This gluten-free dairy free cake is rich, moist, fluffy, and the perfect base for a creamy DF chocolate frosting. This one-bowl yellow cake recipe is incredibly easy to make, you'll want to whip it up for every birthday and family gathering.
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Skill Level: Beginner
Shortcut Central: Use store-bought dairy-free frosting.
Flavor Remix: Swap chocolate frosting for vanilla buttercream or cream cheese frosting for a lighter twist.
Allergy Watch: Dairy Free, Nut-Free
My GF yellow sheet cake recipe has a fluffy texture without using butter-the oil and a good whisk do the trick! It's my secret to a soft, tender crumb that stays moist even after chilling.
Like all good yellow cake recipes, it has plenty of vanilla and extra egg yolks that make this cake tender and add to its signature yellow color.
The dairy free frosting is a chocolate Swiss buttercream. While it may seem intimidating, I think Swiss buttercream is actually more forgiving than traditional American buttercream, especially when working with dairy free butter. It is less sweet so the chocolate flavor shines through.
Ingredient Notes
- Gluten-Free Flour: For best results, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum. Bob's Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure are both great options. If your blend doesn't include xanthan gum, add 1½ teaspoons per cup of flour.
- Eggs: You'll need 6 large eggs for the batter: 4 whole and 2 yolks plus egg whites for the frosting. Use room temp eggs for best results.
- Vegetable Oil: You can use any neutral oil, like avocado oil.
- Dairy-Free Butter: Use any quality plant-based butter. Don't use margarine or buttery spreads that are too soft.
- Dairy-Free Chocolate Chips: Use semi-sweet or bittersweet. Swap with chopped dark chocolate or baking chocolate.
- Cornstarch: You can substitute with arrowroot starch or tapioca starch but cornstarch is what I always use in gluten-free baking to mimic traditional cake flour.
- Non-Dairy Milk: You can use any unsweetened non-dairy milk, like almond or coconut milk.
How to Make a Gluten Free Yellow Cake
A step-by-step visual guide for making gluten-free yellow sheet cake. You can skip to the recipe for the full written instructions.
Sift the Dry Ingredients
Combine the dry ingredients before mixing to prevent clumps, then whisk everything together until evenly distributed.
Mix the Cake Batter
Starting at a slow speed gives the eggs time to blend smoothly and prevents the dry ingredients from flying out of the bowl.
Increase the Speed
Once the ingredients are combined, increase the speed to medium to incorporate air into the batter, creating a lighter, fluffier cake with better structure.
Transfer the Batter
Tap the cake pan on the counter to level the batter and remove any air pockets. Rest for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flour to rehydrate.
Bake
The cake is done when it looks golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Frost
Once the cake has cooled, top with the dairy-free buttercream frosting and decorate as desired.
Recipe Tips
- Rotate the pan halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting. A warm cake will melt your frosting and create a mess.
- If the frosting looks too soft, chill it briefly, then beat again.
- Top the cake with sprinkles, fresh fruits, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, toasted coconut flakes, and so much more!
More GF Cake Recipes
Make Ahead and Storing
Make Ahead: Bake the cake up to a day in advance. Once cooled, cover the pan with a plastic wrap or foil, and store at room temperature. You can also prep the frosting ahead.
Storing: Store leftovers at room temperature for a day, or in the fridge for 4-5 days. Let it sit at room temp before serving.
Freezing: To freeze individual slices, wrap each slice with plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag. Thaw in the fridge before serving!
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Yellow Sheet Cake (Dairy Free!)
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Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (310 g) 1:1 gluten-free flour with xanthan gum
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (30 g) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 6 large eggs 4 whole plus 2 yolks
- ¾ cup (177 ml) vegetable oil
- ½ cup (118 ml) non dairy milk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Dairy Free Chocolate Frosting
- 3 egg whites
- ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- 14 Tablespoons (196 g) dairy-free butter
- 8 ounces (226 g) dairy-free chocolate chips melted and cooled
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch metal baking pan.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until thoroughly combined.2 ½ cups 1:1 gluten-free flour with xanthan gum, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, ¼ cup cornstarch, 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, slowly beat in the remaining ingredients until combined. Slowly add in the dry ingredients. Increase to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes, or until the mixture begins to lighten in color.6 large eggs, ¾ cup vegetable oil, ½ cup non dairy milk, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large bubbles. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 200-210°F, or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Dairy Free Chocolate Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the egg whites and sugar.3 egg whites, ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with 2 inches of simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture is hot, smooth, and reaches 160°F on a candy thermometer (about 3 minutes).
- Return the bowl to the stand mixer. Whip on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form and the bowl feels cool to the touch (about 5-10 minutes).
- Switch to the paddle attachment. Gradually add the cubed, room-temperature butter and mix until smooth. Add the melted chocolate, vanilla and salt. Mix until fully combined and silky smooth.14 Tablespoons dairy-free butter, 8 ounces dairy-free chocolate chips, pinch kosher salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
- 9x13 metal baking pan
- electric mixer or stand mixer
Notes
- If not dairy free, you can use buttermilk in place of the dairy-free milk and vinegar.
Bob says
This recipe ships
This recipe skips steps and ingredients.And the flavor is not that great,and the frosting was hard to make,but it tastes good.
Jen Wooster says
I fixed the recipe card. I rated this recipe as intermediate because of the additional steps to make the frosting. My taste testers agreed that it was worth the extra step.
Anonymous says
My new favorite gluten free dessert!