White or Chocolate Birthday Cake
Categories: Cakes, Recipes
Tags: , 1in133, Allergy Friendly, Chocolate, Cupcakes, Dairy Free, Gluten Free Birthdays
Who doesn’t love birthday cake? I especially love making gluten-free birthday cake for events where I’m the only gluten-free eater and no one else can tell the difference! If you’ve missed out on this tradition for even one birthday (or any other occasion, for that matter!), make up for it by celebrating now. I’ve heard from lots of readers who have used this recipe for wedding cake as well, so get to baking – this cake is a cause for celebration!
This year, I got lucky and enjoyed this delicious recipe without even having to make it myself! My son said it scored a 10 on a scale of 1-10 and my daughter (not to be outdone) said it scored an “infinity!”
The World’s Tallest Gluten-Free Cake!
The other cool thing about this recipe, is that it has become famous! This recipe was used (on a MUCH larger scale, to build the World’s Tallest Gluten-Free Cake in Washington DC on May 4, 2011! The Whole Foods Gluten-Free Bakehouse baked 180 (give or take) of these cakes for the 1in133.org event to raise awareness of the need for gluten-free food labeling.
After being baked en masse, frozen, shipped, stored, set out to thaw for 2 days, cut and assembled into a giant tower, oggled at for hours, then served, this recipe still pleased the crowd! Just imagine how good it is fresh baked! 
To make this cake even easier, we now have a handy Jules Gluten Free Cake Mix!
Birthday Cake
- 3 cups Jules Gluten Free™ All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tbs. gluten-free baking powder
- 1/4 cup powdered milk (dairy or non-dairy alternative like Vance’s DariFree™ Powder)
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 cup butter or non-dairy alternative (like Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
- 2 cups granulated cane sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp gluten-free vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk or non-dairy alternative (like vanilla coconut, soy, hemp, rice, etc. “milk”)
*Note – to make a delicious chocolatey version of this cake, simply add the following ingredients:
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- replace 1 cup of milk listed for white cake with 1 1/4 cup chocolate milk, dairy or non-dairy (I love chocolate almond milk in this recipe!)
Pre-heat oven to 350º F (static) or 325º F (convection). Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and dust entire surface lightly with Jules Gluten Free™ All-Purpose Flour. To make cupcakes, oil or line cupcake pans with cupcake papers (Makes approximately 28 cupcakes).
Whisk together the flour, powdered milk, baking powder and salt and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar and beat well with your mixer’s paddle attachment, until the mixture is very light and fluffy (approximately 3-4 minutes). Add the eggs next, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla with the last egg addition. Slowly add the milk, alternating with the flour mixture and beating in between the additions. Beat until smooth and pour into the prepared pans.
For cakes, bake for 30 minutes, turning the pans half-way through if using convection setting; for cupcakes, test after 20 minutes for doneness. To test the cakes for doneness, insert a cake tester or toothpick in the middle of each cake and be sure it comes out clean, with very few crumbs attached. The cakes will also begin to pull away slightly from the sides of the pans. Add time if necessary to fully bake the cakes.
When done, turn off the oven and leave the oven door open to let the cakes cool slowly there for 5 minutes or so, then remove the cakes to a cooling rack. After 15-20 minutes of total cooling time, gently invert the cakes to remove them from the pans, then flip gently back onto the cooling rack until fully cooled.
Use this cake as your canvas for any confectionary creation!
Frost the cakes only when fully cooled, or in the alternative, you may wrap the cakes with wax paper or plastic wrap and seal inside freezer bags to freeze or refrigerate until ready to use. Lemon Buttercream Frosting is another yummy choice for this recipe!
For all kinds of fun decorated cake ideas, hop over to my post on celebration cakes! If you’re looking for something extra fancy, note that fondants are generally gluten-free, as well. Look for Satin Ice or brands like Wilton pre-made or homemade recipes and use only gluten-free ingredients.
YIELD: Two 7-8 inch round cakes OR One 13 x 9 inch sheet cake or approximately 26-30 cupcakes, depending on size.
*This recipe and over 149 more, also available in my new cookbook, Free for All Cooking: 150 Easy Gluten-Free, Allergy-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Can Enjoy!
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25. Oct, 2010
[...] Although I have loads of great cake recipes, here is my go-to cake recipe, perfect for any really, really, really special occasion, or for an anyday cake-craving [...]
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01. Feb, 2011
[...] don’t walk, those typing fingers over to my birthday cake recipe and start imagining the possibilities inspired by my Super Bowl Cake! How fun is that? (Trust me, [...]
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09. Feb, 2011
[...] If you are set on making a layer cake with your Red Velvet instead, I’d suggest using a lighter chocolate cake and simply adding 1-2 ounces of red food coloring (see my crowd-pleasing Chocolate Cake recipe). [...]
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07. Apr, 2011
[...] (with plenty of supports as well) without crumbling,” Shepard told me. She thought her white cake was up to the [...]
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11. May, 2011
[...] – Join the 1in133 GF Label Petition here. – Jules Shepard’s recipe, used for the giant cake, here. [...]
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12. May, 2011
[...] of the Gluten-Free Bakehouse. * Together, they devised a plan whereby Lee would take Jules’ favorite white cake recipe, scale it massively so that at least 40 cakes at a time could be mixed and baked, and he would [...]
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17. May, 2011
[...] World’s Tallest Cake Recipe: http://blog.julesglutenfree.com/2010/11/whitebirthday-cake/ [...]
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30. Jun, 2011
[...] the version from 123 Gluten Free. If you use the flour from Jules Gluten Free, try this killer birthday cake recipe. For pie lovers, this Lemon Meringue pie recipe on GlutenFreely.com might be the [...]
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17. Oct, 2011
[...] #split {margin-left: 0px;margin-right: 0px;}#single {margin-left: 0px;margin-right: 0px;}#splitalign {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;}#singlealign {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;}#splittitlebox {text-align: center;}#singletitlebox {text-align: center;}.linkboxtext {font-size: 6px;line-height: 0.6em;}.linkboxcontainer {padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;background-color:#ffffff;border-color:#ffffff;border-width:0px; border-style:solid;}.linkboxdisplay {padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px;}.linkboxdisplay td {text-align: center;}.linkboxdisplay a:link {text-decoration: none;}.linkboxdisplay a:hover {text-decoration: none;} function opensingledropdown() { document.getElementById('singletablelinks').style.display = ''; document.getElementById('singlemouse').style.display = 'none'; } function closesingledropdown() { document.getElementById('singletablelinks').style.display = 'none'; document.getElementById('singlemouse').style.display = ''; } health bloggluten-free cake popswhite cake or chocolate cake – gluten-free and dairy-free – great recipe for birthday cake or for th… [...]
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26. Oct, 2011
recipe|world recipe|cooking|asian recipe|home recipe|europe recipe|chinese recipe|traditional recipe…
[...]white cake or chocolate cake – gluten-free and dairy-free – great recipe for birthday cake or for the world’s tallest gluten-free cake[...]…
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16. Dec, 2011
[...] November I managed to help for 5-6 days with Operation Christmas Child at the local collection center where we packed shoeboxes (which people had filled with toys, school supplies, necessities, candy and other stuff) into cartons to have shipped to a processing center in NC before being distributed to kids in need around the world. I also got to see one of my best friends and bake her a gluten-free birthday cake (she called it, “death by chocolate”, you can find the recipe here). [...]
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11. Jun, 2012
[...] of my health I discovered the Jules Gluten Free Blog. I found recipes like Pumpkin Pie Donuts, White or Chocolate Birthday Cake, and a ton more. I never thought I would be able to eat donuts or cake again and she made me [...]
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Cindy said: on October 25, 2010
I just wanted to say I love your blog. You are giving great information, I love when you give specific name brands and of course, your recipes sound wonderful. I can’t wait to try some of them!
Bev Crookham said: on November 9, 2010
Does this cake do OK with egg substitute? I am allergic to chicken eggs and cannot always get duck or guinea eggs.
Jules said: on November 9, 2010
My rule of thumb is not to try to substitute for eggs in recipes calling for 3 or more eggs. In my latest book, Free for All Cooking, I offer another cake recipe as an option for folks who can’t do eggs. When you get your hands on duck or guinea eggs though, definitely give this recipe a try!
Al said: on November 9, 2010
Can I make this cake without adding the powdered milk??
Jules said: on November 9, 2010
The powdered milk in this recipe really helps the cake to hold its cell structure and moist crumb. I use DariFree powdered milk so that I can make this cake without any dairy; you could use regular powdered milk or powdered soy milk as other options, but I don’t find as much success with this cake without such a product.
Katie said: on March 12, 2012
We use Coconut Milk powder (Caribbean Dreams brand) in all of your recipes and it works great. (Tastes great too!)
Jules said: on March 13, 2012
Thanks for the info, Katie! That’s great to know! Is there a specific brand of coconut powder you like best?
K Shooks said: on November 19, 2010
Is there any easy way to make this into a chocolate cake? My daughter’s birthday is coming up and she really wants chocolate cake!
Jules said: on November 19, 2010
I just added the variation for chocolate cakes in the recipe for you! Very easy and very delicious! Happy birthday to your daughter!!!
Lisa Collin said: on November 19, 2010
I’d love your recipe for frosting, too! Thanks Jules~you’re a jewel!
Jules said: on November 20, 2010
Thanks so much!!
Leigh Anne Page said: on November 24, 2010
I am going to use this today to make the cake balls from the cookie exchange. Thank you again for the blogs and the recipes AND the flour!!
Jules said: on November 24, 2010
Oh my goodness, those cake balls posted on the Gluten Free Cookie Swap look amazing! Totally sinful with this delicious cake! You’ll have to let me know how it turns out and definitely “like” that recipe on the Cookie Swap!
Xintia Preda said: on November 24, 2010
Do you think substituting the caster sugar to agave syrup would work?
I am trying to omit the sugar because it gives me tummy aches.
Jules said: on November 24, 2010
Unfortunately, this recipe has a lot of granulated sugar to try to sub with a liquid sweetener like agave. I’d recommend just using my flour in another recipe you have where you’ve had success subbing with agave nectar instead. The other option would be to use a substitution of coconut palm sugar (it’s unrefined) and see if that upsets your system – with that substitution, I’d try 1 1/2 cups palm sugar in lieu of the granulated cane in this recipe.
Xintia Preda said: on November 25, 2010
Thank you very much for your reply, very much appreciated!
Kind regards,
Xintia
Wendy said: on November 24, 2010
Just made this recipe in cupcake form. They were delicious. Could not stop eating them. Thanks.
Wendy said: on November 24, 2010
P.S. Thanks for the chocolate version. Can’t wait to try that.
Kimberly said: on November 27, 2010
I have not used DariFree. Is this something you have to order online or can I find it at Whole Foods? Thanks, Jules! I love your recipes, flour, blog, FB page, etc!
Jules said: on November 27, 2010
I have found DariFree at all my favorite organic grocers, Whole Foods kind of places, for sure. If your local store doesn’t carry it, they can certainly order it. It seems expensive when you get it, but the cannister lasts awhile and I just love it in recipes like this one!
Diana McAdams said: on December 21, 2010
Jules,
Have you tried this recipe with oil ? What might be the difference if we did ? I know some people think oil makes cakes moister, but I thought you’d eb the go to girl with THE answer.
BTW, made cutout cookies yesterday w/granddaughters using a recipe from another GF baker . Used your flour blend ( of course ) and they were amazing. My daughter’s words were ” there’s a reason her flour is a bit expensive….it’s most wonderful stuff! ”
No one would ever know that they were GF…in fact, I think they’re better than the ones I used to make with wheat.
The dough is a cream cheese one and it made the softest, moistest cookies and they are even better today. That’s saying a lot for a GF goodie, huh ?
Debra said: on February 2, 2011
The cookies sound great! Would you be able to share that recipe?
Jules said: on February 2, 2011
Diana – I don’t think this recipe needs the oil for moisture, plus I try to cut the fat wherever I can. I like the results with the Earth Balance Buttery Sticks as the fat here (transfat-free, non-hydrogenated), but if you wanted to use oil in this recipe, you could certainly try it instead of the Buttery Sticks or butter. Let me know if you do – would love to know the results!
Karen said: on February 2, 2011
can you substitute instant pudding (vanilla or chocolate) instead of the powdered milk in the cake recipe? Or is the powdered milk an important ingredient? Thanks
Jules said: on February 2, 2011
Hi Karen, I love experimenting and if you’re up to it, give the pudding a try. I’ve never done it in this recipe, but you could try it in the same amount and see if it works for you. It will probably make the cake a bit more like a pound cake than it is with the milk powder, but there’s nothing wrong with pound cake! If you try it and it’s too dense, then you’ll know for next time to use the milk powder, and yes, it is an important ingredient, so don’t leave it (or your pudding experimental ingredient) out.
Ginger Olson said: on February 2, 2011
Since becoming a celiac the food I miss the most is Baking Powder Biscuits. Have you ever made these gluten free. Here is the Receipe:
2 c. flour 4-5 tsp. baking powder
2-3 tbsp shorting 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar about 3/4 c milk
Mix and sift dry ingred – cut in short, add milk gradually to make soft dough. Knead slightly, pat out on board to 1″ thickness. Cut with buscuit cutter. Bake at 475 10-15 min.
This is my mothers recipe that she made often and I miss so much. Any help to do this gluten free would be very much appreciated. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Ginger Olson
Jules said: on February 2, 2011
Hi Ginger, hoping I’ll have time to post my biscuit recipe soon; it’s already in my new cookbook though, Free for All Cooking. I have taught it at a bunch of gluten-free cooking classes and everyone loves it – there really is nothing like a good biscuit to make a person happy! It’s similar to your mom’s baking powder biscuit recipe, but I did make a few changes! Stay tuned or grab my new book if you need it asap!
Tianna said: on February 20, 2011
We made this last nite for my gluten-eating boyfriend’s birthday, with a house full of gluten-eaters, and everyone without exception LOVED it!! Thank you for your flour, I can’t wait to try it in all sorts of other recipes
Jules said: on February 21, 2011
Yay! That’s so great and such a great way to celebrate! Glad everyone loved it!
Rebecca said: on March 15, 2011
I was thinking of doing this cake for my co-worker’s birthday – so that I could have some too! He’s diabetic. I was wondering if you thought the substitute of splenda for the sugar would be ok, or a disaster?
Thanks!
Jules said: on March 15, 2011
This recipe has a lot of sugar in it, but you could try Baking Splenda. I haven’t tried it in this recipe, but it usually works pretty well. If you have time, bake out a sample before-hand just to be sure because you’re subbing out a major ingredient in the recipe. : )
Kristi said: on March 21, 2011
I found your Free for All cookbook at the library and looked you up online! I may have to go out and buy it after I try a few recipes! What is your favorite recipe in the book? I will definitely try this recipe because I have not been able to find a white cake recipe that doesn’t taste either gummmy or gritty! Sounds good! Hoping for the best!!! Thanks!
Kathryn said: on April 14, 2011
I had tried this recipe after getting my new cookbook, and it tasted great. However, it was a little denser than traditional cake. Is there something I need to do differently?
Jules said: on April 15, 2011
Hi Kathryn, it probably depends on the milk powder you are using, and the milk fat content of the milk you use as well. This is a great recipe because it doesn’t crumble and can support itself if you use cake molds or cut it into other shapes (I just made it into a disco ball cake for my daughter’s birthday!), so it is supposed to be slightly more dense so that it can hold these shapes, but it shouldn’t strike you as super dense or anything. Revisit those milk ingredients and perhaps try different brands or different kinds of milk next time, so you get the recipe to the point where the texture is what you are looking for. Glad you loved the taste though!!!
Kathryn said: on April 15, 2011
Thanks, Jules. I am going to try it again for Easter. I will try a higher fat milk this time.
Sarah said: on April 25, 2011
Does this make a 9×13 pan too? I am in need of ideas for a 2 years old Birthday day party.
Wendy said: on April 26, 2011
Hi Jules,
First, I just want to say, I LOVE your flour blend! I have even give “small samples” of mine to friends who are gf. Just spreading the joy.
OK, my question about your cake is – is it white? or slightly yellow? I have been CRAVING yellow cake with chocolate frosting. I have tried box mixes for yellow cake and I am always disappointed. So – - onto baking my own and of course with your flour. Thanks!
Jules said: on April 27, 2011
Hi Wendy, you won’t be disappointed with this cake recipe – I’m sure of it! However, it’s not a really yellow cake; it’s almost an off-white color. To me though, the flavor is more like a yellow cake though.
Sarah said: on April 27, 2011
Can this be made in to a 9×13 cake pan?
Jules said: on April 27, 2011
Sarah – Yes! It absolutely can be made in a sheet pan, in fact, this is the recipe we’re using for the 1in133 World’s Tallest GF Cake on May 4 in Washington DC! I would suggest knocking the temperature down by 25 degrees, and testing the center before removing it from the oven to be sure it’s fully cooked. Have fun with the birthday party!
Pamela said: on May 19, 2011
Jules I love you! This cake was wonderful for my son’s birthday. My family had their mouths hanging open when they saw me eat cake. They never guessed they were eating gluten-free. I couldn’t find the milk powder, but I make almond milk, so I tried almond meal and it worked great. It was moist and delicious without a crumb in sight down to the last slice my husband ate days later. Thanks for making the day. (Not just that one, but many wonderful days and meals thanks to you).
Jules said: on May 19, 2011
Pamela, so glad your family loved the cake! And what a wonderful idea to try almond meal in place of the milk powder! I’ll have to tell folks about that option in this recipe! Thanks so much for writing – your story certainly made my day! (& a big happy birthday to your son from me!)
Kim said: on June 11, 2011
Pamela – did you use the same proportion of almond meal? I am making this cake this week and don’t have any milk powder, but I do have almond meal.
Thanks!
Ami said: on June 5, 2011
I will be making my first wedding cake using your cake recipe. I need to test it out first, with freezing the cakes and see how they hold up. I am sure all will be tasty as is everything else I bake with your flour.
Thanks!
Jules said: on June 6, 2011
Ami – best of luck with the wedding cake! I bake this recipe and freeze it often for traveling to shows and classes, and we actually baked off and froze all 180 cakes made by Whole Foods GF Bakehouse (this recipe!) for the 1in133 World’s Tallest GF Cake event in DC last month! They worked beautifully, so I’m sure yours will be a success too!
Ami said: on June 17, 2011
Thanks for the encouragement Jules. I will surely take pics of the wedding cake when it is done! i was wondering… do you ever “seal” the cake with simple syrup before you freeze them for extra moistness and protection from the freezer?
Jules said: on June 17, 2011
Ami – I haven’t needed to do that, but if it’s a technique you like, it certainly wouldn’t hurt the cake (how could simple syrup make anything taste bad?!!). We froze all 180 of the sheet cakes we used for our 1in133 World’s Tallest Gluten-Free Cake Event in DC, and they worked out just fine. : )
wheat free cakes said: on June 10, 2011
Thanks! I just ordered one. This will help out with all the unpredictable weather we get these
Days.
Stephanie said: on June 11, 2011
Would this turn out if I used egg replacement instead?? Thanks!
Jules said: on June 13, 2011
Hi Stephanie – in recipes calling for 3 eggs or more, I generally don’t recommend making an egg substitution. In my book, Free for All Cooking, I offer another cake recipe where the egg subs work nicely!
Victoria said: on June 14, 2011
I am so relieved to find this recipe (and so many other great recipes) as I am hosting a baby shower and the mother-to-be is strictly gluten-free.
Do you have a recipe for fondant icing that would pair with this cake recipe for an extra-special cake?
Thanks so much!
Jules said: on June 16, 2011
Hi Victoria – so sweet of you to be working on yummy treats for that GF mother-to-be! Most fondant recipes are GF if the ingredients used are GF as well. For pre-made fondants, I made an inquiry for you to Wilton Industries, since they are the easiest for consumers to access. This was their response:
I hope this helps you, Victoria!
Kiriel said: on June 17, 2011
Hey! Ok, so I have my very first gluten-free, dairy-free cake order at the end of the month, which means I probably don’t have time to order your flour. Shipping to Hawaii just always takes too long! Is there a different brand of flour I can use in it’s place?
Jules said: on June 18, 2011
Congratulations Kiriel! I don’t know of another brand that would be similar to mine, but do you have any of my cookbooks with recipes for homemade all purpose gluten-free flours? If you can find the individual ingredients (be sure they’re all certified GF), you could put together a lovely blend to use.
Freigh Audit said: on July 5, 2011
I like this recipe and kind of birthday cake..
Anne said: on July 26, 2011
I’m making a train cake for my son’s first birthday and i need to make the engine in a loaf pan in order to get the right shape. Would this recipe work in a loaf pan? Thanks!
Jules said: on July 26, 2011
Oh Anne – what a cute idea! I’ve used this recipe for many shaped cakes – treasure chests, spider man cities, disco balls … it will definitely hold its shape for you, but you may have too much batter so have another pan prepared, just in case!
Tolly said: on July 31, 2011
I’m also looking to make a chocolate train cake for my son’s birthday, but I was thinking of using the mini loaf pans. Do you have a guess for how long they would need to cook? or do you think it would be better to make them in regular loaf pans? and if so, wouldn’t it need to cook longer because the pan is deeper? guess for how long?
Thanks!
Jules said: on August 3, 2011
Tolly – total guess here about bake times, but with the mini-loaf pans, I’d start checking them at 20 minutes; the regular loaves, at 30 minutes. Just keep a wooden skewer or cake tester on hand and keep checking them at 5 minute intervals thereafter if there are still a lot of wet crumbs sticking to the tester. It should work great though, and be super cute!!!
Tolly said: on August 5, 2011
Thanks for the reply! Just in time, I’m baking tomorrow! I’ll let you know how it works.
Tolly said: on August 27, 2011
I don’t know how to send a picture to you, but the train cake turned out wonderful. The kids and parents all loved it, but most importantly, the birthday boy loved it!
Thanks again!
Tolly
Jen said: on August 27, 2011
Just made your birthday cake with soy milk and it came out slightly ‘spongey’. Do you know if the other milks (coconut, etc) do any better? How can I make it drier, more cake like? Thanks!
Jules said: on August 28, 2011
Jen – what milk powder did you use???
Jen said: on August 30, 2011
Vance’s
Michelle said: on September 23, 2011
Hi Jules!
I have a lemon cake recipe from my mom that is a “doctored” box cake recipe but I would so much rather make your delicious cake. The recipe calls for lemon jello and lemon juice to be added to yellow cake mix. Do you think I can add this to the white cake mix without changing the properties too much and still have a delish lemon cake? If not, do you have a lemon cake recipe? I’ve looked but can only find lemon bars.
Thanks!
Michelle
Michelle H said: on November 22, 2011
I am planning on using this recipe for pistachio cupcakes and am wondering if milk powder is considered gluten-free or do I have to watch which brand I use?. Also can I use Earth Balance buttery spread instead of Butter Sticks. Thanks, Michelle
Jules said: on November 23, 2011
Hi Michelle – pistachio cupcakes sound amazing! Have you seen my Rum Cake Recipe? I often use pistachios for that recipe as well – beautiful cake! Always check the milk powders to be sure they are GF, but you should be able to tell from the ingredients. I use Vance’s Dari-Free because I want to use non-dairy, and it is GF and works great! I have not tried this recipe with the Buttery Spread, which is a very different product. I would guess that it would work out ok though, as long as you use the milk powder to help hold it all together!
Joyce said: on December 11, 2011
Not sure what I did wrong, it turned out VERY dense, can’t even but into it. The top of the cake is better, but the bottom area looks like solid chocolate. The batter was VERY thick when I poured it into pan.
Jules said: on December 11, 2011
Joyce – that is definitely not the right outcome! Why don’t you send an email to Support@JulesGlutenFree.com and we’ll work with you via email to see where you might have gone wrong. It’s a light and moist recipe, certainly not dense or solid, so something went wrong somewhere! We’ll try to help you get to the bottom of it!
Cheryl said: on December 11, 2011
I have two questions about this recipe. Could I use sour cream instead of milk and is there enough batter to divide into 3 8″ pans? Thank you…
Jules said: on December 11, 2011
Cheryl, I don’t think the sour cream will have enough moisture in it to use as a straight sub in this recipe for milk. There is not enough batter to divide into 3 8″pans, unless you don’t mind that the layers will be thin. Be sure to adjust the bake time down if you do divide into 3 pans!
Tanya Sophios said: on January 27, 2012
Hi Jules
I am located in Australia, and have come across your blog, its fantastic thankyou. We have discovered that my 4 year old cannot eat wheat, gluten or dairy, her birthday is next week and I am going to make her your chocolate cake, however as i am in australia i am unable to get your all purpose flour, would it be rude of me to ask what i would need instead as well as how much xanthan gum to make the recipe thanks so much tanya
Jules said: on January 27, 2012
Tanya – not rude at all! I wish I could send some of my pre-mixed blend to you for your special cake! The next best thing is to take a simple homemade version and mix it yourself. I have a few blends in my cookbooks, but you can find some pirated on the internet as well
I found this older version for you: http://www.food.com/recipe/nearly-normal-gluten-free-flour-mix-267924 Happy birthday to your daughter!!!
Tanya Sophios said: on January 28, 2012
Hello Jules, thank you so much for helping out, Just wondering will your cook books be helpful for me knowing that I cannot purchase your pre mixed blends? Also sorry for my ill knowledge of products what is the difference between cornstarch and cornflour, I always thought they were the same .. and thanks for the birthday wishes. PS i tried to make a banana cake today, but the taste was awful lol
Jules said: on March 26, 2013
Hi Tanya,
I’m so sorry I missed this question when it was posted! Corn flour is the whole grain of corn ground into a flour that is yellowish in color. Corn starch is just the starch portion of the corn flour and it is white and very fine. My cookbooks, particularly Free for All Cooking, give lots of options for ingredients to make your own blend, depending on your dietary restrictions and the ingredients you can find, so I would think they would be helpful to you. All the best!
cat said: on March 10, 2012
Thank you for your blog! I need to make a GF cake for the first time, and quickly grabbed Bob’s Red Mill General purpose GF flour. I want to make a birthday cake with it, but the bean flour has me nervous. Do you think I could substitute it (just this one time) in your recipe with decent results? TIA.
Jules said: on March 11, 2012
Hi Cat- unfortunately, I think you’ll be unhappy with the results. First of all, you’ll also have to go out any buy some xanthan gum to add to that mixture since it doesn’t contain any binders. Secondly, it contains lots of bean flours which, in a cake especially, will leave a funny aftertaste. If it was a chocolate cake, the chocolate could largely mask that funky taste, but not in a white cake. Sorry to not have a good answer for you, but all flours perform differently, and this recipe is not written for a bean flour base. Hope you can make this recipe soon, though! It’s so yummy!!!!!
Jenny said: on March 20, 2012
We made the chocolate version a while back and were impressed with the consistency and moistness. One question, though, what could we do to make the chocolate taste more pronounced?
Thanks! I’m planning on making it for my son’s 4th birthday in just a couple of weeks!
Jules said: on March 21, 2012
So glad you loved the cake! To make it more chocolatey, try adding 1/4 cup chocolate syrup and maybe some chocolate chips! Yummy! Happy early Bday to your son!!!
Jenny said: on March 21, 2012
thanks! We love your flour! We’ve used it in many of our family recipes and it works every time! So thankful that our son can eat the same cakes that his great-grandmothers used to make, just gluten-free!
Jules said: on March 22, 2012
Jenny, that’s wonderful! That makes me so happy too!!!!
Carol said: on January 15, 2013
To make the flavor of chocolate really stand out in your baked goods, add about a tablespoon of instant coffee granules. Make sure the brand and variety you use is gluten free!
Jules said: on January 16, 2013
Love that tip, Carol! I use coffee in my favorite brownie recipe, too – really enhances the chocolate flavor!
Jill said: on May 8, 2012
I made this today- can’t wait to try it but the batter was devine. I use powdered buttermilk and baked it at 325 in a standard oven for 30 minutes exactly. Looks perfect!
Jules said: on March 26, 2013
Fantastic, Jill!!!
Rhonda said: on May 24, 2012
I want to make this cake with strawberries mixed in. Can I just add them or do I need to substitute the strawberries for something else in the recipe? I used to buy a strawberry cake mix but can’t anymore and my family loves the strawberry cake with cool whip and sliced strawberries on top.
Jules said: on May 24, 2012
Rhonda, the trick here is the moisture. Adding strawberries adds alot of extra liquid (the boxed cake mixes have dehydrated strawberry-type ingredients). Cut your strawberries and pat them dry. Add to the cake but cut back on the milk somewhat. If you bake the recipe the first time as muffins, they should be ok because you can control the bake time better and then next time you’ll have a better idea of how many strawberries and how much milk to add. Let me know how it goes!
Rhonda said: on May 30, 2012
Thank you for the info, we actually have a dehydrater so I may just dehydrate the strawberries. BTW I love your flour for baking. My daughter can now enjoy the same things as the rest of the family. So glad I found you website and ALL your products so she doesn’t feel left out of anything!
Nikki said: on May 29, 2012
Thank you for this recipe! I am making my own wedding cake as we don’t have gluten free bakeries in my area. I can’t wait to try this and play with some fillings. Jut as a side note, for sensitive Celia’s, Wilton makes it clear thy although they don’t add gluten in their products thy their products can’t be considered 100% gluten free due to cross contamination in the factory. I don’t recommend Wilton to anybody unless they are only using a gluten free diet for health or weight loss, not for Celiacs.
Emily said: on May 29, 2012
I have tried this recipe twice. It ends up tasting soooo good. BUT, it falls really bad during the last 10 minutes of baking. I really need to make it in a rectangle pan for my son’s graduation party. Any Suggestions?
Jules said: on March 26, 2013
Emily, are you using the ingredients exactly as specified? It shouldn’t fall at all – the powdered milk helps with that.
JoAnna said: on August 2, 2012
Hey Jules, just wondering if I can cut this recipe in half? I really only want to make about 13 or 14 so I was hoping to be able to cut the ingredients in half. Thank you! -JoAnna
Jules said: on August 3, 2012
Hi JoAnna – this recipe should be fine if you cut it in half – nice round numbers for the measurements! Enjoy!
Cece Davis said: on August 6, 2012
I am so excited! I have been using your flour for everything. Today I made my first batch of cupcakes and they are soooo good! I didn’t have powdered milk so I used Coffeemate! Just wanted people to know it works. Now onto the lemon buttercream….
Jules said: on August 6, 2012
Wow, Cece – what a great tip! So glad you shared that here so I & and everyone else will know that too!!! YAY!
Kathy Witte said: on March 5, 2013
From a Jules Gluten Free customer:
I used your recipe for Birthday Cake this weekend. I had already started to make it when I realized I did not have any powdered milk. The recipe called for ¼ cup. I substituted ¼ cup of instant vanilla pudding and the cake was great. It was a really good substitute. I can always count on your flour to make any of my recipes. It is wonderful!
Cori said: on March 17, 2013
Hi! Hoping you still check the comments on the recipe!
I made it today and the batter was EXTREMELY thick, is this normal? It tastes good but isn’t as fluffy as your pictures.
Also, I was wondering if the Tbs of baking powder was a typo?
Thanks!
Jules said: on March 17, 2013
Hi Cori – I try to stay on top of comments as much as possible! Yes, the batter is very thick, and the tablespoon of baking powder is correct. It’s a moist cake and needs some extra oomph from the leavening agents. Did you whip the fat with the sugar until it was light before adding the other ingredients? That, plus beating the batter extra at the end, incorporates more air and lightens the batter a bit.
Jacqui said: on April 3, 2013
Hi Jules. I purchase your AP flour and have tried it in some vanilla cake recipes.
I noticed that there is a chalky after taste. I’m new to gluten free baking and I’m experimenting so that I can provide gluten free cakes for my clients.
Is this chalky after taste normal?
Jules said: on April 4, 2013
Hi Jacqui – the chalky aftertaste, in fact any aftertaste, is not normal for my flour. If you dip a wet finger into my flour and taste it, my flour has no taste or aftertaste and has a very smooth texture. Thus, there must be something else going on in the recipe to cause that aftertaste. Are you using my recipes or converting others? Are you using milk powder? A lot of baking soda? Anything else you can think of that could be leaving that chalky taste? Feel free to send an email to Support@JulesGlutenFree.com if you want us to walk through your recipes with you to see if we can help figure it out!
Karen said: on April 24, 2013
Hi Jules, I have a decorating plan for a cake but it calls for a half sheet, which is 12×18. Do you happen to have a recipe with the amounts for that size?
Thanks,
Karen
Karen said: on April 24, 2013
Nevermind, I think I did the math right and need to double it, based on volume. If you happen to have a recipe with sheet cake measurements, I’d love to double check it. But this is good. If I end up with too much cake that is a good problem to have.
Jules said: on April 24, 2013
Yes, Karen! I love having too much batter! It’s such a sweet reward to have a few extra cupcakes on the side to “taste test”!
I don’t have the sheet cake volumes, so my best guess would have been yours, as well. Let me know how it goes and how many extra cupcakes you score!
Karen said: on May 2, 2013
Oh my, it took 3 batches to fill. I ended up using the eggless recipe from your book and it was very thick.
Karen said: on May 2, 2013
And it took 50 minutes to bake and is above the pan in height. It puffed up a lot.
Jules said: on May 3, 2013
Wonderful, Karen!
Josh said: on June 2, 2013
Hi, Jules. I’m about to make this birthday cake for the first time and I noticed that the recipe says to spray two 9-inch cake pans — but at the bottom of the recipe it says the yield is two 7-8 inch cakes. Is that a typo or do they shrink up during baking? Thanks!
Jules Shepard said: on June 3, 2013
Hi Josh, I prefer baking these in 7 or 8-inch cake pans because the layers are thicker that way. You can use 9-inch cake pans but there isn’t enough batter to make that size thick. I’ve used the 9-inch pans and cut them in half after baking and made a 4 layer cake that was to die for, though!