Gluten-free vanilla birthday cake with raspberry jam and buttercream
Light, tender two-layer gluten-free vanilla sponge filled with raspberry jam and silky buttercream — perfect for birthdays and celebrations.
This gluten-free vanilla birthday cake gives you a proper party centrepiece — light sponge, tangy raspberry jam and silky buttercream. It’s the sort of cake that looks fancy but cooks like a comforting home bake.
Perfect for birthdays or any celebration where someone needs a gluten-free option that still feels celebratory. Follow the critical tips on mixing and cooling to keep the texture light and the finish neat.
Ingredients
- 250 g gluten-free plain flour blend
- 5 ml xanthan gum — omit if your flour blend already contains xanthan gum
- 10 ml baking powder
- 0 ml fine salt
- 250 g caster sugar
- 400 g unsalted butter — divide: 200g for the sponge, 200g for the buttercream; softened
- 4 large eggs
- 80 ml whole milk — plus extra 15–30ml if needed to loosen the buttercream
- 15 ml vanilla extract — 2 tsp for the sponge, 1 tsp for the buttercream
- 200 g good-quality raspberry jam
- 400 g icing sugar — sift before using
- 150 g fresh mixed berries — for decoration (strawberries halved, raspberries whole)
- 20 g rainbow sprinkles — optional
Equipment
- two 20cm sandwich tins
- electric hand whisk or stand mixer
- wire cooling rack
- sieve
- palette knife or offset spatula
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C conventional. Grease two 20cm sandwich tins, line the bases with baking paper and set aside.
Sift the gluten-free plain flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder and fine salt into a large bowl; whisk together to combine.
In a separate bowl, cream the unsalted butter (200g) and caster sugar with an electric hand whisk or mixer until pale and fluffy — about 4–5 minutes.
Beat in the large eggs one at a time, adding a teaspoon of the dry mix if the mixture looks like it's splitting. Stir in 2 tsp vanilla extract.
Fold the dry mix into the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the whole milk (start and finish with the dry mix). Fold gently until just combined — do not overmix.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins, smooth the tops and bake for 20–25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Leave the sponges to cool in their tins for 10 minutes, then run a palette knife around the edges.
Turn the cakes out onto a wire cooling rack, peel off the paper and cool completely — about 60 minutes — before decorating.
Make the buttercream: beat the remaining unsalted butter (200g) until pale, then gradually beat in the icing sugar. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 15–30ml whole milk to reach a spreadable consistency.
If the sponges have domed tops, level them with a serrated knife so layers sit flat.
Assemble the cake: spread a generous tablespoon of good-quality raspberry jam over the first sponge, top with about one-third of the buttercream, then place the second sponge on top. Apply a thin 'crumb coat' of buttercream and chill for 30 minutes to set.
Finish spreading the remaining buttercream smoothly, decorate with fresh mixed berries and sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles to celebrate.
Tips
- Use an electric whisk to properly aerate the butter and sugar — it makes a real difference to sponge lift.
- If your gluten-free flour blend contains xanthan gum, omit the extra xanthan listed; otherwise it helps give the sponge structure.
- Always cool the sponges completely before icing — warm cakes will make the buttercream run.
- Make the buttercream ahead and chill; bring it back to room temperature and re-whisk before using for a smoother finish.
- To freeze: wrap each cooled sponge layer tightly in clingfilm and freeze for up to 1 month; thaw fully before assembling.
Substitutions
unsalted butter → dairy-free block margarine of similar weight
Stays closegood-quality raspberry jam → strawberry or apricot jam
Stays closelarge eggs → commercial egg replacer equivalent to 4 eggs
Noticeably differentgluten-free plain flour blend → ground almonds 250g (reduce butter to 350g and omit xanthan gum)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 620
- Calories
- 5 g
- Protein
- 83 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 65 g
- Sugar
- 180 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
How can I make sure my gluten-free sponge isn’t dense?
Cream the butter and sugar well to incorporate air, fold the dry ingredients in gently and avoid overmixing. Use an electric whisk for creaming and check doneness with a skewer rather than relying on colour.
Can I make this ahead for a party?
Yes — make the sponges a day ahead and keep loosely covered in the fridge. Make the buttercream a day ahead and re-whisk before using. Assembled cake keeps well in the fridge for 2–3 days.
Can I freeze the cake?
Freeze individual cooled sponge layers wrapped tightly for up to 1 month. Thaw fully at room temperature before assembling and decorating.
Do I need to use xanthan gum?
Only if your gluten-free flour blend doesn’t already contain it. Xanthan gum helps give the cake structure and a better crumb.
Community Photos
No photos yet
Be the first to share your creation!
