Red velvet has been my favorite since forever.
My Aunt Ula Mae made the best.
And I mean ever. Nothing has even come close.
Today, I'm passing this one on to you--
a gluten-free red velvet cake that stays true to my roots.
It's too good not to share.Because the truth is… if we don't share?
Things get lost. Forever.
And I want more than that for my kids.
This blog?
It's my food diary for them to keep.
And for you to read.
When we pass recipes down, one at a time,
we keep them alive.
We keep them alive.
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Why This Gluten-Free Cake Hits Different
- The texture? Moist and tender.
Not crumbly. Not dry. Just cake that holds. - No weird gluten-free vibes.
No grit. No aftertaste. Just smooth, rich flavor. - The frosting? Straight-up classic.
Cream cheese, tangy and light. Not too sweet. - Easy to make.No fancy steps.
No oddball ingredients. Just solid technique. - And it slices like a bakery cake.
Thanks to one key move: the crumb coat.
What You'll Need to Make This Cake
The Wet
- unsalted butter
- sugar
- eggs
- vegetable oil
- white vinegar
- vanilla extract
- buttermilk
- red food coloring
The Dry
- Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
- cocoa powder
- baking powder
- baking soda
- kosher salt
The Frosting
- Philadelphia cream cheese
- unsalted butter
- vanilla extract
- powdered sugar
Visual Guide: What to Expect at Each Step
These shots aren’t just pretty, they’re here to help. Gluten-free cakes can be fussy, so if you’re not sure what “just mixed” really looks like or how red the batter should be… this is your guide.
1. Prep the Pans
- Butter two 8- or 9-inch round pans.
- Dust with cocoa powder (not flour).
- Tap out the extra.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Mix the Dry Stuff
- Sift into a bowl.
- Whisk together.
- Set aside.
3 + 4. Cream Butter and Sugar + Add Eggs
- Beat butter and sugar.
(medium speed, 3 min). - It should look light and fluffy.
- Add one egg at a time.
- Mix after each.
- It might look a little off.
Keep going.
5. Add the Wet Stuff
- Pour in oil, buttermilk, vinegar,
vanilla, and food coloring. - Mix on low until it starts
coming together. - Then crank to medium
until smooth.
6. Add Dry the Stuff
- Add dry mix, half at a time.
- Mix just until combined.
- A few lumps are fine.
Don’t overmix.
7. Bake
- Divide batter between pans.
- Smooth the tops.
- Bake 25–30 min.
Toothpick test.
8. Cool
- Cool in pans 10 min.
- Then turn out onto wire racks.
- Cool completely before frosting.
9. Frosting, Frost, and Stack
- Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla (3 min, medium speed).
- Add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.
- Start slow. Then beat until fluffy.
- Too soft? Add more sugar.
- Flip first layer upside down.
- Frost with 1½ cups of icing.
- Add second layer (also upside down).
- Press gently to level it.
- Frost the top and sides.
- Go smooth or swirl it up. Your call.
Tips for Best Results
1. Use the right flour
Bob’s 1-to-1 is the move. Not all blends behave the same—this one does the job.
2. Don’t skip the extra baking powder
1 full tablespoon. That’s what makes it rise right.
3. Room temp everything
Cold eggs and butter = sad batter. Let them warm up.
4. Stop mixing early
Once the dry disappears, walk away. A few lumps won’t hurt. Overmixing will.
5. Weigh your batter
Want even layers? Use a scale. Eyeballing is for scrambled eggs.
6. Cool before frosting
Warm cake + cream cheese = sliding disaster. Let it chill.
7. Crumb coat, always
Red crumbs go everywhere. Lock them in, chill, then finish frosting.
Crumb Coat = Red Velvet Sanity Saver
If you’ve ever tried frosting a red velvet cake and wondered why it looks like a crime scene halfway through… meet the crumb coat.
A crumb coat is a super-thin layer of frosting that locks in all those stubborn little crumbs. You chill it briefly before adding your final layer of frosting. It doesn’t need to be perfect; it’s basically the primer coat for your cake.
And for red velvet? It’s not optional. Those bright red crumbs show through everything. This step keeps your frosting white, clean, and worthy of the photo shoot.
Technique Highlight: The Gluten-Free Glow-Up
Gluten-free flour doesn’t rise like wheat.
So we help it out--with 1 teaspoon of baking powder per cup of flour.
That’s why this cake gets a full tablespoon (a little extra).
It’s the secret to soft, fluffy layers that actually hold together.
No grit. No crumble. Just real cake.
From Cake Fail to Cake Pops: A Redemption Story
Part 1: What Not to Do
I’d made this cake a dozen times. Nailed it every time. So when friends asked for red velvet at Easter, I said yes without hesitation.
A week later at church, I asked one of them how it was.
She smiled. “It was good.”
But her face said otherwise.
I waited till she walked away, then asked her sister-in-law (also at the dinner) for the truth.
Turns out... it was dry. Really dry.
I spiraled. Replayed every step in my head. And then it hit me: rice.
You can’t freeze rice. The flour is made from RICE!
I’d baked ahead to prep for all the orders--froze the layers, like I would with a regular cake. But I never tested gluten-free cakes. Rookie move.
My wife always says, “This is why you test everything first.”
She’s right.
Hard lesson learned. I owned it. Apologized.
Then surprised her with a fresh red velvet on Mother’s Day.
That one? She devoured.
Part 2: The No-Waste Solution
I wasn't about to waste a second gluten-free cake. So I frosted it, photographed it, then--yes--scraped it straight into a mixing bowl.
Why? Cake pops.
The solution was part Cool Whip for inspiration, part classic cream cheese frosting, and a whole lot of "I can't believe I'm doing this."
Wanna see how they turned out?
Part 3: The Redemption Arc
👉 Here's the cake pop recipe that saved the day.
- Smash the Cake: Break up the frosted cake in a large bowl. Mix by hand until it’s fully blended and dough-like.
- Scoop and Roll: Use a small cookie scoop to portion. Roll into smooth balls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Stick and Chill: Insert cake pop sticks. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or freeze for 20–30 min).
- Dip, Set, Chill: Melt candy melts according to package directions. Dip each cake pop, letting excess drip off. Set back on parchment to dry. Final Chill Chill in the fridge overnight until coating is fully set.
FAQs for Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cake
You can, but I recommend Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 for the best texture. Other blends can get gritty or mess with the moisture.
Yep. Red velvet’s magic is cocoa + acid + dye. This recipe uses liquid; if you switch to gel, thin it out with buttermilk.
Two 8- or 9-inch rounds. 9-inch will be shorter and bake faster—start checking around 23 minutes.
Yes. Bake layers a day ahead, wrap and chill. I wouldn’t freeze it (trust me on that).
Keep it covered in the fridge. Stays good 3–4 days—maybe even better on day two.
Absolutely. Makes about 24. Fill liners ⅔ full and bake at 350°F for 18–20 minutes.
Ready to bake?
The full recipe’s below--don’t forget to rate it and drop a comment!
Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cake
Equipment
- Two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 ⅔ cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
- 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder plus extra for dusting pans
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 2 ½ tablespoon red food coloring (liquid)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 oz Philadelphia cream cheese room temp but still slightly firm
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temp but not too soft
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted if clumpy
Instructions
Prepare the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter two 8-inch (or 9-inch) round cake pans, making sure to coat the sides and bottom. Then dust them with cocoa powder instead of flour; this helps the cake release easily and keeps the color deep red. Tap out any excess.
- Sift and mix dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, sift together the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to fully combine and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and creamy; about 3 minutes. It should be pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time. Crack in one egg, beat until incorporated, then repeat. The batter may look a little curdled after the second egg; don’t worry, that’s normal. Keep mixing until it smooths out again.
- Mix in remaining wet ingredients. Add the oil, buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and red food coloring. Start mixing on low to prevent splashes, then increase to medium speed. Beat until fully combined and smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in two additions. Mix just until combined. It’s okay if there are a few small lumps; over-mixing can lead to a dense cake.
- Divide and bake. Pour the batter evenly between your prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops with a spatula and place on the same oven rack if possible. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely. Let the cakes rest in the pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto wire racks. Cool completely, about 1-2 hours, before frosting
Make the Frosting
- In a clean mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together on medium speed for about 3 minutes. It should be smooth, fluffy, and pale in color.
- Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing on low at first to avoid clouds of sugar, then increasing speed to beat it in fully. After all the sugar is added, beat for another 1–2 minutes until light and creamy. If the frosting is too soft, you can add extra powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time.
Assemble the Cake
- Place one cake layer upside down on your cake stand or serving plate. This gives you a flat surface for stacking.
- Spread about 1 ½ cups of frosting evenly over the first layer.
- Add the second cake layer, also upside down, and gently press to level.
- Use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides. For a smooth finish, use an offset spatula or bench scraper. For a more rustic look, go with swirls and swoops!
Video
Notes
You can easily make this with cake flour. Just omit the baking powder--no other changes needed.
Baking Tips
- Don’t overmix. Once the dry ingredients are in, mix just until you stop seeing streaks. A few lumps are totally fine.
- Cool completely before frosting. Even slightly warm cake will melt your frosting and create a slippery mess.
Gluten-Free Specific Notes
- Use the right flour. This recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. Substituting another blend may change the texture.
- Extra baking powder matters. Gluten-free cakes need more lift. This recipe uses 1 tablespoon of baking powder to help get that soft, tender crumb.
Storage & Make-Ahead Notes
- Skip the freezer. This cake is not freezer-friendly—especially the gluten-free version. (See Real Talk moment in the post!)
- Short-term storage: Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get better by day two.
- Make-ahead layers: You can bake the layers a day ahead and refrigerate (wrapped tightly) until ready to frost.
Recipe Variations
- Cupcakes: This recipe can also be used for cupcakes; makes about 24. Bake at 350°F for 18–20 minutes.
Nutrition
This cake means a lot to me. It’s a gluten-free version of something that shaped my love for baking, rooted in family, memory, and tradition.
If you make it, I hope it brings someone joy... and maybe even starts a new tradition of your own. Be sure to leave me a comment and let me know how it goes for you!
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