This gluten-free spice cake recipe makes a soft, fluffy cake that you can bake as a snack cake, loaf cake or bundt cake. It has all your favorite flavors, including cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, and each bite has rich, bold flavors. You can make a beautiful homemade cake that tastes way better than a box mix in around 45 minutes.
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
The Quick Bite: This fluffy gluten free spice cake recipe has a lot of flavor. I am a nutmeg fan, and I used it liberally with ground cinnamon and ginger. It makes a beautiful holiday cake, but with flavors this good, it is fun to make all year long. This homemade gluten free spice cake is so much better than a store-bought boxed spice cake mix!
“This turned out so yummy, loved it will try with the icing next time. Just sprinkled
powdered sugar on top.”Nicole L., Pinterest pin comment
I am really excited about this cake. The texture is so light and fluffy, it tastes like it came from a bakery. I have made it multiples times, in several different shapes. The first time this recipe hit my blog, I made it as a loaf cake with raisins. In my newer version of this recipe, I removed the raisins as the texture of the cake is better without them.
This spice cake is my go-to cake in the fall when I have friends over for coffee. I remade the recipe again today, and it reminds me how much I love this cake recipe. It is also dairy-free, which means more people can enjoy this cake recipe.
If you are keeping sugar low, make this cake as a loaf cake and skip the frosting. The flavor stands out beautifully either way. The flavors are rich, and you can taste the nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon in every bite of this cake.
This cake is made with applesauce, which helps keep it nice and moist. I tested the recipe with two flour blends, and both worked very well without any micro adjustments to the moisture level needed. The apple flavor adds a little more sweetness. Make it as a loaf cake, bundt cake, or as a layer cake with my creamy vanilla frosting. (I tested Earth Balance in this frosting recipe and it worked well for frosting.)
If you love cake as much as I do, check out my delicious gluten free cake recipes! If you enjoy nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon flavors, you may also like these Gluten Free Carrot Cake Muffins or these Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookie Bars.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure. That doesn’t mean other flours won’t work. What this means is you may need to tweak the wet or dry ingredients. Every flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio, which affects how much liquid you need in a recipe. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
- Binder – Binders are important to hold your baked goods together. If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Baking Powder – I recommend using aluminum-free baking powder to avoid an metallic aftertaste.
- Applesauce – I used unsweetened applesauce to add moistness and a little natural sweetness to the cake.
- Oil – I recommend canola or avocado oil. Be sure to use an oil without a strong flavor.
- Eggs – Use large eggs.
- Vanilla Extract – I always recommend pure vanilla extract over imitation.
- Nutmeg, Cinnamon, and Ginger – Use high-quality ground spices. Spices in jars go bad over time, so if your spices are over two years old, they have probably lost much of their rich flavor. Verify the spices you use are gluten-free. McCormick and Penzeys brands are, as many others. Just check the label to verify.
- Non-Dairy Milk – I tested this recipe using Oatly 4 Ingredient Oat Milk. Other plant based milks will work, but do not use canned coconut milk. It is too thick.
Substitutions:
- If you cannot eat xanthan or guar gum, use my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend. It is a great gum-free blend using psyllium husk powder and it works well in my cake recipes.
- If you prefer to use dairy, you can use regular milk.
You can also pair it with vanilla buttercream frosting or cinnamon buttercream frosting found in my pumpkin cupcakes recipe.
How to Make a Gluten Free Spice Cake (Step-By-Step)
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👀 Sandi Says: I do not recommend using a stand mixer. Stand mixers tend to overmix cake batter, which creates a denser cake.
Step 1: In a large
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients well in a smaller
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix the two together.
HINT: For best results, mix the wet and dry ingredients until they are just barely mixed. Do not overmix! This will make your gluten free spice cake fluffier!
Step 4: This is what your batter should look like. Note that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. You may need to add more flour blend or liquid depending on the consistency of your cake batter.
📢 Sandi says: If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour; if it is too thick, add more liquid. Make adjustments 1 TBSP at a time.
Step 5: Pour the spice cake batter into a loaf pan, small bundt pan, or 8×8 baking pan coated with gluten-free baking spray. (Note: You can also line the pan with parchment paper.)
Let the cake batter sit for 15 minutes in the pan to allow the rice in the flour to blend and soften. This will help prevent your cake from tasting gritty.
Step 6: Bake the cake at 350º F for 30-35 minutes. The actual baking time will vary greatly depending on whether you use a loaf pan, layer cake pan, or cupcake pan.
To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, bake the cake longer.
Step 7: Remove the cake from the oven and cool it on a cooling rack. After 10-15 minutes, gently lift the cake out of the pan directly onto the cooling rack. You can tilt the pan upside down onto the cooling rack as well. This prevents the cake from drying out in the hot pan.
Optional Frosting: When I originally created this recipe in a loaf cake pan, I dusted the top of this cake lightly with powdered sugar. Many readers have written to ask me for a simple vanilla frosting recipe so they could make this recipe as a sheet cake. I remade this cake recipe and include the recipe.
Store the leftover cake in an airtight cake container. This gluten-free spice cake will stay fresh for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze this cake. To freeze it. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap, then put it into a freezer-safe zip-style bag.
For more tips, check out my Gluten Free Cake Troubleshooting Guide. I also share all of my favorite Tools For Making Gluten Free Cake. If you love this spice cake with applesauce, you will also love my Gluten Free Fruit Cake recipe!
Try these tasty flavor variations:
- Add white chocolate chips to the cake batter!
- Dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar.
- Drizzle melted white chocolate or icing over the cake.
Make this into a storable cake mix:
I love to keep pre-blended cake mixes on hand in my pantry to make a cake quickly. It also makes a great gift with the printed recipe card. If you want to do this, here are the simple steps:
- Add all of the dry ingredients one at a time into a mason jar. The layers are pretty.
- Close the jar lid tightly.
- If you are giving it as a gift, wrap a bow around the lid and print out the recipe to include in an envelope!
More Gluten Free Cake Recipes:
If you enjoy baking, I have over 100 delicious gluten free cake recipes for you to explore! Here are a few of my favorites:
- Gluten Free Honey Cake
- Easy Gluten Free Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Gluten Free Date Walnut Cake
- Moist Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Spice Cake With Applesauce
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder * see note
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ⅔ cup light oil * see note
- ⅓ cup non-dairy milk
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup applesauce * smooth, not chunky
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup unsalted butter * room temperature
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream * you can also use water.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a bowl, add 1 3/4 cups gluten free flour blend, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup cane sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger. Whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, add 2/3 cup light oil, 3 large eggs, 1/3 cup applesauce, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, and 1/3 cup non-dairy milk. mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix the two together.
- HINT: Mix the ingredients until they are just barely mixed. This will make your gluten free spice cake fluffier!
- Put the spice cake batter into a greased loaf pan. You can also make cupcakes, a sheet cake, or a layer cake with this spice cake batter.
- Bake the cake at 350º F for 30-35 minutes. The actual baking time will vary greatly depending on if you use a loaf pan, layer cake pans, or a cupcake pan.
- To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the cake needs to bake longer.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool it on a cooling rack. When it has cooled, you can dust the top with powdered sugar or make the vanilla frosting.
- Add room temperature 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, and 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream to a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Whip at low speed and gradually increase the speed until the frosting is fluffy.
Nutrition
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure, Cup4Cup, and Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 in this recipe. That doesn’t mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours. It is important to evaluate the cake batter. You may need to add more liquid or flour, depending on the batter texture. Every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio, and this will affect the batter moisture.
- Binder – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Baking Powder – I suggest using an aluminum-free brand to avoid any metallic aftertaste.
- I recommend using a light oil like canola or avocado in this recipe.
- This cake will keep fresh for up to 3 days in an airtight container or up to 4 months in the freezer. Wrap the cooled cake in plastic wrap. Next, wrap it with aluminum foil. If the cake isn’t too large, you can fit it into a freezer-safe zip-style bag.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
I’ve been trying out your recipes to make a wedding cake and a Groom’s cake. My daughter and her Groom have already selected your vanilla cake with 1 tsp almond extract in place of 1 of the vanilla extracts. I’ve already left a review on how wonderful it is. The groom has gone through several of your cakes and has enjoyed them all! He did say that he is leaning toward this spice cake. It is delicious! Of course, I have a few more of your recipes to try before the final decision. I’ll let you know when we have a choice.
Hi Angie, It is so good to hear he is leaning towards the spice cake. One bakery used my Devils’s Food Cake for a groom’s cake, maybe try that one too. If you are up for it, I would love to do a poll of which cake flavors you should trial next on my Fearless Dining FB page for fun. If that is okay, I would leave your name out. Please let me know. I am curious what my readers would say since so many have tried some of my cake recipes.
Do you think this recipe would work with regular flour. I don’t need it to be gluten free.
Hi Margaret, Thank you for your note. Unfortunately, I haven’t baked with wheat flour in almost 16 years…so I really have no idea whether it can be substituted in my recipes.
This recipe turned out fabulous! I didn’t have any raisins so I used dried currents instead, and I used cup4cup gluten-free flour. I had to bake the loaf for an extra 13 minutes but it turned out really well. The exterior was crispy and the inside was moist and full of flavour. I will definitely make it again!
Oooh, dried currants sound incredible for this cake. Thank you so much for your kind note.
I’m wanting to make this recipe in perhaps a sheet cake as you mention in Step 6 of the instructions in the recipe. The only thing is I’m not seeing what size pan or how long to bake it for. Would you be able to give me details for what size of sheet cake pan you would recommend and how long to bake it? Thank you for your reply.
Hi Virginia, I would say this will make an 8×8 sized cake. If you want a thinner cake you could try a 9×13, but the cake will be thin like bars.
Out of curiosity (as I am not smart on this stuff, lol) could you use olive oil? Not sure if that is a light oil. Thanks!
Hi Maureen, that is a totally valid questions. I feel olive oil has a strong flavor that can change the flavor of what you are baking. For this recipe a light oil (as in flavor), like avocado or canola (with no flavor) is best.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe, best cake I’ve made being gluten free. I highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for a great easy tasty cake recipe. My daughter paired it with salty caramel icing. So good!
That spice cake is one of my favorites. I am so glad you loved it!
Super delicious! I wish I could share a picture of how great it looks. It’s golden brown, crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside! I did omit the raisins (my family and I aren’t a huge fan) and it still turned out delicious. This is also the first baked dish I’ve made that required applesauce which is very exciting for me! Thank you for sharing this awesome recipe!
I am so glad you loved the recipe, Clara!! I can’t wait to see what you bake next!!
This turned out so yummy
I am so glad you enjoyed it, Nicole. This is my husband’s new favorite cake too!
I’m allergic to apples. What can I use in place of apple sauce.
Hi Paula, I haven’t tested this recipe without apples. If you are looking for just a caramel cake, you could use my gluten free caramel cupcakes batter to make cake.
Thank you!
Hmm, sounds good but there are no raisins listed in the ingredients, unlessIoverlookedit??
How much?
Sorry, Melanie, it is an optional ingredient but I recommend 1/3 cup.
Thanks, I’m going to try this today and also add some dates and pecans!!
That sounds delicious!