Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake brings that iconic tangy-sweet flavor, plush crumb, and subtle cocoa notes, without wheat flour. This classic layer cake bakes up moist, slices cleanly, and pairs perfectly with rich cream cheese frosting.
What makes this gluten free red velvet cake special
Red velvet cake isn’t “just chocolate cake dyed red.” You get a distinctive flavor and texture from a few key details that this gluten-free version keeps intact.
Signature flavor balance: A light cocoa taste plus tang from vinegar (and typically buttermilk, here we use milk + vinegar for a similar effect).
Velvety crumb: Butter + sugar creaming builds a fine, tender texture, while a gluten-free flour blend and a touch of starch help mimic cake flour softness.
Cream cheese frosting match: The slightly tangy cake and the tangy frosting taste like the classic bakery version, no gritty GF aftertaste.
Notes on ingredients
These small choices make a big difference in gluten-free baking, especially for a cake where texture matters.
All-purpose gluten-free flour blend: Use a reputable cup-for-cup blend meant for baking. If your blend already contains xanthan gum, omit the added xanthan gum.
Cornstarch (or arrowroot): This helps lighten the crumb and keeps the cake tender, similar to using cake flour.
Cocoa powder (best choice): Use natural unsweetened cocoa powder here (not Dutch-process). Natural cocoa is more acidic, which plays better with baking soda and supports that classic red velvet taste.
Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar boosts tang and reacts with baking soda for lift. It also helps the cake’s “red velvet” personality shine even without heavy cocoa.
Food coloring (optional): Traditional red velvet uses coloring for the deep red hue, but the flavor comes from cocoa + vanilla + tang, not the dye.
Ingredients and substitution suggestions for gluten-free red velvet cake
Key ingredient takeaways
The cake uses an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend (the author mentions Better Batter), plus optional xanthan gum depending on your blend, and added cornstarch (or arrowroot) to refine the texture.
Flavor-wise, it relies on a small amount of natural cocoa powder plus apple cider vinegar for tang, with red gel coloring listed as optional for appearance only.
Substitution guidance
For dairy-free, the author suggests vegan butter (specifically naming Miyoko’s Kitchen and Melt) and an unsweetened non-dairy milk, with a preference for unsweetened almond milk because it provides some fat/richness.
For egg-free, the author notes there are 3 eggs and suggests “chia eggs” as the preferred replacer (per egg: 1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds + 1 tablespoon lukewarm water, mixed and gelled).
FAQs
What gives red velvet cake its flavor?
Red velvet’s flavor comes from a blend of mild cocoa, vanilla, butter, and a gentle tang from vinegar (and often buttermilk). It tastes less chocolate-forward than chocolate cake and more like a buttery vanilla cake with a subtle cocoa edge.
What makes red velvet cake different from devil’s food cake?
Devil’s food cake leans deeply chocolate with more cocoa (often Dutch-process) and a darker, richer flavor. Red velvet uses less cocoa, emphasizes tang and vanilla, and aims for a softer, “velvety” crumb with a brighter flavor profile.
What is the best cocoa powder to use for this gluten-free red velvet cake?
Choose natural unsweetened cocoa powder. It supports the intended chemistry with baking soda and keeps the cocoa flavor subtle, exactly what you want in red velvet.
Do I need to use red food coloring in this red velvet cake?
No. Food coloring changes the look, not the core flavor. Without it, the cake will bake up a warm reddish-brown (from cocoa) rather than bright red. If you want color without artificial dye, you can try beet powder, but results vary by brand and baking time.
More gluten-free desserts to make ASAP!
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Frosting
- Flourless Gluten Free Fruit Cake
- Gluten Free Lemon Cake with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
- Gluten Free No Bake Cheesecake in a Jar
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How to make gluten free red velvet cake, step by step
Gluten Free Red Velvet Cake
This gluten free red velvet cake tastes classic, tender crumb, light cocoa flavor, and tangy-sweet frosting. Easy layers that slice cleanly.
Ingredients
Red Velvet Cake
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose gluten-free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 6 tablespoons (54 g) cornstarch (or arrowroot)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 6 tablespoons (30 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 11 tablespoons (154 g) unsalted butter, room temperature.
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) granulated sugar
- 3 eggs (150 g out of shell), at room temperature, beaten
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) milk, room temperature
- Red soft gel paste food coloring, optional
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 5 cups (575 g) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease two 9-inch round baking pans and set aside.
Make the cake batter
- In a medium bowl, whisk together: flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer (paddle) or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat butter on medium-high until light and fluffy.
- Add granulated sugar, then eggs and vanilla, beating well on medium-high after each addition.
Add vinegar and a scant 1/8 teaspoon red gel food coloring (if using). Beat well. (Mixture may look a bit curdled; that’s fine.) - Add dry ingredients alternating with milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix after each addition until smooth and relatively thick.
Bake
- Divide batter evenly between pans and smooth tops with a wet spatula.
- Bake both pans on the center rack for 25 minutes, rotating once during baking.
- Cakes are done when a toothpick comes out mostly clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and salt; beat to combine.
- Add about half of the confectioners’ sugar; beat on medium-low until absorbed.
- Add remaining confectioners’ sugar about 1 cup at a time, beating on medium speed after each addition.
- Beat on high until light and fluffy. Frosting should hold its shape when scooped but not be stiff.
Assemble
- Place one cooled cake layer upside down on a serving platter.
- Add about 1 1/4 cups of frosting and spread evenly.
- Invert the second cake layer on top; press gently to adhere.
- Optional (for neat frosting): apply a thin crumb coat over top/sides; freeze 15 minutes.
- Frost with remaining frosting, swirl decoratively, and refrigerate 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
