Vegan gluten-free strawberry cake using only 6 ingredients. This flourless cake is packed with fresh strawberries and comes together in just a food processor or blender.

This easy recipe is based on my popular vegan gluten-free cakes including whole orange cake, whole lemon cake and flourless chocolate cake.

Overhead image of pink-colored vegan strawberry cake on a plate. A few slices are cut out showing fluffy texture.

Why you’ll love this vegan gluten-free strawberry cake

FLAVOR/TEXTURE: Packed with the most authentic strawberry flavor since we’re using fresh strawberries rather than strawberry extract or freeze-dried powders. The cake is soft and moist with a tight crumb. Its texture is similar to a French financier or French almond cake.

WHOLESOME: Free from vegan butter or added oil which makes it a healthier alternative.

RELIABLE: Free from store-bought gluten-free flour blends which can be inconsistent.

This strawberry cake is perfect for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and for using up those extra ripe strawberries!

6 ingredients you’ll need

Flat lay of vegan and gluten free ingredients for strawberry cake.

The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Ingredient notes

Almond flour gives this cake moisture and a tender melt-in-your-mouth crumb. Cakes without gluten can be dry but the almond flour prevents that.

Potato starch is our egg replacer and gluten-free binder. This can also be substituted with corn starch. I’ve tried other binders like chia/flax seeds and aquafaba but unfortunately, they don’t work.

Strawberries, either fresh or frozen (and defrosted). I have tested this recipe with both and they both work well. Make sure you choose strawberries which are already quite sweet and flavorful as it’s the main flavor.

Beetroot powder or food coloring (optional). Without any powder or food dye, this cake is a dull pink color.

Beetroot powder provides varying results, and your cake can be anywhere from vibrant pink to orange/brown. It will hugely depend on the brand and age of your powder. For the most reliable results, use red or pink food coloring.

Making the cake batter

This vegan gluten-free strawberry cake is easy to make! You don’t even have to separate the dry ingredients from the wet ingredients.

First, add your fresh or defrosted strawberries to a food processor or blender. Blend until the strawberries form a puree. Make sure there are no chunks in the strawberry puree, though seeds are fine.

Next, add the rest of your ingredients to your food processor or blender. Blend the mixture until combined.

Four image collage of making the cake batter in a food processor.

Your final cake batter should be very thick and almost like a paste rather than a typical runny cake batter.

For this vegan gluten-free strawberry cake, a thicker batter will lead to a fluffier cake with no dense spots. In contrast, a thinner batter will lead to a denser cake.

If your strawberries were extra juicy, your cake batter might be a little runny. In so, add a little more potato starch and blend the batter again.

Two image collage of spreading the thick cake batter in a cake pan.

Serving the cake

The cake is lovely by itself, but you can also serve the cake with:

Close up of slices of strawberry cake.

Expert tips and substitutions

Can I use all-purpose plain flour instead of almond flour?

Almond flour adds a lot of moisture to this cake so it can’t be substituted 1:1 with all-purpose flour. You can try a blend of AP flour and light-tasting vegetable oil, but I haven’t tested it.

Alternatively, my regular vegan strawberry cake and vegan strawberry cupcakes use all-purpose plain flour.

Can I reduce or replace the sugar?

I’d only recommend reducing the sugar to 100g. Sugar doesn’t only make the cake sweet but lightens the texture of the cake. Reducing the sugar will make the cake too dense.

The recipe should also work with coconut sugar. If you make the cake with coconut sugar, it’ll be a brown-pink color.

This cake may also work with a granulated sweetener such as stevia or erythritol. I haven’t tested it myself so I can’t vouch for results. This recipe will not work with liquid sweeteners such as maple syrup as it will be too heavy.

Can I make this without a food processor or blender?

You will still need a stick blender to puree the strawberries. Add them directly to a large bowl and puree as needed. Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined.

Can I bake the vegan strawberry cake in a different tin?

This cake bakes very well in muffin tins and can be divided into smaller cake tins, of course with different baking times.

However, baking the whole quantity of the cake in a smaller tin (for example a 7 inch/15 cm tin) may cause ‘dense spots’ throughout the cake.

Close up of section of cake showing almond flour texture.

More vegan strawberry desserts

Vegan strawberry cake on plate with slice of cake lifted out revealing fluffy pink texture.

Vegan Strawberry Cake
Vegan strawberry cupcakes with pink base and pink vegan buttercream. Cupcakes are decorated with freeze dried raspberries and fresh strawberries

Vegan Strawberry Cupcakes
Small strawberry cake on plate with slices cut out revealing the cake layers and jammy filling.

Small-batch Vegan Strawberry Cake
Close up of pink strawberry cookies with crackly sugar sugar on marble serving board.

Strawberry Sugar Cookies (vegan)

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4.95 from 37 reviews

Vegan Strawberry Cake (Gluten free + 6 ingredients)

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Author: Anthea
Vegan gluten free strawberry cake using only 6 ingredients. This flourless cake is packed with fresh strawberries and comes together in just a food processor or blender.
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Ingredients

Optional add-ins

Instructions 

  • Note: For the best results, I recommend using grams for this recipe as it's difficult to accurately measure flour/starch and strawberries using cups. Alternatively, use the spoon and level method to measure the flour. Use a spoon to add the flour/starch to a measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Do not use the measuring cup to scoop flour out of your container as too much flour will result in a denser cake.
  • Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease or line an 8 inch (20 cm) cake pan with parchment paper.

Make the strawberry cake:

  • Add the strawberries to a food processor or blender. Blend until it forms a smooth puree and there are no chunks of strawberries.
  • Add the rest of the cake ingredients to the food processor. Process until the mixture is combined. The batter should be like a thick paste which holds shape when you scoop it. If your strawberries were extra juicy, your batter may be a little runnier than needed. If so, add 15-30 grams (2-4 tablespoons) more potato starch and blend again.
  • Scoop the cake batter into your cake tin. Smooth the top with a spoon or spatula.

Bake the strawberry cake:

  • Bake the cake for 30-35 minutes or until you can insert a skewer or toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean. If the cake is cooking too quickly on the outside and unbaked inside, cover the cake pan with aluminum foil or an oven-safe plate (as long as it doesn't touch the cake).
  • Allow the cake to completely cool in the cake tin.
  • To serve, dust the cake with powdered sugar (Note 4 for alternatives). The cake is lovely served with whipped cream, dairy-free yogurt or ice cream.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Notes

  1. For a nut-free cake, substitute the almond flour with 1 cup (125g) all purpose flour and ½ cup (125g) of any light-tasting oil. We have to add oil to compensate for the natural oils normally found in almond flour. Alternatively, check out my regular vegan strawberry cake recipe.
  2. This amount of sugar creates a mildly sweet cake, depending on the sweetness of your strawberries. The sugar can be reduced to 100g but it makes the cake more dense and the cake may be more sour, depending on your strawberries. I’ve listed some sugar alternatives in the post above.
  3. Different brands of beetroot powder vary in color and intensity so you may need more or less than 3 teaspoons to color the cake. If you use pink or red food coloring, start with a just few drops and add more until you reach your desired color. The amount of food coloring will depend on the brand and whether you use a liquid or gel.
  4. This cake is packed with flavor and sweet enough without any icing or buttercream.  However, you can also top the cake with a vegan strawberry frosting, strawberry cream cheese frosting or a simple icing, such as from my pistachio avocado cake. Wait until the cake is completely cool before you frost the cake.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1 serve, Calories: 206kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 10g, Sodium: 138mg, Potassium: 124mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 15g, Vitamin A: 3IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 127mg, Iron: 1mg
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