Baking a delicious gluten-free cake can be tricky. While regular cakes made with wheat flour tend to have a soft, tender crumb, gluten-free cakes are notorious for coming out of the oven with a chewy, rubbery texture. If your latest gluten-free cake experiment resulted in a chewy disappointment, don’t fret. With a few simple tweaks to your recipe and baking method, you can get your gluten-free cakes to come out perfectly moist and tender every time.
What Makes Cakes Chewy?
To understand why gluten-free cakes tend to be chewy, it helps to first look at what makes cakes tender in the first place. The primary factors are:
- Flour – The flour provides structure and bulk to the cake. Gluten strands in all-purpose wheat flour help provide a tender, delicate crumb. Gluten-free flours lack these strands.
- Fat – Butter, oil, or other fats coat the flour proteins and prevent extensive gluten development. The fat keeps the structure tender and crumbly.
- Eggs – Eggs act as a leavener and help the cake rise. They also add moisture and richness.
- Sugar – Sugar weakens the gluten strands, preventing toughness.
- Leavening Agents – Baking powder, baking soda, yeast, etc cause the batter to expand, creating a delicate crumb texture.
When baking without gluten, it becomes much more difficult to achieve a tender texture. Gluten-free flours don’t absorb moisture as readily, making the batter dense and prone to becoming dry and chewy when baked.
Common Causes of Chewy Gluten-Free Cakes
Here are some of the most common culprits behind chewy, rubbery gluten-free cakes:
Not Enough Moisture
Gluten-free flours require more moisture to achieve the same consistency as regular flour. If your batter is too dry, the cake won’t rise properly and will bake up dense and chewy. Try adding a bit more eggs, oil, milk, or other liquid to your batter.
Overmixing
Vigorously mixing activates the gluten strands in regular flour. But overmixing gluten-free batters can damage the delicate starches and cause gumminess. Mix just until combined, then stop. Don’t beat the batter for minutes once the ingredients are incorporated.
Incorrect Flour
All gluten-free flours are not created equal. Baking with a blend that contains gums or starches will provide more structure than single-ingredient flours like almond or coconut flour. Try an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend that contains binding agents.
Insufficient Leavening
Without gluten for structure, gluten-free batters rely heavily on leavening to rise properly. If your baking powder or eggs are old, the cake won’t get enough lift and will be dense. Use fresh leavening and adequately aerate the batter.
Incorrect Pan Size
If the pan is too large, the batter won’t fill it high enough and will have trouble rising up. The cake will come out short and dense. Use the pan size recommended in the recipe.
Overbaking
It’s easy to overbake gluten-free cakes, drying them out and making them chewy. Test for doneness early and remove from the oven when the center is still moist. The residual heat will continue cooking it.
Tips for Tender, Moist Gluten-Free Cakes
With a few easy tweaks, you can ensure your gluten-free cakes come out perfectly tender and delicious every time:
Use Binding Agents
Gluten-free flour blends made with gums, starches or eggs provide structure to help replicate the chewy texture of gluten. Try blends with xanthan gum, guar gum, tapioca starch or ground psyllium husks.
Add Extra Egg Yolks
For extra moisture, use an extra egg yolk or two. The egg yolk fats will make the cake more tender and help replace the binding properties of the gluten.
Include Fats
Butter, oils or other fats keep cakes tender and moist. Don’t try to cut back on the fat. Aim for equal parts fat and flour for best texture.
Increase Liquids
If the batter seems thick, drizzle in a bit more milk, water or other liquid until it reaches a spoonable consistency. Gluten-free batters should be slightly thinner than regular batters.
Use Alternative Flours
Some gluten-free flours lend themselves better to baking. Rice flour, tapioca starch, teff flour and almond flour have natural binding powers. Use them in combination with your blend.
Limit Mixing
Once the ingredients come together, stop mixing. Overbeating will damage the starches and make the crumb gummy. Fold gently by hand just until blended.
Let Batter Rest
After mixing, let the batter sit for 10-15 minutes. This allows the flours to fully hydrate and prevents tunneling in the cake.
Use Additional Leavening
Increase baking powder or soda slightly to give the cake more rise. Or use whipped egg whites to naturally lighten the batter without making it dry.
Grease the Pan Well
Gluten-free batters are thicker and won’t spread as easily in the pan. Grease it thoroughly so the cake releases without sticking.
Check for Doneness Early
Begin testing a few minutes before the recommended bake time. Gluten-free cakes overbake quickly. Err on the side of slightly underdone.
Moist Gluten-Free Cake Recipes
Want to whip up a gluten-free cake that’s perfectly moist and tender? Here are some delicious recipes to try:
Chocolate Almond Cake
This single-layer chocolate cake gets great texture from almond flour. The almond and chocolate pairing is heavenly. Top with your favorite frosting or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
The citrusy glaze on this cake keeps it extra moist. Poppy seeds add crunch and texture. It’s perfect for a spring or summer dessert.
Pumpkin Spice Cake
Pumpkin puree adds amazing moisture and flavor. Top slices with cream cheese frosting for a decadent gluten-free treat.
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Carrot cake is already moist thanks to the carrots. This gluten-free version is extra tender and topped with rich, tangy cream cheese frosting.
Vanilla Cake with Fruit Filling
For a simple cake, this vanilla recipe can’t be beat. Fill the layers with your choice of jam or fruit puree for extra moisture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I substitute for wheat flour?
Common wheat flour substitutes include rice flour, almond flour, coconut flour, chickpea flour, oat flour, buckwheat flour, teff flour, sorghum flour, and gluten-free flour blends.
Why do my gluten-free cakes sink?
Gluten-free cakes may sink due to being overmixed, having too much liquid, baking at a high temperature or not using enough binding agents. Use an all-purpose blend and fold gently to maintain air bubbles.
How do you make a gluten-free cake not dry?
Use extra eggs or egg yolks for moisture. Add a bit more liquid than called for. Grease pans well so the cake doesn’t stick. Bake just until done and don’t overbake. Brush with simple syrup or fruit glaze while hot.
What makes gluten-free baked goods crumbly?
Gluten-free items can crumble easily if the batter is too dry, incorrect flours are used, or mixing over-develops the starches. Add an extra egg or liquid and use gum-containing flour blends to bind.
Should gluten-free cake batter be thick or thin?
Gluten-free batters should generally be slightly thinner than regular batter. Aim for a spoonable, pourable consistency versus very thick. The lack of gluten means it won’t spread as readily in the pan.
Conclusion
Baking gluten-free cakes comes with some unique challenges, but with a few simple tweaks, you can easily get bakery-quality results at home. Be sure to use an all-purpose flour blend containing gums or starches for binding. Allow time for the batter to hydrate, don’t overmix, and bake just until done. With moist, delicious flavor combinations and proper gluten-free baking techniques, you’ll have cake that’s as tender, fluffy and irresistible as the wheat versions.