Cooking and Serving: 55 minutes | 8 slices
Ingredients
How to make gluten free strawberry shortcake cake | Ingredient substitutions
Description
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 8 slices
Ingredients
How to make gluten free strawberry shortcake cake
Expert tips
Ingredient substitutions
Instructions
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
For the full ingredient list for this layered cake, strawberries and whipped.
cream, please see the recipe card.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
For the full ingredient list for this layered cake, strawberries and whipped.
cream, please see the recipe card.
Notes
* Whole milk & butter: Both add richness, tenderness and flavor.
* Eggs: One whole egg and 1 egg white add structure, moisture and bind the cake
* Gluten free flour: Any high quality all purpose gluten free flour blend
that’s well balanced and has a finely ground rice flour should work here.
* Oil: Adding some neutral oil like canola, vegetable, peanut, avocado, or
grapeseed adds lots of moisture without making the cake taste or smell oily
like an all-oil cake can.
* Sugar: Adds tenderness and sweetness, and helps to macerate
enhance their flavor.
* Vinegar: A bit of white balsamic or white wine vinegar to the strawberries
helps draw out their moisture and enhance the flavor.
yellow cake with 2 slices missing with thick layer of white whipped cream on top
and sliced red strawberries on a white cake plate with a black background
cake with 2 slices missing with thick layer of white whipped cream on top and
sliced red strawberries on a white cake plate with a black background
HOW TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CAKE
To make this layer cake, place the sliced strawberries, some granulated sugar
and vinegar in a bowl. Let them sit to macerate.
small round metal mixing bowl with sliced strawberries mixed with sugar with
round metal mixing bowl with sliced strawberries mixed with sugar with metal
To make the cake batter, in a large measuring cup, whisk together an egg, egg
white, some milk and vanilla.
Sift your gluten free flour blend into the bowl of a stand mixer, then whisk in
the xanthan gum if adding, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add
melted butter and oil to the dry ingredients, and mix until the mixture looks
4 cup glass measuring cup with light yellow liquid and metal wire whisk
cup glass measuring cup with light yellow liquid and metal wire whisk
hand holding medium-size metal sieve with white flour over mixing bowl
holding medium-size metal sieve with white flour over mixing bowl
hand holding metal wire whisk, whisking white flour mixture in bowl of stand
holding metal wire whisk, whisking white flour mixture in bowl of stand mixer
round metal bowl of stand mixer with clumping pale yellow flour and butter
mixture with white mixer paddle
metal bowl of stand mixer with clumping pale yellow flour and butter mixture
with white mixer paddle
With the mixer on low speed, beat in the milk and egg mixture until smooth.
Don’t overmix the batter in this gluten free cake.
Transfer the smooth vanilla cake batter to a greased round cake pan, and smooth
Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, rotate the pan, and finish baking at 325°F. Let
the cake cool while you prepare the other layers.
mixer on low speed while hand holding measuring cup pours yellow liquid into
on low speed while hand holding measuring cup pours yellow liquid into mixing
metal stand mixer bowl with soft pale yellow batter with white silicone spatula
stand mixer bowl with soft pale yellow batter with white silicone spatula with
round metal cake pan with light yellow batter in an even layer
metal cake pan with light yellow batter in an even layer
same cake pan with yellow-brown cake baked in it on round wire cooling rack
cake pan with yellow-brown cake baked in it on round wire cooling rack
Whip the heavy whipping cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. By
now, the macerating strawberries should be really fragrant and should have
created a nice thick, syrupy liquid.
medium-size round metal bowl with white whipped cream in the bowl and some on a
round metal bowl with white whipped cream in the bowl and some on a wire
bowl of sliced strawberries with red rendered juice in bowl and on metal mixing
of sliced strawberries with red rendered juice in bowl and on metal mixing spoon
Turn the cooled cake out onto a serving platter. Drain the liquid from the bowl
of strawberries, and pour it over the cake slowly, letting the cake absorb the
Spread the whipped cream on the cake, then layer the macerated strawberries on
top. Slice the cake with a sharp knife, and serve.
hand holding small glass jar pouring rendered strawberry liquid onto light brown
round cake on white cake plate
holding small glass jar pouring rendered strawberry liquid onto light brown
round cake on white cake plate
swirled layer of white whipped cream on top of light brown cake on cake plate
layer of white whipped cream on top of light brown cake on cake plate
same cake with sliced strawberries on top of white whipped cream on cake
cake with sliced strawberries on top of white whipped cream on cake
Like with our gluten free angel food cake
the flour blend to make sure the rise is even and the cake is lighter. Since
it’s the first ingredient in the cake, you can just sift it right into the
We’re using the “reverse cream method
to make this cake, which just means that we whisk together the dry ingredients
(including sugar), and then beat softened butter (and oil) in to create a
velvety cake that has a somewhat denser crumb.
To make sure that the butter mixes easily into the flour, make sure yours is a
little softer than the non-greasy butter we usually need if we’re beating it
first with sugar. If you want to be really precise, a temperature of about 75°F
on an instant read thermometer is just perfect.
whole single layer vanilla cake with light brown exterior with a thick layer of
white whipped cream and sliced strawberries with running red juice on white cake
plate on black marbled surface
single layer vanilla cake with light brown exterior with a thick layer of white
whipped cream and sliced strawberries with running red juice on white cake plate
on black marbled surface
INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS
To make this cake dairy-free, try vegan butter (Miyoko’s Kitchen & Melt brands
work best) and unsweetened unflavored nondairy milk like almond milk or Ripple
unsweetened milk. Coconut milk in the carton (not the can) should work well,
too). For the whipped cream, you can try using chilled coconut cream or one of
the new dairy free whipping creams.
To make the cake egg-free, for the whole egg, you can try a “flax” or “chia”
egg, or Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer. For the egg white, try unsalted aquafaba,
or the brine from a can of chickpeas. You can also try 1 1/2 of your favorite
Instead of vinegar, you can add a dash of salt to the strawberries with the
sugar to help draw out their juices. Don’t add too much or they will taste
You can try replacing the sugars with a granulated sugar and powdered sugar
alternative like Lankato monkfruit sweetener where appropriate. You can also try
reducing the sugar in the cake don’t recommend swapping in a liquid sweetener here.
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GLUTEN FREE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CAKE RECIPE
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 35 minutes mins
Cooling time: 1 hour hr
single layer yellow cake with 2 slices missing with white whipped cream and red
sliced strawberries on white cake plate
layer yellow cake with 2 slices missing with white whipped cream and red sliced
strawberries on white cake plate
This gluten free strawberry shortcake cake, with a vanilla cake, whipped cream,
and lots of strawberries, is a twist on the classic dessert!
* Stand mixer or handheld mixer
* Metal sieve or strainer for sifting the flour
* 12 ounces strawberries, hulled and sliced
* ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
* ¾ teaspoon white wine vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar (optional)
* 1 (50 g (weighed out of shell)) egg, at room temperature
* 1 (25 g) egg white, at room temperature
* ⅔ cup (5 ⅓ fluid ounces) whole milk, at room temperature
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1 ¼ cups (175 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend
* ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum, omit if your blend already contains it
* ½ teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
* ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
* 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 2 tablespoons (28 g) canola or vegetable oil
FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM
* 1 ½ cups (12 fluid ounces) heavy whipping cream, kept very cold
* ¼ cup (30 g) confectioners’ sugar
PREPARE THE STRAWBERRIES
* In a medium-size bowl, place the sliced strawberries and sprinkle the
granulated sugar and (optional) vinegar on top. Toss gently to combine
without crushing any strawberries.
* Allow the mixture to sit while you make the cake so the strawberries release
* Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pan and
line the bottom with a round of parchment paper (trace the perimeter of the
pan on the parchment, then cut out the circle). Set the pan aside.
* In a large measuring cup or medium-size bowl, place the egg, egg white, milk,
and vanilla. Whisk to combine very well, and set aside.
* Into the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a
large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer), sift (yes, you have to sift!) the
gluten free flour blend.
* To the mixing bowl, add the xanthan gum (if needed), baking soda, baking
powder, salt, and sugar, and whisk to combine well.
* Add the butter and oil to the large mixing bowl, and mix on medium speed
until the mixture appears uniformly sandy (about 2 minutes). Stop the mixer a
few times to scrape down the sides to make sure all of the flour gets
moistened * With the mixer on low speed, add the whisked wet ingredients.
* Once the wet ingredients have been added, increase the mixer speed to medium
and beat until the mixture seems mostly uniform (about 2 minutes). Using a
silicone spatula, turn over the batter a few times * The batter should be fluffy and relatively smooth, although a few lumps are
fine. Do not overmix the batter in an attempt to make it perfectly smooth. It
will be thickly pourable.
* Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and smooth into an even layer with
an offset spatula. Bang the bottom of the pan flat on the counter a few times
to break any large air bubbles.
* Place the baking pan in the center of the preheated oven and bake for 20
minutes. Rotate the pan in the oven 180°, and reduce the oven temperature to
* Continue to bake at 325°F until the cake is lightly golden brown all over,
has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in
the center comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached (at least
another 15 minutes for an 8-inch cake, less for a 9-inch cake).
* Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Allow the
cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes on the rack before turning it over
onto the rack (and removing the parchment paper liner) and letting it cool
PREPARE THE WHIPPED CREAM
* Place the heavy whipping cream and confectioners’ sugar in a large mixing
bowl or the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
* Whip on medium-low speed in the stand mixer or using a handheld mixer until
the cream just begins to thicken. Increase the mixer speed to medium or
medium-high and continue to whip until the mixture holds a stiff (but not
* Place the whipped cream in the refrigerator to chill while you finish the
* Once the cake has cooled completely, place it (bottom side up) on a cake
plate or other serving plate.
* Drain as much of the juice that the strawberries have released into a jar or
* Pour evenly over the top of the cooled cake. Pour the juice slowly so the
cake has a chance to absorb the moisture. You can also use a spatula to help
move the juice around and help the cake absorb it.
* Remove the whipped cream from the refrigerator and spread it into in a single
swoopy layer on top of the cake.
* Top with the sliced strawberries and remaining juice. Serve immediately.
My favorite gluten free flour blends are Better Batter’s original blend gluten
free flour and Nicole’s Best
multipurpose blend . Bob’s Red
Mill 1-to-1 Gluten Free Baking Flour should also work,
but you’ll need to add an additional 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to your dry
ingredients or the cake will look good, but will be crumbly.
Cup4Cup changed its formula and doesn’t seem to work as well as it has in the
past, so I don’t recommend it. To make your own blend using one of my “mock”
recipes, please see the all purpose gluten free flour blends
Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 88mg | Sodium: 244mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber:
2g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 899IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 96mg | Iron:
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an
slice of yellow cake with white whipped cream and red strawberries on small
white plate with gold fork pressed into tip of cake
of yellow cake with white whipped cream and red strawberries on small white
plate with gold fork pressed into tip of cake
Once you’ve assembled the cake cream and strawberries, the cake is best served the same day. You can
refrigerate the cake, as assembled, to keep the whipped cream from melting. Just
let it come back to room temperature before serving.
The plain vanilla cake can be made, cooled and wrapped tightly, then stored for
up to 1 day on the counter, 3 days in the refrigerator, or up to 2 months in the
freezer. If frozen, defrost at room temperature before finishing the cake.
Since this recipe has 3 distinct parts, you can play around with flavors and
textures pretty easily. Here are some ideas to get you started:
There are about as many recipes for gluten free frosting
there are flavors you can imagine. Try using a classic vanilla buttercream
and adding a layer of chopped strawberries on top. Or add some strawberry jelly
to the buttercream (use jam if you prefer some strawberry pieces).
You can also use a stabilized whipped cream
regular whipped cream so you can keep the cake out at room temperature for
In place of strawberries, you can use a different fruit. Raspberries would be
the easiest swap, since they’ll release juice as they sit with the sugar and
vinegar. You can also try blueberries, but I would brush the top of the cake
with blueberry or even apple jelly rather than soaking the berries first.
Passion fruit or kiwi would probably also work, or a combination of different
You can also double the yield of the recipe (to 16 slices) and divide the cake
batter equally into 2 separate 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans. Then, follow the
directions as written, except use fewer strawberries in the center. Then, layer
the second cake on top of the some of the strawberries, and top with whipped
cream and more strawberries.
Can I make this cake in a loaf pan?
I wouldn’t recommend making this cake in a loaf pan. If you’d like a vanilla
cake that’s in a loaf shape, try this gluten free pound cake
I want to make cupcakes with this recipe. What changes should I make?
You should be able to make this recipe into 12 cupcakes, pour strawberry juice
on top after they’ve cooled, then top with whipped cream and berries. I think
they should take about 22 minutes to bake at 350°F, but I can’t be sure. I would
chop the strawberries rather than slicing them, though, to fit more on each
cupcake. Or you could use our gluten free cupcakes
instead and use the same toppings.