Gluten Free Desserts

Gluten Free Orange Cranberry Cake

This easy recipe for gluten free orange cranberry cake is a layer cake with cranberry jam filling and orange buttercream frosting. This moist cake uses sour cream and makes the best layer cake. You will love this cake recipe for Christmas or Thanksgiving!

I use my Easy Gluten Free White Cake recipe for this cake. I love this recipe! It smells amazing when it's baking and is the perfect white cake to use whatever filling or frosting you desire.

I filled this cake with my Gluten Free Cranberry Jam. This jam is the perfect mixture of tart and sweet! It is perfect on toast, waffles or in between layers of cake. I love making my own homemade jam so I know exactly what ingredients are used.

If you are looking for more cranberry recipes try my Cranberry Fluff Salad, my Gluten Free Cranberry Apple Crisp, my Gluten Free Orange Cranberry Biscotti or my Gluten Free Orange Cranberry Butter Cookies.

You can find all of my cake recipes here: Gluten Free Cake Recipes

three slices of gluten free orange cranberry cake with cranberry jam filling and orange buttercream frosting on plates

This Gluten-Free Orange Cranberry Cake is the perfect dessert for the holiday season! It combines the zesty flavor of orange with the tartness of fresh cranberries.

The cake features a light, fluffy gluten-free white cake base, layered with a rich cranberry filling that brings a burst of festive color and flavor. Topped with a smooth and creamy orange buttercream frosting, this cake is an easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing treat. This cake captures the essence of Christmas in every bite.

Whether you're baking for a Christmas party, a family gathering, or looking for a delicious seasonal cake, this dessert is sure to impress.

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Ingredients

Gluten Free Flour
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Sea Salt
Unsalted Butter
Granulated Sugar
Eggs
Vanilla Extract
Milk
Sour Cream
Cream Cheese
Powdered Sugar
Orange Juice
Orange Peel
Fresh Cranberries

Instructions

Make the layer cakes using this Easy Gluten Free White Cake recipe.

Make the cranberry jam for filling using this Gluten Free Cranberry Jam recipe.

For the frosting beat the butter and cream cheese in your stand mixer until combined. Add salt, powdered sugar, orange juice and orange peel. Beat until combined and smooth.

If the frosting is too thick for you add milk one tablespoon at a time until you get your desired consistency.

Let the cakes cool completely before frosting. I like to freeze my cakes overnight to make frosting them really easy.

Supplies

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make my gluten free cake more moist?

Gluten free flours can be dry, so it's important to add moisture when converting a regular recipe to a gluten free recipe. For cakes it's best to add a bit of apple sauce or sour cream to the recipe to give the cake a higher moisture level. Using apple sauce or sour cream will keep the cake light and fluffy.

I would start with ¼ cup of either the apple sauce or sour cream and see what your batter consistency is. If you aren't happy with that add a bit more. I would mix this added ingredient in by hand so you don't overheat your cake batter and make it flat.

Do gluten free cakes take longer to bake?

Yes, gluten free baking in general takes a little bit longer to bake than a cake made with regular wheat flour. However, gluten free baked goods tend to brown faster. So you will want to test the cake with a tooth pick in the center to make sure it's actually done even if it looks browned.

Your cake should be a nice golden brown and a tooth pick inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean. You may need to bake your cake up to 5-8 minutes more. If your cake is already very brown, but not done in the center you will need to lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees and cook longer.

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Gluten Free Orange Buttercream

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Author: Elaine VanVleck
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 2 - 9 inch cakes 1x
Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

Ingredients

Scale

Easy Gluten Free White Cake

Gluten Free Cranberry Jam

Orange Buttercream Frosting:

1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
1- 8 ounce package Cream Cheese, softened
½ tsp. Sea Salt
3 cups Powdered Sugar
2 Tbsp. Orange Juice
1 tsp. Orange Peel, finely zested
1-2 Tbsp. Milk, if needed to thin

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Instructions

Make the layer cakes using this Easy Gluten Free White Cake recipe.

Make the cranberry jam for filling using this Gluten Free Cranberry Jam recipe.

For the frosting beat the butter and cream cheese in your stand mixer until combined. Add salt, powdered sugar, orange juice and orange peel. Beat until combined and smooth.

If the frosting is too thick for you add milk one tablespoon at a time until you get your desired consistency.

Let the cakes cool completely before frosting. I like to freeze my cakes overnight to make frosting them really easy.

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Cake
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Gluten Free

Gluten Free Gingerbread Scones

This easy recipe for gluten free gingerbread scones is perfect for Christmas morning. They are moist and drizzled with cinnamon glaze. I added rolled oats to make them a bit more dense and perfect for breakfast.

a plate with a gingerbread scone drizzled with cinnamon glaze next to a cookie sheet of scones.

Gluten free gingerbread scones are a delightful addition to your holiday baking repertoire. They are perfect for Christmas morning or any cold winter day. This easy scones recipe combines the warm flavors of ginger and spices, creating a sweet treat that embodies the spirit of the season.

With a soft and tender texture, these homemade scones are not only gluten free but also make for a cozy breakfast or brunch option that everyone will love. Drizzled with a luscious cinnamon glaze, they bring a festive flair to your holiday favorite recipes.

If you are looking for more ginger recipes try my Gluten Free Gingerbread Pancakes, my Gluten Free Gingerbread Bundt Cake, my Gluten Free Ginger Cookies, or my Gluten Free Gingersnap Cookies.

You can find all of my breakfast recipes here: Gluten Free Breakfast Recipes

A plate with a gingerbread scone drizzled with cinnamon glaze

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Ingredients

Gluten Free Flour
Gluten Free Rolled Oats
Brown Sugar
Baking Powder
Xanthan Gum
Ground Ginger
Ground Cinnamon
Ground Nutmeg
Ground Cloves
Sea Salt
Unsalted Butter
Crystalized Ginger
Heavy Whipping Cream
Molasses
Egg
Powdered Sugar
Vanilla Extract
Milk

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer beat together the gluten free flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and sea salt.

Add the cubed butter to the dry mixture and beat until a lumpy, dry mixture forms. Add the crystalized ginger, heavy whipping cream, molasses and egg. Blend just until the mixture starts to form a ball.

Take the dough out of the bowl and mix any remaining dry ingredients on the bottom of the bowl in by hand. Form the dough into a 10-12 inch disc. Cut the disc into 8 equal sections like a pie.

Place each triangle on the baking sheet so that they aren't touching each other.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15-16 minutes. The scones will be slightly browned when they are done.

Place the scones on a cooling rack and let cool completely.

Make the glaze in a small bowl. Mix together the powdered sugar, ground cinnamon, vanilla extract and milk. Start with 1 tablespoon of milk and add more if needed. I like the glaze to be a bit thick.

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled scones. Serve plain or with a ginger spread.

Supplies

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to use eggs in scones?

In my opinion, yes you should use an egg or egg substitute in your gluten free gingerbread scones. Eggs provide structure to the scones. Since we aren't using gluten in this recipe it is crucial for the texture of your scones to use an egg.

Eggs also add moisture to the scone dough, if you can't use eggs you need to substitute with either flax seed meal and water or applesauce. You could use a combination of the two, but it will alter the flavor and texture some.

Why are my scones hard?

There are a couple of things that could cause your gluten free gingerbread scones to be hard. First, you do not want to over mix the dough. Once all the ingredients are in the mixing bowl you will want to mix just until ingredients are blended.

Next, remove the dough from the mixing bowl and if there are crumbs in the bottom that didn't get mixed in knead them in with your hands while you are forming the dough into a large disc shape.

Second, make sure your baking powder isn't too old. If you are using expired baking powder you aren't going to get fluffy scones. It is also important to use the egg in this recipe or replace it accordingly to keep the moisture level in the scones correct.

Why are my baked scones so crumbly?

It is important that you use the heavy whipping cream, molasses and egg in this recipe. They are the only liquids being added. If you don't use enough liquids in the recipe you are likely to get crumbly, dry scones.

If you've used all the ingredients and your scones are still crumbly you can add a bit more heavy whipping cream or a tablespoon or two of applesauce. Either will add more moisture to the recipe and should remedy your dry scones.

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