If you are learning how to bake gluten-free cakes, you have probably had some epic baking fails. I will walk you through the most common gluten-free cake baking problems and how to prevent or fix them.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy.
🔑 Sandi says: This post has a lot of information, and it is a long read. Find your cake problem in the Table of Contents above to save time.
We have all been there. You decide to bake a gluten free cake. You use the gluten free flour blend you have on hand, and the cake doesn’t turn out. Or, perhaps you used a 1:1 gluten free flour blend in place of wheat flour to convert a regular recipe to gluten free.
I have over 100 gluten free cake recipes on my blog, and I have been baking gluten free for over 15 years. I want you to learn from my mistakes. There are so many ways that gluten free cake-baking failures can happen. Let’s dive in and troubleshoot the most common gluten free cake problems.
If you are looking for ways to improve your baking, check out my Gluten Free Baking Tips. If you are new to gluten free, I have a huge gluten free resources list to help you ease into gluten free living!
If you also love to bake bread, check out my Gluten Free Bread Troubleshooting, Gluten Free Pie Troubleshooting, and Gluten Free Cookie Troubleshooting Guides.
Why is my gluten free cake dense (The cake didn’t rise)?
There is nothing more frustrating than having your gluten free cake turn out dense or not rise properly. This can be caused by a few potential issues.
- Overmixing the cake batter. Be sure to mix the gluten free cake batter only until the ingredients are combined, and avoid overbaking by checking the cake a few minutes before the suggested baking time. I don’t recommend using a stand mixer or electric mixer when making gluten free cakes or cupcakes.
- You used a starchy gluten free flour blend. Some blends have a high starch-to-grain ratio, which can affect the cake’s moisture level. This will make the cake turn out denser.
- Measure your ingredients accurately. Too much flour or liquid will affect your cake’s texture. To measure your gluten free flour, I recommend using either the spoon method or leveling method. Spoon Method: Use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour. Leveling Method: Put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour.
- Was your baking powder or baking soda expired? If your leavener is expired, your cake will not rise. Also, make sure you use the right one. Baking powder is for cakes that do not have acids, and baking soda helps cakes that have an acidic ingredient. Some recipes have a combination for rising.
If you are new to cake baking, here is a good write-up of my favorite Kitchen Tools For Baking Cakes. Using the right equipment can help prevent baking fails.
Dense Cake Fix:
Unfortunately, there isn’t much you can do to fix a dense cake. Luckily, you don’t have to toss the cake in the trash. You can use the dense cake to make Gluten Free Cake Pops or these Gluten Free Cakesicles.
Why is my gluten free cake dry or crumbly?
- Another cause of a dry cake is overbaking. If you bake your cake too long, you bake the moisture out of it.
- If your gluten free cake is crumbly but not dry, did you check to ensure your gluten free flour blend had a binder like xanthan gum, guar gum, or psyllium husk? Gluten free baking needs a binder to help hold it together. Many premade blends include it, but others don’t. If your mix doesn’t include this ingredient, add 1 teaspoon to your dry ingredients.
- Dry cake can happen if you don’t use enough liquid ingredients. Some gluten free flour blends are starch-heavy and need a different liquid-to-flour ratio than others. Try adding a bit more liquid, such as milk, and mix the ingredients until just combined.
Dry Cake Fix:
Brush the top of your cake with simple syrup. The syrup will absorb into the cake and moisten it.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
- Opening the oven door too soon. I know it is tempting to open the oven door and check on your cake, but opening it can cause your cake to sink in the middle. Cakes need a consistent, steady baking temperature. Opening the oven door lets cooler air in, slowing the baking process. Check your oven temperature and avoid opening the door too soon.
- Overmixing the batter. If you overmix your cake batter, you deflate the air bubbles that form when you mix the dry and wet ingredients.
- Using expired baking powder or baking soda. Always check the expiration date of your baking powder or baking soda before using it.
- Underbaked. The last reason a cake could sink in the middle is that it is underbaked. Know that the cake bakes from the outside in, so if you take it out of the oven too soon, the middle hasn’t had a chance to finish baking.
Sunken Cake Fix:
Unfortunately, you can not pop the cake back in the oven to bake more. Once you remove the cake from the oven, the cake will not continue to rise. If the cake is fully baked.
If the cake is fully baked, you can trim the taller edges to level it.
Why is my cake too moist?
- The cake is undercooked. One of the biggest reasons for a too-moist cake is not baking it long enough. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Too much liquid. Measure your ingredients accurately and don’t use too much liquid.
- Too much oil. If you use too much oil or butter, the cake can be too moist.
Moist Cake Fix:
There aren’t many things you can do to fix a cake that’s too moist. You can try to evaporate some of the moisture by baking it longer in a 350ºF oven.
Why did my cake burn or turn out too dark?
- High oven temperature. If your cake is burnt or dark, you may have baked it at too high an oven temperature.
- Leaving it in the oven for too long. Check your oven temperature and reduce it if needed, and check the cake a few minutes before the suggested baking time.
Burnt Cake Fix:
If you have a burnt gluten free cake, there isn’t much that can be done. You can cut the burnt areas off if the burnt part is just on the bottom or top. You can use the non-burnt area and frost that, or use the remaining cake in cake pops or cakesicles (linked above in the dense cake section).
Why is my gluten free cake gritty?
If your cake turned out gritty, you used a gluten free flour blend that isn’t milled as finely. Usually, rice flour is the main culprit of a gritty gluten free cake.
Grit Fix:
The only way to fix a gritty texture is to avoid the problem when you are making your cake batter. Let your cake batter sit for 15-20 minutes before baking. This will help soften the rice flour in the blend.
Why did my cake turn out gummy?
If your cake turned out gummy, you either overmixed the batter or used a starch-heavy gluten-free flour blend with too much liquid.
I never recommend using a stand mixer to make any of the gluten-free cakes on my blog. Stand mixers almost always overmix the cake batter. Some flour blends are very starch-heavy. If you look at the ingredients list on your flour bag, brands list ingredients from most to least. If you see a lot of starches and white rice as the first ingredients, your brand is starchy, and you want to keep an eye on the batter moisture level. I put photos of my cake batter in every recipe so you can compare the photo of mine to yours to make sure yours has the proper texture.
There isn’t a way to fix a gummy cake once it has baked, so it is best to catch the problem before baking.
More Cake Baking Tips:
- Use the right baking pan. Many pans don’t conduct heat the same way, leading to uneven baking. For example, glass and silicone molds don’t conduct heat well and aren’t recommended for baking cakes. The best cake pans are typically non-stick and dark for better heat conduction.
- Prevent sticking. There are two great ways to prevent your cake from sticking. Use a good baking spray like La Tourangelle. This is a great gluten free baking spray. You can also line your cake pans with parchment paper. (NOTE: Pam Baking Spray is NOT gluten free!)
- Toothpick Test. Always test your cake with a toothpick to ensure it is fully baked. 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.
Remember that gluten free baking is a science, and small variations, including the flour blend you use, can make a big difference in the outcome of your cake. Practice, patience, and attention to detail are key to baking a great gluten free cake.
If you love to use a cake mix to bake cakes, I have some great Gluten Free Cake Mix Hacks to help your cake mix taste better.
High Altitude Options for Baking Cakes:
I do not live at a high altitude, but many of my readers do. Here are the tips and tricks that help my readers bake successful gluten free cakes.
- My cakes and cookies need to be baked at 375ºF, not 350ºF.
- What works best for me is the 25/25 method. Bake at 25 degrees higher than the recipe – this helps the outside cook faster as it rises and the middle won’t sink in later. Also, bake for 20-25minutes less.
- Depending on what you’re making, you can also add a little extra flour or baking soda. But for baked goods like cakes, muffins, etc I add a little extra liquid and usually an extra egg, and I cut back a little on baking powder or soda (so if it says 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, I’ll do 1 tsp).
- Bake at a slightly higher temperature, so instead of 350ºF, I’ll do 370ºF for the first part, then drop it back down to 350F.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Want to make a better gluten free boxed cake mix? Check out my Gluten Free Cake Mix Hacks.
Easy Gluten Free Cake Recipes:
I have tons of great cake recipes if you are looking for a tried-and-true gluten-free cake recipe! I always list the gluten free flour blends I used and tested in the recipe so you know what works. I have over 100 incredible gluten free cake recipes, including mug cakes, snack cakes, pound cakes, and more!
- Gluten Free Vanilla Cake – This is a wonderful light cake that many bakeries tell me their customers love. It also makes a great wedding cake.
- Gluten Free Chocolate Cake – This is the ultimate chocolate lover’s cake.
- Gluten Free Lemon Cake – This easy lemon cake has lemon curd between the layers, making it absolutely delicious!
- Gluten Free Carrot Cake – This is a nice light carrot cake perfect for making layer cakes. Mr. Fearless Dining wants this cake for his birthday every year.
- Gluten Free Hummingbird Cake – Hands down, this is my neighborhood’s favorite cake. It gets rave reviews!
Have a tip?
Do you have a great cake-baking tip? Please leave a comment; we would love to hear from you. Thank you!
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 would like to make this cake using 1/2 cup of thick strawberry puree to make it strawberry. What changes should I make to compensate for the puree?
Hi Dottie, I am hesitant to give advise on something I haven’t tested. I am not even sure which recipe you are wanting to adjust? This is a troubleshooting article, so there isn’t a recipe in it.
I accidentally added 11/4 cup of cream to my flourless cake mix instead of 1/4 cup. How can I fix it before I bake it?
Can you tell me what the cake batter consistency looks like?
With regard to problem cakes there are things you can do to ‘rescue’ them.
Sunken cake? fill the hollow with fresh fruit and and served as a pudding with cream or vegan squirty cream.
Dry cake? Cut into squares or fingers and use to make a trifle type layered dessert with fruit, cold custard and cream.
Crumbling cake? This could be used to make a similar item to a ‘bread’ pudding – these often had pieces of crumbling or stale cake in them in place of some of the bread.
I hope these ideas are useful!
These tips are really useful, Karen. Thank you so much for taking the time to share these ideas!
I’m baking this for some good friends who are gluten-free. Because of this, I won’t be tasting it. I followed the cooking instructions to the tea but the batter seemed to be very watery when I poured it into the baking pan. I sure hope it will turn out right. For future info, what did I do wrong?
Hi Sue, That is so nice of you to bake for friends. My guess is the gluten free flour blend you used is starch heavy. Every single blend has a different starch to grain ratio. In the future, if you add more flour, it can resolve this issue. (Or reduce the liquid by 1/4 cup and add more as needed.) Gluten free baking is a bit like chemistry.
I’m still a newbie in baking and the tips were really helpful! I added more milk to my gluten-free cake, and it turned out much moister. Also, I made sure not to open the oven door too soon (which is the main reason why my output always fails), and my cake didn’t sink in the middle this time. Thank you for your tips! 🙂
Hi Kaye, you made my day. I am so glad my tips helped. And don’t feel bad about opening the oven door, I used to do this all of the time! I never knew it was a bad thing.
I attempted a chocolate gluten free cake. the writer said that gluten free 1 to 1 could be used with the same amount of ingredients. But the cake came out completely uncooked . Infact, it looked like a dirt mud pie and very soupy. the outside crust cooked perfectly. I don’t how that happened. Help Please
I am happy to troubleshoot, but it is tough not knowing the recipe you used. I assume it was not a gluten free recipe and the blogger said any 1:1 can be substituted in the same amount. Often people will just say in their recipe to sub a gluten free flour in hopes of getting gluten free people to make their recipes, but unless they are gluten free experts and test their recipes as gluten free, it rarely works out well for the person making that recipe. Please let me know what flour blend you used, type of pan, temperature you baked the cake at, and how long you baked it. You can email me the info at admin@fearlessdining .com