Gluten Free Easy Vanilla Cake

Total time1 hr 10 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time35 min

This snack-cake situation comes together fast: butter and sugar creamed until pale and fluffy, eggs beaten in one at a time, and a generous hit of vanilla running through both the cake and the frosting. The batter mixes up smooth and gets baked in a single square pan until the edges pull away and the top turns lightly golden, so you end up with a tender, even crumb without any fuss. Once it's cooled, a swoop of vanilla buttercream goes on thick, sweet, and spreadable, then the whole thing gets cut into nine perfect squares. It's the kind of straightforward, one-pan bake that works for a weeknight treat or a lunchbox surprise, and it holds up beautifully as a gluten free option without losing that soft, buttery texture people love in a classic vanilla cake.

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Ingredients

9 servings

For the cake

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
Land O Lakes Whipped Butter Salted - 8 Oz Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter Sticks Kerrygold Butter Pure Irish Unsalted - 8 Oz Kerrygold Pure Irish Unsalted Butter Vital Farms Pasture Raised Sea Salted Alfresco Butter - 8 Oz
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¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup whole milk, room temperature
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Chef's tip
Choose a gluten-free baking blend labeled 1:1 or cup-for-cup and use the same amount. Almond and coconut flour won't work the same way.
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

For the frosting

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick spray, then line the bottom with a square of parchment paper.
2
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

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