This Gluten Free Vanilla Raspberry Cake is so moist, you’ll never know it’s gluten and dairy free! It’s loaded with fresh raspberries and topped off with the creamiest chocolate frosting.
I made this double layer cake for my 33rd birthday and all my friends who tried it were shocked at how moist and flavorful it was. When you think of gluten free cakes, most people think of them as being dry, but this cake is the opposite. A combination of buttermilk and yogurt (vegan options provided!), keep this cake the perfect texture, even after a few days. This cake can also be made completely refined sugar free and the icing contains a secret ingredient to get the silkiest texture without being sickeningly sweet.
The icing is what truly makes this gluten free cake. I normally am not a frosting girl because I find it so sickeningly sweet and heavy with the amount of fat and dairy it contains. This frosting is made with sweet potato (yes, you read that right) and it is perfection. It’s completely dairy free! It has just the right amount of chocolate and it’s so smooth, plus you get a nutrient boost and can feel good about eating it.
My favorite way to make frosting is with sweet potato. Don’t click away! I know it might sound crazy, but it provides the creamiest, dreamiest base for icing without all the fat. Plus, sweet potato provides some sweetness, so you don’t need to use as much sweetener. A healthier cake that tastes like a complete indulgence? Count me in!
Gluten Free Vanilla Raspberry Cake Ingredients
- 1:1 gluten free flour: you’ll need a 1:1 gluten free flour for the best texture!
- Tapioca starch: adding a little tapioca starch to gluten free baking helps create a light texture.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- (Dairy free) butter: vegan or regular butter will work in this recipe. I like using the Miyoko’s brand for vegan.
- Olive oil: a combination of fats keeps this cake light and delicious.
- Coconut sugar: a unrefined sugar for sweetness.
- White sugar: I like the combination of coconut and white sugar for texture, but you can use all coconut sugar to keep this recipe refined sugar free.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Diary free milk: any dairy free or vegan milk should work in this recipe.
- Apple cider vinegar: this gets added to the milk to create buttermilk!
- Yogurt: dairy free or regular will work. Use Greek yogurt for a little protein boost! If using dairy free, I love the Harmless Harvest brand
- Raspberries: can’t have a raspberry cake without the raspberries!
- Orange sweet potato: for the icing!
- Chocolate chips: melted chocolate gets used in the icing. Use refined sugar free chocolate chips as desired.
- Coconut oil: for the icing.
- Cocoa powder: some extra chocolate flavor for the icing!
- Maple syrup: to sweeten the icing.
How to Make Gluten Free Vanilla Cake
- Make the buttermilk and set aside.
- Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside.
- Cream together butter and sugar, add the rest of the wet ingredients and combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low to combine.
- Toss the raspberries in flour and fold them into the batter.
- Divide batter between 2 cake pans and bake.
- Let cool completely before icing.
- Make the icing by combining everything in a high speed blender until smooth.
Substitutions and Variations
Sugar: I use a combination of white and coconut sugar in this recipe to get a light and airy texture in the cake. Coconut sugar is a bit heavier, so I added a little white sugar to lighten things up. Coconut sugar helps provide depth of flavor. You should be able to use all coconut sugar though if you want to keep this recipe refined sugar free.
Milk: the milk in this recipe is combined with apple cider vinegar to create a dairy free buttermilk. If you can have dairy, feel free to eliminate the apple cider vinegar and just use 1 cup of buttermilk. If you don’t want to buy buttermilk, then you can still use the same method of combining 1 cup of milk with the apple cider vinegar.
Raspberries: although this is a raspberry cake, if you aren’t a fan then strawberries might work.
Sweet potato: I have not tested this recipe with anything but orange sweet potato. I think that is the best option for the icing, but white sweet potato would probably do in a pinch!
Storage
Store this cake, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days. The icing will melt if it sits at room temperature too long or if it’s too hot.
You can also slice this cake into individual portions, wrap in plastic wrap, and store in an airtight bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Why is gluten free cake dry?
Gluten free cake can be dry if you used too much flour. The weights of gluten free vs. regular gluten flours are different, so substituting the flour one for one doesn’t always work without modifications. That is why it’s best to follow a gluten free cake specific recipe, like this one. I’ve adjusted the flour and wet ingredients to be just the right ratio to produce a moist and flavorful cake.
Can I make this cake grain free?
I have not tested a grain free or paleo version of this cake, so I’m not sure what the best grain free flour substitution would be.
More delicious gluten free desserts
Easy Dairy Free Vanilla Ice Cream (pairs great with this cake)
Gluten Free Cookie Dough Bread
Gluten Free Raspberry and Cream Scones
Gluten Free Vanilla Raspberry Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Equipment
- 2 cake pans 8 or 9 inch will work
- or hand mixer
Ingredients
Cake
- 2.5 cups 1:1 gluten free flour
- 2 Tbsp tapioca starch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter I used Miyoko's vegan butter
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar or more coconut sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup dairy free milk
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 3 Tbsp yogurt I used a vegan yogurt, but Greek yogurt works too
- 1.5 cups fresh raspberries, lightly torn apart plus more for decorating (2-3 pints total)
Frosting
- 3 cups cooked and mashed orange sweet potato
- 1 cup chocolate chips I like using dark chocolate
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1-1.5 cups maple syrup
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Grease two cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mix together the milk and apple cider vinegar and set aside.
- Sift together the flour, starch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Beat together 3/4 cup of coconut sugar with the butter on medium speed until fluffy. Add in the remaining sugar and oil and beat to combine.
- Add the eggs two at a time and beat to combine after each addition.
- Add the vanilla extract, milk mixture, and yogurt and mix to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. If using a stand mixer, use the paddle attachment.
- Toss the raspberries with 2 Tbsp of flour to coat then gently fold them into the batter with a rubber spatula.
- Divide the batter between the cake pans and firmly tap the pans against the counter to break up large air bubbles. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. If at sea level, I suggest checking the cakes at 30 minutes.
- Once done baking, let cakes cool in their pans before flipping them out of their pans.
Frosting
- Make sure your sweet potato is baked, mashed, and cooled slightly, but not cooler than room temperature.
- Melt your chocolate chips and coconut oil together until you have a smooth chocolate.
- In a high speed blender or food processor, combine all icing ingredients starting with less maple syrup and adding based on desired taste.
- Once icing is smooth, let sit in the fridge until set.
Assembly
- I highly suggest doing your best to evenly slice the domes off the cakes so you have a flat surface. Spread a thick layer of chocolate frosting over the first cake, then gently add the second cake on top.
- Frost and decorate the rest of your cake as desired, using the remaining raspberries.
- Celebrate and enjoy!
