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.
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 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
The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Ingredient notes
Almond flour gives moisture to this vegan gluten-free strawberry cake 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 didn't work.
Sugar. I included enough to make the cake sweet but not overpowering.
Strawberries, either fresh or frozen (and defrosted). I have tested this recipe with both and they work equally well. Just make sure you choose strawberries which are already quite sweet and flavorful as they're the most prominent flavor.
Beetroot powder. Alternatively, you can use red or pink food coloring. Strawberries on their own will make the cake a dull pink color so we need a little extra help to make the cake pretty!
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, simply add the rest of your ingredients to your food processor or blender. Blend the cake batter until combined.
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 juicer, your cake batter might be a little runnier than we need. In this case, add a little more potato starch and blend the batter again.
Serving the cake
The cake is sweet enough and flavorful by itself. However, to serve the cake, you can also:
Dust the top with powdered sugar just before serving. The cake tends to absorb the sugar after a few hours.
Top the cake with strawberry buttercream frosting or strawberry cream cheese frosting. Or top the cake with a simple lemon sugar icing, such as the one I used in my lemon pistachio cake.
Serve it with vanilla whipped cream, coconut yogurt or ice cream.
Expert tips and substitutions
Almond flour is about 15% fat so can't be substituted 1:1 with all-purpose plain flour. I'd recommend a blend of AP flour and light-tasting vegetable oil such as sunflower.
Alternatively, my regular vegan strawberry cake and vegan strawberry cupcakes use all-purpose plain flour!
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 denser (and the cake is dense enough).
The recipe should work with coconut sugar. However, I'd recommend adding an extra 7 grams (1 tablespoon) of potato starch as coconut sugar has more moisture than regular sugar. If you make the cake with coconut sugar, it'll be a brown-pink color.
The recipe should work with a granulated sweetener such as stevia or erythritol. However, 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 weigh down the texture.
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.
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.
More vegan strawberry desserts
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Vegan Strawberry Cake (Gluten free + 6 ingredients)
Ingredients
- 250 g (1 ¼ cups) strawberries, fresh or frozen and defrosted, stems removed
- 250 g (2 ½ cups) almond flour / blanched almond meal, (note 1)
- 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar, (note 2)
- 110 g (¾ cup) potato starch, or corn starch, plus more if needed
- 15 g (3 heaped teaspoons) baking powder
- 12 g (3 teaspoons) beetroot powder, red or pink food coloring (to color, note 3)
Optional add-ins
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
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Chani says
Can I use dragonfruit or blueberry juice powder if I don’t have beet powder?
Pirjo says
The cake turned out great, thanks for the wonderful recipe. For me, I wish there was a tad of more flavor like cardamom or sth. But I added acai powder as I didn't have a beetroot one so it only didn't add color but more flavor.
Suzi says
Divine!! So simple, I just stirred it all up in a bowl by hand, after blending my berries in the blender. Doubled the recipe and filled 6 little 4" springform pans for mini cakes. Slit in two when cool and frosted with my homemade cashew lemon frosting!! This is a very moist and light cake that's just perfect the way it's written.
Sofia says
Beetroot power, can be sustituted by cooked beetroot??
Anthea says
Hi Sofia, I don't think so. Beetroot powder is completely dry whereas cooked beetroot has a lot of moisture and will change the texture of the cake.
Gillian says
Could you use egg substitutes powder Or applesauce to replace the eggs in this recipe?
Anthea says
Hi Gillian, there are no eggs in this recipe so you don't need any additional egg replacer or applesauce.
Gillian says
Can you use strawberry 🍓 juice 🥤 Or strawberry 🍓 soya powder milk instead of fresh or frozen strawberries 🍓 to make the strawberry almond cake?
Anthea says
Hi Gillian, I don't think strawberry juice or strawberry milk will work by themselves as they're just liquid whereas strawberries have pulp and fiber in them. Sorry!
Andrea says
We love this cake and it's amazing for my daughter's many many allergies. I want to make this into cupcakes for her birthday. How long would you recommend baking for cupcakes?
Anthea says
Hi Andrea, I'm so glad you enjoyed this cake and that it's suitable for your daughter! For average-sized cupcakes, I'd bake them for around 25 minutes or until a skewer comes out completely clean. If you'd like smaller cupcakes, try 18-20 minutes. The cupcakes should dome a little too. I hope that helps!
Goldoon says
If I want to replace the potato starch with eggs, how many eggs I should use in this recipe?
Anthea says
Hi Goldoon, sorry I'm not sure as I don't cook with eggs. You would need to experiment with the recipe.
Dani says
Must try this recipe, it’s very easy to make and delicious. I didn’t have beetroot powder or food colouring but still was very tasty. Will definitely bake it again with the beetroot powder 🫶🙌🤤
Anthea says
That's great to hear Dani! I'm so glad that you enjoyed the cake!
Alicia says
Goal: Vegan, Gluten and Almond Free. Can you substitute the flour mix with GF Oat instead?
Anthea says
It may work if you substitute the almond flour with 50% oat flour and 50% oil (check out note 1 in the recipe box). For vegan cakes, oat flour usually needs to be combined with a starch so I'd keep the potato/corn starch in the mix. Let me know how you go!
Avalon says
Could this be used to make cupcakes or mini cakes ?
Anthea says
Yes! The cake turns out a little fluffier when baked as cupcakes/mini cakes 🙂
Hillary says
Have you ever tried this recipe with frozen raspberries in place of strawberries?
Anthea says
Once I made this cake with 50% frozen raspberries and 50% strawberries and it worked well! I imagine it'll work with only raspberries. Raspberries have less moisture than strawberries so it'll just make the cake fluffier!
Shilpa M. says
Just tried this for my daughters 8th birthday and it came out perfect and she said this was the best cake she ever tasted. Thank you for the simple, healthy and most of all a vegan cake.
Anthea says
Aw that's so so sweet! I'm so glad you and your daughter enjoyed this cake. Thanks so much for your lovely feedback!
marcea says
Hello,
Can I use arrowroot instead of potato starch?
Anthea says
I haven't tested this recipe with arrowroot so I'm not sure to be honest! I know that arrowroot can't always be substituted 1:1 with potato starch so the quantities may need some tweaking. Sorry I couldn't be of any more help!
Tereza Tichá says
Perfect recipe for everyday preparation. Cake is very tasty and also the preparation was quick and easy.
Anthea says
That's lovely to hear Teresa! Thanks so much for your feedback!
Stephanie says
This is absolutely DELICIOUS!!! I want to get some beet root powder because I didn’t have any and white it’s amazing it didn’t get that beautiful red color it was suppose to. I also exchanged vanilla extract for almond and it was amazing. I would make this again and again…
Anthea says
Aww I'm so happy you enjoyed this cake Stephanie! Love that you added almond extract too (I have to try that next time, haha). Thanks so much for your kind feedback Stephanie, I really appreciate it!
Tzipi says
So yummy. Easy to make. Fluffy !!
Anthea says
That's lovely to hear, thanks for your comment Tzipi!
Elizabeth says
Hello Anthea, this looks great, can't wait to try it. My kids have nut allergies. Any suggestions for replacing the Almond flour? 🙂
Anthea says
Hi Elizabeth :). Yes, you can replace the almond flour with a combination of plain all-purpose flour and oil! The exact measurements are in the notes of the recipe card. Hope that helps!