Irresistible Gluten-Free Spice Cake with Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting

Prepare to fall in love with this truly fantastic gluten-free spice cake, perfectly complemented by a rich and dreamy cream cheese frosting. Finding a reliable and delicious gluten-free cake recipe can often feel like a gamble, but this one is a guaranteed winner, delivering on both taste and texture every single time.

This easy spice cake recipe is incredibly versatile. Whether you choose to bake it as elegant cupcakes for a party or construct a beautiful layer cake as shown here, its spiced aroma and moist crumb will enchant everyone. While spice cake is a delightful treat year-round, its warm, comforting flavors of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves make it an absolute showstopper during the holiday season. As I write this, the aroma of this freshly baked cake next to a festive candle is so intoxicating, I almost mistake it for a decorative piece! This cake truly embodies the cozy spirit of the season.

Our gluten-free spice cake shares a wonderful kinship with gluten-free carrot cake, boasting similar warm spices and the delightful sweetness of brown sugar. The main difference? This recipe skips the carrots, putting the pure, aromatic spice blend in the spotlight. And, just like its carrot-infused cousin, it’s traditionally crowned with a generous layer of our signature dreamy cream cheese frosting, adding an essential creamy tang that balances the rich spices perfectly.

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Essential Ingredients for Your Gluten-Free Spice Cake

Don’t be intimidated by the seemingly long list of ingredients for this spice cake. While it features a vibrant blend of spices, the majority are likely already staples in your pantry. This straightforward recipe comes together beautifully with a mix of dry and wet ingredients designed to create an incredibly moist and flavorful cake.

Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: The foundation of our cake, providing structure without gluten.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Our leavening agents, working together for an excellent rise.
Aromatic Spices: A blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, and cloves, delivering the iconic flavor.
Kosher Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.
White Sugar & Brown Sugar: A combination for balanced sweetness and moisture, with brown sugar adding depth.
Vegetable Oil: Contributes to the cake’s moistness and tender crumb.
Greek Yogurt: A secret ingredient for added moisture and a fantastic texture.
Eggs: Provide structure, richness, and help bind the ingredients.

Choosing the Best Gluten-Free Flour for Cakes

For those who frequently visit my blog, you’ll know my unwavering loyalty to Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour. This blend is a true game-changer in gluten-free baking because it already includes xanthan gum, a crucial ingredient that mimics the elasticity and structure typically provided by gluten. Many gluten-free flours can result in a chalky or grainy texture, but Bob’s Red Mill consistently delivers a wonderfully smooth and tender crumb that rivals traditional wheat-based cakes. Even my gluten-eating friends and family are often surprised and delighted by the texture and taste, never suspecting it’s gluten-free.

I find this particular flour blend tastes remarkably close to regular flour, which is why it’s my go-to for this spice cake recipe and all my other gluten-free baked goods. While other all-purpose gluten-free flours are available, I cannot guarantee the same results with this recipe. For instance, I occasionally use King Arthur’s gluten-free flour when Bob’s Red Mill is unavailable, and I’ve noticed my recipes tend to come out a bit denser. Each brand formulates its blend differently, so sticking to a tried-and-true option like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 is your best bet for achieving the light, fluffy, and moist texture this gluten-free spice cake is known for. If you do opt for a different brand, especially one without xanthan gum, you may need to add about 1/2 teaspoon of xanthan gum per cup of flour to achieve a similar consistency.

The Role of Greek Yogurt in This Recipe

Let’s be clear: the inclusion of Greek yogurt in this recipe isn’t primarily for health benefits, though a little extra protein never hurts! Its true purpose lies in its significant contribution to the cake’s structure, moisture, and overall rise. In this recipe, we ingeniously use both baking powder and baking soda, a common practice in baking to achieve optimal leavening, especially in gluten-free goods where a little extra lift is always welcome.

Baking soda, a base, requires an acidic ingredient to activate and produce the carbon dioxide gas that makes your cake rise. Baking powder, on the other hand, is a complete leavening package – it already contains both an acid (like cream of tartar) and a base (baking soda), meaning it can work independently. Greek yogurt steps in as a fantastic acidic component for our baking soda. Its natural tang reacts with the baking soda, creating additional bubbles and contributing to a higher, lighter cake. Beyond its leavening power, the Greek yogurt also infuses the batter with incredible moisture, resulting in a wonderfully tender and juicy crumb that stays fresh longer, a common challenge in gluten-free baking. It’s truly a secret weapon for a perfectly balanced and incredibly moist gluten-free spice cake.

How to Bake the Perfect Gluten-Free Spice Cake

Despite its impressive results, this recipe is surprisingly simple to follow, even for novice bakers. The key is to ensure your ingredients are at room temperature and to follow the steps carefully for the best texture and rise. Here’s a simplified breakdown of the process:

Prepare Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, beat together both the white and brown sugars with the vegetable oil until the mixture is light and well combined. Then, incorporate the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully blended before adding the next, which helps create a stable emulsion.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, all the delightful spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, cloves), and kosher salt. Thoroughly mix these with a fork or whisk to ensure even distribution of the leavening agents and spices.
Alternate Wet and Dry: Add approximately half of your dry ingredient mixture to the sugar and oil mixture. Start mixing on low speed to prevent a flour cloud, then increase to medium speed and beat until just combined.
Add Greek Yogurt: Incorporate the plain Greek yogurt into the batter and beat for about 20-30 seconds until it’s fully integrated. This adds crucial moisture and activates the baking soda further.
Finish with Dry Ingredients: Add the remaining dry ingredients to the batter. Again, start on low speed and then beat on medium until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tougher cake, even in gluten-free baking. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure no dry pockets remain.
Rest and Bake: This step is crucial for gluten-free cakes! Allow the cake batter to rest for 30 minutes. This gives the gluten-free flour time to absorb the liquids, resulting in a better texture. After resting, pour the batter into your prepared pans and bake at 350°F (175°C) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool and Frost: Once baked, let the cakes cool completely in their pans before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling. This prevents breakage. Only frost when the cakes are entirely cool to avoid melting the delicious cream cheese frosting.

My layer cake was typically done around the 35-minute mark, but oven temperatures can vary significantly. Start checking your cake with a toothpick around 30 minutes and add more time in 5-minute increments if needed. Cupcakes will bake much faster, so begin checking those at about 18-22 minutes.

Tips for Freezing Layer Cakes or Cupcakes

One common issue with even the most delightful gluten-free cakes is that they can dry out more quickly than their gluten-containing counterparts. Fortunately, the freezer is your best friend for preserving their freshness and delicious texture. Freezing is also an excellent strategy if you often have leftovers or want to enjoy individual portions of cake anytime.

While the refrigerator can speed up the drying process of cake, the freezer acts as a time capsule, preserving moisture and flavor wonderfully. Since I rarely want to consume an entire cake at once, I prefer to cut it into individual slices before freezing. This simple method ensures you have a perfect slice of gluten-free spice cake ready whenever a craving strikes:

Prepare Your Pan: Line a sheet pan with a silicone baking mat (silpat) or parchment paper. If you have limited freezer space, a half-sheet pan works just as well.
Slice and Arrange: Carefully cut your completely cooled cake into desired slices. Place these slices cut-side down onto the prepared sheet pan. This prevents the exposed cake from sticking to the pan.
Flash Freeze: Place the sheet pan with the cake slices into the freezer until they are completely frozen solid. This “flash freezing” step prevents them from sticking together when stored in a bag.
Bag for Storage: Once frozen, transfer the individual slices into a gallon-sized freezer bag or an airtight container. Now you have convenient, perfectly portioned slices of cake to enjoy whenever you please.

For optimal long-term storage, especially if you don’t plan to eat the cake slices within a month, I highly recommend wrapping each frozen slice individually with plastic wrap (saran wrap) before placing them into the freezer bag. This extra layer of protection helps prevent freezer burn and maintains maximum freshness.

For the best results, aim to freeze your cake within 24 hours of baking. If you wait until the cake is already starting to dry out or is several days old, it will retain that quality when you defrost it. The freezer locks in the state it was in when it went in!

To defrost, simply pull a slice of cake out of the freezer and let it come to room temperature on your counter for about 30-60 minutes. While you *can* microwave a slice of cake, be cautious, as you run the risk of melting the cream cheese frosting, which can make it a bit messy.

Other Amazing Gluten-Free Cake Recipes to Explore

If you’ve loved this gluten-free spice cake, you might enjoy these other delightful gluten-free baking adventures:

Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Muffins: If the subtle similarities to carrot cake intrigued you, you must try this gluten-free carrot cake recipe. Although it’s a muffin recipe, it transforms beautifully into amazing cupcakes or even a stunning layer cake. As I always say, a muffin is simply a cupcake without the frosting, and these are truly exceptional!
Gluten-Free Three-Layer Chocolate Cake: For the ultimate chocolate lover, this gluten-free chocolate cake from She Likes Food is my absolute favorite. I’m a huge fan of dark chocolate, so I’ve only ever made it with dark cocoa powder, and the results are truly phenomenal. Even my brother, who used to scoff at anything gluten-free, now regularly requests this rich and decadent chocolate masterpiece!

Happy Baking, and enjoy every guilt-free, delicious bite!

Gluten Free Spice Cake

Carolyn

A gluten free spice cake with cream cheese frosting that’s super easy and super delicious.

Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 34 minutes

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Equipment

Stand Mixer with the paddle attachment or handheld mixer
Two 8 inch round cake pans or muffin pan

Ingredients

2 ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
2 t. Baking Powder
1 t. Baking Soda
1 t. Cinnamon
1 t. Ginger
½ t. Nutmeg
½ t. Cardamom
¼ t. Allspice
¼ t. Cloves
¼ t. Kosher Salt
1 cup Sugar
½ cup Brown Sugar
1 ¼ cup Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs, Large
½ cup Greek yogurt, Plain
Nonstick Cooking Spray Make sure it does not contain flour

For the cream cheese frosting

1 cup Unsalted Butter (2 sticks) Room Temperature
8 oz Cream Cheese (1 block)
5 Cups Powdered Sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray your muffin pan or round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt with a whisk or spoon. Set aside.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat together the sugars and oil on medium speed until well combined (about 1 minute).
Add the eggs one at a time beating after each addition until completely combined. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Start with the mixer on low so the dry ingredients don’t fly out of the mixer then beat on medium speed until well combined.
Add the greek yogurt to the mixer and beat for 20 seconds. Then add the rest of the dry ingredients and beat on low then back to medium until well combined. Scrape the bowl if necessary to make sure everything is well mixed together.
Let batter sit for 30 minutes and then scrape into two round 8 inch cake pans for a layer cake or a muffin tin for cupcakes.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Cupcakes will not take as long to bake.
Let cakes cool completely then frost with cream cheese frosting.

For the cream cheese frosting:

Beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds on medium speed. This will ensure the cream cheese and butter emulsify with no lumps especially if your butter is on the cold side.
Add cream cheese and beat for 1 minute and 30 more seconds. Scrape the bowl with a spatula.
Add 3 cups of the powdered sugar. Beat on low for 5 seconds so the sugar doesn’t poof out of the bowl. Beat on medium high for 1 minute.
Add the last 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat on low for 5 more seconds. Beat on medium high for 1 more minute.
Use frosting to pipe onto cupcakes or frost an 8 inch layer cake.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!