cake a few weeks ago for my daughter’s first birthday and it was absolutely perfect in every way! I was thinking of trying a different variation and substituting honey for the maple. Do you think that would work?
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Aw I'm so glad it was a hit! I haven't tested it with honey, but I think it should work! I would try 1/2 cup honey thinned with 2 tablespoons boiling water since honey is sweeter and thicker than maple. Please let me know how it works!
Emily says
This was so delicious! My ideal kind of cake. The sponge was so light and airy. I loved the combo of cream and mascarpone. And the rhubarb strawberry jam packed a lot of flavour without being too sweet. I'd definitely make this again. Thank you!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad you liked it! It's one of my favorites too. Thanks a bunch for the kind note and rating!
Emily says
I have previously used this recipe for a baked Alaska, and it turned out great. Now the same one of my kids wants a chocolate Swiss roll for his birthday, and I’m wondering if you have measurements on hand for adding cocoa powder, &/or baking instructions for making it in a thin sheet pan. Any suggestions for me?
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Emily,
Baked Alaska sounds so good with this cake - yum! I shared a cocoa version of this cake here. I have a swiss roll recipe in my cookbook if you happen to have a copy! I tweaked it from this recipe to make it more pliable. But here are the baking instructions which you're welcome to try with either of these recipes. :)
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 325oF. Line a 12 by 17–inch (30 by 43–cm) ungreased rimmed baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit.
After making the batter as directed, pour it onto the prepared baking sheet, and quickly but gently use an offset spatula to spread the batter into a thin, even layer. Rap the pan on the counter once or twice to pop any large air bubbles. Transfer to the oven and bake until the cake is golden on top, pulls away from the sides of the pan and feels fairly firm when you press the top gently with the pads of your fingers, 18–22 minutes.
Working quickly, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar (or cocoa powder if making the cocoa version) and loosen it from the sides of the pan using a small offset spatula or knife. Place a large, clean kitchen towel over the cake and top with a second baking sheet or large cutting board. Wearing oven mitts, grab the whole thing and flip it over. Remove the hot pan and carefully peel away the parchment paper. Trim away 1⁄4 inch (6 mm) from each edge of the cake, and roll up the cake with the towel; this will help set the shape and the steam will keep it moist and pliant. You can either roll the cake from a short end for a fatter roll or from a long end for a skinnier roll. Either way, let the cake hang out in its towel roll until mostly cool, about 1 hour.
Then you unroll it, fill it, and roll it back up. Please let me know if you try it! :)
Alexandra says
This is so, so beautiful. Not having all ingredients on hand, I’m wondering if I can use coconut sugar or maple sugar (I tried using even half of the organic cane sugar in your gorgeous shortcakes but am horribly sensitive to it) and simply create layers and the topping with coconut whipped cream and sliced strawberries. Or any suggestions? Summertime dreaming always includes strawberries, cake, and whipped cream!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Aw thank you! I think using coconut or maple sugar will work (assuming you mean just for whipping the egg whites, and using the maple syrup that I call for in the base recipe?) I haven't tested it myself so I'm not sure if they will whip up as well as they do with cane sugar. Please let me know if you try it!
Whipped DF coconut cream is a great topping for this! I also like using a rich coconut yogurt such as Culina as a whipped cream replacement. Another great DF topping is my paleo / vegan frosting - so luscious!
Andre ( with an accent ) Fontaine says
Maple sugar is not the same as maple syrup. For different cooking temperature ( increasing ) you have maple syrup, maple butter then maple sugar. This last one is usually purchased in a 1lb block that you scrape / crumble as needed, sometimes you can find it already processed finer.
I have not made the recipe yet.... still assessing it.
I will comment when i do make it.... soon i am sure.
Sebastian Martello says
Hi Alanna, this site is just great. I've gotten many request to make gluten free cakes from the church members and finding tasty recipes ( that should look as good as the taste ) has been difficult.
So, What do you suggest I add or subtract from this recipe to make a standard lemon chiffon ( two layer ) cake. thanks
P.S. Can't wait to get your book.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Sebastian, Thanks very much for saying so! I actually have a citrus chiffon cake variation in the notes. Start with the classic sponge cake variation that uses sugar, and start by rubbing lemon zest into the sugar. If you like, you could make some lemon curd and use it between the layers along with some whipped cream. Please let me know if you try it!
Sandhya says
Thank you Alanna - made this for my husband’s birthday recently and we polished it in off in no time - the cakes rose beautifully with a gorgeous crumb. The filling with strawberries made it irresistible. So delicious, will definitely be making again.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad you loved the cake! Thanks a bunch for the sweet note and rating and HBD to your husband!
Gigi says
I’d like to use this to make a Victoria sponge cake for my birthday cake! …sans white sugar that is for the cake and compote. (Found some exquisite strawberry preserves from Italy without cane sugar recently and was dreaming of using them in the compote)! Any suggestions? I typically house a very dark, pure maple syrup from a small farm in Vermont as my go-to here in my refrigerator so am wondering if agave, since beautifully champagne/golden, may work best alternatively…? Merci!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Gigi,
That all sounds amazing! I haven't tested this recipe with agave but I think it should work since it's pretty similar in liquidity to maple syrup. Those preserves sound dreamy! Please LMK if you try it, and happy almost birthday!
-A
Christina says
Love Coombs and typically use their very dark maple syrup- should I grab their lighter colored variety instead for this? Or agave? Also, I can’t indulge in the marscapone or heavy whipping cream sadly- would coconut cream or soft goat cheese and Culina work instead or perhaps just coconut whipped cream…? Just curious as to how the layers will hold up after setting them up, or could I possibly ‘deconstruct’ slices individually, creating the layers right before plating…? This is beautiful! Will decorate with some luxurious Evolve keto white chocolate bar squares as well, which are so divine!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Christina,
Big Coombs fan here too! It's totally up to you; I think the flavor of the dark syrup would be nice, but the light one (or agave) would taste more clean and bright. I haven't tested it with agave but I think it should work fine!
Coconut whipped cream would definitely work for layering. Possibly Culina, but it might crack or look weird when set in the fridge, and it will be more dense. When I made a Paleo version of this, I used my cashew butter frosting and it was *so* good. If you can tolerate those ingredients, that would be my best suggestion.
Please let me know what you try!
-A
ashley says
forgive me for asking about changes, but I cannot get millet flour in time for my daughters birthday. could I substitute Cassava flour or buckwheat flour in place of millet? This is my first gluten free cake baking experiece. very nervous!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Ashley!
Aw happy almost birthday to your daughter.
Great question about the flour sub! I don't suppose you have sorghum, teff, or gluten-free all-purpose flour on hand? Those would be my first choices for subs for the millet flour. Otherwise, buckwheat should work texture-wise, but the cake will have a darker color and more earthy flavor. Cassava flour *might* work, but it could also make the cake gummy, I'm not sure. You could also try using more oat flour, or a blend of oat and sweet rice to make up the weight of the millet flour.
Whatever sub you use, it's best to sub by weight if you have a scale. Or you can look up weights of various flours online.
I've found that the classic version made with sugar and vanilla (in the recipe card notes) is a bit more resilient, so if sugar is ok for your daughter, I would go with that version!
One more option, if you're nervous about the egg white folding-in part, is that this coconut flour vanilla cake is super easy and not scary to mix up – no whipping or folding required!
Please come back and let me know what you try!
-A
Ashley says
I had to come back to tell you that I was able to get millet flour in time, and this cake was delicious. I made your frosting, and it was also incredible. I'm the only gluten free eater in my whole circle of friends, and they demolished the cake. We had no leftovers. This will be our family birthday cake recipe from here on. Thank you!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad you were able to source millet flour and that the cake was a hit! The non-GF folks are always the true test haha. Thanks so much for trying out the recipe and for the kind note!
Carson says
Made this today and followed the grain free/paleo instructions and it is MAGICAL!! We are simply amazed by the texture!! I rarely comment on blog posts, but I just had to circle back to say thank you! I try a new grain free dessert recipe nearly every week, and I can’t tell you what a joy and resource your blog has been! Thanks so much for sharing your gifts ❤️
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
I'm so glad you love the grain-free version of this sponge cake! Thanks so much for the kind note, it made my day. :) Please let me know if you try any other recipes from TBG. You can find all my grain-free recipes here. These tahini chocolate chip cookies are one of my very favorites!
JoAnn Clapacs says
Alana,
I liked your recipe and I am not gluten free - my question is have you ever tried grinding the flours to make them less grainy? Cake was delicious but my brother did notice the grain feeling.
Thanks so much!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi JoAnn,
I'm so glad you liked the recipe, although I'm sorry to hear the cake had a grainy texture from the flours. May I ask which brands of flours you used? The grind can vary from brand to brand. But you could certainly try grinding the flours more finely. Would you use a food processor, or a blender, or a clean coffee grinder / spice grinder?
-Alanna
Carson Love says
Okay I want to make this cake (again!) for my birthday and have two questions:
-Do you think I could sub honey for the maple syrup (I got this sourwood honey from the farmer’s market I’m dying to use!)
-If I want to make a three or even four layer cake, would you just double the recipe and stick with 8 inch cake pans?
Thank you so much!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Carson,
I'm so glad you love the cake; honored that you're going to make it for your birthday!
Ok, here are some thoughts:
-I'm nervous that the acidity in the honey will make the cake batter deflate, but you could definitely test it out. I would try maybe a half batch just to see how it works before committing to a larger cake, just in case you're not happy with the results. Honey is also thicker and sweeter than maple syrup, so you would probably want to thin it with some hot water.
-I once made a version of this cake for GFF magazine with three 8-inch layers that was about a 1.5 batch. It might get pretty tall with a double batch in 8-inch layers, but if you doubled the recipe and baked it in three 9-inch layers, I could see that working pretty well.
Please let me know what you try!
xo,
A
Carson Love says
Okay we just got done serving the cake, and I had to immediately report back!! The cake turned out AWESOME, yet again! I didn’t end up subbing the honey- stayed true to the recipe with the maple. I did the paleo/grain free version, doubled it, and used 4 eight inch cake pans and it was perfect! I wish there was a way I could attach pictures. I even stacked the layers with a summer stone fruit compote + paleo Swiss meringue buttercream + almond flour streusel, and the layers kept straight and sturdy! I was nervous the delicate sponge would topple over, but it was great! Decorated with bee pollen + edible flowers. No one could believe it was grain free and said it was the best cake ever. Thank you SO much for being such an amazing resource for paleo friendly recipes- it really does help add such special moments to family gatherings ❤️❤️
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Oh wow, that sounds EPIC (streusel in the cake layers, be still my heart!) I want to see pictures too! Feel free to email them to me directly ([email protected]) I'm so glad the cake was a huge hit and paleo to boot. Yay!!!
xo,
A
Daisy says
Hi Alanna, thank you for sharing this recipe. I've been looking all over for a gluten free cake recipe for my housemate's birthday and it's been so hard to find one that is layered and beautiful like this for a special occasion. I do have a question, is it possible to use just 1 type of GF flour from the list or do I have to use all 3? I am trying to reduce the amount of ingredients I need to purchase.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Daisy,
That's so sweet of you to bake for your housemate's birthday - I'm sure it's going to be very much appreciated!
Great question about the flours. Using the blend of flours here does produce the best texture since each flour has its own properties to add. However, if you want to use just 1 flour, I would choose a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. My favorite one is Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 (in the blue bag). If you have a food scale, it will be most accurate to substitute the flours by weight (just add them all up and then use that amount of GF AP flour).
Please let me know what you try!
-Alanna
Daisy says
Thank you so much! I will try this and let you know how it turns out. I also wanted to incorporate white chocolate. Do you think I could add melted white chocolate to the whipped marscapone icing you used on the cake?
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Mmm that sounds delicious. I think you'd want to make a white chocolate whipped ganache and then maybe incorporate some mascarpone into it. I did a quick search and found this recipe which looks pretty good, although sweeter. Please let me know what you try!
Vesna says
Hello! Hope you will see my comment. :) My son (soon to be 1 YO) has wheat and egg allergy, so I need to make a cake without those indlgredients. Can I substitute eggs in this recipe with something else? Would really like to make him a cake for first birthday.
Thanks!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Vesna,
Oof, egg-free and gluten-free is tough, especially with cakes. I'm afraid this cake wouldn't work will with an egg sub since there are so many eggs in it.
I did share a vegan chocolate cake on IG a few years back, in case that would work for your purposes.
I also think this GF lemon poppy seed cake formula could work egg-free. You could try swapping the 2 eggs for 6 tablespoons of Just Egg, aqua faba (chickpea water), or another egg substitute, and omit the lemon zest and poppy seeds, adding 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. You may want to make a half batch to test it out in case you want to make changes to the recipe (you could bake it into cupcakes or in a loaf pan).
One of my readers is egg-free, and she's had good success in general using a blend of egg subs, for example, 3 tablespoons apple sauce and 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt in place of 2 eggs. In my cookie recipe she uses 2 ounces of cream cheese in place of egg. Flax egg tends to get gummy in GF baked goods. Lots of things to try depending what other food sensitivities there are!
You might also peruse the vegan recipes on my site. I don't have anything birthday cake-like, but there's a banana bread and pumpkin muffin that could be baked into a cake.
Let me know if you give any of these a go or if I can help advise anymore! HBD to your little one!
-Alanna
Yaël says
Hi! I just made this today for a work gathering— very much not a cake for the middle of northeast January, but it was requested! Some things were off but totally a me problem, so I’ve made some notes for next time. The icing had perfect peaks but I had put it in the fridge until I was ready to use— it actually softened and became almost runny meringue. Maybe I didn’t whip it long enough?
My cake was slightly overdone by maybe 3-4 minutes even at 20 min on the dot and I attribute it to my oven! It didn’t rise as much as I thought it would but it was still a very fluffy chiffon like texture!
I added zest of 2 lemons AND vanilla and I’m never going back— it’s such a good flavor.
Thank you for this recipe, I’ve been an amateur baker a long time and love collecting recipes I’ll come back to over and over again. This is one of them!
Ps. This is my first time ever leaving a comment on a recipe anywhere!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Yael,
Aw, I'm so honored to be your first recipe comment on the internet - that means so much to me!! Comments and ratings are so helpful to us creators because it gives other readers confidence to try our recipes too, so it is very much appreciated. Thanks for trying this cake recipe and for sharing your experience. What lucky coworkers you have!
Did you make the version sweetened with maple syrup, or the one with sugar? The maple version is a bit more fussy and it can be a little tricky to get it to rise high. But it's easier after the first time when you're more familiar with the steps, I promise!
That's so interesting about the frosting becoming runny in the fridge. It sounds like it just needed to be whipped a little longer. Were you able to fluff it back up before assembling the cake? For the bake time, if you suspect that your oven runs a little hot, you can try decreasing the temperature by 25 degrees or so next time. External oven thermometers are helpful and can take out some of the guesswork too.
The lemon zest / vanilla combo here sounds divine; I'll have to try that next time!
xo,
Alanna
Yaël says
Hello!
You’re kind to respond so promptly!
So I actually did use cane sugar intentionally to avoid fussiness since I was making it for the first time— I have a few thoughts which could be wrong but I’m telling myself are maybe why:
My arsenal of bakeware are in storage from moving across country so I used the simpler not so exciting pans that I don’t like but had handy— I’m convinced they don’t heat well. I also MAY have used the 9 inch pans haha. And that would explain it all…..
I also think it’s possible I justttt slightly over folded in the egg whites which I know can deflate the whipped egg whites. I feel silly even detailing this all because it was only a few cm shorter and it was VERY good. Everyone loved it.
The whip cream it’s possible it needed a minute more whipping or just deflated a bit in the fridge for the 1 hour I waited before assembling.
Really truly— the lemon + vanilla is a delight. I used some Meyer lemon zest in there too.
Thank you again! I’ve been gluten free for thirteen years but loved baking and pastry making before I had a health issue. 10 years ago gluten free baking wasn’t where it is now. I had to test out using so many different flours and my own recipes. I burnt out and stopped baking for years— until finding your site a couple weeks ago. I love baking intricate recipes and I’m so happy to have found your site.
Everyone in my life is overjoyed to once again have me baking for them again (haha)!
Apologies for this long a$$ comment! Ciao!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Aw no apology needed, I love chatting about baking!
I feel you about GF baking having come such a long way in the last decade. There's been so much more experimentation, products, and support since so many people have had to go GF for various reasons. There's no excuse for bad GF baking anymore, haha!
Ok, I'm glad to know that you made the version with sugar and that the shorter cake could have had to do with using a larger pan - that would make sense! I'll be curious to know if you try it again how it goes the second time. Folding in the eggs just the right amount is definitely the trickiest part; I've been there myself and it's *my* recipe, haha. In any case, I'm so glad it was a big hit. Mmm Meyer lemon and vanilla are an amazing combo, especially this time of year when we need all the bright, sunny flavors. I have a Meyer lemon vanilla buttermilk pie that's one of my favorite winter recipes. :)
Let me know if I can assist on your renewed GF baking journey in any other way. Bojon appétit! ;)
Jenny says
I’m so disappointed. My lemon chiffon cakes have been out of the oven for an hour. Both cakes have sunken 1/2 to 3/4 inch. My only substitution was the granulated sugar for the maple syrup. I measured everything by weight. Egg whites whipped up beautifully, and they didn’t deflate too much after folding into the batter. In the oven for 28 minutes at 325 F ( I had checked them at 20, and there wasn’t much color. Checked at 24, and they didn’t quite spring back like I wanted. Didn’t take the pans out of the oven either time, just a gentle tap to the top and closed the door on them again). Toothpick test came out clean. Any ideas? I don’t have time to rebake the cakes today, and I don’t want to use these because I’m afraid they’re going to be too dense after falling that much. I had such high hopes for a beautiful lemon raspberry layered sponge cake :(
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Oh no, I'm very sorry to hear this! And I'm a bit mystified since it sounds like you did everything perfectly. You left the sides of the pans ungreased, correct? That's kind of the only thing I can think of that could make them deflate after baking.
The version made with sugar and water (rather than maple syrup) is usually especially sturdy. The only other thing I can think of is that the acidity in the lemon zest could have caused the batter to be more temperamental; I made a lemon version for my cookbook, but that was several years ago and I haven't actually tried that variation recently.
You used the sweet rice, millet, and oat flours, right? Were they Bob's Red Mill brand and did you measure by weight? I wouldn't think those factors should make that much of a difference, but sometimes the grind of a different flour brand can cause havoc on a recipe, and measuring by volume can sometimes cause issues as well, so wanted to ask.
What I would recommend doing if possible is using the cake layers to make a trifle. You could cut them up and brush them with some lemon syrup or lemon liqueur, then layer them with the berries and cream, and maybe some lemon curd or raspberry jam. It should still be delicious!
Again, I'm so sorry that this happened and I'm happy to help troubleshoot some more. Thanks very much for your feedback!
xo,
A
Jenny says
Thanks for your reply, Alanna. Making a trifle is a good idea. I ended up freezing the cakes and made a different recipe for the cake I needed for Thursday.
I did not grease the pans, I used Bob’s oat and millet flours and Koda Farms sweet rice flour all measured by weight. I even bought and opened a new can of baking powder to use for this recipe because I couldn’t remember when I’d opened the one in my pantry (I need to remember to date them!). I’m stumped, too! The cakes looked great going in and coming out of the oven, but then they sank into sad-looking craters. I have more lemons, so making some lemon syrup to soak the cakes after I cut them up to layer with some fruit and whipped cream sounds lovely. Thank you for your reply!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Well that is quite the mystery since those are the same brands of flour that I use! The only other factor would be how whipped the egg whites were, although it sounds like they were whipped to perfection if they were easy to fold into the batter and held their shape well. And even if they were a whipped a touch more or less than is ideal, I wouldn't think it would make *that* much of a difference.
I do have an idea though. The sponge cake that I use for my gluten-free tres leches cake is this same recipe made with sugar, plus an extra egg white. It helps the crumb stay extra floofy and open. You could try using that recipe for these cake layers and see if it helps them stay lifted.
Please let me know if you try it, and I hope the trifle is delicious!
Yaël Krinsky says
Hi Alanna,
It's me again! I'm making my niece's 1st birthday cake and my sister has requested I make a blueberry cake! I'd like to make it a lemon/ blueberry cake and was hoping to use this gluten free cake recipe of yours again (ideally with maple syrup as sweetener). I'd like to do blueberries in the batter so it is speckled with blueberries— do you think it will hold up ok with this addition? I suspect the blueberries will sink a little but given that I will do 2-3 cakes, maybe it wont be a problem with layers. I'll probably do a blueberry jam/frosting layers and blueberry cream cheese frosting. do you think it can hold up with that? Thank you again!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Yaël,
That sounds so delicious; what a lucky niece you have!
Great question about adding blueberries. Since this sponge cake batter is so delicate, I'm a little concerned that the blueberries would all sink to the bottom. Plus, the moisture might throw off the cake layers and cause them to rise too little or too much, and then fall flat.
One idea would be to use freeze-dried blueberries in the cake instead of fresh/frozen, since they wouldn't add any extra liquid. I do think the cake layers would stand up well to being layered with blueberry jam and blueberry cream cheese frosting - yummm!
If you did want to have fresh berries in the layers, I'm thinking that a sturdier batter to try would be the one for this lemon poppy seed cake. I would toss the blueberries with some flour to coat them before stirring them into the batter, and omit the lemon juice since the berries will add extra moisture. And leave out the lemon zest and poppy seeds, of course!
Please let me know what you try, and save me a slice! ;)
-A
ES says
Very impressed!!! I made this recipe with some alterations. I used the white sponge cake variation (white sugar + water instead of maple syrup), and I split the batter into three parts after folding in the egg whites. One I left vanilla-flavored, another I added some dutch cocoa powder to, and the rest was flavored with ube concentrate. The first two were baked in 6-inch pans and the ube cake was in an 8.5 x 4.5 inch bread pan because I wanted a rectangular cake. I was initially a bit worried about 1) crumbage because there was no xantham gum in this recipe and 2) deflation because when I added flavors after the egg white addition. I did lose a bit of air from the egg whites in the batter but they seemed to bake up just fine. After cooling and cutting away from the edges of the pans, they fell out easily because they were lined with parchment. All of them are soft, light, and cut pretty easily with a serrated knife and have not fallen apart yet (which is much more than you can say about many gluten free recipes).
I will definitely be using this recipe again and trying different flavors!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Aw yay, I'm so happy to hear that the cake worked well, especially with other flavors added after mixing the batter. I'm craving ube and chocolate versions of this now - yum!! Thanks very much for sharing your variations with all of us here!
Diane in Santa Fe says
Thank you for another great dessert recipe that worked perfectly for me at high altitude (7200’). My daughter is thrilled to be able to eat strawberry shortcake again, thanks to your recipe, Alanna!
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Yay, I'm so glad the cake worked well at altitude and that you and your daughter enjoyed it!
Jenny Stegen says
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I have 4 children with celiac disease and they do not have the luxury of enjoying bakery items. It is hard to find delicious recipes and products that make them happy. My youngest turned 16 yesterday and I wanted to make something special for his birthday. THIS WAS A HIT! Everyone around the table was crazy about this cake. And they could not believe this was gluten free! It tastes like a light and fresh strawberry shortcake with the perfect amount of sweetness. The maple syrup is BRILLIANT. It is no fun to spend energy on a new recipe that doesn't taste great in the end. This recipe is not difficult and the results will leave you feeling like an amazing pastry chef (I fooled them!). I love making my family happy more than anything. From a grateful gluten free mama.
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Jenny,
Oh my goodness, four celiac children is a lot! I'm so glad this recipe found its way to you and that it was a hit with the whole family. What a special dessert for a 16th birthday! So glad you like the maple syrup variation too - I love the flavor it adds too.
Let me know if I can point you toward any more family-friendly recipes. Bojon appétit!
-Alanna
Randi says
What are the exact directions for preparing the cake portion of this? I’ve read the cake recipe several times but it calls for two round 8 in. pans and this calls for 1 square pan. Also do you cut the entire cake in half to create two thinner layers to section off of?
Alanna Taylor-Tobin says
Hi Randi,
Are you by chance making my tiramisu recipe? In that case, you would follow the instructions in that recipe: "Make the chiffon cake batter and pour into an ungreased 8-inch square pan lined on the bottom with parchment paper."
If you're making a layer cake, you can follow the instructions in this post and bake the batter in two round pans for two layers, no cake splitting needed.
Let me know if that answered the question or if more clarification is needed!
-Alanna