This fluffy gluten-free eggnog cake is a delicious holiday treat that’s easy to make and full of festive flavor. The cake has a soft, moist texture and is topped with creamy vanilla buttercream frosting. If you are an eggnog fanatic, this is an incredible dessert to bake. Even those who don’t love eggnog might find themselves reaching for a second slice!
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
Fall and holiday seasons always leave me slightly baffled. Why do we only make pumpkin recipes in the fall? Eggnog and gingerbread have incredible flavor, but why are they banished to mostly being used over the holidays? It drives me nuts.
This year, I am working on several new gluten free eggnog dessert recipes for you. I am really proud of how moist and fluffy this gluten free eggnog snack cake recipe turns out. If you are looking for more recipes, these Gluten-Free Eggnog Chocolate Chip Cookies have that perfect eggnog flavor. If you want even more yummy eggnog-flavored dessert recipes, check out these Gluten-Free Eggnog Dessert Recipes.
Drop me a comment below and tell me your favorite ways to enjoy eggnog!
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I tested this cake recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob’s Red Mill 1:1. Other flour blends will work. If your blend doesn’t contain a binder, please add 3/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum.
- Baking Powder – I recommend using aluminum-free baking powder.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Eggs – Size large.
- Eggnog – You can use dairy or non-dairy eggnog. I used So Delicious Coconut Eggnog to test this recipe.
- Chocolate Chips – You can further make these more allergen-free by using chips like Enjoy Life, which are free of the top 8 allergens.
A Note From My Kitchen
This gluten-free eggnog cake is one of the recipes I have made for years, but never put on the blog. I have tested it with various cake styles, ranging from a fancy layer cake to a bundt cake. It is very versatile and tastes great even without the frosting. The eggnog flavor shines through using either regular or dairy-free eggnog.
I only tested it with one flour blend, but you can use any blend. If you use another blend, it will work. Please note that you may need to adjust the wet and dry ingredient ratios. If your cake batter seems too runny, add more flour, and if the batter seems too dry, add more eggnog.
How to Make a Fluffy Gluten-Free Eggnog Cake (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350º F. Add the gluten free flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. I always whisk my dry ingredients so they are evenly disbursed before adding liquids.
Step 2: Place the butter in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave it for 20 seconds to partially melt it. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and eggnog. Whisk to blend. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add the chocolate chips.
Step 3: Mix the wet and dry ingredients into the cake batter. Optional:Llet the cake batter sit for 15 minutes so the rice in the flour blend can soften. The cake batter should be slightly thick like muffin batter.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour; if it is too thick, add more liquid. Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
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Step 4: Spray gluten free baking spray in an 8×8 baking pan. Alternatively, you can line the pan with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking.
Step 5: Pour the cake batter into the pan and use a spatula to spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake at 350º F for 25-30 minutes. The cake is finished baking when it is golden on top. The baking time can vary if you use a pan of a different size or a non-metal baking dish.
Step 6: Remove the cake from the oven to a cooling rack. When the cake is fully cooled, you can frost it or dust it with powdered sugar. If you choose to add frosting, this is my popular Gluten-Free Frosting recipe.
If you top your cake with sprinkles, be sure to read my Gluten-Free Sprinkles List to ensure you are using a safe gluten-free brand of sprinkles. If you bake a lot, here is a list of my favorite cake-baking tools to help you find new products to simplify your baking process!
Tips For Success
1. Always go with your gut when evaluating your cake batter. If your batter seems dry, add a little more eggnog. If your batter seems too wet, add more flour. Every gluten free flour blend is different and absorbs liquid differently.
2. Don’t use a stand mixer to make this gluten free cake. It tends to overmix the batter, resulting in a denser cake.
3. For more cake troubleshooting tips, read my
Gluten Free Cake Troubleshooting Guide.
Storage Tips:
- Store the cake in an airtight container. The cake will keep fresh for up to 4 days. I store gluten-free cake in the refrigerator.
- You can also freeze this cake whole or in slices in a freezer-safe container or a zipper bag.
More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes:
If you enjoy baking cake, try one of these gluten-free cake recipes, which are popular with my readers:
- Gluten-Free Applesauce Cake
- Easy Gluten-Free Kuchen
- Gluten-Free Tres Leches Cake
- Gluten-Free Tiramisu
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!
The Fluffiest Gluten-Free Eggnog Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend King Arthur Measure for Measure: 196.3 g
- ⅔ cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum free
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup eggnog dairy- or non-dairy
- ¾ cup chocolate chips optional
Frosting
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons milk or eggnog
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Add the 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend, 2/3 cup cane sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Place the 1/2 cup unsalted butter in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave it for 25 seconds to partially melt. Add the 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup eggnog. Whisk to blend. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add the 3/4 cup chocolate chips.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients into the cake batter. Optional, let the cake batter sit for 15 minutes so the rice in the flour blend can soften.
- Spray gluten free baking spray in an 8×8 size baking pan. If you prefer, you can also line the pan with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking.
- Pour the cake batter into the pan and use a spatula to spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake at 350º F for 25-30 minutes. The cake is finished baking when it is golden on top. The baking time can vary if you use a different sized pan, or if you use a non-metal baking dish.
- Use a toothpick test to see if the cake is baked. Insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If you see crumbs or batter, bake the cake longer. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is finished baking.
- Remove the cake from the oven to a cooling rack. When the cake is fully cooled, you can frost it or dust it with powdered sugar.
Frosting
- Add the 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, and 3-4 tablespoons milk or eggnog to a standing mixer and mix on low speed for 1 minute. Starting slowly will help to prevent the powdered sugar from flying everywhere.
- Gradually increase the speed of the mixer and whip until the frosting is fluffy.
- Spread the frosting onto the cake.
Notes
- I tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure. I included the weight above. Note: every gluten free flour blend has a different weight. Read to learn more about the weight differences in gluten free flour.
- If your flour blend doesn’t contain a binder, add 3/4 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the dry ingredients.
- Store the cake in an airtight container. The cake will keep fresh for up to 4 days. I like to store mine in the refrigerator. You can also freeze this cake whole or in slices in a freezer-safe container or zipper bag.
2. Don’t use a stand mixer to make this gluten free cake. It tends to overmix the batter, leaving you with a denser cake.
3. For more cake troubleshooting tips, read my Gluten-Free Cake Troubleshooting Guide
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Gluten-Free Related Reading
Gluten-free baking is like a science experiment. There are so many things you need to understand the different components of baking without gluten. My Gluten-Free Resources Section is here to help teach you the tools you need to know to become a confident gluten free baker.
My Best Gluten-Free Baking Tips For Better Baking!
Why Binders Are Important In Gluten-Free Baking
The Best Gluten Free Flour Blends – And how to use them!
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!
