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Dress it up or dress it down; this light and airy gluten-free Victoria sponge cake is the perfect gluten-free cake for every occasion.
When it comes to gluten-free cakes, I might be a little biased, with this gluten-free victoria sponge being my favorite. Don't get me wrong, I love my gluten-free vanilla and chocolate cakes, but this cake is so light and airy. It's the perfect cake to enjoy all summer with a light whipped cream frosting and fresh berries.
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What is sponge cake?
Cakes come in all flavors and textures, from dark, rich, and dense, to light and airy. Sponge cake is a type of cake that is light and airy and not as sweet.
Typically, victoria sponge cake is not gluten-free, but that's okay because it is easy to make it with just a few simple swaps.
Ingredients.
- 1:1 Gluten-free Flour - I use the King Arthur 1:1 blend for this cake that contains xanthan gum. I do NOT recommend using gluten-free all-purpose flour for this cake.
- Cornstarch - We only use a few tablespoons, but you can also use arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch.
- Baking powder - Baking powder is essential to help lift the cake.
- Salt
- Eggs - For this gluten-free sponge cake, we are separating the eggs. This allows us to emulsify the yolks for the best flavor and use the egg whites to help give the cake a light and airy texture.
- Sugar - Unlike most cakes, this one uses less sugar, but don't worry, it's still delicious.
- Milk - I typically use whole milk to make this cake, but you can also use a dairy-free alternative.
- Butter - You want your butter to be completely at room temperature. Just like with the milk, you can substitute with a dairy-free alternative like earth balance sticks. I DO NOT recommend swapping any type of oil in for the butter. You will not get the same texture. Swapping the butter and milk will make this a gluten-free and dairy-free sponge cake.
- Vanilla - It's not a cake with some vanilla. Just make sure you use a gluten-free vanilla extract.
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Steps.
Step 1. Sift gluten-free flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt together.
Step 2. Prep the eggs.
- Separate the eggs into two different bowls.
- Cream the egg yolks, butter, and 1 cup of sugar together.
- Add the remaining ¼ of a cup of sugar to the egg whites and beat them until stiff peaks have formed.
Step 3. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of egg yolks and mix. (The mixture will look crumbly.)
Step 4. Add the milk and vanilla to the egg yolk and flour bowl and mix until smooth.
Step 5. CAREFULLY fold the stiff egg whites into the batter, just until incorporated. DO NOT OVERMIX.
Step 6. Divide the batter into baking pans and bake in a 350-degree oven for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Tips and tricks.
- Measure the gluten-free flour by weight. - When it comes to baking, if you want the same results every time, weigh your ingredients.
- Use room temperature ingredients. - This means your eggs, butter, and milk should all be at room temperature.
- Really cream the egg yolks. - The egg yolk mixture should look very pale yellow and light and fluffy when you have fully creamed them.
- Once you add the flour to the egg yolk, the mixture will look crumbly, and you will think you've done something wrong. Don't worry. we are using a little reverse creaming method to help add more air to our cake. Once you add the milk and vanilla, it will come together in a smooth batter.
- Bring the egg whites to stiff peaks. - The air in the egg whites helps with the final texture of the cake. Make sure you are bringing your egg whiles fully to stiff peaks.
- GENTLY FOLD the egg whites into the batter. - The batter will start stiff but lighten as you fold the egg whites into it. Be careful not to over-mix the egg whites into the batter. You want to leave as much air as possible and not deflate the egg whites.
- The cake batter doubles in size. - This cake batter doubles in size as it bakes. Do not fill your cake pan more than halfway full.
- Do not overbake. - This cake takes about 35-45 minutes to bake at 350 degrees. My oven takes right about 40 minutes on average. Watch your cake in the oven and start checking it at about 35 minutes of baking, depending on your oven.
Fillings and toppings.
Traditional victorian sponge cake is filled with fresh whipped cream and berries or jam. I've included my recipe for a stabilized whipped cream in the recipe card below. You can choose to fill this gluten-free sponge cake with any of your favorite frostings and fillings.
More gluten-free cakes.
If you like this gluten-free victoria sponge cake, you should check out these other gluten-free cakes that are just as delicious!
📖 Recipe
Gluten-free Victorian Sponge Cake
Ingredients
For the gluten-free sponge cake.
- 2 Cups 1:1 Gluten-free Flour 248 grams. I use King Arthur 1:1 blend.
- 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch You can also use arrowroot starch.
- 2 ¼ Teaspoons Baking Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 4 Large Eggs At room temperature.
- 1 ¼ Cups Sugar
- 1 Cup Whole Milk Or a dairy-free alternative.
- ¼ Cup Butter At room temperature, or use a dairy-free alternative like Earth Balance Sticks.
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla
Stabilized whipped cream frosting.
- 1 Package Unflavored Gelatin
- 3 Tablespoons Cold Water
- 2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream Cold
- 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Instructions
For the gluten-free sponge cake.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °Fdegrees and line your cake pans with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, sift the gluten-free flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt together.2 Cups 1:1 Gluten-free Flour, 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch, 2 ¼ Teaspoons Baking Powder, ½ Teaspoon Salt
- Separate the egg yolks and whites into two separate bowls.4 Large Eggs
- Add 1 cup of the sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks along with the butter and cream them together until the color is very pale yellow and the mixture is light and fluffy.1 ¼ Cups Sugar, ¼ Cup Butter
- In the bowl with the egg whites, add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and whip them until stiff peaks have formed.
- To the bowl of the egg yolk, mix in the bowl of dry ingredients. The mixture will look like course sand at this point.
- Once you have a coarse sand like texture, add the milk and vanilla and bring the batter together until it's smooth.1 Cup Whole Milk, 2 Teaspoons Vanilla
- To the batter, CAREFULLY fold in the egg whites. The batter will start a little stiff but it will loosen and become fluffy once you add the eggs. DO NOT overmix. You want to just fold the egg whites until incorporated.
- Transfer the cake batter to your prepared baking pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow your cakes to fully cool before frosting.
For the stabilized whipped cream frosting.
- Sprinkle the unflavored gelatin into a small microwave safe bowl.1 Package Unflavored Gelatin
- Add the cold water and whisk until all the gelatin is absorbed, and let it rest for about 5 minutes.3 Tablespoons Cold Water
- In a chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until it reaches soft peaks.2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream, 1 Cup Powdered Sugar, 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- Check your gelatin and see if it has solidified. If it has, microwave the gelatin for about 5-10 seconds until it is a liquid again, but not very hot.
- With the mixer on low, drizzle the gelatin into the whipped cream. Slowly increase the speed on the mixer to medium and then high, and continue mixing until you've reached stiff peaks.
- Use immediately to ice your cake as desired or store in the fridge until you are ready to use it. This stabilized whipped cream will stay good for about 4-5 days. You can also freeze it once it's pipped on cakes.
Notes
- Measure the gluten-free flour by weight. - When it comes to baking, if you want the same results every time, weigh your ingredients.
- Use room temperature ingredients. - This means your eggs, butter, and milk should all be at room temperature.
- Really cream the egg yolks. - The egg yolk mixture should look very pale yellow and light and fluffy when you have fully creamed them.
- Once you add the flour to the egg yolk, the mixture will look crumbly, and you will think you've done something wrong. Don't worry. we are using a little reverse creaming method to help add more air to our cake. Once you add the milk and vanilla, it will come together in a smooth batter.
- Bring the egg whites to stiff peaks. - The air in the egg whites helps with the final texture of the cake. Make sure you are bringing your egg whiles fully to stiff peaks.
- GENTLY FOLD the egg whites into the batter. - The batter will start stiff but lighten as you fold the egg whites into it. Be careful not to over-mix the egg whites into the batter. You want to leave as much air as possible and not deflate the egg whites.
- The cake batter doubles in size. - This cake batter doubles in size as it bakes. Do not fill your cake pan more than halfway full.
- Do not overbake. - This cake takes about 35-45 minutes to bake at 350 degrees. My oven takes right about 40 minutes on average. Watch your cake in the oven and start checking it at about 35 minutes of baking, depending on your oven.
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #grainfreetable or @grainfreetable on Instagram. I'd love to see what you come up with!
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