This Gluten Free Birthday Cake Recipe is sponsored by Bob's Red Mill.
Three layers of buttery caramel cake are slathered with salted caramel Italian meringue buttercream, and topped with salted caramel sauce and almond pralines for a gluten free birthday cake that will spoil the socks off any birthday guy or gal.
One of the most popular recipes on this blog is for this Caramel Cake with Salted Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream.
This Gluten Free Birthday Cake is the gluten-free version of that Caramel Cake, and I don't know what took me so long to make it. It's the perfect special occasion cake because everyone - gluten free or otherwise - will LOVE it.
A few years ago, I discovered that I have a bit of an intolerance for wheat flour.
It's not a gluten allergy... it's just that for some reason, my body decided that it would periodically let me know that it didn't appreciate my eating wheat-based foods with an all out assault on my general well-being.
As if.
I was offended by this development. I mean... I am a baker. Bakers gotta bake. Bread. Cookies. Cake, Muffins. Scones. Biscuits. Brownies. ALL require wheat flour.
Pancakes. Waffles. Tortillas! SERIOUSLY. There is just no way I am going to give up baking, or eating, all of that.
NO. Way. So, I rebelled.
I bought, like, 27 different kinds of flour.
I am not kidding you. This is when I really became familiar with all the different varieties of awesome flour coming out of Bob's Red Mill. If it grows and you can make flour from it, they do. Corn, soy, almond, rice, oat, teft, amaranth, coconut, chickpea, millet, quinoa…
So. Many. Different. Types. Of flour. I bought them all. I even devoted an entire drawer in my kitchen to storing all these different varieties of flour.
It's hard to tell in the picture, but those bags are stacked 5 deep.
Not everyone on a gluten free diet is as obsessive about baking as I am.
I get it. Thankfully, for those of you who don't want to fill an entire drawer or cupboard of your kitchen with a gazillion different kinds of flour, Bob's Red Mill makes a Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
This is awesome, because most gluten free baking recipes require several different types of flour. You can't just take a recipe calling for wheat flour and substitute any other kind of flour, willy nilly. The lack of gluten in gluten-free recipes requires some seriously fancy footwork to create baked goods that aren't flat as a hockey puck or hard as a rock.
Unless, of course, you have a bag of Bob's Gluten Free Flour. Everything you need for gluten free baking is right there, inside that one - count 'em! - ONE bag of flour.
Gluten-free eaters deserve awesome birthday cakes too
When you're gluten free, the problem with birthdays, holidays and other gatherings is that there's always a lot of delicious looking treats that you can't eat. And, just because you're on a gluten-free diet, doesn't mean you don't want to eat the birthday cake.
Especially if it's yours!
But, chances are, most of the other guests are not on a gluten free diet. A lot of times this means two cakes - a gluten free birthday cake and a regular birthday cake. You can stop doing that now because this gluten-free birthday cake is the only cake you need.
No one - and I mean no one - will be able to tell that this rich caramel cake is gluten-free. Trust me. I tested it on adults, teenagers and kids, and all anyone ever said, was, "Is there more?"
Gluten Free Birthday Cake Recipe Notes
1. If you've never made Italian Meringue Buttercream, the recipe can seem kind of daunting. Please, please, please don't let that deter you from trying it. It's much simpler to make than you might think on first glance, and it's SOOOO good that you might not ever make another kind of frosting again.
This is true even if you, like me, don't really like frosting. Plus, it's easy to work with and will keep for a week in the refrigerator or a few months in the freezer.
I love every flavor of Italian Meringue Buttercream, but the salted caramel version is my all-time favorite. It's exceptionally smooth with a rich caramel flavor that strikes the perfect balance between sweet and salty. And it makes this gluten free birthday cake completely over the top delicious.
2. The xanthan gum in this gluten free birthday cake recipe is optional. Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour Mix contains xanthan gum already. However, I found that adding a bit more to this recipe gave each layer of cake a bit more structure. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that I live in a high-altitude part of the country. Those of you at seal level can probably just leave it out.
3. As impressive as it looks, this gluten free birthday cake is pretty simple to make, especially with a bit of advance planning. The salted caramel sauce, which is both whipped into the Italian Meringue Buttercream and drizzled over the cakes top, can be made a few weeks in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Before using, warm it in the microwave at 50% poser in 20 second increments, stopping to stir often.
The almond pralines and Italian meringue buttercream can also be made in advance. The recipe for the Italian Meringue Buttercream includes detailed instructions for how to thaw and reconstitute frozen buttercream.
And, the cakes themselves can also be made in advance, wrapped tightly, and frozen. In fact, frozen cake layers are a lot easier to decorate. Just make sure to allow the cake about 6 hours at room temperature to thaw completely before serving.
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Caramel Cake with Salted Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream
Three layers of buttery caramel cake are slathered with salted caramel Italian meringue buttercream and topped with salted caramel sauce and almond pralines for a gluten free birthday cake that will spoil the socks off any birthday guy or gal.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (255 grams/ 9 ounces) white chocolate chips
- 12 tablespoons (6 ounces/ 170 grams) butter cut into 12 pieces, at room temperature
- 16.5 oz. (3 cups plus 1 tsp) Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour (plus more for dusting the inside of the pan)
- 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 6 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (160 grams) light or dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (227 grams)buttermilk (No buttermilk? How to make a buttermilk substitute)
FOR ICING AND DECORATION:
- 1 recipe Salted Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream - follow instructions for the salted caramel version
- Almond Pralines, for decoration (see notes for how to make them)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F (176 degrees C) Grease three 8 or 9-inch round cake pans with shortening or butter. Line the bottom of each pan with a piece of parchment paper, and cut to fit the bottom exactly. Grease the parchment paper. Dust the entire inside of the pan with a few tablespoons of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour. Shake out any excess flour and set pans aside.
- Add the chocolate and butter to a small bowl and melt in the microwave in 1-minute increments at 50% power, stirring after each minute, until melted. (Alternatively, melt in a small saucepan over very low heat on the stovetop.)
- Add the flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and baking soda to a bowl and stir with a wire whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until the whites begin to get foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the whites just begin to form soft peaks. With the mixer running, pour in the granulated sugar in a slow, steady stream. Continue to beat until glossy, stiff peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer the beaten egg whites to a bowl and set aside.
- Add the egg yolks, vanilla, and brown sugar to the mixer bowl. (There is no need to wash it out.) Beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is lightened and thick enough to form ribbons if you lift the beater away from the mixture, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the chocolate mixture and the buttermilk and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
- Using a rubber spatula, gently stir ⅓ of the egg whites into the batter. Gently fold in the remaining whites. Be careful to not over mix. The egg whites should be incorporated, but a small streak of egg white here and there is ok.
- Add the batter evenly to the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the tops of the cakes are golden brown and are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan.
- Remove from the oven, set on wire racks, and allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 5 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto wire racks. Prick the cakes several times with a fork, being careful to not poke all the way through to the bottom of each cake. Warm about ½ cup of salted caramel sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop until it's a thin, pourable consistency. Using a pastry brush, coat the top and sides of each cake with a layer of warm salted caramel sauce. Allow to cool completely on the wire racks.
- *If assembling the cake immediately, please proceed. If you need to store the cake layers for assembly the following day, cut out 3 circles of parchment or wax paper that are about 1 inch wider than the size of each cake layer. Lay the parchment rounds on a flat surface - the counter or baking sheets. Using a large metal spatula, gently slide the cakes from the wire racks onto the parchment rounds. Cover loosely with plastic wrap.
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
- Lay one cake layer on a cake platter and spread with a ½ inch layer of Salted Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream. Top with another cake layer, spread with additional buttercream, and top with the third cake layer. Frost the entire cake with buttercream.
- Decorate with broken pieces of Almond Pralines. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.
Notes
This recipe makes a lot of batter and is best made using a 6-quart mixer. If you have a smaller mixer, you may need to mix the batter in two batches.
How to Make Almond Praline:
- 1 cup whole almonds, roughly chopped into large pieces
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Heat almonds, sugar, cinnamon, butter, and salt in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring constantly until almonds are toasted and sugar is completely melted and golden brown, about 15 minutes.
- Spread on aluminum foil or parchment paper and let cool completely before breaking into chunks.
A reader recently informed me that ground cinnamon (in the almond pralines) may also sometimes contain gluten. This is due to cross-contamination in factories where the ground cinnamon is packaged. For many people suffering from Celiac disease, the trace amount won't be an issue. However, those with a very high sensitivity to gluten might have issues. Just make sure to read the packaging and always ask the intended consumer!
A big THANKS to Bob’s Red Mill - makers of Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour - for partnering with me on this post and making this Gluten Free Caramel Cake a reality.
© Of Batter and Dough. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe. Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting Of Batter and Dough.
Maureen Venn says
I was asked to make a cake for a friend's surprise 60th and I agreed and then was told she was gluten free and caramel was her favourite. I had made gluten free before with almond meal but none with gluten free flour. Found your recipe with the help of Google. I'm in australia so our brands are different. Burnt the praline first go and had to redo it but otherwise no problems and made all from scratch, I did substitute macadamias for the almonds as I have three trees. Everyone loved the look of the cake and it tasted great. Thankyou
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hello Maureen! I am so happy to hear that this recipe worked out well for you! Macadamias in the praline sounds delicious. I'm so envious of your having macadamia trees on your property! Happy birthday to your friend (who is lucky to have someone in her life that will bake a cake for her!) and thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me. I truly appreciate it! xo
Kerrie says
Hi Maureen,
I'm also in Australia and about to try this recipe for a friend's birthday. Can I ask which brands you went with?
Thanks,
Kerrie
Maureen Venn says
I only have coles near me, I found they had an expensive brand of gluten free four in the baking aisle but found much more in the specially aisle. I made cake parts over 3 days so I didn't get overwhelmed. I only had 2 tins the same size and adjusted recipe to 2/3 and then made 2 lots so ended up with an extra layer which I used for husbands birthday next day. I also accidentally bought self raising flour so had to adjust the amount of baking powder. I happened to have just enough corn syrup in my pantry which was fortunate as there was none in my coles.l used a coles brand of gluten free flour. I did use the xantham gum.also I forgot it said unsalted butter in buttercream but as had to add salted caramel sauce I decided salted would be OK. I did use the recipe and made caramel sauce
Patti Nelson says
After having great success with the caramel sauce I tried the cake and frosting the next day. The cake was easy to make per your directions. And the sauce (slightly warmed) made the cake keep it's moisture. I thought the cake was a little dense and I'm pretty sure I didn't overbeat it but it's still good. Your Italian meringue and my recipe are very similar. I use 1 T corn syrup during the boiling. And at the very end of beating in butter I usually add sifted powdered sugar to help with piping texture. I followed your recipe to be sure but next time I'll add the sugar. I did add a full 1.5 cups caramel sauce to get full flavor. My plan is to make as cupcakes and fill with 1 tsp. caramel. Then frost and drizzle. I tried a new swirl technique for decorating and the cake looked gorgeous. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Hoping my DIL will like this cake for her GF birthday coming in a few weeks.
Rebecca Blackwell says
Thanks for reporting back Patti! I wish I could see the cake! I'll bet it was gorgeous! Your daughter in law is so fortunate to have you in her life. I'm sure she's going to love the cake! xo
Cee says
Hi Rebecca, I look forward to trying out this cake. I'm hoping you will change the wording about people 'suffering from celiac disease'; I don't suffer, I live with it. My life is a bzillion times better since I stopped eating gluten so I am not suffering at all! Many thanks for your work creating delicious GF makes. I am so appreciative.
Amanda Dussault says
This was amazing! I made this cake today with my mom ant it turned out way better than I expected (usually the first time through a new recipe something always goes sideways!). Directions were super easy to follow and the results tasted awesome. Thank you! This is now my new go to cake!
Rebecca Blackwell says
I'm so happy to hear that you liked this recipe Amanda! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know. I truly appreciate it! xo
Brittany Greer says
I have made the salted caramel and salted caramel italian meringue buttercream (both of which are AMAZING)! I am wondering if you think the cakes would freeze well? I am making this cake for X-mas and am going to be short on kitchen capacity.
Rebecca Blackwell says
I am so happy to hear that you like this recipe, Brittany! Yes - the cakes will freeze well. Just make sure the layers are wrapped well before popping them in the freezer. It's actually easier to stack, fill and frost the cake layers when they are still frozen. So, unless you are planning on frosting it right before serving, I'd suggest pulling them from the freezer and assembling the cake frozen. It will take roughly 4 hours to thaw at room temperature so as long as you're assembling it 4 hours before serving, you should be good. Please let me know if you have any other questions! And have a merry Christmas! xo
Michelle Varner-Smith says
I made the regular Salted Caramel cake recipe (which everyone LOVED). Now I need to make the gluten free one for a birthday. The original recipe does not have white chocolate chips. Do they add to the texture or sweetness of the gluten free version? Do they make a difference?
Thank you
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi there! Great question! One of the challenges I had in creating this recipe is getting a texture that wasn't grainy at all. Most gluten free recipes rely heavily on starch to build a cake's structure. This can create a grainy or chalky texture. I found that some melted white chocolate coated all the starch molecules giving the cake a soft, silky texture without any of the graininess. It also intensifies the caramel flavor, so it's a win-win!
I'm so happy that you liked the original caramel cake recipe and love that you're making this one as well! Please let me know if you have any other questions! And, I would love to know what you think of this recipe after you make it! xo
jessica says
Thankyou.
jessica says
If i can't get Bob's Red Mill flour what can i do to substitute it?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Jessica! Here's a recipe for a do-it-yourself gluten free flour mix that works great every time: https://ofbatteranddough.com/gluten-free-all-purpose-flour-substitute/
Jessica Pitts says
What is the best size cake tin to use?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Jessica! This recipe will make enough for three 8 or 9-inch round cake pans. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xo
Laura says
I made this recipe today for my boyfriend's 30th birthday and it was amazing! The cake was unbelievably soft and light. We both agreed it's the best gluten free cake we've tried!
I scaled it down to a third of size (due to Covid it's just us and even being this delicious, three layers is too much) and it was still perfect. Thanks very much x
Rebecca Blackwell says
I am so happy to hear that you liked this recipe Laura! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! I truly appreciate it! xo
Jessie says
Hi,
Recipe looks delicious!
Stupid question but can I use my electric hand beater as I don't have a cake mixer:(
Rebecca Blackwell says
Not a stupid question at all! Yes - you can use your electric hand mixer for this cake! However, using a hand mixer to make Italian Meringue Buttercream is much more tricky. I've heard from readers who have successfully made Italian Meringue with a hand mixer, so it can be done, but it's pretty labor intensive. If I were you, I would make a batch of American Buttercream instead, still flavoring it with salted caramel. It's much easier to make with a hand held mixer. Please let me know if you have any other questions! And, I'd love to hear what you think of this cake after you make it! xo
Lori says
This recipe looks sumptuous. I want to make it for my son for his birthday, who is gluten sensitive and dairy free. Can I substitute coconut oil for the butter in the cake?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Lori! Using coconut oil in this cake in place of the butter should work out perfectly. Use the same amount, measuring by weight: 12 tbsp butter = 12 tbsp/ 6 ounces coconut oil. Please let me know if you have any other questions! And, I'd love to know how this substitution works out for you. Do you have a plan for what you'll substitute the buttermilk for?
Laura says
I am making this recipe at the moment. Just a side note to mention, ground cinnamon in the almond pralines may also sometimes contain gluten. This is due to cross-contamination in factories where the ground cinnamon is packaged. My friend with Celiac's said it was fine for her but some with a higher sensitivity may have issues with it. Just make sure to read packaging and always ask the intended consumer! 😊❤
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Laura! Thank you so much for this comment. I had no idea! I'm adding a note to the recipe now for others who might not know this. I appreciate your taking the time to pass this information along so much! xo
Polly says
Hello
Apologise if this is a silly question but with regards to the scale on the recipe, does x1 = one layer x2 =2layer etc?
From NotaNaturalBakerButMyBFwouldLoveThisCake
Wish me luck!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Polly! First of all, your signature on this post is awesome and you are an amazing woman to want to make your boyfriend this cake. He'll love it. 🙂 Not a silly question about doubling the recipe - The recipe as is (without clicking the 1x or 2x button) will give you enough batter for a three layer cake. So, if you click the 1x, you'll end up with enough batter for 6 layers, which I'm guessing is more cake than you want. Unless, of course, you want to make one cake for your boyfriend and another for you - a strategy I would not begrudge you for. 🙂 Please let me know if you have any more questions! And, I'd love to hear how you and your boyfriend like this cake! xo
Lila says
Am I missing something here or not? I can’t find the recipe for the Salted Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream Icing. Could you please post it. Thank you. This cake recipe sounds so good I want to try it.
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Lila! Sorry - in the recipe, under the heading "For Icing and Decoration" the words "Salted Caramel Italian Meringue Buttercream" are actually linked to the recipe. It's not always clear that they're linked. But here's a link to the recipe: https://ofbatteranddough.com/italian-meringue-buttercream-frosting-recipe/
Let me know if you have any questions and I'd love to hear how this comes out for you! Happy baking! xo
Jennifer Polic says
Excited to try this recipe! I'm using my own GF flour blend. Per cup, how much xanthan gum is in bob's flour blend? I want to know how much to add.
thanks!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Jennifer! I'm not sure how much xanthan gum is in Bob's flour... but, I'd suggest adding 1/2 tsp for every 2 cups of GF flour blend. Let me know how you like the cake after you bake it! xo
Bethany says
Everything about this cake looks amazing! Yum!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Yeah! I'm so glad you think so Bethany! It was pretty freaking delicious, if I do say so myself. 🙂 I hope you make it! xo